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uternine prolapse

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Guest
Guest

I can't tell you what a reassurance it was to me to read all your stories. I am a 30 year old physically active woma n with 2 children who has been suffering with stress incontinence when I run twice a week at the gym. I saw the doctor about it a month ago who advised me to just do more pelvic floor exercises and sent me away without an exam. The incontinence has been followed by lower back pain, a constant bearing down sensation and the horror of getting a mirror and realising my cervix is visible. I am truly horrified. We get so much information about labour and birth and delivery of our children, why is this such a well kept secret? Surely I am not alone in suffering with this embarrassing condition. This has been such a shock to me. I will be waiting for a month now to see a specialist wondering every day if they are going to want me to have a hysterectomy at 30 years old!!!! And further wondering if repair surgery is worth having as it only seems to last 15 years or so............

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi Shocked,

    Sorry this is a late reply. This forum doesn't get many visitors and I haven't checked back in awhile.

    First of all you are certainly not alone and prolpase is not an elderly womans complaint. I have read only today that prolapse is rare in young women but I beg to differ. I am a member of another site of nearly 2000 women learning to live well with prolapse and there are many differing ages from as young as 20 to women in their 60's.

    Surgery terrifies the life out of me as the statistics state that surgeons HOPE to get 10 years out of the surgery but many women have recurring problems. I was as shocked, devastated and horrified as you were and am still grieving the old me. I am only 36 and discovered my prolapsing uterus about 6 months ago. I now also have a prolapsed bladder and rectum - wonderful! I feel like my organs are going to fall out at any minute and it is making me miserable but I have done a lot of research and I just am not sure surgery is for me. I do not know what to do.

    Do your research and make the best decision you feel suits you and I wish you all the best.

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    P.S. This does seem to be a very WELL kept secret. I didn't even know these things could happen until they happened to me. Giving birth seems to be one of the highest risk factors for getting prolapse and a vast majority of women I speak with have discovered theirs shortly after giving birth. If up to 50% of women who have given birth develop this then why are they not telling us these things.
  • tina1127
    tina1127

    Posted

    Im 30 years old and recently have been diagnosed as having a prolapsed uterus. I have seen the spacialist and been told that I will have to have a hysterectomy. Im lucky in the fact that I already have children but im devestated that I have to have this done at the age of 30! I too thought that this was something that just happened to older people but have found that this isnt tha case. I do think that women should be told more about the possibility of this happening after childbirth. I have had 3 large babies 2 at over 8lb and the last at nearly 11lb. Nothing was ever mentioned to me about prolapse and I didnt ever read anything about it in any pregnancy and birth books or magazines. Women have the right to be informed of this possibility and maybe make the choice to have a c section if they want to. I now feel old and my baldder also needs to be lifted as it has slipped when my uterus collapsed :-( I really am gutted
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi Tina1127,

    It is such a shock when this happens isn't it? I have to say that I have known about mine since last summer but it doesn't get any easier. I still freak out with the sensations this brings. Could they not do a uterine suspension instead of hysterectomy? I myself do not like the thought of a hyster at my age either. I feel like I am in the body of a 100 year old and its not fun. Its about time the medical profession alerted us to this possibility as like you say it doesn't mention this in the birth and baby magazines and books!

    I wish you the best.

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi everybody

    I have a very complicated case of uterine prolapse, and now I am finally getting it sorted.

    Let me give you some background information first.

    I was born with a defect known as Bladder Exstrophy. This is where the bladder (and sometimes the bowel) forms outside of the foetus' body. This condition also affects the genitals.

    Until I hit puberty I had no visual problems with my reproductive organs. When I was 12 I started my periods. I went to try and use a tampon for the first time, but it just kept getting pushed out, so I used sanitary pads and thought nothing of it.

    When I was 16 I had a general check up with my hospital. They asked me about my female area. I told them the issues I had with them and they booked me into a gynae hospital and had a look around. They ended up doing a vaginoplasty on me which included removing my hymen as it was abnormal and would not allow me to have intercourse. That was a painful surgery- I am not going to lie. I could not cough, sneeze or do anything that involved using my pelvic floor muscles.

    After the surgery, I began to become more curious when it came to sex considering I had these new parts to play around with. I decided to have a good look at myself to see what had changed. I noticed my cervix was very prominant, and if I was not careful sex/masturbation could be extremely painful. I didn't really think much of it for a couple of years until I became interested in dating. Knowing that I was different made it a lot harder for me to become intimate with someone.

    At the end of 2007 I had some investigatory surgery to find out exactly what was wrong with my bits. The conclusion was that I have a hole in my pelvic floor muscles where they have not formed properly in the womb, and my utereus is the only organ that can \"plug the hole\" in there, and as a result I can never have a hysterectomy because everything else would just fall out otherwise!

    Just the other day I confirmed with my consultant that I want to have the procedure to correct this. The operation involves inserting a sterile gortex wrap around my womb and screwing it to the spine (sacrem). This is extremely intrusive and painful surgery with a hospital stay of up to a week and a further 2-5 weeks rest.

    It took me a long time to make this decision, but the main thing that swayed my decision was the long term effects on my mental state when it comes to becoming intimate with someone. I dont want to go out there and jump on anything that moves, I just want the freedom to be able to jump into bed with someone without having to give them an A-Z.

    I am only 21 years of age, with no kids and has no intentions of having kids because of the health risks associated with someone with my condition. It just goes to prove that it can happen to anybody.

    • natalie1905
      natalie1905 Guest

      Posted

      Hi I am also a bladder extrophy patient I attend uclh.

      I am 40 yrs old now on have had two children both girls who are are not affected by any condition other than attitudes 😄 my first daughter was born 1995 which was when my cervical prolapse appeared , I discussed having it repaired with my surgeon, but knew we wanted another child so he said have your children and we can repair it with the gortex mesh .so we went on to have another girl in 2002 with some issues of conceiving trying for a couple of years but then just happened out of the blue .

      So 12 months after our second child was born in went in to have the repair surgery done.

      Surgery went well my cervix was held up high and I was pleased.

      On leaving the hospital I had back pain but thought nothing of it but then noticed when I arched my back it felt tight even living on my front the arch in my back was uncomfortable. Then my period came I was in agony a few months passed each period being as bad try numerous pain killers even a tens machine then I was on medication to stop my periods this went on for 10 years then started to get bowel pains I had every test going tried to tell me it was IBS I knew it wasn't eventually found out it was the mesh had eroded through my womb, cervix and bowel .

      So more surgery to have it removed and to be repaired leaving me with a colostomy bag while my bowels healed for 3 years then got that reversed had to have a ileostomy for 3 months then had that reversed but to be right back at the beginning with the same cervical prolapse it had been 13 years of pain and misery.

      It might have been me just being unlucky but just listen to your own body if you feel something is wrong push to get it checked out.

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi CTurner,

    I am so sorry for your problems and I am wishing you all the best and every success with your surgery.

    I too am going to start looking into my surgical options as I can't stand this any more.

    Best wishes.

  • steph16921
    steph16921 Guest

    Posted

    Please see a urogynecogist as they are the experts in pelvic floor prolapse
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