IVF Twins and Prolapse

Submitted by HHTwins on August 14, 2006 - 10:10am
Body: 

Hi couldn't sleep stressing about everything and what I should do and luckily came across this wonderful site where alot of questions I had have already been written.

I'm 45 have IVF twins that have just turned 2 and still breastfed, have also a 24, 19 and 14 year old. Had tubal ligation 12 years ago and slingoplasty as I was leaking urine when excercising, then microsurgery 4 years ago to join my tubes back which was only half sucessful and then IVF. The result is a beautiful boy and girl (and also a horrendous prolapse). I delivered both vaginally but second baby got stuck after my cervix shut after delivering the first and they used vaccum cup and everything else I think to get him out almost having a emergency c-section but me pushing and determined finally got him out.

Now two doctors later, have been told to have a vaginal hystorectomy, bladder lifted and everything stitched and repaired. I have read some of the stories posted and now I am really scared to go ahead with the operation but my prolaspe is really bad, I have had bad urine leakage and have needed to wear pads for the last 2 years, also my periods go on forever, I believe the prolapse must stop the flow somehow, its getting painful to have sex and even just to sit down sometime and I believe it is partly responsible for me being just told that I have postnatal depression. My family are pressuring me to go and have the operation and cann't understand my hesitation - I am just sick of being poked and proded by doctors and being asked the most degrading questions about my body.

I read the stories and I would love to beleive that it could make a difference for me, I know I have nothing to loose but I really don't have 5mins to myself. I feel do I have to be like this now for the rest of my life. Any advice would be much appreciated and please forgive me for raving on so much. Thankyou

rosewood

August 14, 2006 - 9:25pm

I hope you find the support you need here. It's a great group of women.

Each of us has to make our own decisions about what to do. It's a process.

Also, Christine may be able to input for you since you've had some surgery.

You might get her book and read all about the surgeries. It's eye-opening to say the least. Making an informed decision is important, and there's so much most of us don't know about these surgeries prior to discovering prolapse, or even after.

In my opinion, it can't hurt to try some other methods prior to having surgery -- once the surgery is done, there's no going back.

I know what you mean about having little ones to chase around too. I have three little ones, although not twins.

I think there are many avenues for healing.

Personally I find the dvd exercises really important to my wellness, in addition to implementing the postures. I also do a lot of alternative treatments for my overall wellness: Alexander technique, chinese herbs and accupuncture, vaginal resistance device, chiropractic. I intend to try cranio-sacral therapy and perhaps maya massage. But, the crux of my work centers with the whole woman approach, and Christine has developed a new breath-work that at least one member has found extremelly helpful, and that I intend to incorporate into my daily routine.

Take your time. Read the posts. Sending you healing energy.

Marie

HHTwins

August 15, 2006 - 7:55am

Hi Marie

Thanks so much for your positive reply. I am currently taking a herbal tonic and will look into some of the other alternate areas you mentioned. I think that as women we are always putting ourselves last and that our well being can wait but I think you get to a point when out of necessity you have to put yourself first.

I want to try and get the book locally here in Australia as I don't want to wait, but will order it if I have no luck. Also wanted the dvd but not sure if it will work on our dvd player here, as sometimes they are different but will definately follow it up.

Already I am having major doubts about having surgery - I would love to beleive that it will solve all my issues but after what I have read now, it really confirms what little I knew and that I am not prepared to take that gamble with my body anymore.

Once again thank you so much for your support.

Kim

Christine

August 15, 2006 - 6:30pm

Hi,

Wow…you’re really on the fence, aren’t you? One common response you’ll read here, like Marie and Flora have said, is to try the postural and lifestyle work to see if they can make enough difference for you to avoid more surgery. What type of sling operation did you have?

Forcing your urethra back toward its normal position just behind your pubic bone is one part of the work, but also your pelvic diaphragm and urogenital diaphragm muscles are important contributors to your urinary continence system and you want to be sure to exercise them in appropriate ways.

Try sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. While keeping the upper body posture rotate your pelvis forward as far as you can. You should feel your lower spine extend into its maximum curvature and the front portion of your pelvic floor lift. Now rotate your feet inward so they are all the way pigeon-toed. Hold for 10 seconds. Relax and repeat ten more times. See if you can find time to sit down and do this morning, noon, and night. This exercise causes maximum extension of the muscles of the pelvic interior and lifts your entire urethral support system. Throughout the day work with the posture as much as you have energy for. Balance with optimum diet and lots of rest.

From my point of view, the sooner we can say STOP to reconstructive procedures, the more we have to work with over time. It’s also a reality that the level of incontinence you’re living with is probably untenable, so too early to rule out surgery altogether.

Wishing you well,

Christine

rosewood

August 15, 2006 - 11:58pm

You've been through a lot, and all of that with twins to look after! Hang in there, and know we're sending you thoughts of wellness and healing.

Marie

HHTwins

August 16, 2006 - 7:38am

Christine,

Thankyou so much for taking the time and interest in my problem, I'm sure you are a very busy lady. In reply to your question about the slingoplasty I had done, I was alot younger and had total faith in the medical profession and just wanted the problem fixed. I had, I think maybe stress incontience (small leakage when doing excercise, jumping etc). Did see an Incontience counciller who referred me to a Physio but was told they were only used to dealing with older women with this problem and nothing they tried worked and was given no information, so had sugery.

Since then I am older, hopefully a little wiser and have worked in the medical industry - needless to say now I will not just do what I am told has to be done by the doctors (I used to be very intimated and whatever they said do, because of who they are and I was very embrassed by my problem). Don't get me wrong in regard to doctors but now I am taking a bit more control over what will happen to my body, maybe not so trusting anymore.

I know I tried to get information before and there was nothing around to give any other hope besides surgery (or those pelvic floor muscle squeeze excercises) but after forcep deliveries and large babies I would have been squeezing all day and it still wouldn't have worked.

The information contained in this site is giving me so much encouragement - just to know that I am not the only one and their are others also living with this silent condition who are speaking up and so open and supportive - is really a wonderful thing to come across when you are down and confused.

I have started the excercise you recommended and will try whatever else from the site might help and see how I go.

Something guided me to your site that night as I rarely go on the computer (never have time these days), I was in bed and something made me get up and do a search and this is what I found (gold - a wealth of information), so I had better listen because I'm sure I was being looked after. Thank you again
Kim

ps: Can my condition cause any other problems I should be aware of? I've been getting very bad pain in my stomach area if I lift too much or wear tight fitting clothes, stand alot etc which I know with a prolasped uteris is understandable to experience some degree of discomfort/pain but was just thinking can it just get that bad that I might need to get medical advice. I realise the uteris just wont fall out but just wanted to be aware. Can the ligaments tear away completely? The two drs I saw said that the prolaspe was the worst they had seen and instead of horizontal it was vertical.

Christine

August 16, 2006 - 12:35pm

Hi Kim,

While you need to align yourself with a good surgeon, it’s appropriate to have healthy skepticism regarding gynecologic treatments for disorders of the pelvic organ support system. Until recently there has been very little consideration of the tremendous morbidity of much of their practice. While drugs take years of trial and testing to meet federal guidelines for approval, surgeons can literally conjure up an operation at night and perform it the next morning. This is a cultural aberration that has been with us since the dawn of surgical dissection.

However, your pain could be anything and you really need a good assessment by a highly qualified specialist. Acute pelvic pain is sometimes associated with prolapse, but not a common complaint. However, a dislocated sling could certainly cause all manner of havoc, as an alarmed community of reconstructive pelvic surgeons are currently witnessing with the million+ alloplastic slings that have been placed this decade. I’d forego any exercise until you are examined.

Christine

P.S. The comments from your drs. don't compute...all prolapsed organs have lost their horizontal orientation. What can I say about a hundreds-year old profession that does not even have the foundational pelvic anatomy right? The answer is ALOT, which the next edition of STWW will contain.

louiseds

August 16, 2006 - 12:50pm

Hi Kim

Woo-hoo, another Ozzie! Welcome. Yes, the DVD works for me in West Oz, but I use it though my computer. But goodness knows whether it would work on all computer DVD drives. I think the *main* compatibility problems with DVD are Japanese and cheap Asian DVD's. Check your DVD player brand website.

Cheers

Louise