Prolapsed everything!

I have prolapse of bowel and bladder . I have a ring pessary which is managed every 6 months at the gynaecology clinic of local hospital. I can't manage without it now . At the beginning it was hit and miss as it kept coming out especially when going no 2s but I persevered and had some advice about how to go to the loo without straining and it's so comfortable now .
I was offered surgery but I was scared and had heard all kinds of horror stories so opted for the ring .
One or the other a pelvic organ prolapse is very distressing and uncomfortable so see your GP . We don't have to live with discomfort nor should we but I've gone from finding it all excruciatingly embarrassing to taking it all in my stride. Good luck

I’m afraid that against all of my principles I’ve decided to use money my dad left me and go private
I’m going send an online request tonight as I can’t stand being inactive any longer.
I sat at the beach this afternoon 10 paces from the car and nearly cried with resentment at those ladies walking up and down

So glad to have found this thread. I started with a prolapse nearly 8 years ago and was given 2 sessions at a clinic for help with pelvic floor exercises. Despite this, things gradually deteriorated and I began to have difficulty with standing or walking for any length of time, as well as constant backache through bad posture (leaning forward to avoid the "feel" of the prolapse). I consulted my GP 2 years ago and was fitted (twice) with a ring pessary. Initially a great improvement but both fell out after a couple of days and I was then referred to a uro gynae consultant. After another 11 month wait, I was eventually seen by the consultant who suggested more pelvic floor exercises and the fitting of a shelf (mushroom) pessary. This has to be fitted by a specialist nurse and can only be used if you are no longer sexually active. When I enquired about possible surgery, my query was dismissed with the comment that my condition was not bad enough. I was told that because I have only mild incontinence, the NHS is only accepting the most severe cases for surgery. So, after a great deal of thought, I tried the mushroom pessary, in an attempt get my active life back. It was a total disaster - very uncomfortable, even after removal, and I had to have an abdominal scan to check for a possible cause of the pain. Another 13 months have now passed and having chased up my referral to the pelvic floor clinic, I have been told that it was "overlooked" but I would consequently be fast-tracked so I finally have a "continence" appointment this Friday. I can't really see that this will be of any use to me but I will go with an open mind. I would like to find out more about how to press for surgery and even go down the private route if I absolutely have to - has anyone done this? I've lost much of my active social life and being unable to get out and walk/exercise has resulted in weight gain which only makes things worse. I'm 70 now and finding this all a bit too much to cope with. I watched a TV programme recently about women's health in which the consultant interviewed said that only 1 in 20 women is receiving any help with specifically female health issues. Why doesn't that surprise me?!

Have a repair. You won’t regret it. It turned my life around after faffing about with rings for far too long. They don’t use mesh now, you’ll only be in hospital a couple of days, and should recover quickly.

Also…. I’m absolutely terrified and tense about internals. Was the same every smear test.

Go??? GP
Prolapse is obviously affecting my texting fingers

Caging???? Vagina

I’ve just read the thread in tears. I know it’s fixable but this prolapse malarkey has made me completely housebound. I’m not managing it well at all.
It came on/down or whatever 4 weeks ago ( uterine front wall fall onto bladder which is pressing into caging I think). I’ve had 3 different rings fitted but they all fell down.
I’m going to get a private consultation asap and get it sorted. I inherited a bit of money when my dad died a few years ago and he would say use it and get sorted.
I’ve gone from active healthy nanny doing childcare, longish walks, meeting friends etc to lying down for long periods.
It’s not exactly painful and the go says it’s not advanced but I can hardly walk!
Any tips for temporary relief?

Drina01 I don't know what age you are but please don't procrastinate, few doctors will start you on HRT 10+ years after menopause.

What sense you both talk. Indeed I knew nothing about oestrogen deficiency ... am now thinking that a lot of my health problems are prob connected to this and I should have taken charge earlier. Too busy doing ‘stuff’ for other people me thinks ... time to change. As always good advice.

I agree Espee . Luckily my DGD, now teenagers have no hangups about talking about bodies and their functions.
Please don't worry about having a male consultant Drina. Mine was male, a wonderful Fijian who trained in Glasgow.
Before my hysterectomy he asked me if I was sure I had finished my family?
"What, I'm 64" said I. I know but I also run the fertility clinic and there are women who want to have babies in their 60s!

You must be very patient to have put up with this for 8 years. If I were you I'd get on that waiting list PDQ.

With menopause being a taboo subject women are still not informed of the long term results of oestrogen deficiency such as prolapse.
We need to inform the next generation that menopause, if not counteracted by oestrogen replacement, often results in prolapse which can be hugely debilitating, as well as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, vaginal atrophy, loss of libido, incontinence, Alzheimer’s etc.
Every woman should be informed of this so that they don’t go blindly into their old age without understanding that menopause, and the later negative consequences can now be eliminated by taking hormone replacement therapy from perimenopause.

I’ve joined this conversation as I’ve had a VP diagnosed for about 8 years. Pessaries only fell out immediately and now seem to have rectocele stage 3. Am now having abdominal pain and groin pain unexplained by GP, but I think is to do with VP progressing. NHS wait to see someone is about 8 months am told. However a tiny medical policy I took out years ago may cover this. Am hesitant though as Consultant is male and would prefer female. The older I get the more worried I get about these things. I’m probably overthinking and find it difficult to talk to son and daughter about me not being ‘top of my tree’ anymore. I find Gransnetters so helpful ...

I had a prolapse years ago and had a hysterectomy and TVT, the TVT never helped. Consequently the op caused a rectal prolapse which I had to have repaired. They told me that after the first op my rectal organs sort of 'fell' into the empty space.

I noticed prolapse starting years ago and bought a kegel8, I used it religiously as instructed and it definitely helped. Then I forget to use it and the prolapse starts again after time, so back to kegal8. It has been like this for many years. I think I need to ensure I use the machine more regularly, will need to keep it on my bedside table

just diagnosed with total pelvic floor prolapse and am seeing surgeon next month as the general opinion was as mine is so far advanced no point in rings or kegals

waiting for

I’m for surgery for prolapse. I’m 67. My consultant was happy for me to make my own choice from a range of options but when I decided on surgery she said she thought that was the best choice, because prolapse doesn’t get better and surgery is easier to recover from the younger you are.

Though given the time I’ve been waiting - 2yrs 4mths so far - I’ll be ancient anyway.

Elusivebutterfly

Jane 43, I don't see why you were told that 75 was too old for surgery. People have hip and knee replacements older than that.

I know. It was a male consultant and he was very dismissive. I’m not very good at being assertive and soon after I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery without a problem. I think I will have to speak to my GP.

I have a prolapse, had it for years ... personally I didn't want an operation unless I had to, so have a ring fitted ... never had much trouble at all, although last time wasn't right, so changed to a smaller ring ... apparently things shrink when we get older !!!

I had a hysterectomy and a repair for a uterine and bladder prolapse. Pessaries eventually didn't help.
It totally changed my life!

Age 59, I had a hysterectomy for prolapsed vaginal posterior wall. A huge relief. That's it really.

Jane 43, I don't see why you were told that 75 was too old for surgery. People have hip and knee replacements older than that.

I had surgery for prolapse - hysterectomy with bladder and rectocele repair when I was 64. The GP advised surgery was better than a pessary as you would not want to be very elderly and frail in a nursing home and still having to have a pessary changed regularly.
By the time I had my surgery the prolapse was stage IV and a pessary would no longer work. I was also diagnosed with vaginal atrophy at the same time so take topical oestregen, without which I would struggle with incontinence.

Bobsgirl I looked into the kegel machine but I would imagine your prolapse was less advanced than mine. I’m glad it worked for you.