new to all of this...help!

[wildstrawberry]

Hi all, I'm a 48 year old living in the UK. I have just been diagnosed with a prolapse - not sure which type exactly (probably uterine I think) or what severity yet. I'm down on the NHS waiting list to see a consultant. This could be some time. In the mean time I feel lost in this sudden world of Pelvic Organ Prolapse! I have never had any children so I'm assuming my prolapse is due to the menopause which I'm currently going through (for the past year). Any top tips out there? I have been given no information about do's and dont's. From the internet I have gleaned the following: don't strain on the loo, don't run and don't do trampolling! I love swimming, and was doing yoga and spin classes. I assume the spin is out?! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[stenosis49]

Doesn't matter what you do to help with any prolapse it just doesn't work, surgery is always the case it seems.

[wildstrawberry in reply to stenosis49]

Thank you for your message. I'm keeping an open mind at the moment, but good to hear your thoughts on it. I hope it's worked out for you and that your surgery (if you've had it) has been successful x

[masa65 in reply to stenosis49]

my GA said only a few people need surgery after doing the exersises do you think he living in fairly tail land.........or been serious...?

[bantam12]

There are things you can do to help and honestly if you can avoid surgery or at least delay it then all the better.

I've had a prolapse for a long time, i found doing Pilates with an instructor experienced in prolapse issues immensely helpful and I had no further problem. After 2 years I gave up Pilates due to the high cost of 1-1 classes so things are not quite as good now but I'm using a topical oestrogen which helps strengthen everything up.

Prolapse repair ops can be very problematic and many people are no better off afterwards.

Worth asking about trying a pessary, takes time to find the right design and fit but can make a huge difference.

[wildstrawberry in reply to bantam12]

Thank you for this advice. I'm paying to see a consultant tomorrow, so can find out a bit more about where I'm at then. Great to hear that other things help too! I may go back to my yoga class on Thursday if given the go-ahead and will ask about pilates and the other things too. And thanks for the advice about the pessary. Great to have a heads-up on the design and fit issues. Hope it's working out for you x

[Jojo668]

Hi, I feel for you - I know exactly what you mean about suddenly being thrown into the world of Pelvic Organ Prolapse! It’s definitely one you would rather bypass!

I am actually much in the same boat as yourself ( except a tad older at 68!) - so no expert! I was diagnosed with a uterine prolapse about 8 weeks ago . Was referred to gyn - only route apparently to see a specialist physio on NHS and have heard nothing as yet. Decided to refer myself to a private specialist physio who I saw last week and am seeing again next week.

She said cycling and swimming fine - but not spin due to ‘off the saddle ‘ tracks. No sit ups / planks , heavy lifting etc. This just about rules out everything I do as I like body pump and lifting weights in gym!

I have found a lot of very informative videos on You Tube under name of Fem fusion fitness. She has loads of different videos and exercises all pelvic floor friendly. ( lady taking them highly trained and knowledgeable - maybe more yoga orientated. Also thinking of trying to get more into Pilates ( with certain modifications). Emma at Epilates is very good - she has a core restore program ( you pay for ) for new mums and people with prolapse- she is good at giving you a personal rep,y if you message her .

I think to get as much knowledge as possible is the best way forward in trying to keep positive 😀. Main thing is to keep active - maybe in a slightly different way I have decided. . Hope this helps. Good luck

[masa65 in reply to Jojo668]

how long do you have to see the phyiso . until they decide its not working , before surgery is needed...i think the GA said i see you in 4months and no improvement then the option would be go under the knife as to speak.............only see him today, got to wait for phyiso appointment, but i doing the execises my self and have been for over a year

[wildstrawberry in reply to masa65]

I've just put a link to one of your messages below. I've been recommended Yoga For Pelvic Floor with Adrienne (link below). Hope this helps x

[wildstrawberry]

Thank you! Will check out all the wonderful things you've suggested here. So pleased I posted my original message. It's so reassuring to get the responses I've had. It's helping me to build up a picture of it all and stay positive. Good luck with it too! x

[frankiecat]

Please research pelvic mesh, do not go down that road. Ask about repairs done using your own tissue. There is no such thing as 'new mesh' either. There is a fb group called Sling the Mesh which has info on natural repairs for prolapse. Good luck on your journey

[wildstrawberry in reply to frankiecat]

Thank you! Great advice. Hope it all worked out well for you x

[swarke22]

See Dellon Institute periphery Pain. U SA. Under pain heading. Chapter 4. I am going there from the U.K. similar symptoms to U but u k said they can’t help. Hope this helps

[wildstrawberry]

Thank you! Will certainly look into it. Good luck with it all! x

[masa65]

hi am 56 had a start of menopause for 8 weeks, then all went wrong and bleeding for 8 plus weeks....GA put in a coil 4weeks ago , but i got a prolaps which is affecting everything down there,,,,,,,,,,,,,,he put me on tranexamic for 5 fives day each month, and that i will need to go and have phyiso for the execises i been doing over a year my self...but it not helped..and in 4months when i go back and see him, if no improvement then its surgery, which i really wanted the whole thing. womb out so i can get on with my life, but he a man and i dont think he really understands this. i nearly burst out crying i so down about it. the prolaps has been a problem for over two years but i thought it get better in time....i wish the menopause would start .......

[wildstrawberry in reply to masa65]

Sorry to hear this - it sounds awful. I hope you find someone who understands and is able to get properly fixed for you. In the mean time, I've been highly recommended the following yoga for Pelvic Floor with Adrienne:

youtube.com/watch?v=2aEceax...(Not working as expected?)

I'm going to give it a go. Hope it helps x

[masa65]

i was doing my pevic floor exercises at the same time just watching the video lol xx

[ayle]

I'm in the same boat. I have a bladder prolapse so far diagnosed by my Dr but won't be surprised if anything else is going on when I get seen by Gynaecology. My physio starts in just over a week. I tried doing fem fusion fitness for pelvic floor on YouTube for 2 months but felt much worse each time so stopped it. At my Gynae initial consultation ( no examination yet), they told me to not exercise on my own but to wait for physio expertise. I hate how this prolapse feels. I feel so broken when I walk. So many sensations that I can hardly stop thinking about it. One of the worst is bubbles coming out, and also bubbles feeling trapped, worse after peeing, and bending. I have no hopes in the physio although I will try my hardest. My hopes are all in trying a pessary at the moment. They won't let me try a pessary till I've seen physio. I've had this 3 months so far and am 46, and have had 3 vaginal births. Hope you find a way through this. By what I can gather, surgery for my problem, (anterior repair) for bladder prolapse has a 41% chance of reoccurrence which to me is too high. I watched an operation of this on YouTube, how I managed to watch it all I don't know as it is gruesome. They pulled the lady about something chronic in my humble opinion.

[wildstrawberry in reply to ayle]

I'm so sorry to hear how you're feeling, ayle. I can relate to much of it. Seeing a real gynaecologist helped me a lot emotionally. (I decided that I couldn't wait for the NHS consultant's appointment to come through - could be months - so I decided to see one privately - not too expensive for a one-off appointment). I really hope that you get the best treatment for you whatever that is, and that most, if not all of your symptoms are sorted very soon. xx

[goneril]

I too have recently been diagnosed with a prolapse, not sure what kind but my GP has referred me to a specialist. She said I'm young to have a prolapse and that I'll probably be offered a repair, however she stated that she would avoid a mesh repair if she was in my situation!! Duly noted on my part as there's a lot of women say they have a lot of pain and once the mesh is in your body to repair the pelvic floor it can't be taken out. I too was told to avoid constipation and any kind of exercise that would cause jolting downward pressure but yoga and swimming should be fine and I go walking a lot without any problems so far. My GP said that the waiting time will be long because it's not an emergency and after seeing the specialist I might be advised to leave things alone and use a pessary rather than surgery.... I'll post an update when I know more. Good luck to you, it sounds like yours is quite a minor prolapse but I'm not really sure whether or not everyone's get worse with time. My mum told me she's had one for years after I told her about mine!!