Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: 20032003 on May 26, 2015, 05:52:53 AM
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Anyone who has experienced problems with a retroverted uterus?
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I have one but no problems that I can attribute to it.
A feeling of heaviness in my nether regions in the mornings but I'm pretty sure I have a slight prolapse.
Anything specific ?
Honeyb
x
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I have one too. Like Honeybun, a heavy feeling in the mornings, lots of low backache if I'm constipated, period pains usually felt around my back as did my labour pains.
My babies were all born facing the wrong way which I was told by midwife was because of my uterus. Not sure how that one works though :o
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I have one and have never had any issues - or none that I recognise. It made giving birth a little more tricky - both girls were ventouse deliveries - but other than that I really wouldn't have known which angle my uterus was.
Is yours proving problematic?
GG x
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I have one but it's never caused a problem except during labour when there was more backache than normal - whatever "normal" is in those circumstances ;D
Found this on the Embarrassing Bodies site
"A retroverted uterus is not usually considered to be a serious medical condition, although it may be an indicator of an underlying condition. Some women are born with their womb tilted backwards, but it may also be caused by pregnancy, which enlarges the uterus, or by scar tissue following a condition such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease. Reaching the menopause can also cause the uterus to change position, as the ligaments holding it in place become weaker. In rare cases, retroversion of the uterus may cause some discomfort, for example during sex or when using tampons. However, there are generally no symptoms. The position of the uterus is normally revealed through a pelvic examination"
Taz x
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Interesting. Difficult to say wherever a retroverted uterus has caused problems or problems were caused by other issues. I did have great difficulty inserting tampons and they were uncomfortable, so gave up and used sanitary towels. I also experienced back pain during labour.
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I had back pain during labour too. Apart from that no other problems.
Honeyb
x
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I have one too and always have trouble with a smear as they can never find my cervix.
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I have this abnormality too - and the uterus veers off to the left. My mum had it too. She also had endometriosis - a full hyster at age 40.
Also had trouble at most recent smear - as they couldn't find my cervix, everything must had shifted and dropped.
I do wonder if the retrograde has made everything 'collapse' a bit more with the loss of estrogen and tissue support.
Also, on HRT, I wonder about any backflow of withdrawal bleed - and whether it all finds its way out - or hangs around in the body. I do have regular uterine scans and only on a low dose of estrogen.
Have you experienced any problems 20032003?
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Not sure if mine is causing my problems. I just - during an ultrasound in March - found out that mine ia tilted backwards. Starting to wonder if it's gotten worse since my rectal problems started last fall. Mainly the stuff about strethed ligaments in menopause is what I'm thinking about. I have horses, and do a lot of heavy lifting regularly plus that I work with small children = also lots of lifting. Previouly I would always have rectal cramping at the onset of my period, possibly indicating that my uterus and rectum are really close? But, of course, it's just speculation. But I have an appt with the gyno on June 15. Will try to ask then.
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I have always found alternate positions in sexual intercourse uncomfortable, even painful, but branded myself as frigid, but maybe there was a physical reason. I have been referred for another ultrasound to check out unexplained bleeding, so it will be interesting to see how things are now. GP thinks the bleeding is caused by the upping of oestrogen, but wants to check in case something has been missed, so not too worried.
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Forgot to say that my cervix often goes walkabouts during a smear ::)
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Yes, same as toffeecushion and Claire. My GP always did my smear as she said it was quite difficult to do due to the retroverted uterus. I'm pretty sure she also said that the uterus could move around so might not necessarily always be retroverted.
After both births I had to have D&Cs but I've no idea if that is related to anything to do with it.
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Yes, same as toffeecushion and Claire. My GP always did my smear as she said it was quite difficult to do due to the retroverted uterus. I'm pretty sure she also said that the uterus could move around so might not necessarily always be retroverted.
After both births I had to have D&Cs but I've no idea if that is related to anything to do with it.
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I've got one too - but since I've never known any different I've no idea if it's caused problems or not!!! The only thing is my gynae GP, when she told me I had one, asked me if I had to lean over to fully empty my bladder which I do - and she said this was the reason....
Hurdity x
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Ahhh, light bulb moment Hurdity ::)
Honeybun
X
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Ohh, I have to do that too Hurdity. I assumed that was due to the prolapses.
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I've been thinking more about this. Really, I think my rectal stuff started last summer. That was when I first on and off would get the sense that I couldn't empty completely. Then I got worse in the fall. I especially remember struggling in conjunction with my period in october. Same issues still. I often end up feeling not quite done and having to go to the toilet only to have small pieces coming out. Additionally, I have realized that I next to never wake up in the night to urinate. For years, it was a nightly thing. But why this shift?? I understand that you can be born with a retroverted uterus (probably most common), but that certain situations (such as stretched ligaments) can cause it to happen at a later stage. Do you think the gyno will laugh at me if I bring up this concern/question?
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I had a retroverted womb and bicornuate
when everything prolapsed it all leaned backwards (so I was told) onto bowel
When pregnant each time I didn't get very big although had very good size babies so staff were always surprised and asked where I hid them !
And I suffered back ache bad through my labours except my last one where I went into labour naturally, turned up at hospital in later stage and insisted my most comfy position was all 4s and stayed like that giving birth
Annie xx
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That's interesting Annie. I had all my babies on all fours too. It eased the backache xxx
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I had a retroverted womb and bicornuate
when everything prolapsed it all leaned backwards (so I was told) onto bowel
What symptoms did you have from this?
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What part ?
Bicornuate was picked up on an early twin miscarriage scan, they said it was sort of upside down with a divide in the middle (going back 24 years) and that I more than likely ovulated from both ovaries a lot of months (hence 2 non identical twin pregnancies that I was aware of)
Retroverted womb , they told me everything had collapsed onto the bowel, that area felt very 'dragging' and heavy, especially as I naturally had heavy clotting periods. The cervix was always Low (had to be pushed back on my last birth) when I had my hysterectomy bladder and bowel settled
Annie xx
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I was mainly wondering whether you were constipated, felt pressure on your rectum, or something like that?
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Hello ladies.
On the subject of the wandering cervix, I was told by a nurse that the menstrual cycle can cause the neck of the womb to change position and during our fertile stage it faces forward to optimise conception.
I don't have a retroverted uterus, ( just a bog standard one ) but I have had smears where my cervix has gone into hiding and that's when the nurse mentioned it.
Take care ladies.
K.
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I was mainly wondering whether you were constipated, felt pressure on your rectum, or something like that?
I don't recall bowel ptoblems, just a heavy feeling in that area
Annie xx
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Annie - your symptoms do sound as if they were more attributable to your prolapse. I had both retroverted uterus and then, years later, prolapse and the heavy feeling and pressure were definitely not there before prolapse. It's a really weird feeling to try to describe isn't it?
Taz x
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Annie - your symptoms do sound as if they were more attributable to your prolapse. I had both retroverted uterus and then, years later, prolapse and the heavy feeling and pressure were definitely not there before prolapse. It's a really weird feeling to try to describe isn't it?
Taz x
Oh Taz I was referring to the prolapse ! Before that I didn't have problems just I was told during an internal at 16 my uterus slanted backwards, I remember inserting my first tampon and mine wouldn't go where the picture was suggesting !
Annie xx
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I've been thinking more about this. Really, I think my rectal stuff started last summer. That was when I first on and off would get the sense that I couldn't empty completely. Then I got worse in the fall. I especially remember struggling in conjunction with my period in october. Same issues still. I often end up feeling not quite done and having to go to the toilet only to have small pieces coming out. Additionally, I have realized that I next to never wake up in the night to urinate. For years, it was a nightly thing. But why this shift?? I understand that you can be born with a retroverted uterus (probably most common), but that certain situations (such as stretched ligaments) can cause it to happen at a later stage. Do you think the gyno will laugh at me if I bring up this concern/question?
Yes you should mention this. I have had similar experiences. Mentioned it to my Gynaecologist, who examined me and said I have prolapse, that needs repair. I put it down to new IBS problems, until I started feeling discomfort in the uterus area after managing to open my bowels. I began to think there was some kind of obstruction and I was right.
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Yes you should mention this. I have had similar experiences. Mentioned it to my Gynaecologist, who examined me and said I have prolapse, that needs repair. I put it down to new IBS problems, until I started feeling discomfort in the uterus area after managing to open my bowels. I began to think there was some kind of obstruction and I was right.
Hm. Should the gyno have noticed this during the exam in March, or can it go undiagnosed unless you specifically spell out certain symptoms? She DID tell me at that time about the retroverted uterus but. since I have no way of knowing if I was born this way, it didn't really dawn on me at that time to ask if that particular thing could be causing my problems.
I must say that I feel better in the mornings than later on on most days. Lying down works best, and sitting is usually the most uncomfortable position.
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Some other things I've been noticing... Sometimes I get a slight cramp in my rectum when I go to the toilet. Not particularly often, but it happened this morning. And another embarrasing thing that might be almost too much info... I often feel like I need to go poop during sex. Pressure in my vagina seems to put pressure on my rectum too. Even something as thin as a finger can create this sensation. I have tried to google at some point, but it didn't seem common. In fact, in some place someone even responded to a person with that problem that it was quite common to feel an urge to urinate but not to poop. Why would I feel this way? I can't really say if I've "always" had this sensation, but surely the last year or so. Anyone else who has/has had this problem?
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Is the rectum pain sudden and severe? If so there is a name for it; it's a separate condition from all the meno symptoms. Apparently it's quite common but of course people don't really talk about such things apart from to their doctor or online!
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Is the rectum pain sudden and severe? If so there is a name for it; it's a separate condition from all the meno symptoms. Apparently it's quite common but of course people don't really talk about such things apart from to their doctor or online!
No, not really. I think I know what you're talking about, and it's not like that. It's more of an annoying milder cramp...
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Your symptoms sound very much like either a prolapse of the bowel (rectocele) or weak vaginal walls. Because they are weak then any pressure is felt where it shouldn't be felt if you get my meaning. Have you ever had any pelvic floor instruction? This is quite good explanation of pelvic floor problems http://www.essexuro-gynaecology.com/da/116249
The pain up the bum is literally a pain up the bum isn't it! It's called Proctalgia Fugax. I get it now and again and this has always been attributed to my prolapse and, since my hysterectomy, to that.
Taz x
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Yes, that's the one Taz. I think I've had it on occasion from a very young age.