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[hellen]

Hi all, what can you tell me about vaginal prolapse... i have seen several gynes, but the last one decided i have a vaginal prolapse on the bowel wall side... strangely enough, i have mentioned to several gynes over the years, that area was where i was experiencing discomfort, but its not been mentioned before.. any of your own experiences with prolapse would be welcome..  thank you xx

[Ju Ju]

I've just been diagnosed with a prolapse, both sides. I mentioned the difficulties of emptying my bowels to my GP, who told me to report this to the gynaecologist who I was seeing the next week. I had thought this was yet another IBS symptom, but have been feeling pressure and discomfort during and following opening my bowels recently. I am now waiting for an appointment to see a consultant. I wish I could afford to go privately, so that I wouldn't have to wait as it is becoming a daily stress to do my 'business'.

[scriv]

Hi there...

In fairness, vaginal prolapses can be very hard to diagnose and it seems very hard for even the best spcialists to be able to 'see' the extent of your problem.  I had my first major prolapse at the age of about 35 and then had to have it done about 15 years later after life and a lot of heavy lifting had taken their toll. On both occasions, the severity only showed up under aneasthetic.

You will probably be recommended  Pelvic Floor Exercises which really can help strenghten the muscles and tighten up the pelvic floor before deciding the next course of action. Basically I think that is either putting up with it, wearing a 'ring' to support the pelvic floor or surgery.

For me, surgery was the only option and did do the trick. It was not an easy ride, but  there were no horror stories.

Good luck!

[20032003]

Can I ask what symptoms you have had from vaginal prolapse?

[Morwenna]

I have those symptoms Sparkle - I thought it was VA - the soreness seems to be right on the neck of the bladder/urethra - I wonder what causes that? It seems to be worse when I have difficulty emptying my bladder. Or maybe it's not emptying sufficiently that's causing the soreness? Nothing seems to help although I find if I keep 'regular' in the bowel department it's less uncomfortable. Maybe a bunged up bowel has the same effect of putting pressure on like the fibroids do with you? It's a minefield isn't it!

[ancient runner]

Can you not have vagifem and fibroids? I use local oestrogen and have a fibroid - which appeared to have shrunk last time it was checked...

[Jenna]

Hi sparkle,

'Yes' water based vaginal moisturiser is what I think you are after. If you contact their website and ask for a free sample to see if it suits you, they will send it very quickly. I find it very soothing.

Hope it helps!

Jenna x

[Taz2]

I've had a bladder prolapse (cystocele) and a womb prolapse. I had the womb removed last summer via a vaginal hysterectomy plus an anterior repair for the prolapse. Obviously the hysterectomy worked  but the anterior repair is already beginning to fail. I am currently seeing a pelvic floor specialist nurse once every six weeks and have been given a pelvic floor exercise programme just for me! Things are improving. At my great age (61) repeated surgeries for prolapse are not recommended but I find it really upsetting that I still have to put up with the side effects when I really thought that by having the op I would be one of the 60% who was cured.

My vaginal walls are also very thin and weak and the nurse said that research is now being done on tissue type. If you have genetically weak tissues then you are more likely to develop prolapse once you approach menopause. The research means that in the future tissue types will be tested and if found to be weak then prolapse surgery will be reconsidered as the failure rate can be high.

I would stress that pelvic floor exercises are essential no matter what stage your prolapse is. It can make so much difference. It is important to combine fast exercises with slow ones. My programme is fifteen fast pull ups - just pull your pelvic floor muscles up and let them go straight away - followed by five sustained pull ups each one held for the count of six (it was five but I'm progressing!). These are to be done four times a day. It doesn't seem very  much but it is beginning to make a difference. Also the DVD's by Michelle Kenway are well worth getting.

Taz x

[Annie0710]

I had a total prolapse at 23.  The cervix was very low and felt sore after sex, I had my hysterectomy and cervix removed aged 32 after trying the electric waves and ring (that used to 'ping' out at inappropriate times if I as much as crouched.  I declined the repair but was tightened vaginally whilst having the op

 losing the uterus and cervix helped no end

Annie xx

[Taz2]

It's great when it works Annie - you were so young to have a prolapse - it must have been very difficult for you!

If you have weak vaginal tissue then removing the uterus and cervix can make things tricky for the vagina as they are an anchor. My big fear is vaginal vault prolapse so I am lifting and squeezing as instructed 

Taz x

[Annie0710]

It's great when it works Annie - you were so young to have a prolapse - it must have been very difficult for you!

If you have weak vaginal tissue then removing the uterus and cervix can make things tricky for the vagina as they are an anchor. My big fear is vaginal vault prolapse so I am lifting and squeezing as instructed 

Taz x

Yes damaged sphincter in bowel during birth no1 then birth no2 I had ruptured placenta and haemorrhaged and as a result of staff pulling and tugging the prolapse developed

Annie xx

[20032003]

When I try to read about prolapses it seems that the main symptom is that you see part of your vagina or rectum outside of your body. Is this always true?

[Annie0710]

I think that's extreme cases, my cervix was visible but I couldn't see anything else

My mum knee about mine and my sisters yet mentioned nothing of hers

When mum was in a coma, a nurse took me to one side and said was I aware of her prolapse ? I said she'd never mentioned it . The nurse said its the worst she had ever seen so I'm guessing my poor mums was visible :-(

Annie xx

[Taz2]

Prolapses are visible outside of the body as they worsen - and it's important to remember that loads of them don't and remain manageable. Especially with uterine prolapse as it drops further into the vaginal canal then it can eventually rub on your knickers as your walk - a very uncomfortable feeling - and even become sore enough to bleed. As Annie says this the extreme end result in some cases. It stands to reason that if some tissue is weak then the rest of the tissue will become weak as well. Lots of it depends on the cause of the prolapse. I had my hysterectomy as I didn't want to end up in a couple of years time with everything just prolapsing out and having to have emergency surgery.

The important thing to remember is that the earlier it is diagnosed and treated the better.

Your poor mum Annie. My mum always called it Dropsy in whispered tones.

Taz x

Taz x

[ancient runner]

Is THAT what Dropsy was? I thought it was an oedema thing. Blimey.