Women........Pelvic Organ Prolapse [Archive]

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CathyA

4-2-17, 9:09pm

I seem to have this and, without going into much detail, probably need to have surgery. I would never have the mesh, so I'm not sure how successful/long lasting the reconstruction would be.
If you would prefer to stay private with any experience you've had, just private-message me. I appreciate it!

CathyA

4-3-17, 11:06am

I guess I'll be the first one to respond. :~)
I've spent the morning reading up on this problem, and I'm thinking the best first step is physiotherapy. My concern was going to docs who are into surgery. they tend to downplay the benefit of strengthening muscles. I wish my ortho doc had recommended P.T. first, rather than knee surgery........which then caused a lot more problems. Anyone here ever have P.T. for the problem I'm mentioned? I know it can sometimes be funky.....but who cares, if it helps avoid the knife.

Float On

4-3-17, 11:30am

I was afraid of needing that surgery because the Dr mentioned I had prolapsed uterus and other stuff. For 10 years after kids every time I'd bend over I could hear all those things in my pelvic region move around and slide. It was the oddest sensation. But I gained some fat and everything seems parked in it's rightful place with no problems currently. So...um...yea fat! :confused:

I have had two friends have surgery. I do not know if mesh was used. Both were happy with their results.

JaneV2.0

4-3-17, 12:45pm

As I've lost weight I've noticed my arthritic, unstable joints have gotten worse (um...they were supposed to get better), and the thought has crossed my mind that the fat was cushioning/supporting them somehow. Interesting. Also worrisome.

CathyA

4-3-17, 2:07pm

Funny, but whenever I lose a little weight, I get sciatica pretty bad. I was thinking it was because my stomach was being a counter-weight or something and keeping things in line. :~)
Also, if you lose weight, especially when you're older, then your facial wrinkles start showing up more. So.......I'm not trying too hard anymore. haha

Tybee

4-3-17, 2:07pm

Cathy, I have no experience with this and sorry you are going through it. My husband had double inguinal hernia with pelvic floor reconstruction and they used the mesh with no problems, so that is something to consider.

Teacher Terry

4-3-17, 2:11pm

I suffered for decades with a leaky bladder and had surgery 5 years ago and the results were awesome. There are different types of mesh. The kind I had has not been in lawsuits or failed, etc.

BikingLady

4-6-17, 4:31pm

What grade is your prolapse? If you were told. Is it all organs or just one? Pessary not help I assume? Sadly I seem to know way to much on the topic:(

I am now searching for any definitive answer to my question on POP, Can I run? Not one Doctor or the the two Nurse Practitioners or the magnitudes of articles I have read give the answer. It's a grey area on if this will make worse or not. SO I run, as I am pretty sure sitting will not change the out come of three prolapses grading 2.5-3.5. I was told in December that to delay surgery till I for 10 years would be the best option thinking that I would be less active was the reasoning. My goal was a marathon or 1/2 at 70!

Terry: were you told that there was a reoccurance and the surgery had a high rate of re do? Just wondering, thank you kindly.

BikingLady

4-6-17, 4:39pm

The other thing I learned was this is a topic that is not spoken of enough. I have found great info on the Australian sites as well as GB. Yet pessaries can be dated way way back, but goodness it just it not spoken of here. I feel it is just like any other health issue and not embarrassing. Just ask my neighbors as I babbled to everyone about it!
I was told 17 years ago that I had a minor POP, but someday it may be an issue. I blew it off and never thought of it really till...last October when I was trail running. I felt like everything was falling out all of a sudden. GEEZE if I had known I would have worn a pessary years ago, IF it helped stop the progression.

Teacher Terry

4-7-17, 12:57pm

BL: no the doctor said she had a lot of success with this surgery and type of mesh.

CathyA

4-7-17, 4:55pm

Thanks everyone. BL....I am fairly certain the running will make it worse. That's a ton of downward force on those already falling organs. I'm guessing here, but I'll bet that even if you had the surgery, they would caution you against running much again.
I also don't think that wearing a pessary helps slow the worsening of it. It just holds the organs in a better position so you can can pee and poop and not have anything falling outside your body.
How old are you? Do you live in a bigger city? Sounds curious that you have the prolapses and they told you to wait 10 years for the surgery. Sounds like a small town to me. (I'm a small town girl, but I would never have medical treatment in a small town).
Also......please check out the possibilities of physiotherapy for POP. I think it's terribly downplayed and can do some good. I'm seeing a NP at a women's clinic in a couple weeks and they asked if I wanted surgery right away or wanted to pursue other possible treatments. Of course I chose the latter. I fear surgeons only consider surgery, so the NP will probably give me lots of other options, if my condition isn't horrible.

I know you really want to run, but sometimes, unfortunately, we have to give up things we love because of physical problems. Good luck to you!

Suzanne

4-11-17, 9:59am

I had surgery (no mesh) for prolapsed uterus; it had folded over, stuck to itself, and adhered to other organs. This was when I was 26, a couple of years after my son's birth did major damage. It was fantastic to be able to stand, turn, and bend, without pain.

Gardnr

4-13-17, 6:24am

Aqua Blue

4-13-17, 9:03am

Personally, I think quality of life sometimes requires the surgery. Is it worth avoiding surgery for the quality of life you currently have? You describe a problem that will not improve. Is there something serious preventing you from having the procedure? I am an OR RN. I am VERY conservative when it comes to having or recommending surgery. You do not need to suffer with this, there is a solution.

I waited far too long to have a hysterectomy because I thought, this will stop when I'm post menopausal. Oh how I wish I had done it long before I was 46! So much suffering every month-too dang stubborn!

We do not live in our Grandmother's world. We do not have to suffer.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I did the same thing hysterectomy wise (I too am a nurse). I have trouble with anxiety and what if thinking. When I find that starting I imagine the "adult" me stepping in and reassuring the "child" me that it is ok and that I will take care of the little me. It seems to help.

I am also at almost 64, realizing this is my only life, I want what remains to be quality.

I ❤️ your comment at the end we do not live in our grandmothers world. We do not need to suffer.

pinkytoe

4-13-17, 10:45am

So much suffering every month-too dang stubborn!
I was one of the ultra-stubborn ones and put up with all that without going the surgery route like all the women around me. I used my MIL as my excuse as she had horrible issues afterwards - adhesions, prolapse, etc. In the end, I soldiered through it and came out the other end just fine. However, I guess surgery is a lot more precise these days so would definitely consider with an issue like OPs.

Teacher Terry

4-13-17, 1:09pm

PT: I did the same thing and I would not do it again.

CathyA

4-13-17, 2:46pm

I think it's highly variable, as to how people do with the same type of surgery. There's our own body's way of dealing with things (some make adhesions, some give way from the stitching), the ability of the doctor, the ability of the physical therapy department, etc., etc., etc.
I have been to too many bad docs and it's important to me to not end up worse than I am now.
It's like knee surgery......I just refuse to have it.....because of the same factors.
Plus.....I think in today's world with all the advanced medical and surgical stuff, we all want to be totally pain free and be young forever and I wonder how that affects the entire healthcare dilemmas we are having in this country.

Many of you trust docs a lot more than I do. Plus, I have fibromyalgia and my body goes crazy when one little thing is done to me.........so we're all at different places sometimes with healing.....

Teacher Terry

4-14-17, 1:27pm

After 30 years of having a leaky bladder that steadily got worse I finally had the surgery. I should have done it sooner.

CathyA

4-14-17, 4:54pm

Yeah, I could definitely do without peeing 12 times a day, but now it involves other stuff. It's not going to be an easy fix....especially without the mesh.