Any advice as very confused to what prolapse i have

Women's health
1

Hi.

Firstly I am new to this so hope I'm posting correctly.

I gave birth to my second boy on the 27th October bit the last few weeks I knew things were not normal down there.

I could feel a slight bulge in my vagina so my local gyno won'check til after 6 weeks so I paid to go private.

I have been told it us a vagina prolapse?? Not bladder or uterus but actual vagina!!! and there is not much I can do apparantly kegals won't help. I'm only 33 I feel horrified that this has happened as never even knew it exists I'm scared to have sex as read it hurts and that I loss of sensation he has saud that I can have surgery if I want but only for cosmetic reasons but i can feel the bulge the longer I'm active and he prescribed me tablets to insert in my vagina as i also have infection but I'm struggling to keep these in! So I'm assuming it will be the same with tampons and sex is clearly not gling to be the same! I am now awaiting my local doctor and gyno appointment to see what they say! It's just all I have read is that vagina is common after a hysterectomy but i haven't had this!

Sorry for such a long post. I just feel so embarrassed and upset this has happened and finding it hard to talk to close ones.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated x

2

Hello hannah. A vaginal prolapse is more common in older women who have had a hysterectomy. Intercourse can be painful as you say. The tablets you've been prescribed are hormone tablets I would think and the help to build up the vaginal wall in order to "hold up" the pelvic floor. Surgery is probably inevitable hannah unfortunately because without it your quality of life won't be the same. 

3

Thanks for your quick reply. Is it rare for this to happen without hysterectomy then im so confused by it all. Do u know if surgery will make things better. I'm wanting to start exercising again after new year bit worried it might make it worse. I will discuss all this with my doc but I'm on a waiting list atm. Thanks

4

Dear Hannah888

I am sorry that you have this and I know how devastating it must be for you. There is lots that you can do to help yourself. You are still recovering from the birth of your second child so take your time, your body wants to repair itself and there is lots you can do to help.

Avoid standing for long periods of time.Many women find their symptoms become worse when standing and get better when they lie down. Try to make time to put your feet up.

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Avoid high impact exercise such as high impact aerobics, running, trampolining. Also look at EVB Support shorts, they support the pevic area and help elieve pain and discomfort. No sit ups, no planks, no crunches.

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Pelvic floor exercises may help to prevent prolapse or improve symptoms.

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Try to avoid becoming constipated and having to strain to empty your bowels,

as this may weaken the vaginal muscles even more. Eat a high fibre diet (fresh fruit, vegetables, wholemeal cereal and bread) and drink plenty

of fluids, about 1.5 litres (3 pints) each day. Use a toilet stool for correcting your posture for easier elimination.

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If you are overweight, try to lose weight.This will relieve pressure from your pelvic area.

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Reduce persistent coughing as this may worsen prolapse:seek advice from your GP about stopping smoking and better management of chest problems.

(This information form a leaflet available online by NHS St Marys Hospital - Management of Vaginal Prolpase - Google How to Manage Prolpase)

You need to take an active roll in living with prolpase, but your body can recover. See what your GP says, if possible get a referral to a Physiotherapist who will be able to help. Some simple changes to your body will really help your prolapse, and help you get the best results from surgery if thats what your GP recommends.Good luck, get as much information as you can to find out whats right for you.

Best wishes

Stephanie

 

5

Stephanie's advice is spot on hannah. Ask for a referral to a physiotherapist that works with urogynaecologists if you and your consultant thinks that's advisable of course.

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Thanks for your time and info. I'm hoping there will be some kind of solution as i can't live like this. I know it's not life threatening but i just feel horrible. I will need to 're consider different exercises for the future as a lot of the ones stated are what I liked doing. Im thinking of swimming and skating would be ok as i can do these with my eldest son. Thanks again x

7

Hi again..

I have recently asked my private doctor to send me an e-mail with my diagnosis as i am waiting on my referral from the doctor to the local hospital Since then he emAiled me saying I have a posterior vaginal wall prolapse?? Is this a vaginal pro lapse that I assumed I had before as this I thought was a rectocele? Sorry just super confused!

8

Hi hannah. This is a rectocele repair (bowel), so your bowel protruded through the vaginal wall causing a "lump". Hope that helps x

9

Thank you again foryour quick response So will kegals help you think? And when my bodies ready can i go back to gym or would the same advice be given as above by Stephanie when in thought this was vaginal vault??

10

Stephanie has given you some good advice. She has more experience than I have regarding kegals and the advice I think will be the same x

11

Kegels will not cure the rectocele but will not hurt either. They will help build up muscle but once that fascia is torn it can only be repaired by surgery. I am 6 1/2 weeks post op for this

12

You are right it won't "cure" the rectocele but it will strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and give any further surgery a better chance so it's always a good idea to continue with the exercises.

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Thanks Steph

Hope you recover well from the op. This is something I can't figure how I will be able to do. As I hear recovery I'd vital but i live in Spain with no family close by and my partner works often. How close to birth can u have this surgery do u know. How are i finding it? And which surgery did u have?

14

I had rectocele repair only. Recovery was rough the 1 st month or so hard to sit properly. If you have a little one you won't be able to lift for a while which will make it tough. Some Drs want you to wait until done having children before they repair. Something to keep in mind