Pelvic Pain

[Delphoric]

I have vaginal pain and 'mild' bladder prolapse for over a year after an operation on my spine. I also have had continual bowel/anal pain and chronic constipation since that operation in June 2021.

Have been unable to get any real help or treatment despite several GP visits, A&E visits, consultations, (telephone and actual) since the operation.

Have had two Pelvic clinic appointments with a young female nurse who examined me first vaginally, then anally. She offered advise on how to make a bowel movement easier but not much on pelvic floor exercises except handouts which she gave me on the first visit.

I will have another appointment in May with this same nurse, I think, but I have not been offered any actual treatment or a more detailed examination/test.

Appointment waiting times are lengthy for most specialities/clinics (in Uk) in my experience.

[HashtagNell]

I have no expertise on this but wanted to send empathy (I'm also in the UK). I find constipation a horrible thing to deal with, and disproportionately upsetting both psychologically and physically, so nearly two years of that strikes me as awful, and obviously the whole issue of bowel movements is more inhibiting because of the prolapse complication: you know you have to avoid straining. It sounds like a complex condition to me, and I wonder whether it would be worth seeing a nutritional expert too? For the prolapse issue, I have found the NHS squeezy app really helpful, though I scoffed at it, at first. Perhaps you feel rather alone with this, and because it isn't life-threatening, perhaps you feel it isn't taken proportionately seriously. I hope you get some other helpful replies. Sending a hug.

[Delphoric in reply to HashtagNell]

Thank-you for your kind words and advise. I do not use a smart phone so cannot access the app you mentioned. Is there any other way to find it?

[HashtagNell in reply to Delphoric]

So far as I know, no. But it's nothing magical. Really just a neat little timer, with reminders. How have you managed to treat the constipation problem so far? Have you been working with laxatives or diet?

[Delphoric in reply to HashtagNell]

Oh, I see. Well yes I have taken laxatives as I was advised and was given copiously in hospital, but now I try not too because I don't think that they are the answer in the long-term. Have always had a high-fibre diet , no meat and loads of fruit and veg.

I think My constipation problem is related to the operation and the nerves that were involved when the tumour in the lower back (L4-5) was debulked. Radiation therapy after the op to get rid of residual growth on the nerves may also be a factor. The truth is that doctors know very little about lots of these growths and the side-effects of the treatments and drugs they give us. This one that I had was very rare they told me but also mostly benign. Am still getting pain in the coccyx and anal area and I have just halved the dose of the drug I was taking because I think it was contributing to the constipation problem.

Sorry to give so much info but anyway, thanks again for your input and interest and sympathy. Best wishes.

[HashtagNell]

Ah yes, of course, the analgesic is a classic culprit for constipation, and well known for that. This is really rough for you and I couldn't agree with you more about the side-effects of treatments and drugs. You fix one problem and you start another. It is hard to know which specialist now is the one you really need to talk to.

However, one thing is true: your body tries its best to fix itself, and keeps trying. Bodies are good at that, and programmed to get better. They keep trying to work in our interests. So halving the painkillers, provided you can cope with the pain, should help. I think you have come up with your own best thing to try at this stage. Coccyx pain is so nasty, and very hard to get rid of.

All in all, it's hard, so if you feel a bit low coping with all this, that's because you're normal! I also do meditation, and I think if you can do some kind of mindfulness and don't rule it out as too woo-woo, it really can help with living with pain and keeping a positive outlook. It doesn't make pain go away, but it can change your response to it.

[MissStar]

Whole Woman approach might interested you, check out website wholewoman.com - its a different approach, their toileting advice is much better than physio (uk) advice, in my opinion, and I like their non surgical approach.

[Delphoric in reply to MissStar]

Okay, thank you, will do.