Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Question: I have to have a Lavh because of pelvic organ prolapse and I am so afraid.? I am not sure if I can go through with it. I have lower back pain, pinching and pulling and pain in my groin and I am not sure if that is from the prolapse or not. I have my surgery next month. Please if you have had this done or know someone who has had this done tell me how it was I am afraid of needles and everthing concerning hospitals but when I cough I feel something come out and go back in so I know it needs to be fixed and I am terrified. If you can tell me anything on this please do!!! Thanks

Answer: I had a tah-bso. the Lavh is much less invasive and takes less time to heal. You should be up and around the next day and the incision should heal within a few weeks. You will feel sooo much better when you don't have to worry about all that stuff any more. The only needle is the IV they put in your arm. They will take you into the operating room and one minute you are talking to the tech and the next minute you are back in your room and it is all done. You will feel really hazy and groggy for a while after you wake up, but if you just rest for a while, you will feel better. The most annoying thing is trying to get any sleep at the hospital. Just be aware that they will wake you up to do this and that all night long. Once you get home, Have someone to help you with the first few days home. You will be so glad you did it. I found this website a wonderful help called www.hystersisters.com You are in my prayers.

Question: anyone have pelvic organ prolapse? bladder/enterocele? i have a mass of what seems like tissue protruding from my vagina when i strain even slightly. dr. doesn't seem to want to view it when i'm bearing down, says i'm fine but it's difficult to evacuate my bowels (i had a baby 8 weeks ago). any thoughts? does this sound like prolapse to anyone else?

Answer: My wife had that and it doesn't sound the same.

Question: pelvic organ prolapse question?? I saw my gyno and he examined me and sent me to a uro/gyno. The Dr said he could not do surgery on me until I find out which connective tissue disease I have because if he puts a mesh in to hold up my bladder, it ( the mesh) could attack my body due to my autoimmune disease and could crippled me. I tried a pessary and did not have any luck with it. I am so miserable with this prolapse ( bladder, uterus and rectum ) yet I have to wait before I have surgery. My Dr told me that even with the surgery, I would probably have to end up having surgery again because of the autoimmune disease I have. Is there anything else I can do to ease this condition? I'm tired of living this way and the autoimmune disease makes this worse.

Answer: Good question, I'm sorry to read about your situation, it is a tuff one for sure. Estrogen replacement can sometimes help strengthen the vaginal muscles and reduce symptoms along with kegal exercises. Defienitly avoid lifting or straining. Sometimes they can put a probe on the vaginal muscles that are weak and shock them to stimulate contraction and strenghten them in that way, it is called biofeedback. Surely your doctor would know if that would be appropriate or work for you. Id say you best bet is the surgery, I hope they can do it soon. Yeah Ill pray for you also. Nice comment Jesus Rocks.

Question: Pelvic Organ Prolapse? Any young mums out there suffering with this condition? If so, did you have it fixed surgically or try other methods first (I hate the thought of a pessary and in the UK you have to keep it in for 6 months at a time and get doctors to change it)? I am only 36 but am becoming increasingly depressed by the symptoms and barely leave the house anymore. I keep reading how common this is but have yet to meet anybody who knows about it or has suffered it. I feel so alone and am so unhappy. Surgery really scares me for fear of failure but I don't know what else to do. My kids need me but I feel so useless, sometimes I think everyone would be better of without me. I keep reading that urogynecologists are the specialists at dealing with pelvic prolapse surgery but after seeing my doctor she is referring me to a gynecologist. She said it doesn't make a difference as they are all trained to do the surgery. Is she right? I'm in the UK and we don't really have a say as to who we are referred to. Thank you so much dragondrums, I really needed to hear that.

Answer: Speaking as a nurse who has specialised in gynaecology and as a woman who has had pelvic prolapse (aged 32), I would recommend the surgery any day. It is one of the commonest gynaecological operations in the UK and is generally very successful...and believe me, it is worth it to get a normal life back. I remember being frightened to go anywhere in case I was nowhere near a loo or in case I had an 'accident'...and having to work wearing pads in case I leaked. It is no life that's for sure. As a gynae nurse I had no hesitation in going for the op (on my own ward and with a gynaecologist as the surgeon) as I had seen the problems women had with pessaries. I can now lead a normal life and laugh, cough, run etc without any problem....having the operation was the best thing I could have done. These days most gynaecologists would recommend surgery for a woman of your age anyway as it is the best option. Pessaries tend to be used for older women who may not be healthy enough for an operation. Your doctor is quite right when she says gynaecologists are more than qualified to do this op....they have been the experts in it for years so don't fear on that score. I can understand your concerns, and you sound very low, but believe me...there is help there and your children certainly would not be better off without their Mum....I've no doubts of that. I wish you all the best of luck.

Question: How can I prevent nerve damage that results from all episiotomies? How can I avoid long-term problems? How can I prevent nerve damage that results from all episiotomies? How can I avoid the reasons of long-term problems like Scare Tissue, loss of fully functional vaginal sphincter muscles and branches of the pudendal nerve, which supports urinary function etc.? How to stabilize and reverse the symptoms of urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse?

Answer: Well, I had four babies. Three full and one partial episiotomy. It wasn't until my fourth baby did I have problems holding the pee back when I coughed hard, but the baby now is only 8 months old. I can say that time, kegel exercises and more time does help with the typical problems. Good luck.....

Question: I'm under a curse. Sex is very painful for me. Every thrust hurts even though properly lubricated.What gives? Every position hurts. Doctor said I dont have dyspareunia. If I dont have it, how come it hurts? I have pelvic-organ prolapse and stress incontinence. Could those be the reasons? My sex life is non-existent for 10 years now because of it. Please help!

Answer: There are many causes of painful sex including vaginal or urinary infection, lack of lubrication, tumors, irritants (like spermicide), sexual disease, physical abnormalities, previous surgery, sexual trauma, repair of episiotomy or tear, vaginismus, vulvar vestibulitis, endometriosis, tipped uterus, and skin thickenings that can divide the female opening or injury to the vulva or vagina, such as childbirth, rape or sexual abuse. Chronic pain during sex may be caused by adhesions following episiotomy or plastic repair of the vagina. Endometriosis, vaginitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and radiation therapy sometimes result in chronic painful intercourse due to adhesion formation at the round or broad ligaments, uterus or other structures. Please see your doctor for an exam and testing to determine what the cause may be. You can read more about it here http://familydoctor.org/669.xml

Question: Does anyone know anything about vaginal prolapse? I have had a hysterectomy so I know that my problem has nothing to do with female organs. On my pap smear visit my doc found a mass at the top of the vagina where the cervix used to be. She has ordered a pelvic ultrasound for me. Don't mind telling you that I am scared.

Answer: I found the following and it may be what you are experiencing: Rectocele (prolapse of the rectum) - This type of vaginal prolapse involves a prolapse of the back wall of the vagina (rectovaginal fascia). When this wall weakens, the rectal wall pushes against the vaginal wall, creating a bulge. This bulge may become especially noticeable during bowel movements. However, it is a well known fact that women must still get pap smears, which you are, even after having a hysterectomy because they can still get cervical or ovarian cancer. Just do whatever the doctor prescribes and hopefully it will be something that can be stitched back up into place and you will be fine. good luck..

Question: Uterine prolapse?? Is there another way to fix this without having surgery. I was told that I have weak pelvic muscles and I don't think that removing them when they aren't damaged is the answer. It's the muscles that are weak, not the organs but it happened a few weeks after giving birth to my daughter. I read somewhere that PT also may help.

Answer: Kegal exercises. I also had this happen and ended up having to have a hysterectomy due to them trying surgery to tack it back up 3 times and it falling down all 3 times.

Question: Ladies did you know that you should be taking belly dancing? and/or pelvic P.T. following childbirth so later in life you don't have prolapse of your organs from weaken muscles and ligaments; if you address this when you are younger you may be able to avoid surgery when the aging process starts to take over ; too late then but not now; following childbirth you need to address pelvic muscles and also thereafter through the years ; key to your health and prevention of descending of your organs , bladder, uterus and bowel

Answer: thank you Dr Susan

Question: Ladies did you know that you should be?taking belly dancing? or pelvic P.T. following childbirth so later in life you can try to avoid prolapse of your organs from weaken muscles and ligaments; Did your ob/gyn instruct you ? No one says anything until we are 50 and facing surgery, slings etc; pass on what you have been told woman to woman The reason that I am posting this is so you can work to prevent this by addressing this issue while you are young and your body and tissue can respond to pelvic PT ; continue it even through the years; no one told me 4 children later and now facing surgery; it is our ob/gyn who should have instructed this ; they see patients older and are fully aware of the aging and the prolapse from weaken muscles and ligaments; my post is to try to inform so you can prevent this later down the road

Answer: I never heard that. I am currently pregnant with my second son. 29 weeks yesterday. It makes sense with everything moving and shifting in there to make room for the growing baby. Is there any other way to strengthen those muscles other than belly dancing...I like regular dancing, not sure if belly dancing is quite my style. I tend to avoid anything that reminds me of Brittney Spears!!! LOL