Pessary

Hi Blessedmom. Be sure to let us know how your appointment went. Pessaries are notoriously difficult to fit and do not always provide relief......and they can further aggravate prolapse (especially rectocele) because they hold the vagina open for the organs to encroach further into that space. But you may be luckier this time around. Can you possibly have your doctor teach you how to remove and replace it yourself? It is so much healthier if you can clean it regularly, as well as giving the tissues a breather from time to time. - Surviving

Surgeons always recommend surgery. That is their bread and butter.

Very few women get long-term relief from a pessary, without the further aggravation that pessary use can cause. Since you are not a total newbie to this site, and according to older posts you have at least one DVD of Christine's, I am wondering if it wouldn't be better for you to pursue a more natural approach to managing your cystocele. If you visit our forum expressing problems with various pessaries, you shouldn't be surprised when we say, ditch the pessary! Go full out with posture, firebreathing, and all the other tools and tips available here. Other members are welcome to continue trying to trouble-shoot your pessary experience, but it doesn't seem to be going too well. I don't really have anything to add at this point, except to say, surgery is almost sure to make things worse. Wishing you well in your journey, wherever it takes you. - Surviving

To; Blessedmom2016
I was fitted with my first pessary 9/19/2019 which was shortly after you were fitted with yours. I have very little to complain about. It has made my life a lot better than it was. I have a size 5 and am 80 years old. I wish I had it inserted 2 years sooner. I had a little minor pain in my stomach for about 4 days after, but 1 aspirin a day took care of that problem. I have chosen to have my doctor remove it and clean it periodically as I was informed it is a little tricky to get it inserted correctly or you will experience discomfort. I also don't feel I have enough hands to push back the prolapse and insert the pessary correctly myself. I will check the posts to see if you are doing any better. Good luck to you.

I have been using a pessary since my bladder prolapse occurred a year ago. Fortunately I am not having any problems with incontinence. The first pessary was helpful but somewhat uncomfortable. It was a bit too small and moved around some. The second pessary fits really well and has allowed me to resume most of the activities and sports I enjoy. I remove the pessary for cleaning and to rest my tissues one day/night each week. My experience with the pessary has been very positive. I also know there are risks with continued and constant use long term.
My experience with Whole Woman practices has also been very positive. I work hard on WW posture and breathing all day, every day; and I work out with the WW exercise CDs.
While the combination of pessary and WW practices is working for me, it is my goal to not use the pessary at all eventually, even while doing sports if that becomes possible. I am now able to do normal household activities when not wearing the pessary without my bladder slipping into my vagina, a big improvement over several months ago. I credit Whole Woman practices for this! It will likely take many months to wean myself off of the pessary. I may find I can get away from using it most of the time but still need it for certain sports such as a round of golf and an afternoon of mountain hiking.

My prolapse began about 12 years ago. I searched the web and found WW then, but my finances were such I could not afford the materials, and feared I would not be doing exercises correctly if I could not see them being done. My posture was very poor at the time but I was unable to force myself into the positions described. I did heed the warning of surgery and made a support belt that has helped over those years. Recently prolapse was progressing so I went in search of a pessary. Very long story, but bottom line, it won't stay in place more that a couple of hours. So back to the web and WW. Since videos are available now, in instant download, and finances allowed, I purchased!! I am very pleased at progress I see in only a few days!!!! I don't think this posture improvement would have been possible, if it hadn't been for a positive turn in my road about 4 years ago. I was getting very hump shouldered, and developed a severe pain in my left hip. It got so bad, I was spending 22 hours a day in a lazy boy to escape the pain. A friend directed me to a Upper Cervical Chiropractor, who adjusted the way my head was sitting on my neck. (Not the common head twisting jerk, but through the part of the table my head was lying on, dropping slightly) It brought immediate relief and was not painful! I went for adjustments over a period of time, gradually lengthening the time between visits. X-rays proved the improvement in the curvature of my neck. I share this only for those who might have a similar experience and be discouraged, because they can't attain the posture improvements. I'm grateful for WW and the hope I have been given.

I have had a pessary for the past 2 months and it has simply been a life changer! Until then, I was using Tampax to push the prolapse up, but it was continually coming out and was not comfortable. Now I have no pain, can take the pessary out and put it in myself easily. The doctor should be able to measure the size you need correctly. Mine got it right first time around.

I have had a pessary for the past 2 months and it has simply been a life changer! Until then, I was using Tampax to push the prolapse up, but it was continually coming out and was not comfortable. Now I have no pain, can take the pessary out and put it in myself easily. The doctor should be able to measure the size you need correctly. Mine got it right first time around.