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[jessieblue]

Morning lovely ladies.  Does anyone have experience with rectocele?  I have had one for some years, Im not 100% sure I dont have cystocele as have had urinary symptoms on and off but that hasnt yet been mentioned.  The rectocele isnt too bad but I do have to use some pressure underneat to have BM and I get piles and little tears sometimes if things arent as easy as they could be if you know what I mean.  I can sometimes feel the bulge just inside my vagina.  I dont want surgery until its really necessary so wondered what you do to help.  Kegel exercises? pelvic toners?  It has worried me a lot because when I get a tear or piles I get some bleeding but have seen 4 doctors about it recently and all say its a fissure and no need to do any further investigations.  My health anxiety doesnt like anything to be wrong or to see blood anywhere!  So it all makes me a little anxious.  Be nice to share with others with similar experience.  Am seeing a gyn specialist soon for all things meno so will be able to ask about this too.  Thanks in advance.

[Annie0710]

YEs, and reading about your manual pressure during a BM just convinced me I still have mine

At 23 I developed cystocele, rectocele and uterine prolapse all caused at the stillbirth of my 2nd baby

I had the electric shock treatment, the ring that's inserted but nothing worked so after I completed my family I had a hysterectomy at 32 but opted out of the repair.   I've been fine for years (apart from bladder urge/stress incontinence)  but since meno I have the bowel issues you describe

But I'll carry on as I am until I ever get to the point it's really affecting my life x

[jessieblue]

Hi Annie Im so sorry to hear of your stillbirth and the problems caused.  I had two difficult natural births.  I dont think that helped my situation down below.  I also am opting out of surgery until such time that I cannot cope.  Its a nuissance more than anything I guess.  Do you have pain with yours?  Or just the mechanical malfunction?  I havent tried anything apart from pelvic floor exercises which I guess help a bit when I do them regularly.  Was considering the kegel toner maybe.  The joys of being a woman.......

[dahliagirl]

Hi - before surgery they normally expect you to have tried exercises (gynae physiotherapists help here) and to sort out any constipation problems so that you get softer stools (movicol helps here).

I had surgery, but it has sadly not sorted the bowel problem (was told it probably wouldn't but it has sorted the childbirth injuries out  )

Some people get referred to a colorectal surgeon and for defaecating pictograms first (the fill you bowel with gel and x-ray it) which sounds very    but can give lots of useful extra information.  I went straight down the urogynae surgery route and think in hindsight it would have been a good idea.

[Annie0710]

Aw thank you.  It was very difficult at the time but it was 27 years ago although saying that if I relive the memory and imagine her here now I can still cry

The pain I get is because I think where the route for the faeces to travel isn't straight forward It maybe stays there longer than It would if I didn't have a prolapse ? I may be wrong, just summizing readily.  If it's difficult I suffer anal fissures and other pain is IBS when it flares up

Again not sure if it's because of prolapse but very often I don't know I need to go, but I can stand up and suddenly the feeling will come .  Other times I'll go pee and then feel I need BM.  Very odd x

[jessieblue]

Yes I get that completely Annie......I often feel something is there then when i go it cannot come out because its in "the little pocket"  Everything has to be timed perfectly....like at exactly the right time when I get the urge and if I wait too long it will go off and then just get all clogged up.  If I go too soon and strain at all I will cause piles and fissures to pop open.  I have to push in exactly the right place and with perfect timing to get things to flow out nicely........urgh! TMI sorry. Lol. If I have a good BM I can tell you, I have my own little celebration because some of them can be a proper mission.  It really does need to be kept soft so I take dulcoease if I get any constipation because that when I cause the tears and piles which are bloody painful! I cannot remember a time when I had a nortmal bottom!

[Annie0710]

We have the exact same symptoms !!!

Yes I have my perfect area on right bum cheek to push and prod lol

2 years ago I had faecal impaction, the pain was unreal but of course I didn't realise I was constipated until it was too late then I googled manual evacuation and it took hours to finally fully empty. 

Yes I celebrate too! OH always tells me well done lol when it's over with ! X

[Ju Ju]

Yes, I had a rectocele and a repair, along with a hysterectomy. However, the repair hasn't helped with the BMs and a lot of the problems I experience have been described here, including manually helping and having altered sensations or none at all that I need a BM or when I have finished.

After my op follow up, I was referred for a defaecating pictogram (MRI, only on pelvic floor). This did not show anything wrong, other than not being able to expel the gel they put in, which was noted. I have been referred for physiotherapy, which I have had to postpone since November as I have been ill. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks. I can let you know about the appointment if you are interested. This is not the usual pelvic floor physiotherapy, different speciality.

It can be distressing, inconvenient and uncomfortable and not something easy to talk about. BMs take a while, not so bad at home, not very funny out and about, and distressing when in hospital in a ward where there wasn't enough toilet facilities. I have IBS, with a tendency to constipation, but manage to keep my stools soft most of the time, but it doesn't stop this difficulty.

[Annie0710]

We camp a lot and that stresses me having to use the campsite loos

So far I've managed ok with my symptoms, it's just become a way of life now x

[jessieblue]

I sympathise totally Juju and sorry to hear you have been unwell and hospitalised.  My worst nightmare being in hospital with all my weird little problems.  As you say so much easier to manage at home.  I have my own little rituals to help things go smoothly.  Would be great if you could let me know how the physio goes.  I had pelvic floor physio but didnt find it too useful.  I already knew the exercises and have got some dvds too.  I would be interested to hear what goes on in these sessions and how helpful they are.  I wish you the best of luck.  I hope you get some relief.

[Ju Ju]

The physio isn't normal pelvic floor exercises. I will be seeing a physiotherapist who specialises in the backend for want of a better description. I regularly do the prescribed exercises for my pelvic floor before and after my hysterectomy. All good fun! I'll let you know how it goes. I had to spend a week in hospital in November and wasn't happy to find myself in the ward I had spent a weekend in a couple of years before. ( got myself discharged early as I knew I was going to have problems). But this time I was moved elsewhere to a 2 bed room with a loo. Relief!

[jessieblue]

Urgh!  Just the thought of hospitals gives me the willies!

[maelynn]

I have a grade one or two rectocele and cystocele. I've had a couple differing opinions but regardless they seem relatively stable now after going on estrogen. I'm trying to avoid surgery too.

There's an online program for pelvic organ prolapse called Hab-it that comes with good reviews and recommendations and was developed by a physical therapist with a prolapse herself. I've thought about trying it but with one thing and another I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm in the U.S. so actually getting coverage to go to a physical therapist in person is out of the question. I would definitely do it if I had the option.

 Some women on the prolapse forum I used to visit would discuss cold laser treatment as helpful but that's out of my budget too. I'm just crossing my fingers that the estrogen will keep whatever celes I have from getting worse.

I no longer leak any significant amount of urine after starting estrogen but I can still feel the rectocele and some days it's worse than others.

[Plum]

I was diagnosed with a rectocele in 2003 and was offered surgery. As I'd never had an operation and was scared, I asked to delay it so I could try exercising instead. After a miserable year of not only pooing problems, but everything bulging out of my vagina when I went to wash after sex, I decided to bite the bullet and have the op. I'm so glad I did (even though I was terrified and convinced I'd die under anaesthetic etc etc - anxiety issues, can you tell lol) and everything is much better now although I do need to drink more as constipation can put stress on the area.

[dahliagirl]

The best result I had was 'cultivating a daily habit' with the help of gycerin suppositories, improving my gut biome with acidophilus and suitable food.  This set the scene, although I was terribly reliant on the suppositories and movicol.

Then a daily kiwi fruit for breakfast.

It was wonderful!  Like I had never had a problem.  The Kiwi gives enough softness, and enough 'oomph' combined to feel normal.  Never needed a laxative and everything worked without help 

Unfortunately I fell of the wagon, because I can't stand kiwis    They can be really horrible.    (eye watering)  But I am sure movicol messes up one's natural bacteria etc - there was such a difference as soon as I went back to it.

I am trying to have another go.  May cut nasty little green things up into little pieces and put sugar on.