to operate or not to operate...that is the question

Posted , 9 users are following.

hey ladies!

been to the Dr this morning... what I thought was a womb prolapse is in fact only and anterior wall prolapse!...phew feel slightly better hearing that... she said only reason I saw my cervix was just something cause the walls to sag more and it came down..but its still where it should be!

feel better about that! but its now my decision to do surgery or not.. to fix it..Im only 35.

She fitted a ring...which to be honest has made a huge differance but will give it time see how I feel..but I know long terms I dont want a ring!

question from ladies that have the same prolapse... did you manage to reverse the prolapse with pelvic exercises? and those that have had the surgery your views on it?

arghh hate these decisions...would rather be told. yes you do or no you dont..not its up to you! haha

thanks all.

0 likes, 27 replies

27 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi, i first of all did the  pelvic exercises followed by the ring as exercises did not work so hence the op for anterior and posterior repair, I must say you are a lot younger than me i am 61 so you might be lucky with the exercise!

    Personaly i am glad i had it done as had awful bowel problems and leakage and hated wearing pads. I have only heard good things re the op but everyone seems to have had different reactions after op (pain, infections etc) hence all the questions on here! I always go with my gut instinct,womens intuition or whatever you want to call it, lol!  I hope this helps towards your decision  and hope you hear from other ladies too. Good luck in whatever you decide

    • Posted

      thank you!

      glad it worked for you, and you so right! gut instinct is the best option!,

      i was told in march my walls where sighlty prolapse and to try exercises, i been trying them, even tried the kegel balls and couldnt keep them in (shockinggggg lol)

      now seems to gotten worse not improved so im leaning towards surgery now! reallynot loving the ring! lol

  • Posted

    Mosnippy, pelvic floor exercises are a must at your age. You are still so young and can strengthen that pelvic floor. I will private message you a web site for a free video that you can watch that is demonstrated by a physio therpist so you get these exercises right. If you find out that the ring is uncomfortable and too much fuss, you can always wear my support garment that is femine looking as well as supportive. I will now email you privately for those pelvic floor exercise information. Don't give in too surgery too fast as you are very young and have time for improvements. I am 64 and I am still living quite comfortably with my prolapse bladder.

                             Blessings to you

                             Lynn

    • Posted

      Hi Lynn, would you mind sending me the link for the pelvic floor video too please, I'm having trouble finding a good one. Thank you
    • Posted

      Okay, no problem. I will private message you, where to find the vidio for pelvic floor exercises.

                                                    Lynn

    • Posted

      Hello Lynn

      Just a quick message

      to keep in touch

      We are now into Spring over here and it is much warmer

      Am still wearing yur garment and I need another so will order today

      Am adamant not to have surgery and am managing

      Will talk again soon

      All the best 

      Angela

    • Posted

      Angela it is always nice to hear from you. Someone recommended my prolapse support garment to a UK web site over there that deals with pelvic floor issues. The lady contacted me and is interested to learn more about my support garment. Isn't that great? I may be able to help a lot more ladies over there that need prolapse support.

      I will not be having surgery either Angela. Everyday, I get up, go about my daily life, put on my support garment and I am good to go. I don't know about you but I forget I have a prolapse during the day. Its only at night when I take off my support that I feel my prolapse. Keep up all the good work you are doing Angela and will talk to you soon. Glad you are in your spring now. We are going to have our first snow fall shortly. It is starting to get cold now. Time to warm up to the television and the fireplace for those who have one. Cozy time is good in the winter, makes you reflect on all the things you did all summer.

                                                 Blessings to you

                                                 Lynn

  • Posted

    That sounds good:-))))  I have read that you can improve an anterior prolapse with pelvic floor exercises, but I doubt you could reverse it totally, but it would be good if you could!  I'm doing pelvic floor exercises like there's no tomorrow in the hopes of improving mine, but knowing that my vaginal vault is coming down too (as well as the posterior prolapse) a ring possibility is as much as I can even hope for, if that's going to be possibe.  Now - there is something I read, and you need to check on this bit because I can't remember where I read it, but I'm sure I saw somewhere that either you can't do pelvic floor exercises effectively while you're using a support pessary OR they won't work properly while your'e using a support pessary, so if anyone on here can advise on that it would be good?  Just check that out before trying the exercises.
  • Posted

    I don't know how long ago you had  your baby and if you nursed and if so, how long, but my doctor told me that since I am still nursing I am in a low estrogen state and that there might still be room to recover after childbirth.  Estrogen makes your pelvic floor muscles stronger and just better in general.  I'm not sure how long it takes to  recover after childbirth and nursing ends but there might still be room for some natural recovery for you.

    I have rectocele which is a hernia, a hole in the pelvic floor fascia, and I don't see how that can get better on it's own.  I think a cystocele (bladder prolapse) is also a hernia.   While the tear will still be there, I guess the idea is that if the muscles are stronger and more supple they can compensate a bit better and the symptoms can be reduced.   Now that I think of it, I had the rectocele after baby #2 (I have 3 kids) and I had to splint to go the bathroom after he was born but later on I stopped needing to.  I don't remember the timing, but the need to splint did go away between kids.

    I think it's worth a try to see if you can buy some time with conservative treatment though I would ask for a pelvic floor PT as it isn't always as simple as just doing some kegels.   I don't think the surgery (esp mesh) is perfect and I don't think it's expected to last 60 years.  If your symptoms are mind enough that you can delay, well I would. 

    If you like to read medical articles, this one might help you figure out what is right for you: 

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4386830/

    • Posted

      my baby is now 3 lol so not so baby anymore

      never had issues until march this year sad

      doctor did say it wouldnt be any mesh etc just tightening up the muscle! i laughed and said a vajajay lift! as that is what it sounded like!

      argh really dont enjoy being female sometimes!

  • Posted

    Hi I'm 47 and 2 weeks post op I originally was only aving a posterior repair but when I was in theatre my surgeon did my anterior too , afterwards when she came to see me and told me I asked how bad ?she said it was severe , now I'm going to the toilet no problem and didnt realise just how bad my problem was , I don't regret the surgery I know it's early days but I can honestly say I'm glad I had it done .
    • Posted

      Joan that is brilliant news:-)))You're a lucky lady!  Lovely to hear:-)
    • Posted

      thats excellent! hoping the rest of recovery is just as good!

      me on otherhand my ring caneout this morning! thought it was loose last night! argh damn things lol docter dis say it might be small , but dont know if i want to go back and get another fitted!

    • Posted

      Oh that's a pain.  That never happened to me but my original one was fitted at a specialist gynie place and my GP took over when the clinic closed down and she constantly said she wondered if it was too big but when I asked later at a hospital appointment they said it was the right size.  If it's not uncomfortable without it, then you have a choice, I guess.  I THINK, if I'm offered one again, I'll probably say yes, though.  But I'm worried about having something that has to come out nightly because of damage of it going in and out, unless it's an inflatable jobbie, but I'll see what they offer me.  I'm still waiting for the appointment and getting a bit desperate to know when it will be.  I've been waiting for weeks now, after they were referring me.
    • Posted

      Remember there are other options to having a ringer inside. Cleaner and safer options.

                                        Blessings to you 

                                        Lynn

    • Posted

      At the moment it's not protruding but feels uncomfortable bending over but the pessaries might sort that.  It's also a worry that anything I do might make it worse!  Having contacted the hospital today and found out it's likely to be months and months before my appointment unless they'll deem it necessary to bring it forward (and I got the impression they won't) I want to do anything and everything to stop it getting worse!
    • Posted

      I have sent you a private email Chris. I have heard so much about pessaries that doesn't work, more then I have heard what does work. My feeling is and please ladies do not take this personally. I am saying to you if you are happy with it and it works for you then thats wonderful. When the doctor asked me about a pessary I said if something doesn't belong up there evenutally it is going to cause a problem down the road. Whether it be infection, rawness, discharge, etc etc. I said what my mind felt about having something inserted that I was very uncomfortable with. I have heard it all bad and good. Now that doesn't mean that some ladies don't have success with wearing a pessary. Again, I am just basing my views on what I have read on this forum and other forums regarding a pessary. My mother tried it and it fell out in the toilet after a bowel movement from pushing. Being elderly she didn't want to go back for another trial run. She also said who wants to have a doctor take this out every 3-6 months to clean it. She couldn't understand what to do with it or how to take it out.

      So its good to hear the good experiences with a pessary and the bad as well so everyone can make a fair decision with thier own bodies. Whatever that decision is that works then of course go with it.

                             Blessings to all of you

                             Lynn

    • Posted

      I have to put the other side of that Lynn.  While the discharge was a nuisance I had mine for quite a few years and would have still had it if they weren't doing they hysterectomy so they could do a repair at the same time.  It did actually sort the problem out, was completely comfortable, no side effects apart from abrasion against the cervix which I put down to the GP leaving the powder on that the instructions said (only found this afterwards) should have been washed off.  And talking of discharge, the vagifem made it worse (it became worse once she started prescribing it) and she just added to the amount at that point so it got worse and worse.  But, having experience of the pessary ring, and experience of the prolapse without it, and experience of the surgery my advice to anyone would be that the surgery was wonderful and if it works for you (as I said, I think my connective tissue problem  affected it) then that's the best bet, but the ring is definitely my second choice IF they can still do it taking everything into account.  It worked for me for so many years and I suspect with a lot of women it's just fitting the right type and the right size.  I was lucky that they did both, from the start.
    • Posted

      One more point that I read about was. Did anyone know that pessaries do not absorb vaginal secretions or odors? So I am wondering if this is why some ladies develop infections from pessaries? Again, do your research of all the good things about pessaries and the negative things about pessaries. There is a lot to learn and if we do not educate ourselves on these type of things how do we know we are making the right decisions. Not just with pessaries , but with anything we decide to put in or do to our bodies. Just my thoughts.

                                      Lynn

    • Posted

      I am very, very happy for you Chris and that it worked for you and thats what I mean about each individual has to decide what works for them and do their research.

      It is good to hear from those who have had success and others not so successful with a pessary. Same goes for surgery. How many have been successful, who was the surgeon, what type of prolapse surgery did they have etc etc. One size does not fit all and that goes with anything in our lives doesn;t it?

                               Blessings to all of you whatever relief you find because living with a prolapse is a challenge for all of us on this forum

                                                          Lynn

    • Posted

      I'd hae thought if they did absorb vaginal secretions they would be far more likely to cause infections?  Yes, I do agree we need to research everything to find out what our options are:-)
    • Posted

      I'm SO relieved now.  My appointment for the gynie was going to be February at the earliest, we found out, but I've got an appointment with the same lady on Tuesday now.  Yes, had to pay to go privately, but it's worth it to me.  What suddenly hit me was realising that my prolapse was the same as it had been when I'd had the prolapse ring that had done so well for me for so many years!  It's not below the entrance to the vagina, but it is uncomfortable when sitting or bending or standing and walking.  When they told me it had to come out for two weeks before the hysterectomy, I hated it!  When they'd asked me at the hospital appointment a few weeks ago if I wanted another pessary I said no but over those weeks have totally changed my mind and now am SO hoping they can fit another one.  I'm hoping that the fact they asked if I wanted one means I might well be suitable still, despite the repair surgery and hysterectomy.  But the doctor is taking various different ones to my appointment so hopefully there will be something there that will sort me out as well as my last one did.  My last one was a total success story for so many years that if I can have another I'll snatch their hand off!
    • Posted

      how did your appointmemt go?

      been a bit slack on here just caught up on al the messages!

      i had a follow ip appointment today with GP as my ring came out, so yhey pit another one in today a biggggger ine and by afternoon it was out again! am not going to bother with trying again,

      i decide to go for surgery and have my appointment on 9th november

      so see how i go from there

    • Posted

      Oh that's so disappointing about your pessary, and I'm sad to say the same thing happened to me!  When I had my milex ring before I had it for years and years (changed every four months or so) with no problem but this one was a bit different to support the vaginal vault as well.  I was SO delighted when it was in, but then it started feeling slightly odd and lower when I got home and then when I went to do a wee at 5 pm it came out!  If I hadn't had one so successfully for so long previously I might well have given up but husband phoned the secretary and the doctor will phone back tomorrow and we'll see if she'll do another one privately or if I'll have to wait to see her at the NHS hospital but it's a bit annoying to have paid hundreds of £'s to see her privately and be in the same situation apart from a bit sore this evening!  But surgery really isn't an option for me because of the connective tissue problems - it just wouldn't work for five minutes, so I'll persevere with this and hope that eventually they'll come up with the right one that will stay put!  In the meantime I don't blame you for going for surgery at all and I hope it goes really well and you have a good speedy recovery.  It's nice that you can plan for that now:-)))))
    • Posted

      oh no thats a shame! sure they will see you! i mean yes for the money they should see you!

      im a bit anxious as to what will be done. of course being surgery no one likes them lol i just hate them as i had previous dvt and embolism so always get nervous so its injections and stockings and all of that jazzz...

      but can start prepping the house as have a 3 year old so its getting dad to do more in house lol

    • Posted

      Hi Mosnippy, if we don't hear by lunchtime we'll phone them and see what the plan is. 

      Ah yes, I understand you being nervous with surgery, but since you had a previous dvt and embolism would they put you on blood thinners before surgery (or would that make you bleed too much?) or maybe just use something to thin the blood straight away after surgery.  I know I had the stockings and had to do the injections into the tummy for a week after, but the injections which I was dreading (I got my husband to do them LOL!) I never actually felt anything LOL!  In fact, because I bruise easily because of the connective tissue disorder, the worst part was bruises where he'd gripped the skin so tightly LOL!  I must admit the surgery for the anterior repair that was done gave me no problems at all.  It wasn't painful but was pure joy that first walk to the loo the morning after I'd had it done.  I was very careful for much longer than they'd suggested because by then although it wasn't officially diagnosed, they had told me by then that they thought I had this connective tissue thing, so that's probably the biggest issue really.  Someone asked me if I was nervous about the surgery and I said 'no, not at all, because I'm not doing it!  I'll just be there fast asleep':-)  SO if surgery is the way forward for you, then build up to eat eating well, lots of fresh veggies and fruit, be as fit as you can be, and look forward to it working and changing your life!  Be positive:-)))))  Then enjoy the rest, afterwards:-)))

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