Has anyone here tried Vida health?

If you joined the WW forum specifically to ask this question, then we will assume for now that you are a potential spammer. If you have prolapse or other related issues that you want to discuss, let us know what your concerns are. - Surviving

I have had symptoms of prolapse for one week. I went to my family doctor and she had no idea what was wrong with me, said I had a UTI gave me cipro which I didn't take and sent me on my way. I have a bloody discharge and wondered if this was "normal." I have a finger size something coming out of my vagina and when this first happened I bled with it. I am still wearing mini pads. I'm 67 years old and this all took place while I was doing Ali McGraw's Yoga DVD deep lunges.

Hi Karin and welcome. Unexplained bleeding is nothing to dismiss. But let's see if we can figure out what you are feeling. Do you have your uterus? Have you had pelvic surgeries or repairs of any kind? Is the bulge soft and squishy, or is it tough and firm with a dimple in the middle? - Surviving

Hi Surviving, I do have all my parts, have had no surgery, no repairs. The "finger" is firm, bloody and when I try putting it in place is out in a few minutes. It rests about an inch out and is very uncomfortable. I feel as if I have a tampon half way out. Karin

Hi Karen, it sounds like this finger thing is your cervix sticking out which means you have a prolapsed uterus. I also found my cervix sticking out when I first discovered my prolapse, but I did not have any bleeding with it. The prolapse itself should not cause bleeding, but maybe you did something up in there with these lunges. It would be hard to tell what that would be. You may want to get checked out by a physician for the bleeding just to alleviate your worry.
For the prolapse keep reading everything you can on this site. I have had wonderful results with managing my profound uterine prolapse by following Christine's work, as have so many others here.

Hi Aging, I was checked out by my doctor and she had no idea what was wrong with me. She said everything looked good with the exception of the bloody finger hanging. Yes, still lighting bleeding one week later. Maybe i will go to a gyn? I just don't know what to do. Every doctor has a two to three month wait. I placed a call into my doc who "didn't know" to call a woman gyn so I guess i will wait. Thanks so much. Karin

lightly....LOL

You mean your doctor could not identify what was hanging out of you? She went to med school I assume. - Surviving

I hope so but no, she could not identify it. She is a gp but none the less, she is a woman. I have been lightly bleeding for a week, I guess I should see a gyn.

Remember that gyns are trained surgeons and they see every problem from the standpoint of surgical "fixes". Pelvic surgeries are some of the most damaging. Please start back on the Home page and read as much on this site as you possibly can before you go. - Surviving

I am feeling a lot of pressure from my primary care physician [PCP,] and other health care providers, to have a hysterectomy.

I have a very severe prolapse of my uterus and bladder, and possibly my intestines, I believe, although none of my health care providers have given me a "stage or severity of prolapse" number. A few years ago, an ob-gyn tried to fit me with a pessary, but it just fell out, could not be kept in.

I have told the PCP repeatedly that I am a survivor of sexual violence, and, I believe it would re-traumatize me to have a hysterectomy. But she continues, over a number of years, to try to decide for me that I should have a hysterectomy. She never provides any information about what might happen if my POP gets more severe, or about any possible side effects of a hysterectomy, so I can make an informed decision of my own. Now she is pressuring me to see her clinic's psychologist or psychiatrist, as if because the last time I saw her I told her firmly, kindly, calmly, "I will never have a hysterectomy," means I'm crazy.

My massage therapist told me she'd had a hysterectomy and she was OK after it, and besides, why would I want to keep my uterus, when I am beyond childbearing age, and don't need it anymore.

My ob-gyn also wanted me to have hysterectomy. Of course, she would profit from the doing the surgery.

My uterus is still a living, viable organ, and I believe that it offers benefits and protections to me, even if I am "past childbearing age."

I want to have a caring male life partner in my life at this time, and I believe the hormones the uterus still produces would enhance my enjoyment of our love-making.

I feel very ambivalent about the messages I'm getting from my "doctor knows best" female PCP, my ob-gyn, and the female massage therapist, who seem to me to be brainwashed by the dominant white male patriarchal paradigm of medicine, as well as the PCP being motivated by greed in a materialistic, commercialized clinic that treats patients like they were on an industrial conveyer belt, despite her appearing to believe she is giving me extra attention. She perpetually tries to impose decisions on me about taking a lot of medicines that she does not even seem to know, cannot or will not explain how they work, despite my repeatedly asserting that I strongly prefer natural, holistic alternatives, if at all possible.

To me, hysterectomy seems to me to be like a holdover form of torture from the Inquisition, where women were labeled as witches and then tortured, burned at the stake.

A hysterectomy seems to me to be like a very sexist, ageist expression of hostility towards women, where they are manipulated into having a major sexual organ amputated; resulting in major, permanent harmful side effects; and then made to pay for it! I believe The H.E.R.S. Foundation says that when the ovaries are removed along with the uterus, as some doctors recommend, it is considered to be castration.

I like what the woman from the HERS Foundation says in "First Aid for Prolapse for Elders," that no man would accept being told "You have a benign tumor in your penis, so we'll just cut it off, since you're not going to have any more children," by a doctor, he would run from the exam room."

I am seriously considering finding another PCP who recognizes that I have an "Inner Healer" and Inner Wisdom within me, who/which knows what is best for me, and filing a complaint regarding the massage therapist, and another against the PCP and her clinic, perhaps the ob-gyn [who did not give me any information about possible side effects of having a hysterectomy, and my HMO, which convened a group of male doctors who decided I could not go "out of network" to get information from a clinic which claimed to provide "alternatives to hysterectomy," (which , it turned out, was that they just offered another form of uterus-removing surgery; they offered no non-surgical, natural alternatives to hysterectomy, anyway).]

I guess I am feeling intimidated by the PCP's apparent inequal power and status in relation to me, and by society's unquestioning "groupthink" about hysterectomy, and pressure to blindly conform to it, at any
personal cost.

But then I also feel like I am being given the message by these health care providers that I am being inappropriate and unwise, if not downright crazy, for not wanting to have a hysterectomy when I have such severe POPs.

Having a hysterectomy would be my very last resort option.

Instead, I am going to put more effort into learning the exercises Christine teaches in First Aid for Prolapse for Elders.

I believe that my lack of regular exercise and weakened back and abdominal muscles may be at the root of my POP challenge, as well as a number of other health challenges.

I am very grateful for the Whole Woman information and emotional support.

I would appreciate any suggestions, feedback, emotional support.

I am feeling somewhat timid about finding another PCP, clinic, HMO: My fear: "What if they turn out to be just as closed-minded?"

I guess I'll just "feel the fear and do it anyway..."

Hello infinite hope,
Such a beautifully written post, and I share in your strong resolve to keep my uterus. When I came to this site with a severely prolapsed uterus, I was terrified to have surgery, and worried that if I didnt, things would only get worse. Christine and some of our other ladies let me know again and again that prolapse is not life threatening and there is no viable reason to have surgery.
I was elated by this message and just dove right into the whole woman work. You say you have the elders DVD? You didn't say if you were an elder or if you have any other reason not to try the other dvds as well, but they all have great routines and information in them.
The key To remember though is that this is not an exercise program, but to get into and maintain the best whole woman posture as possible. Christines book Saving the whole woman explains all of this so beautifully.
We can all benefit from this work no matter what age we are.
I found my severly prolapsed uterus 2 years ago with my cervix literally sticking out of me, and I know my intestines were all squished and mushed down there as well. I had a slight bladder prolapse that I didn't really notice at first, I think because I was so freaked out about my cervix.
I have been doing this work for 2 years, and I feel that I have a new lease on life. Yes, I still have prolapse, but I can manage it and live a full life with my uterus intact.
I can't say how much your words resonate with me about keeping our uteruses.

Just remember that this work is a slow gentle process that takes time, but the results are so worth it in the end.
Best wishes to you.

This is indeed a very inspiring post, and if there is even still a shred of doubt in your mind (after reading what Christine has to say on this site and her book, and watching her interview with Nora Coffey), check out the HERS website and also Nora's book, The H Word. Not only is hysterectomy all that you've said, and more, but it isn't even a cure for prolapse. Other organs will just move into the opening left behind, and it also puts you at risk of the worst prolapse of all (vaginal vault). So, it is not a "last resort" for anything (except cancer). I too believe it is a part of a war on women, if you will.

I agree with Aging Gracefully that unless you have some health issues that cause significant mobility problems, you probably should be doing more than what you will find on the Elders dvd. Many of us are "elders" but it's really more a matter of whether or not you can move well. Gravity and movement are your friends and allies in prolapse management. Posture is the key, and moving in the posture all the time is what will get you there. And firebreathing - an absolute must. Good luck to you and thanks for the excellent post. - Surviving

Hi Dear infinitehope,
Welcome - Like you when I found out what a uro/gyno wished to do to me surgically, even though at the time I was not really knowledgeable as to the consequences or any non surgical approach, I just knew that it was not what I wanted to do, so I managed for 17+ yrs before finding Christine's work, just as my prolapse/hips were drastically worsening.
WW is an holistic brilliant alternative and comes with so many benefits, and Christine, Aging Gracefully, Surviving 60, and many others here including me are living proof that this approach works.

Wishing you well on this journey,
Aussie Soul Sister

I have to admit that I'm usually a bit puzzled when I read posts from women who are trying to do this work, but are pressured by those around them to have surgery. Why even discuss your prolapse with people (friends, family, acquaintences) who refuse to support your decision? If you are talking with someone you think maybe you can educate a bit, or even help, that's worth some effort. If that just leads to more pressure, give it up already, and get on with the WW work. Don't complain or comment on your prolapse to someone you know does not support your decision to avoid surgery. If you are being treated for something by a doctor, don't discuss your prolapse if you know this doctor is an advocate of surgery. Don't put yourself in the path of the wrong kind of advice. Once you are armed with the truth, it is easy to deflect the other stuff. I'd certainly be open to hearing some good examples of what makes this so hard. I can understand post-partum newbies being overly susceptible to what the doc has to say. But why the rest of us? - Surviving

I agree, surviving.
When I found my prolapse, I first searched the Internet and found whole woman. I then called my mom who right away said I will have to have surgery and listed all our relatives who had this "simple" procedure. I told her that I was going to take care of it naturally with whole woman, and she said that I will eventually have to have surgery. I then strongly disagreed. It's not something we talk about anymore. We come from different worlds in that aspect.
In my mind, there will never be a reason for me to see a doctor about my prolapse.

I was especially struck by Cleo's recent post where said that her husband pressures her to have surgery. I don't honestly believe there are that many husbands who are bringing this topic up with their wives. How many of our men will randomly walk into the room and say, "Hi honey, how is your prolapse hangin' today? Don't you think you should get an operation on it?" No, it's the women who are keeping the dialogue going. If the husband is pushing surgery, maybe it's because he is tired of hearing the wife complain. We are the ones who control this conversation. - Surviving