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Berkeley Parents Network:
Prolapse / Cystocele / Rectocele
Prolapse / Cystocele/ Rectocele
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Prolapse / Cystocele/ Rectocele
Oct 2008
Prolapsed Bladder - any recommendations for physical therapists who can
mend/strengthen muscles. I'm not interested in surgery.
thanks for your help
For pelvic floor problems, the greatest doctor/phys therapy team is Dr.
Jerome Weiss in S.F. See here for info: http://www.jmweissmd.com/
Great doctor, great staff!
joanna
I have the same issue and have been working with Avery and Associates on
Pill Hill. They are very knowledgeable, and make you feel comfortable. I
have had some success with the treatment (has been going on for 8 weeks
now), but if you are breastfeeding, be prepared for this to take a long
time to get better. Best of luck!
Sister in suffering
Try Leigh Hollowell, one of the PT's at Avery & Associates on 3300
Webster St, Oakland, CA. 510-451-6020. www.physical-therapy.com. She is
licensed to do pelvic floor therapy. Good luck!
rosie
Linda Avery and Associates is a fantastic PT practice that specializes
in women's health issues. They greatly helped me with rather substantial
pelvic floor issues. While, ultimately, I will probably have to have
surgery down the road, they provided me with lots of information,
exercises etc. to slow the process and make an educated decision about
my physical status.
I highly recommend that practice!
saggy yet strong!
i've posted about liz rummer at the pelvic health and rehabilitation
center in the past. my mother saw her for a different, extremely
bothersome issue, but - knock on wood - is cured at the moment. i
believe she sees patients for a variety of pelvic issues. liz is in sf
at 2000 van ness.
I posted a similar question a while back, seeking a physical
therapist and a personal trainer who could help with nonsurgical
options for my uterine, bladder, and rectal prolapse. Maybe the
moderator could check the responses, because I've lost them!
[Editor: See Jan 2008 question, below]
I ended up doing PT with Esther Dolowich at the Alta Bates
Summit Medical Center on Telegraph in Oakland. I think the
number is 510-204-1788. Once she's taught you the right way to
do them, the exercises themselves are pretty minimal (different
variations on the Kegel), but the lifestyle and behavioral
education was useful.
Good luck!
Droopy
Check out ProBalance Pilates and Physical Therapy for a Women's
Health therapist. They are on Park St. in Alameda and the phone
number is 510-523-1900. www.probalancept.com
anon
Jan 2008
I was just diagnosed with various pelvic organ prolapses
(uterine and bladder) and my OB gave me a referral to see a
physical therapist to recondition my pelvic floor. (Public
service announcement: when they say ''Do your Kegels,'' they
MEAN it! I'm only in my 30s and my OB is already talking
hysterectomy because all my pelvic organs are drooping out of my
body.)
I need two things:
1) A PHYSICAL THERAPIST. The person my OB recommended is a
pelvic floor specialist (Esther somebody), but she isn't
available until March. There are two physical therapists who
treat postpartum issues mentioned in the archives (Suzanne Koval
and Em Squires). Does anyone have experience working with any of
these three women? Any other great PTs I should look into?
2) A PERSONAL TRAINER. I made my prolapses worse by doing
Pilates incorrectly on my own, so I've decided to treat myself
to some one-on-one training. Someone who specializes in
postpartum issues in general, and the pelvic floor in
particular, would be awesome, but I'm open to any
recommendations.
Thanks so much!
-- Droopy
Linda Avery and Assoc is a fantastic practice! They specialize in pelvic floor, and
other ''women's issues''. Each PT has their own sub-niche of specialization, and they
are all wonderful.
Good luck with your prolapse issues. Even if they can't ''fix'' everything, they will
be able to give you lots of great information (that all women should know), and help
you to decrease your symptoms.
been there, done that!
Try Helene Byrne for post-partum reconditioning. She used to run these classes
2x/week for 8 weeks - it worked fabulously after my first child. She stopped running
the classes by the time my 2nd came around, but she did visit my house for a private
session one time. She has a website: http://www.exerciseafterpregnancy.com/ and a
book by the same name. Good luck!
Sharon
I recommend Andrea Kennerley at Optimum Pilates in Montclair for pilates. She is great
with pre and postnatal issues and is very knowledgeable about pelvic floor issues. I
had a lot of pelvic floor problems (leaking when i coughed, etc) and she has helped me
immensely with that. also, i have scoliosis and the exercises she has given me have
been really helpful at making my back even and keeping the scoliosis from progressing.
Anyway, i cannot say enough good things about my experience with her- she is really
kind and supportive. she is at www.optimumpilates.com
no longer embarrassed when i cough
I recently worked with Esther Dolowich at Alta Bates Physical Therapy, on pelvic floor
and tailbone issues, who may be the same Esther your OB recommended? In any case, she
was fabulous: very knowledgeable, very encouraging, very patient. She was also very
good about explaining the relevant anatomy to me at just the right level -- not
overwhelmingly technical, but not dumbed down either. And so far her treatment and
exercise program has kept me pain-free where other solutions have failed. I highly
recommend her!
No more pain in the (...)
you should call and make an appointment with either liz rummer or stephanie
prendergast at pelvic health and rehabilitation center in sf. they are in the medical
arts bldg. at van ness and jackson. the therapy they do has made a huge difference for
my mother, who had a different problem, but felt hopeless after seeing countless
specialists for over a year. she said just the other day that they mentioned working
with a lot of postpartum women. their website is:
http://www.pelvicpainrehab.com/welcome.html
good luck
Em Squires is very good. I would recommend you at least go talk to her she will make
you feel very comfortable. Of course if you can afford it she doesn't bill insurance.
I would also recommend looking into some complimentary alternative treatments. I had
a similar but not the same kind of problem and accupuncture can also really help. i
would do it all at the same time. If think with these kinds of problems you really
need to dedicate some time to it and then really be on top of it working on it all the
time for a little while.
Hope that helps
Nov 2007
The archives make it pretty clear that Kegel exercises help
incontinence. But can they help minor uterine prolapse?
Two years after the non-traumatic vaginal delivery of my first
child, I'm preparing to try to conceive my second. While charting
my ovulation I've been checking my cervical position, and I've
discovered it's hanging a LOT lower than it used to! Sometimes
it's within an inch of my vaginal opening. Yikes.
I knew things were drooping down there -- I think I also have a
mild bladder prolapse -- but my healthcare providers always said
things were within the range of normal, although once one of them
described my vaginal walls as ''flabby.'' I always accepted their
dismissals of my concerns, but now that I've actually begun to
examine myself, so to speak, I've diagnosed myself with a ''first
degree'' uterine prolapse, meaning the cervix is in the lower
third of the vagina.
Besides having trouble using tampons successfully and an
occasional annoying ache after intercourse, I don't have any
troublesome symptoms, so it isn't (yet) a medical problem
requiring surgery or pessary. But it's psychologically
challenging to feel like my insides are falling out. Plus I'd
like to prevent further problems, especially as I'm hoping to get
pregnant again soon!
I know I should have been doing my Kegels all along, but it's
just hard to stay motivated. I was hoping some success stories,
especially any involving improvement of a mild prolapse, would
help inspire me! Any advice is welcome.
Flabby
Have you been diagnosed with uterine prolapse? Placement of the
cervix varies throughout your cycle and can certainly change
after giving birth. Kegels tone the vaginal muscle walls, so
they're not going to do much for you if you have an honest-to-god
prolapse situation, which it does not sound like you have.
meg
I'll be curious to see your responses because I've been dealing
with this since the birth of my twins about a year ago. I too
don't have any incontinence, but my walls actually fall outside
me regularly. I know, gross, and frustrating when you're trying
to keep up with toddlers. But because of no medical issues I've
been kind of brushed off by docs. I've been told to do Kegels by
my OB and got a little more advice from my internist... she
recommended a book by Peggy Brill that focuses on increasing core
strength. From what I can tell increasing these core muscles is
a lot more helpful to my situation than the Kegels. By core
muscles I mean the upper inner abdominals (my lay term for them).
It's observation only, but when I'm sagging and still have a
long walk home it's by sucking my tummy into my ribs that gets
things right. I believe some yoga works these muscles. Maybe
you can ask about improving core strength and your MD will have
something to say. Unfortunately when I asked for a referral to a
physical therapist I was told I had to wait until 15 months after
my kids' births to address the issue. But maybe you could see a
physical therapist if you're able on your insurance.
sagging too
June 2007
Our 5 year old suffered 2 rectal prolapses during a bout of bad
stomach flu. Since then we've seen a specialist & been told
that there is a retention problem which might have caused the
prolapse. She is on a daily dose of Miralax for the indefinite
future.
No-one seems to knows what or why this has happened. Tests
have ruled out celiac disease, but are there other things going
on? She is a healthy child with a normal growth curve & has a
pretty good diet, except when eating school lunches. Any
advice on what this could be, any diet tips, long-term
prognosis?
anon
Our son went through 3 episodes of rectal prolapsse over a two year period when he
was 4 or 5. Needless to say, we were quite disturbed. We tried to have him use a stool
under his feet when he sat at the toilet and discouraged him from staying there too
long. He was also tested to rule out CF. The doctor's advice was to wait and watch,
and that's what we did. It hasn't happened in over 3 years, so I hope it won't happen
again.
h.
My son had a couple of rectal prolapses when he was 7 or 8. We
just advised him not to push so hard, and have not had any
problems since. If he's feeling constipated, he's supposed to
drink a glass of water and have a couple of prunes, then try
again later.
eh
March 2007
It's looking like I'll need surgery to fix a combination of
uterine prolapse/rectocele/cystocele. Kegels aren't going to fix
it,sadly. I don't want more kids, so I'm fine with a
hysterectomy. Does anyone have recommendations for a good
surgeon to do this? Preferably in Berkeley, but could go to SF
if needed.
I'm also interested in hearing from people who have had this kind
of repair--what was the recovery like? Were you able to resume
full lifting (e.g., 35 pound kids) after you recovered? Could
you go jogging? (I miss jogging...) How long before you could
drive or work? Just wondering what I'm getting myself into. anon
Unfortunately my surgeon no longer practices in this area, but I
can comment on recovery which you also asked about. I had some
vaginal prolapse, but the most severe symptoms (incontinence)
were correctable with bladder sling surgery, and it was such a
blessing. I suffered years too long -- I couldn't even walk a few
blocks without peeing, much less jog. The recovery was easy,
just a few days of discomfort and then some time for complete
healing. I also have rectocele, but I've managed so far without
surgery. Biofeedback techniques have improved a lot since my
surgery, but I'm convinced that some of us need surgical repair
and shouldn't suffer because kegels and biofeedback aren't
effective. Good luck.
happy hiker
Dear anon, I could write a book, but I have one already - the binder of
material that I still have from my completely successful surgery
in July 2004. I worked with Dr. Eugene Kaplan from Walnut Creek,
who performed the surgery at John Muir. (I was fine with doing it
there, as his offices are across the street; I wanted him to be
able to check on me more conveniently, frankly, vs. being closer
to my family in Oakland. Them I didn't want to see till I got home!)
I had a the whole enchilada: bladder work, hysterectomy for
prolapse, and repair of rectocele. Had a bladder sling, repair of
tear from episiotomy (if he's going in, might as well get it all
cleaned up at once, was my attitude.)
I had surgery July 5 and followed post-op instructions like my
life depended on it. I was not working at the time, so I didn't
have to deal with when I would want to return to work, and I'm
glad I didn't. For several weeks I had 2x day hot baths, naps,
etc. - it was 5+ hours of surgery, so it's pretty major stuff.
Hardest part was feeling constantly ''not quite right'' while I had
the suprapubic cathether for 4 weeks. I had to wear it until I
was peeing enough the usual way that it was not a risk to remove
it. I think the micromotions of a tube hanging out of your body
just makes you feel crummy. You may not need it. Like I said,
follow the instructions to the letter and you'll do great - as
long as you have Dr. Kaplan doing the procedure.
7 weeks post-op I was riding a bike and bodysurfing on a family
vacation, feeling fantastic. No problems since, even though I'm
lax about the kegels...
Dr. Kaplan is a urogynecologist, meaning he specializes in the
whole set of stuff in your pelvic floor, and passionate about his
work. He drew pictures and made sure I understood thoroughly what
he was planning to do. When I had trouble with one of the post-op
medications, I called him on a Saturday evening, and he answered
his phone immediately. He was helping to repair a poor result someone else had done on
another patient, as she told me while
sitting in the waiting room. He's the best.
T (925) 979-9969
F (925) 979-9979
W http://www.agscenter.com/
120 La Casa Via, Suite 209
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
He was not in my PPO network at the time, so I had to pay a
portion of the cost out of pocket; I would do it again in a
heartbeat. It's too important not to take it to the best surgeon
you can find.
Last word of advice: go read up in HysterSisters, an online
support forum. I didn't find it till afterwards, but it's chock
full of a ton of great information. Take a week to read as much
as you can there, then get your questions together for any
surgeons you want to interview. There is a specific forum called
''Hysterectomy Special Needs Pelvic Floor and Bladder Issues''
that is related to the associated surgeries - which in my opinion
were more involved, from a recovery standpoint, than the
hysterectomy. I had to USE the bladder and rectum again right
away; the uterus I didn't miss at all!
good luck! . - Nancy
Oct 2006
wondering if anyone has taken this class and found it to be helpful in recovering from
post partum issues:
"What does the tone of the pelvic floor have to do with our sense of well-being, back
pain, bladder control, trauma, and our feeling of support from the ground? Find out
through a few short presentations and a series of quiet, easy movement lessons
coupled with awareness. You will take home ways to sense and improve function in
your pelvic floor and leave with an easier, more complete experience of your whole
self. Carol LaDue is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner"
I took this class a few years ago. It was very helpful.
You do exercises in class (very easy and mild) that strengthen
the pelvic floor muscles. You also get a binder of these
exercises and more, and info on pelvic floor care to take with
you. Unfortunately I couldn't make it to the 2nd class due to
getting sick but the 1st class was great...time and money well
spent. It's still useful to me 2 years later. Good luck
leaky no more
Dec 2006
7 months after the VBAC birth of healthy 9.5-pounder, I (late
30s) am still dealing with vaginal prolapse - a moderate-to-
severe cystocele. Essentially my vaginal wall is so thin that
depending on time of day and activity (evenings,
standing/lifting/coughing are bad, shoulder stands good for
obvious gravity reasons) my bladder bulges into the vaginal area
from inside. That bulge often reaches the opening, getting
squeezed and rubbed there.
Thankfully I have had no tears or incontinence issues, but that
golfball-size bulge feels heavy, very uncomfortable, in the way,
and keeps me from moving the way I would like to (and have to,
with 2 kids, a PT job, groceries etc.)...
My midwives had advised Kegels, but that didn't lead to further
improvements after month 3 postpartum. (I still keep doing them
and think I'm doing them right.) My new OB said Kegels won't
help much in my case, and prescribed estrogen cream to
strengthen the dry, thin tissues (I'm still breastfeeding and
plan to keep doing that for a while, but it keeps those tissues
weak). She also suggested occasionally wearing one (or two)
tampons to press things back. Tried it once, felt uncomfortable
in a different way, and had bleeding afterwards. Hm. The cream
seems ok, a bit messy, but will only have longer-term effects.
The OB advised against surgery at this point, since it can be
unsuccessful LT and/or can damage the bladder.
My questions:
1) Anyone else out there who had a similar degree of cystocele,
without incontinence, in their late 30s? What helped you? Did
you fully recover, and how long did it take?
2) Is there any softer, reusable device I could use instead of
rigid dry tampons? Or things to make plain (or even ''super'')
Kegels more effective - anyone have experience with the
various ''original'' Kegelmasters etc.?
Hanging low
What you need is a device called a pessary. If your doctor can't fit
you for one, ask for a referral to someone who can.
Also, if the cream is too messy, ask your doctor for a prescription for
an Estring - small silicone ring that you wear in your vagina all the
time that secretes a small amount of estrogen. I used it while nursing
my last two kids, and it was much less messy than the creams. Once you
have finished having kids, I would consider having the surgery. It can
make a world of difference.
more common than you think
January 2006
Need recommendations for a GYN surgeon for rectocele, cystocele
repair in the Berkeley/Oakland area.
I just had the rectoscele and cycstoscele surgery done last month,
and highly recommend any of the doctors at Sutter East Bay/OB Gyn
Fertility, 2850 Telegraph Ave. My doctor was
Dr. Arzou Ahsan and
she was terrific. This surgery is becoming very common and all of
the doctors there do the procedure. Any questions you could call
me 510-334-8750
Sandy
January 2006
I am 4 mos. post partum with a rectocele from the delivery. Has
anyone had success healing without surgery? I have gotten mixed
advice from the doctors, but one specialist said to give it
time and it would improve. Has anyone had this get much better?
Did the end of brestfeeding help? Any advice to speed healing?
Thanks!!
Still healing at 4 mos.
I also had a rectocele as well a cystocele and noticed it at about 4mo. postpartum of baby #2. I did stop nursing b/c I was told that estrogen would help re-tone the muscles down there. It's hard to say if it made a difference. It seems that the healing is a very slow process. I am 1 yr. postpartum now and it's hard to say if it got better or I just got used to things being in a bit of a different place. I think it has gotten a bit better, but after days of heavy lifting or pushing I can feel things a bit out of whack. I did some physical therapy, learned exercises to re-tone the area and electric stimulation to re-teach the muscle what to do. It was hard to keep up the routine on a daily basis with working full time and having 2 kids. The physical therapist seemed to think it would get noticible better If I could dedicate that kind of time. Meanwhile I try not to think about it and hope to have more time for exercising in the future. Also anti- depressants really helped me b/c I was pretty bummed about it.
anon.
December 2005
I have a rectocele follwing a vaginal birth with a second
degree tear 3.5 months ago. I have gotten mixed messages from
the doctors, but a specialist said it would improve within the
year. Has anyone recovered from a rectocele without surgery?
How long did it take and how full was your recovery?
Thank you
still healing
I have a rectocele I never repaired, and it's 20 years later. It definitely improved in
the first year, but it does remain with me. The condition varies so it's hard to give
advice, but obviously, in my case, I've lived with it. It's embarrassing to discuss, but
the greatest problem is with bowel movements, and I've really improved my diet
(lots of veggies and fiber!) to contend with the problem. I've read that rectocele
repairs may not last, and surgeons are therefore less likely to repair. That said, I am
actually considering having my condition repaired after all these years.....
I'd hang in there to monitor the healing and evaluate surgery later. Good luck to
you.
anon
April 2005
I think I may have prolapse. I am 36 and 3 months post-partum after baby #2. I am
really bummed and feel like I'm "falling" apart. Has anyone else experienced this?
What did you do? thank you.
anonymous please
Hi there. I saw your post about a suspected prolapse and
thought I'd share my experience. After the somewhat traumatic
(induction and then forceps) delivery of my first child I
experienced what I will call a 'protusion'. To be blunt, there
was a fairly large (golf ball) fleshy thing sticking out of my
vagina, about three months post-partum. It was, to put it
midly, unnerving. I saw my OB who diagnosed a 'rectocele',
which is basically a vaginal hernia wherein a rip or tear forms
in the vaginal wall, allowing the rectal passage to poke
through. Charming. After about 7 months post partum it got
better and eventually didn't really stick out all that much. As
the muscle tone improves it tends to draw the hernia back in,
or so they say. Whatever. Anyway, it didn't really bother me
all that much. Then I got pregnant again (whoops) at 8 months
post partum (again I say whoops) and by the end of that
pregnancy it was sticking out again and would ache if I walked
a lot. Mind you, everything ached, so there you go. After the
delivery of my second child the whole thing basically fell
apart and now I have a cystocele (which is where the vagina
wall tears on the OTHER side, allowing the bladder and urethra
to poke through) and a uterine prolapse (basically the
connective tissue at the top of your vagina stops holding the
uterus in place, and it descends). Interestingly, although
possibly only for me, the rectocele mostly went away, possibly
overwhelmed by the competition for room in my poor front-
bottom, as we say in England. Anyhoo, here's the upshot. All of
this can be fixed surgically, and it's important to go to a
specialist in pelvic floor reconstruction, as the negative
outcomes of bad surgery are vaginal strictures (basically they
sew you too tightly and it's painful to have sex etc) or
incontinence of one sort or another (bummer). The good news is
that there is an excellent doctor at UCSF, called Sharon
Knight, who you can go see. There are several other centres for
pelvic floor reconstruction around the country. The bad news is
that it takes many weeks to recover and during that time you
can't pick up anything heavier than a bag of flour. As I have a
two and a half year old and a fifteen month old I have decided
to wait a few years and then get everything fixed at once. In
the meantime I just kind of suck it up. Some days it's worse
than others, and I can't run or do impact exercise any more. Oh
well, like I have either time or inclination... So that's my
experience. In many cases they fix themselves, and certainly
mine seemed to be on the way there before the second baby. IMHO
it's pretty early for you to get super worried about it right
now, and in fact, they won't do an evaluation for prolapse
surgery until ONE YEAR post partum as they consider the vagina
to be in trauma until that time (no shit). I sympathize with
the sensation of everything falling apart -- I find myself
chastened and somewhat embarrassed by my crappy vagina, but
hey, at least it's relatively private. Feel free to email me if
you have any other questions or if you discover some excellent
way to fix it, especially if it involces lying still in a quiet
room eating chocolate!
Abbi
Post partum prolapse can really feel overwhelming, especially in
the midst of taking care of your baby. I am an acupuncturist who
specializes in fertility and pregnancy care and I have treated
this many times and everyone seems to feel overwhelmed in the way
that you described. In chinese medicine, post partum is a period
of two years. I say this because I don't want you to feel like
you are falling apart because your body can repair itself.
Birthing a little one is a big deal and in our country I am not
sure we give it enough credit as we hurry off back to work after
a few months. Anyway, this is definitely something that you
could be treated in a holistic manner with acupuncture and
chinese herbs with good success. I guess the first step is to
know your symptoms to make certain of the diagnosis. I am more
than happy to help you with more specific advice if you need.
Maureen Raytis, L.Ac.
March 2005
So I think I have a 'dropped cervix' also known as a Uterine
Prolapse. I won't know for sure until I see a gyno in a couple
of weeks. I did look up the condition and I have one of the
symptoms: urgent urge to pee at a moments notice. I also looked
at myself and well, things don’t look right.. like the entrance
into my vagina is blocked!! Needless to say when I saw that, I
panicked. And the only reason I even looked was that I felt
some irritation. I’m wondering if things got worse since I got
sick with a nasty cough almost three weeks ago. I’ve had very
violent coughing fits and they do pressure that lower region.
By the way, I did give birth vaginally 15-months ago. The two
gynecologists that saw me afterwards never mentioned anything.
Can your cervix drop afterwards?? I admit I haven’t done keigel
(?) exercises and I’m still nursing my son.
Any way, can any of you out there who may be dealing with this
issue give me some insight, how are you resolving it? Did you
get a pessary, can you describe how it works. Has anyone opted
for surgery?
Thanks!
anon
It sounds like you have a cystocele, which is a prolapsed bladder. The
bladder drops onto the vaginal wall and is visible when looking at your
vagina in a mirror. It often occurs during pregnancy with the pressure
on the bladder from an enlarging uterus, and during delivery from
bearing down. Symptoms include urinary urgency and frequency. Kegel
exercises can help lift a minor cystocele and tighten the muscles, but a
more significant cystocele often requires surgery (done vaginally).
Whether or not you opt for surgery depends on the severity of your
symptoms and whether you want more children (it does not affect your
ability to get pregnant, but you might want to delay surgery until after
you are done having children because it can drop again with subsequent
pregnancies). Good luck!
-Been there!
To the woman who may have the dropped cervix, I too had a baby 15
months ago and since then have had symptoms such as stinging when I
soap my vulva in the shower ( as it feels like the urethra opening has
been stretched), pee still coming out after I pull up my pants & think
I am finished, and right after giving birth a lot of pain. But I spoke
to my midwife and she said do kegals and so I've been doing 5 to 10 a
day on & off and now I feel that most of these problems have just
about dissapeared(over 15 months). It just seems to me that healing is
a long process.
I hope that helps.
A
Oct 2004
My mother (early 60s) was recently diagnosed with a dropped
bladder or cystocele prolapse. Has anyone had experience with
this and tried kegels, a pessary, or surgery? Any words of advice
would be very helpful. Thank you!
anonymous
I had bladder sling surgery for this condition 7 years ago, and it
was 100%
successful. I was in my late 40s, and my condition was so bad that
I needed a thick
pad at all times, and even the thickest pad was not enough when I
exercised. I lived
like that for a decade, had had many embarrassing accidents, and I
became a new
woman after the surgery ; ) The surgery requires an overnight stay
in the hospital
with a catheter, and another day or two at home with the catheter.
I recovered
quickly. You need to find a urologist or a gynecologist who is
trained in the
procedure and has experience with it. I’m afraid I can’t recommend
my surgeon,
because he's no longer practicing in this area. Good luck!
Living a normal life again!
I had uterine prolapse after the birth of my first son, at the
ripe old age of 31. After the birth of my second son, I tried
all kinds of non-surgical options, including kegels which are
useless and have no effect on the tendons and ligaments holding
the uterus in place. It could also be the bladder pressing out
in your mother's case. In any case, kegels can't help. Any
doctor who tells you so you can be sure knows nothing about the
condition. I did go to an osteopath who has demonstrated
success with restimulating the ligaments and tendons to do
their job - alas, didn't work for me. I turned to surgery and
am thrilled with the results. I had the uterus and cervix
removed, kept my ovaries. Also I understand they did some
lifting and tucking of the whole area, including bladder. Its a
major surgery. Prolapse is something that's quite common in
older women and hereditary. My mother had a hysterectomy about
20 years ago at about 40 or so to repair a prolapse she had
lived with for about 10 years, unthinkable. If you're an active
person you simply cannot live with a prolapse. Now, here's the
bad news, my mother thinks she may need another surgery now
that she's older things are sagging again. Good luck.
Sharon
My mother had surgery almost a year ago for a prolapsed
bladder. I don't know the name of the procedure she had (she is
not one to ask many questions of her doctors) but the procedure
put some sort of internal sling under the bladder to lift and
support it. The surgery was done vaginally. She had a very
slow recovery, spent many months still not able to hold her
urine and was in much discomfort. She felt that the doctor
minimized the time for recovery and discomfort. Now almost a
year later, they tell her her bladder is still low. She hasn't
said she completely regrets the surgery (she suffered from years
of yeast infections because of the prolapse) but she swears to
never have another surgery. Everyone's experience is probably
different, but I would suggest your mother asking a lot of
questions (mine didn't) and really thinking long and hard about
having surgery.
anon
She should make an appointment with a uro-gynecologist for an
examination and discussion of all her options. I've seen a few in
Oakland, and I enthusiastically suggest Ed Blumenstock, M.D.
A cystocele patient
I'm a little late in posting this, I think - for the person
looking for advice on cystocele prolapse, here's my two cents.
Get a thorough workup by a uro-gynecologist. I had surgery for
stress incontinence, prolapsed uterus and some other stuff in
July. My recovery was right on target - about 7-8 weeks and I
was operating at pretty close to 100%. If it had been only the
cystocele repair, 5 weeks would have been plenty. (I'm 46.)
My consultation and surgery was with Dr. Eugene Kaplan in Walnut
Creek, 925 979 9969. He is extremely knowledgeable, very
gentle, very aware of related issues, and all-around great. My
surgery included a vaginal hysterectomy, bladder sling, and
rectal muscle repair - about 4.5 hours total. I'm sure it would
have been far shorter if it were only the cystocele.
I'd be happy to talk to you about the experience if you would
like. I'm very relieved that I had the work done, feel a million
percent better with all pelvic functions, and really recommend
my doctor highly.
Hope that helps.
Nancy
November 2003
I am 13 days postpartum with our 3rd baby and just last
night discovered my cervix hanging down into my vagina! I
am 32, this is our 3rd baby in 4 years (all home births), I am
fit and healthy, swam and did yoga (and kegals) throughout
pregnancy, and I am worried and scared! My 3rd baby came
barreling out of me in no time, apparently dragging my
cervix/uterus down with him. My midwive pushed it back up
in place after the birth and checked me again a few days
ago (I was fine), then . . . last night I made my discovery. Of
course, I have spoken with my midwives who aren't yet
officially calling it prolapsed (b/c it's so soon after birth) but
of course it's a strong possibility. Who has gone through
this? I am pretty terrified of using one of those devices to
hold it up, or having surgery - - or, even a hysterectomy. I'm
taking Sepia (homeopathy). We may want another child in 3
or 4 years. I looked in the archives and found nothing . . .
what have others done in this situation? Is there anything I
can do now to increase my chances that it will go back to
normal? Any specialists? Any advice appreciated. Thanks.
scared
Fifteen years ago, I had my first and only pregnancy.
Fibroids that were already present grew enormously, one to
about grapefruit size. After the birth, my uterus descended
into my vagina. The first thing that helped was to put in my
diaphragm (I cut out the middle and just used the ring.)
Later I went to a chiropractor in Santa Cruz who was
recommended for such problems, who may have helped
but I really don't know. One thing I remember doing was
lying down with the legs of the bed raised on blocks, so that
gravity would help the uterus move back in position. I guess
I did that a few times a day for an hour. It's hard to
remember, and of course I had a baby, so I couldn't have
had time to do much of anything.
My fibroids shrunk down post-partum, but I have always had
problems with stress incontinence. My uterus is ''tilted''
according to my nurse practitioner. I wear a pessary, which
is extremely helpful, and I find that abdominal exercises are
as good as Kegels, if not better. I have not needed to have
surgery, but I wear a pad everyday, just in case.
Holding up just fine
July 2003
Hi, having suffered a fair bit of damage during my second
child's birth, I am thinking of having surgery to repair a
cystocele and rectocele. Has anyone been through this, and can
you recommend a good doctor? Were you glad you had the
surgery? Thanks
I gave birth to two very large babies with the same
consequences. After the second delivery, I suffered from
incontinence for 12 years, not realizing how simple the
repair can be. Dr. Peter Schneider (a urologist) performed
a 'bladder sling' procedure, and I've been cured ever since!
His no. is 848-1727. He does not repair rectocele - this is a
gynecologist's domain. I cope with the problem with diet
and manage well enough. My gynecologist, Richard Rudd,
841 5510, routinely does these surgeries, and I've heard
he's an excellent surgeon, but obviously I can't attest to that.
anon
I was also diagnosed with a cystocele, rectocele and prolapsed
uterus. When my first gynecologist was nonresponsive to my
complaint, I fired her. My new
gynecologist referred me to physical therapy and it has really
made a difference for me. Of course, the degree of benefit
you'll derive depends on how severe your symptoms are. Many
gynecologists do not refer patients like us for PT, perhaps
because they are unaware. If yours is similarly unaware, get
her/him to refer you to Physiotherapy Associates and ask for the
therapist who specializes in ''women's health''. Not all
therapists are educated in this specialty, and the one with this
organization only works in their Oakland and Walnut Creek
locations. I urge you to try it. I highly recommend it.
Been there and back
May 2003
Has anyone dealt with a prolapsed bladder or uterus? I am
looking for alternatives to surgery for dealing with this
problem. Do exercises really work? Is this a condition
which comes and goes?
km
My doctor recently noticed the same thing happening to me. She
referred me to a physical therapist who specializes in this sort
of thing -- ''pelvic floor rehab''. The plan is that I'll do
that, as well as lots and lots of Kegels for the next three
months and then we'll re-evaluate the situation. Maybe exercise
can be effective enough to make surgery unnecessary. Good luck
to you (and to me!)
Anonymous
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