Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

media

Author Topic: Vaginal prolapse?  (Read 4150 times)

Witch hazel

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 37
Vaginal prolapse?
« on: June 15, 2020, 01:47:33 PM »

Sorry to trawl up my very old post, but new update further down - ITS BACK!  :(

Hi Ladies,

Had a shock this morning, after straining a little on the loo ... wiped myself and felt an unusual bulge.  Investigated and I had a lump, smaller than golf ball, sitting just inside my vaginal opening.  Initially panicked thinking it was something sinister but now concluded it was a "prolapse" of some sort.  It was smooth and moist, not rough or nasty looking. It popped back in and is not noticeable when I am standing up or moving around.  No other symptoms, soreness, pain, trouble with bladder or bowels, in fact I wouldn't know if I hadn't felt it wiping myself.  I get the odd bit of back ache but put this down to my age.  Rang GP immediately ... small rural practice that is not taking routine face to face consults during the virus, so been waiting all morning for call back.  Spoke to lovely lady GP who runs their Well woman clinic.  Asked lots of questions and she thinks its possibly a mild prolapse and suggested a watch and wait for 4-6 weeks, if any symptoms get worse to call her back, but do regular pelvic floor exercises to help strengthen everything and see if it improves.

I am not too worried at the moment; done my usual Dr Google to get my head around it.  My maternal grandmother had a prolapse ... this was 40 years+ ago and I can't remember the details, but she ended up having a hysterectomy.  I think I am a long way from that, but anyone here had something like this or more serious prolapse?  Do PF exercises really make that much difference once things have started moving downwards?  Any advice appreciated, thank you
« Last Edit: April 30, 2021, 06:02:55 PM by Witch hazel »
Logged

sheila99

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4873
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2020, 02:06:25 PM »

I'm waiting for the vet to ring me back about a sheep with a rectal prolapse when your post popped up  :(. Not good news in sheep, we have about a 50% death rate from them. Outcome should be better in women. Usual treatment is antibiotics, anti inflammatory and keep fingers crossed. Crossed fingers seem to do as much good as anything else. Wish I could tell it to stop straining. Sorry for the ramble, hopefully someone else will have some advice.
Logged

Witch hazel

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 37
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2020, 05:44:41 PM »

Thanks for advice, and I do always look on recognised NHS and health sites that I trust.  Been out on a 3 mile walk this afternoon and everything seems fine, so just hoping it was "one of those things" and everything seems to be back in place now.  Very odd experience, but I think it would be noticeable all the time if it was anything to worry about ... the things we women have to put up with ... ;)
Logged

Tc

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2270
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2020, 07:23:07 PM »

Witch hazel it's a good idea,to do the exercises whether you have prolapse or not. Its  important to relax the muscles  for a good 5 seconds between each one.

I have had 2 doctors tell me I have a  stage 1 (mild) prolapse and 2 doctors tell me i havent.  The last one was a urologist gynacolovyst who said i dont have one.   I can sometimes feel something there when I insert ovestin standing up but other times not. .  My thinking is that maybe if its a mild prolapse its noticeable sometimes and not others.   

Xxx
Logged

jaycee

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 698
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2020, 08:54:25 PM »

I had a prolapse after giving birth many years ago, the Dr just kind of twisted it or rotated and pushed it back in, never had any problems since even after giving birth since that
I wouldn't worry too much, as your Dr said see how it is in a few weeks
Logged

Elizabethlovejoy

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 40
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2020, 08:27:34 AM »

The Squeezy app is nhs approved and takes you through the pelvic floor routine. Available on apple and android its cheap and excellent. I think the maximum recommended [by my womens health physio] is 3 x 10 squeezes for 10 seconds with 10 seconds rest between each followed by 10 x 1 second quick flicks with 1 second rest between each. She felt more than 3 sets could be detrimental. Squeezy explains the routine with reminders if you wish.
Logged

Kathleen

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4538
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2020, 09:59:04 AM »

Hello Witch hazel

I think avoiding straining and constipation will help so perhaps tweak your diet if necessary.

The story is that  Queen Victoria's prolapse hung down to her knees!  No wonder she was miserable but  at least she wasn't a sheep...

Take care.

K.
Logged

Taz2

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 26613
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2020, 09:08:53 AM »

Hi Witch Hazel. I have had a hysterectomy and bladder repair due to prolapses and I can say that the best thing you can do is remember to do your pelvic floor exercises every day for the rest of your life - like we all should really. If you can get a referral (eventually) to a pelvic floor specialist nurse this will also help as you will be given a set of exercises specifically tailored to your particular prolapse. It's good that you have found out early on as you can take measures to stop it worsening. The other thing that has helped me prevent further prolapse - so far fingers crossed - is using HRT. It was when I had to have a short break from it due to my (then) GP feeling that all women should stop before the age of 60 that my womb finally gave up!

When I first discovered mine it felt like an alien being had taken up residence but there are ways to manage it and stop it getting worse but a proper assessment is important.

Taz x

Logged

sheila99

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4873
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2020, 09:18:42 AM »

Are you on HRT or testosterone? I had to do regular pelvic floor exercises from having DD at 42 to starting testosterone at 57. Now I don't have to do them at all. I had a problem with muscle tone though, I kept pulling muscles without much reason. I don't know if it help you or not but it might be worth considering.
On the plus side the ewe hasn't pushed it's backside out since yesterday so hopefully it will live.  :)
Logged

Witch hazel

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 37
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2021, 06:01:52 PM »

Sorry to resurrect my almost year old post, but ITS BACK!

I followed the GP advice and did PF exercises religiously to begin with after my original post last year, and it seemed to settle.  I did actually have a totally unexpected but full blown, very heavy, clotty and painful period a few days after the prolapse originally appeared last year, and once that stopped, my "innards" seemed to be less inflamed and everything settled.  I must admit, my attention on the PF routine has dropped off recently, so its probably my own fault, but had some mild pelvic ache and lower back pain last weekend and just thought I had overdone the gardening! Then yesterday found the same lump inside my vagina has appeared again.  I have started the exercises and find I can push the lump back and it will retract for a while.  It is also gone in the mornings, then slips back over the day, especially if I have been on my feet a lot. 

Our GP practice is still not accepting routine appointments, so I did an e-consult today, passed on all my symptoms and other info, and I have the same lady GP booked to call me back on Tuesday. I hope this time she will arrange to see me and examine what is actually there.

However,  I went to the loo just now, and when I wiped, I have some bloody mucous, so I think I am about to start another period - first in about 6 months, but therefore its exactly the same scenario as last time I found this "thing" sitting there!  I just wonder if my cervix/womb and everything else in there is inflamed again due to my cycle trying to kick in?  I just put 2 and 2 together and realised I have been a bit teary this week, but also short-tempered, so I think I have a period about to start.

I will update after my call with GP next week, but for the meantime, does my assumption above sort of make sense, and does anyone have any suggestions on what treatment etc, she may suggest.  Do things like Vagifem I have see mentioned help this type of thing, or do any of the Kegel type devices work?   In answer to the question above, I have never had any HRT.

Thanks all :)
Logged

Taz2

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 26613
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2021, 10:10:22 PM »

Hi witch hazel. It does sound like a womb prolapse especially the fact that it disappears overnight and gradually falls down through the day. It's a shame your doctor's are still not doing routine appointments. I had to see mine two weeks ago as my bladder prolapse (cystocele) has returned after a repair 6 years ago and she insisted on examining me before referring me back to uro-gynae. I also had a hysterectomy at the same time as the repair due to prolapsed womb.

Vagifem can help with tightening the tissues a bit but full HRT makes more difference. Pelvic floor exercises are important though, strangely, following advice years ago from the continence clinic as to how and what exercises to do my pelvic floor is "excellent" yet it still prolapsed.

Find out as much as you can about pelvic organ prolapse so you can protect yourself as much as possible while you wait for possible referral. Resting with legs up after strenuous stuff including shopping, gardening, walking etc can make it feel more comfy. It's a nuisance and mine took me by surprise. I had no idea really that prolapse would happen to me!  ::)

Taz x
Logged

Witch hazel

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 37
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2021, 02:04:48 PM »

Thanks for reply.

I have already discovered that sitting down every so often makes things a lot more comfy.  Have been shopping and done our weekly visit to mum in law this morning, to pick up her laundry and do some bits and pieces for her (she is disabled) and by the time I got home I really needed a sit down.  There is no lump there so far today ... its so strange how it comes and goes and I wonder if I am actually bad enough to need any intervention or treatment or whether I just need to really focus on the PF exercises to get it all back together.

The GP sent me some links which I am reading through before we speak next week, but she also mentioned the next step would probably be a vaginal pessary or ring.  Does anyone use one?  I just wondered if this is a once you use it you always need it, type thing, or whether a ring will support temporarily whilst I try to tighten everything up a bit myself.  I recall my grandmother had a ring (mind you this was 40+ years ago) and she found it really difficult to get on with, had repeated infections and ended up with hysterectomy anyway.  I know things have probably improved and move on a lot since then, but would welcome advice from anyone who uses one successfully.  Is it something I can fit and remove myself or once inserted does it stay there? 

Logged

Taz2

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 26613
Re: Vaginal prolapse?
« Reply #12 on: May 01, 2021, 02:24:53 PM »

Someone on here uses a vaginal ring. Can't remember who but I think its mentioned in the thread I started called Prolapse info Radio 4 or similar. Can't link from my phone at the moment.

My prolapse was a grade 3 I think but never got to the stage of actually popping out. It's an individual choice as to whether you have surgery but the only way to find out is to have an assessment by a gynae. I had a cystecele first and after months of pelvic floor exercises was thrilled when it seemed to be cured. Imagine my dismay when I discovered the only reason I no longer had stress incontinence was because the womb had dropped and was pushing the bladder back into place! Just can't win sometimes!   ;D

Walking does tend to make the prolapse more noticeable as does carrying more than one shopping bag. Also no squatting. I'm thinking that a ring pessary is my next option as I don't fancy more surgery.

Taz x
Logged