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[EmmaJ2019]

Hi everyone,

My name is Emma and this is my first post on the board - I was hoping that somebody could give me some advice on how to improve the symptoms of a rectocele.

To give you some background - about a year ago I suddenly started having trouble with bowel movements. I can still remember the first time because it unfortunately happened at work. I needed to go, sat in a cubicle until everyone else left - tried to go - **nothing** - and then people came in! Argh!)

I put it down to having to use an unfamiliar toilet but when I got home - **nothing**

And I haven't had a normal bowel movement since.

Six months ago I was diagnosed with a small rectocele - but nothing seems to help.

My toilet visits take forever (over 45 minutes), I have to raise my feet, strain, support my perineum and splint - and I never feel like I have "finished". Sometimes despite all of that effort I can't go at all. Suppositories help a bit - but sometimes I still can't go.

I was wondering if anyone has the same issue / any suggestions?

Thanks for your help.

Emma.

[CLKD]

Yep.  Bowels are a common topic on here 

How is your over all diet?  Lots of fruits/veg., well hydrated?

Do U take any gentle bowel aid, i.e. sennokot?  Liquid paraffin?

How is your exercise regime?  Sometimes swimming can ease symptoms, but be warned: the warm water + exercise may = a rush  and I HATE 'going' if anyone else is around.  When we travelled to see my In-Laws, she would stand outside the bathroom to ask if I wanted a cup of tea.   
. I would dash into the loo on arrival 4 a P but she would not give me any peace but be straight at the door 

Do a search for 'squatty potty' on here - informative ;-)

I would expect 2 be referred to the appropriate Consultant for advice and investigations.  As oestrogen levels drop muscles may become lax = aches and pains.  Bowel problems arise.  Including 'piles'. 

I find that clenching and relaxing can ease feelings.  I also find that if I need to 'go' but don't have a particularly good result, if I wipe, flush and walk around gravity helps me to go a bit 'more'.  I rarely feel empty though. 

Nothing is taboo on here!!

[EmmaJ2019]

Thank you

Diet is okay and I drink plenty of water.

I've tried Fybogel (made the problem worse! That was not a good day!) and lactulose. I'm nervous of senokot because I think you can become reliant upon it?

Exercise, not so good.

Squatty potty - I already have to raise my feet (I put my feet on the bath opposite our toilet) in order to be able to go.

I hate going anywhere else but at home - if I need to go at work in a cubicle I have to wait until everyone else leaves - but 9 times out of 10 I'll get somebody else in there who has the same idea! Don't you just hate that?!

I also can't go if I feel rushed.

I also do the same with giving up, wiping and trying again later - but it is a nightmare when you have been on the toilet for 45 minutes, get up for 10 minutes, and then sit back on the toilet again! Plus the amount of toilet roll being used! What do you consider to be a good and a bad result? If I go at all that's a good result for me.

Nice to find somewhere I can talk about this problem.

Emma

[Maryjane]

I would find yourself a womens health physio one who deals with bowles they can work wonders, I would guess you have a hypertonic pelvic floor and you need to be taught how to relax it.

Look up reverse kegels. 😊

[EmmaJ2019]

Thank you - is a hypertonic pelvic floor essentially where you can't coordinate the muscles in your bottom properly (so you're straining whilst simultaneously clenching your bottom closed)?

I have wondered whether I might have that as well 

[yellowflower]

Hi Emma
I had a rectocele repaired last year along with cystocele and mid vaginal vault prolapse.  If you just have rectocele and it is minor, the doctors will probably suggest diet, water, stool softeners, fiber  etc. It may be worthwhile to be checked for other prolapses. It is very frustrating to have bowels that don't work properly.  I can relate to your description but if I could advise one thing, it would be to not strain as it could make your prolapse worse.

[EmmaJ2019]

I completely understand about the straining - but I still do it... it's down to frustration with my bowels unfortunately.

[CLKD]

Fibergel    I bypassed it by opening the packets and tipping the powder in2 our compost, nowt wasted here 

The bowel can become accustomed to being helped but the odd sennokot wouldn't do any harm. Or other 'over the counter' preparations, maybe have a look-see in the Pharmacy.  I had irritable bowel syndrome - several threads here about that 2! - bad enough that I needed 'colpermin' peppermint capsules and I think, 'motillium' from the GP.  Saved my Life.

The idea is to swallow the above within an hour of eating main meals.  I needed 3 'motillium' 3 times a day in order to get a good result.  4 me that means that I haven't had to strain, that when my bowel feels ready to empty I 'go' almost at once and a very good result is when my bowel feels actually empty! which isn't often.  As a recovering anorexic I can't afford to allow constipatoin which = nausea  so I stop eating altogether. 

Sometimes a small tear in the rectum can cause the body to tense when it ought to be relaxed.  A drop of Savlon might help to soften the outer entrance ......... I have crossword books to keep me entertained  .

The 1 thing that makes me 'go' is having to be at an Event, i.e. a funeral.

[Annie0710]

I developed cystocele, rectocele and uterine prolapse at the ripe old age of 23 following a traumatic still birth.  Actually the cervix later prolapsed too.  At 32 I had a hysterectomy and the bladder and bowel issues resolved somewhat.

But since about 5 years ago things are getting bad again.  For as long as I can remember I have had to massage bum cheek when passing a stool as it never felt like it would happen naturally x

[CLKD]

  Annie

[dahliagirl]

I had this and had the op, and TBH it didn't help that much with the poos (although it repaired some of the muscle tearing from birth of first child and I got a perineum back  )

I did see a physio as a result who specialised in constipation issues and this helped with understanding what is wrong.

I use movicol which is an osmotic laxative and holds onto moisture. 

I use laxatives to pre-empt constipation when I have not been able to drink a lot (eg day out or progestogen phase of hrt)  I also have high fibre breakfast every morning (oats and dried fruit is better than bran stuff which dries out in the gut) to create a regular 'urge'   Coffee is supposed to help but that does other things to me   

(she did suggest Senna and ortisan cubes but these give me tummy pains.  Dulcolax gave me really bad pains and I nearly passed out  so there is no way I would ever recommend that.  Movicol/laxido is more gentle, and lactulose is cheap but a bit windy.  Fybogel dries just adds to the blockage and is really more useful for people who do not have enough fibre.)

Regular meals rather than grazing helps, and chewing well (to encourage peristalsis).  Plenty soluble fibre (oats, beans, fruit) and fluids.

Then there is the putting feet up and relaxing pelvic floor in the right way.  I would also say that suppositories help in the early days, alongside the creating urge stuff.

If your stool dries, it slows passage which dries it out more - it is a vicious circle.  It is also much harder to pass. You have to keep a sort of constant turnover going.  Have a look at the Bristol Stool chart and aim for the sausage with cracks one.

If you know you need to go, then go even if you need to use a suppository at first.   Never hang on.

Oh yes and the exercise.  Brisk walks, yoga, pilates 

[dahliagirl]

As a recovering anorexic I can't afford to allow constipatoin which = nausea   so I stop eating altogether. 

That is interesting CLKD - I am 7 years down the line with this since my op and I really do notice that if I am bunged up, I lose my appetite.  I never noticed before.

[yellowflower]

I just wanted to add that of all the benefits of my hysterectomy and repairs, the most notable for me was the way my bowel movements came out in one easy motion after the rectocele repair.

[Annie0710]

I can't use Movicol (anaphylaxis) but apples are a great laxative for me x

[CLKD]

Aren't we all different  ............

dahliagirl - constipation and nausea causes panic attacks  .  My first was at age 3.

Crikey we are a Mine of Info.    let us know how you go on ..........