Diagnosed with rectocele & cystocele

Women's health
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Hi ladies! I was just diagnosed with a rectocele & a cystocele.

I really don't want surgery. Especially after reading some of your posts.

Have any of you tried a pessary? I thought about trying one. Just hope I can tolerate one. I was told that I'm a stage 2-getting to stage 3 with my prolapses.

Just wondering the easiest way to tolerate a pessary? Going to get fitted for one in a few weeks. I'm not used to having anything inside of me except my husband.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

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Ladies vary in their ability to tolerate the plastic pessaries, Donna.  Some do just fine, others find them intolerable.  The putting in place is ok but the removal can be very uncomfortable.  I wish you luck with yours!

I tried four different types and each time had lots of pain and was very aware of a 'foreign body' inside me.  Removal of all of them was pretty painful.  I now use sea sponge pessaries with success.  Comfortable and stays in place (as long as you can get the hang of where it should sit!) and easily cared for.  What I like most is the fact I am in control, can put in place or remove whenever I want rather than having to wait for an appointment at the hospital.

Good luck, I hope all goes really well for you,

Pam

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Hi Donna. The had one fitted leading up to my surgery and I hated it. Had it in about 11mths. (With it changed after 6 mths). I couldn't feel it when in so it wasn't uncomfortable but it made me produce a ridiculous amount of discharge which wasn't pleasant at all and was told that it was a side affect from it unavoidable in some woman.

I'm sure there are some success stories out there but it wasn't for me. My prolapse was too far gone also. It's worth a try as you just may be fine with it and there are various ones. Mine was the type that stays in all the time but you can get ones that you take in and out yourself. Good luck on finding the right one. 😊

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Hi, personally I'd have the surgery if you are avoiding the dreaded sacropinious fixation. For me that was the awful procedure that caused so much pain. The rectocele for me was fine - I didn't have cystocele but I had entetocele and that was also fine. When I say fine, I mean I wasn't screaming on the bed. The pain for those is more internal and sore. The pain from SF if you are unlucky is terrible buttock pain and sciatica. Try the other route first though if that's been recommended. Best of luck!

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I personally couldn't cope with the shelf pessary, had a bad reaction to the plastic. I swelled up badly and it got stuck after one week only. I had it removed to get a vag ultrasound and refused to have it put back in. The softer ring pessaries would not stay in at all. I had a vag vault prolpase and rectocele so maybe that's why they didn't suit me. I had the surgery 2 months ago and recovering nicely if slowly. Recovery is slow but cannot be rushed if we want the repairs to last. Maybe worth you trying a pessary, if it doesn't suit you it can be removed by a nurse in gynae clinic as mine was. It was very painful though as it had stuck behind the pelvic bone due to all the swelling. Best wishes, X rolleyes

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There are a huge amount of success stories also from having the surgery. I personally think it all comes down to the skill of which Surgeon does it. You must only have a Urogynaecologist do these repairs. I am so relieved I have private insurance. My GP is exactly my age & I asked her that if she needed the repairs I did, who would she go to, so I went to Mr Anil Sharma. I researched him first! If on public health system I would make it quite clear that I didn't want some Dr. doing it that wasn't hugely experienced in them, & definately not one that was still learning! Why wait till the prolapsed are the worst they can get. The surgery is worse the more you have prolapsed. Depends if your daily symptoms are impacting your life enough to drive you to surgery. I feel the pessaries are just biding time till the inevitable surgery. I couldn't stomach a pessary. My cystocele was only Grade 1 but my stress incontinence was limiting my life too much at 56 so had anterior repair and tape to hold up bladder. Stress incontinence now 99% gone. Still have rectocoele Grade 1 & that hasn't got any worse since anterior repair 21mths ago.

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Hi Robyn can I please ask you where mr anil sharma is located I'm trying to find the best I can x

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Hello Donna

i am still researching my options and managing my prolapse, I expect to need surgery however I want to manage the timing as I still have a child at home going through exams and I am self employed so finances need to be organised....

i have found that techniques my Systermic Kinesiologist uses improves my prolapse symptoms hugely, and also I have been having Reflexology with a colleague ( I am a Reflexologist) which enhances and improves things. I am also working at improving the tone and strength of my pelvic floor, I believe being in good shape before surgery is really important. In my research I have discovered that release and letting go of tension in the pelvic region is important, which was a shock, as I was putting so much emphasis on holding it all in!! Over tense muscles become tired and not strong, and blood/lymph flow to the area is important. I have been having Mizan abdominal massage. 

If we we look at other cultures around the world many include specific practices such as Closing the Bones post birth and abdominal massage such as Mizan, to help organs relocate and strengthen ligaments. 

I have been following femfusionfitness on YouTube, lots of great information and Brie brings in health experts to interview as well. There was a fascinating interview with a Radiologist who showed examples of dynamic MRI scans, where ladies took gel and has their scans while peeing and pooing ( apologies if this is 'too much information'! ) which was a really effective way to identify exactly what was going on with them , 

i hope some some of this is useful, and good luck on your journey, I would like to avoid surgery, however I think I will need it, and want to be in as good shape as poss, and informed. 

Thank goodness for this this amazing forum!!! 🙂🙂🙂

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Hi Donna

I had surgery eight weeks ago, I had an anterior and posterior repair, a vaginal hysterectmy and a sacrospinous fixation.

I opted for the surgery having tried a pessary. The pessary was not uncomfortable, didn't hurt at all when being put in or when taken out and I couldn't really feel it once it was in place. I did all the usual exercises that I do, badminton, zumba, horse rding and sex! (which was fine), but the leaking was worse than without it. My siurgeon told me this could be the case, it was great for pushing everything back in place, and that in itself was a huge relief, I dont think I realeised how much everything had prolapsed. But, my main concern was the leaking when I exercised and I wasn't prepared for this to be worse with thepessary; if you are sedantry and don't do much impact exercise or running then I'm sure it's a good solution.

So I eventually plucked up the courage to have the surgery, I am 58 years old and way past the menopause, I think the prolapses definitely got worse after this.

The surgery itself all went really well, I've not been in much pain, managed initilly with prescribed painkillers, but only for about two weeks. I didn't suffer with horrific pain from the sacrospinous fixation, as someone else has mentioned. I did make sure I was fit before the operation and that has possibly helped with my healing.

It is still very early days to tell whether the repairs have worked, and I do worry about this, but I can't advise on this yet. I've been told that physiologically you can expect to have healed by aboue six to eight weeks but to know whether the repairs have worked can take up to three months. I was advised not to do any pelvic flooor exeercises until six weeks post op, so have only just started doing these, and the only exercise I have been doing is walking. 

I certainly would not say that the surgery was horrific or too painful, of course the first few days are not nice, but I was in hospital for three nights and felt safe and exceptionally well cared for. Are you in the UK, and if so where are you, if you don't mind sharing this?

My concern was the recovery period and the wait to see whether it's all been worth it!

I return to work on Monday and will see my surgeon in a few weeks, I'll then be able to update you on the success. smile 

 

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Hi Sheila! I am in the USA. Texas to be exact.

I am 55 yrs old & have been thru menopause.

I am very nervous about getting any surgeries. So will try pessaries first to see if I can tolerate them. If not, I guess I'll have to have surgery.

Luckily I don't have leakage. At least not yet.

Thank you for your info.

And to all the other ladies for yours too.

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Sorry but I forgot to say I'm in Auckland, New Zealand where he practices. He's a master Urogynaecologist! Done loads of these ops. Goes to all the big Conferences to keep up with what's what. Very meticulous. He delivered thousands of babies as an Obs/Gynae until having children himself 10yrs ago & realizing how much of his time was stolen by call-outs any time of day. So did the extra study to change to Urogynae. His 10yr old Daughter is making instructional videos with his tutoring on woman's prolapse & stress incontinencies to promote that you don't have to live with these issues, which are mostly caused by childbirth. He said that 50% of woman who have given birth vaginally will have some level of issues at some point and 50% (might have been higher percent but I can't remember exact stat now) of those will have given birth to a baby over 9lb!! ME!!!!

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I reckon it actually takes a whole year to be completely how you're going to be forever without further intervention.

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Hi Donna,  I've had tvt surgery for bładder 2012 100% success and I'm 8 weeks post op for uterus lift, again 100% sucsess. No catheter. I'm back to nòrmal. So glad I had the surgery , keep positive. X