Update and question

Submitted by Finally50 on November 14, 2017 - 10:10am
Body: 

Hello ladies. I am plugging away working on my posture daily during my work as a housekeeper and my daily hikes and walks. It has turned cold and snowy here already and so it's been hard somedays to get out there but I do it anyway because it helps my POP so much!

My symptoms were non existent for weeks at a time until recently. I do a lot of lifting but have tried to follow Christine's way of doing it from the videos. I have never had a problem with it and have felt really good about being able to do all the tasks I need to. I am definitely grateful for Christine and all the research that she has done. Life can go on even with POP!

That being said, I did some lifting that was impossible to do and maintain the WW posture. I did not listen to myself and helped an elderly client by lifting tires with rims into her car. It wasn't the weight so much as the shape and awkwardness and so I arched my back. that night I felt the POP again and have felt it for over a week. I have had moments of deep discouragement and anger at myself. But then I remember that I have felt this way before when it first happened and that bulgy, uncomfortable feeling went away with the work of WW posture. I am trying to stay calm and keep going. Some days this week have been difficult. I work long hours and have felt uncomfortable. I get down on my hands and knees for a bit and stop and do fire breathing and then keep going. When I get home it's probably worse because sitting feels worse than standing. I can even feel it when I first lay down at night to sleep.

Anyway, that is my update. I hope to have better news in the weeks and months to come. I am trying to be hopeful that my symptoms will improve again as they did before.

My question is for my mother. She is turning 80 this December and has told me she has been feeling a very uncomfortable bulgy ache in her pelvic area. She had an emergency hysterectomy after the birth of my sister. She has no cervix. She is very active and does Zumba and yoga. I have told her about WW and the posture and toileting practices. She doesn't have a computer or smart phone so streaming videos isn't possible. I would like to buy her a DVD for her birthday but not sure which would be the best one for her since she has had a hysterectomy. What would you recommend? I know she is feeling fearful but I have tried to encourage her and share with her how much better I have felt practicing the WW posture.

Thank you for letting me ramble on today. I don't usually have much time to post but had the morning off and glad I could. have a good day everyone!

Forum:

Christine

November 14, 2017 - 1:59pm

Hi Finally,

Please remember that prolapse is a very dynamic condition. More than likely a warm bath, good night's sleep, and regular short sessions of firebreathing and belly tosses will bring you back to your baseline. We all have had those times when we've thought, "Oh no! I've really ruined things now!" When in fact you just need to slow down and trust in your body's ability to respond.

Regarding your mom, perhaps First Aid for Prolapse for Elders would be the best option for her. We have a great post-hysterectomy course if she wants additional help and information.

Wishing you both well,

Christine

Surviving60

November 14, 2017 - 3:56pm

Just wanted to add my encouragement. I don't think there are very many of us here who can say that our symptoms are non-existent for weeks at a time! So clearly you are getting this. And you can't truly understand the power of the WW work until you've been through a setback or two or three. It's only then that you realize how much control you have over all of this. So I say, congrats and keep us posted! - Surviving

Finally50

November 16, 2017 - 9:36am

I will purchase that dvd for my mom. She really is so full of life and I know does not want any surgery! I know she will be helped by the posture and information. She lives across the country from me and it’s hard to explain firebreathing over the phone!
As far as myself I appreciate the encouragement. I have periods during the day when I feel less bulging now over a week later! So grateful I found WW!

Finally50

November 16, 2017 - 9:41am

I don’t think I realized how fortunate I was! I won’t take that feeling for granted if it returns. I have had moments in the past two days when I can’t feel it at all and just stop and appreciate it!
In a strange way I think my having to work all day on my feet has been such a blessing. When I first discovered my POP I thought my work life was over! Who knew that it would actually help me improve. Thanks for the encouragement! Will keep doing the work.

Finally50

January 8, 2018 - 11:42am

Hello everyone! Hope your holidays were lovely and that 2018 has started off well.
I am so happy to say that my symptoms have improved so much since I posted a couple of months ago.
I just kept going and worked on maintaining the posture during walks and work. I added a lot more fire breathing and followed the toileting practices and just trusted that it would improve. It has!

Interesting things happened during the process. Before my set back I was not having bowel issues or problems with urinating. My back pain and hip pain was gone as well. As my body was healing after this set back I noticed things change and flare up almost in layers.

As each symptom improved, another one flared until it improved. First, I suddenly had to pee all the time. It was the strangest thing. I tried not to panic and just see what would happen. Then it went away. Then I could start to actually feel my rectocele and had the pain and pressure I had felt before. I also dealt with some new constipation. then that stopped and I could not feel either POP at all. Then suddenly my hips and lower back started to hurt again. I just kept doing the work and trusting that it would improve as well. It did! I know it sounds weird but that is exactly what happened. I feel so fortunate!! It was really scary to have all these symptoms return and subside one by one but at some point I just realized my body was healing and that is what it was doing.

I wish I could pay for a billboard in town and tell everyone I know about this website! Thank you so much Christine. I do talk about it to women all the time and am always surprised by how many suffer from POP and have had surgery that they have had problems with. I just wish the medical field was better informed.

When I went for my yearly check up and pap smear I did tell my doctor about the website. I told her it was really working for me and she might want to share it with other women. She just nodded and smiled. I have a midwife friend who I also shared it with and she was skeptical as she is a big pilates and kegel fan. I just let it go.

My mom is doing so much better! She loves the yoga DVD and I think she is really trying to do the posture. It does take awhile to sink in.

Thank you all for your encouragement!

Aging gracefully

January 8, 2018 - 2:17pm

Such wonderful news, Finally50!!
So much of what you have said resonates with my beginnings of Whole Woman. We all have progress, plateaus, and even backslides, but with determination and time, the rewards show up in all aspects of our lives.
Don't feel bad about the eye rolls of your doctor; I had the exact same experience. We can't reach them all , but we can keep moving forward!
Thank you so much for posting this inspiring post for all the ladies on the forum to read and learn from.

Surviving60

January 9, 2018 - 5:26am

Congrats and keep up the great work. I too can identify with these ups and downs. Some will find them discouraging and may never get to the point of truly understanding what this work is all about. Others like you will work through them, trusting their bodies, and in the process, learn to let go of their fears. I hope you will keep posting on your progress.....it is so important for others to hear. - Surviving

Typicalme

January 9, 2018 - 11:21am

in searching through this site i so appreciate updates - and I'm so happy when they're positive, as pretty much most are.
I'm learning to trust my body and to trust the posture and reading your story has solidified my trust just that bit more.
in the beginning i was frozen with fear - did i just stand up wrong and make it worse? omg, i picked up my baby and curved my back! i better lie down and not move anymore. I've done more damage! or a bulgy day will set me back into doubts... but I'm learning that everything is mobile, everything is part of an ecosystem, i'm trying to stay on track and correct what i can as i go thru my day but letting go of the fear that I'm making it worse with any single moment is a bit hard.
reading about setbacks and then subsequent returns is truly helpful.