Has anyone had this procedure done? I’m scheduled end of year and debating whether I should proceed. I am also debating if I should keep uterus or have it removed during surgery. All of this can be so mentally draining.
Hi! I’m currently on a long journey of trying to figure out what’s going on with my body, and I‘m pretty sure I have a cystocele and maybe a rectocele too. Symptoms include pelvic heaviness/fullness, pain, difficulty urinating, not being able to fully empty my bladder or bowels, occasional incontinence, etc. I can feel distinct bulges both on the anterior and posterior vaginal walls when standing/sitting. There’s nothing actually protruding from my vagina, but sometimes when I’m standing I can see what looks kind of like a pinkish purple walnut in the vaginal opening. The extent of what I can see and feel seems to depend a lot on position (lying down things look pretty normal) and how much time I’ve spent upright that day.
A few days ago I saw nurse practitioner at an urgent care clinic because a medication I started for what my doctor assumed was IBS had the unfortunate side effect of making peeing extremely difficult, causing painful retention. She did a pelvic exam, and I mentioned I was concerned about possible bladder prolapse, so she had a look and said “that’s not a prolapse, that’s a cystocele.” But I’m a bit confused, because I thought they were the same thing?
I saw a pelvic floor physio today who only did the internal exam with me lying down, and then just had a brief look while I was standing up. She said it just looks like tissue laxity and my bladder sagging, and wouldn’t call it a prolapse since “nothing is falling out.”
So I‘m just confused about the difference between all of these different terms, and what it means for seeking treatment and care going forward. I’ve been referred to a gyno, but there‘s a long wait list.
I’m 32, never been pregnant/given birth, and am hypermobile (very likely hEDS, but waiting to see a specialist to confirm).
I have uterine prolapse which has caused my cervix to elongate. PT recommended surgery, surgeon agreed. I wasn’t interested in a pessary and they think my anatomy won’t support it anyway.
I’m really struggling with this invisible issue. I sleep really poorly between going to the bathroom constantly and then just a deep deep ache that I never can get away from. My partner is supportive but at the same time they really can’t understand what this is like and I feel like I’m wearing out their compassion.
I have kids and other demands and I feel like I’m being crushed by this sudden chronic pain. I’m a super active happy person and this is crushing me.
Is this the typical experience? Does anyone have advice for the guilt I feel over being less than the perfect partner, like not being able to do what I normally do?
Also I just don’t feel like myself, I’m discouraged. Every day is just pushing through, walking in pain, standing doing dishes in pain, sitting down, still hurts. It’s miserable.
I’m sorry for this long rant but I don’t know anyone going through this and I feel horribly alone .
I've been struggling with a bulge that comes from the anterior side of my rectum and pushes toward the posterior side. It doesn't push down and doesn't push in the vagina wall. Has anyone experienced this before? It seems like a rectocele would bulge the opposite way. I do have an appointment schedule but I'm feeling nervous.
I’ve been having issues with urinary leakage… sometimes I don’t notice it until I smell it. It’s really gross. And if I sneeze or cough, forget it I’m instantly changing my clothes. I never thought anything of this but I was changing a tampon the other day and felt a bulge. I decided to take a photo of it and it’s very clearly a prolapse. Though, it’s not a golf ball hanging out of me like I see in photos online. (It’s more like golf ball but sitting at the opening) My question is how is staging diagnosed? I have an appointment with a urogynocologist in a month. Also, what are we doing for urinary leakage? I’m 34 and feel so embarrassed. Two kids.
I have a mildly prolapsed bladder. I’m so upset- I tried exercising at 5 weeks and may have made it worse. Going to start physical therapy soon. I have a little lump where it is and it’s freaking me out and I’m so worried it’s gonna be messed up forever. Has anyone here successfully PTd their way back from a prolapsed organ?
I’ve had 3 pregnancies in 4 years (1 D&C, 2 vaginal births). I was diagnosed with a stage 2 cystocele, stage 1 rectocele, and stage 1 uterine prolapse at 6 weeks postpartum. At about 3 weeks postpartum I felt immense pressure and a bulge. I now have a pessary that I wear when I’m awake & take out when I sleep. I technically “graduated” PT but still struggle with pressure and pain, especially around ovulation and after increased exercise.
Pre-children, I lived at the gym. I loved to move my body. Now I am so defeated. I’m carrying about 40 extra pounds, and I feel like if I’m more active than I need to be I’ll risk worsening any of my prolapses. But I hate myself so much, I can’t stay this size forever. I feel stuck, and so incredibly ugly.
I’ve been debating a surgery of some kind, but I keep seeing horrible things happening during the recovery stages from other women on Reddit. I just want to feel healthy again, like a person again. I miss my hobby of exercise and having it FEEL like something. Breathing in different positions and slow, intentional movements for my pelvic floor just make me feel so stupid and useless. I want to feel strong again.
I’ve also been dealing with a smell lately that I guess can be common with a cystocele. I’ve ordered medication to hopefully help, but I’m at a loss sexually as well. Between feeling like an ugly blob I also don’t feel confident vaginally. When my husband initiates anything I can feel myself just wanting to vomit. I loathe myself. This is ruining my life, and I’m only 10 months postpartum now.
How do women come back from this? How do you live your life without a weird sense of shame that you’re broken?
28F, recently diagnosed with rectal prolapse pending MRI defecography. I discontinued a medication in January that resulted in significant bowel dysfunction. It lead to abnormal stools and subsequently, straining. I didn’t think it was that significan and I practiced good pelvic floor health - I was seeing a pelvic floor therapist previously and continued seeing them for when this started.
She diagnosed me with a rectocele and a rectal prolapse within the past few months. My pelvic floor therapist was very surprised based on my age. I saw a colorectal specialist (PA) for a consult and she recommended surgery (most likely) since I’ve done 6+ mo of PT. I need to complete a defecography and GI consult/colonoscopy first.
I know it’s all the rage on social media, but I’m curious if I have a connective tissue disorder. I have been torn by physical therapist I have significant hypermobility. I could probably name a few other symptoms. The colorectal PA encouraged me to get a diagnosis first.
Has anyone experienced this? I feel like a diagnosis for connective tissue disorder might be difficult and that besides the hyper mobility any symptoms I have are very vague. And, what is the best way to go about getting a diagnosis? P
Hi 👋
I'm 28, no pregnancies, HSD, and I developed cystocele and a rectocele.
I had surgery a couple months ago with a beyond traumatizing surgeon. To make matters worse, despite asking multiple questions and times about my surgery, I was never informed I would have perineum stitches.
Anyways, I've been cleared for activities and started pelvic pt up and I'm really having a hard time feeling like myself. I just feel so sad for my body and what it has been put through (and how enduringly horrible the recovery has been) and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips? My perineum also still hurts, but looked good to surgeon and pt
It didn't help that pelvic pt was very surprised I had stitches there.
I'm trying to get a therapist, but that's been a challenge due to multiple chronic illnesses.
I'm going to talk to pelvic pt about this too (I've seen her before over the past couple years)
Thanks :)
I have a rectocele, unsure of stage as dr didnt say, but i imagine it has now gone up another one. I am very upset as my bowel is obviously very diverted, it is bulging out a lot and I have tried but I can't have a bowel movement and it has been afew days. I have PTSD and having fingers inside my vagina causes a lot of distress, I am sobbing now after trying to splint. Also I am heavily on my period and it's even more difficult. Do you think I need to phone my dr or is there anything else that can be done without splinting? Will I be making it worse by not trying harder? I just don't think I can do it.
I am also just so very angry that the drs and midwives went against my wishes 4 years ago and made me labour for over 3 days and used forceps that I do not feel i gave permission for, and they have just completely wrecked my body. I feel like my body was stolen from me without my consent, and I knew something was wrong with my pf but was gaslit to make me feel like it was normal, that it was all in my head.
Edited to add that I tried again but I couldnt get splinting to work, but I could feel that my bladder is also prolapsed. So decided to go back to my GP. This sucks.
Hello, I’m a 37 year old mom with a busy 4 y/o little one. It’s kinda of a turning point where I need to decide which road I’m taking. I want one more child but I developed a grade 2 Cystocele after my first birth and I’m worried I will make it worse with a second pregnancy and birth. I worked hard with PT and no longer have symptoms but my grade has not improved. Does anyone have any positive stories or advice with planning a second pregnancy after prolapse?
Hi all, recent divorcee here (male) and seeing a great woman (52) for the best part of a year. I don’t want to upset her so asking here first.
She’s had a few incontinence episodes both during sex and while we are out socialising. No big deal.
She also told me about a partial hysterectomy and a minor medical procedure she had subsequently but we didn’t get into the details. I would guess with the incontinence (& the mention of the procedure) she may have a mesh. She also tells me she has the coil but not for birth control.
Anyway here’s the question, when we have sex I can feel something rubbing against my penis, I had to stop last night as the sensation was too much for me.
I have an idea it’s related to either the coil strings or the mesh. Obviously I’m going to speak with her about it but just wanted to understand if this is a known issue? I don’t want to upset her or send her off on a costly unneeded investigation, that’s why I’m asking here.
I'm 44 years old and not post partum. My prolapses have worsened and I think I've developed a new one. I'm not in pain really. Just uncomfortable. I don't feel safe doing a lot of things I'm responsible for and things that I love.
I would sew up my vagina in a second if it meant I could keep my bones from turning to dust through weightlifting and attend my kickboxing class again. If it meant I didn't constantly feel my pelvis and vagina and worry about bending down to do the laundry or weeding the garden.
I have only been dealing with this change for about a week and I see my PT tomorrow.
Is it crazy to fantasize about literally obliterating my vagina right now?
Hi, so I’m almost one year postpartum and had been diagnosed with stage 2 cystocele, rectocele, and uterine prolapse, but it feels like it’s getting worse and I’m stage 3 (everything is coming out the opening). Today when I was sitting rocking my son to sleep, I feel this unbearable pressure sensation like there’s a fist pushing downwards on my pelvic floor. I went to take my pessary out and there was a hard ball - either my uterine prolapse or my cystocele or both pushing hard on my fingers and it ended up coming out the opening. When I looked, all three prolapses were out.
When I’ve asked the doctors and pelvic floor PTs I’ve seen about the possibility of me having an avulsion, they all say they aren’t able to tell. When I’ve asked my current doctor about it, she says there’s no point in doing imaging to see because treatment would be the same. Is there any difference in prognosis/treatment if there is an avulsion? I feel like I’ve read that surgery failure is more common with avulsion. Something just seems really wrong because no matter how much PFPT work I do or what pessaries I wear, I’m getting worse.
For those of you who have avulsions, how were you diagnosed? Did it change your treatment?
My husband had chronic constipation most of his life, which led to rectal prolapse around when he was 30. He has had a rectal prolapse since around 2020. He has never been to see a doctor. The first couple of years, it would come out whenever he had a bowel movement and then he would sit a certain way and it would go back in on its own and stay in until the next bowel movement, the next day. But, for years now, he has had to manually push it back in every time. He goes through times where he has hemorrhoids, as well, and then the pain is really bad. And for a couple of years, he hasn't been able do as much physical activity as he used to because physical activity makes the prolapse come out. It has gotten worse and worse over time. For years, he's taken Magnesium every night, which softens his bowel movements immensely. But he has to sit and wait for multiple rounds of bowel movements to come out whenever he goes, so that takes about an hour and a half every morning. When he had a rough patch with his prolapse along with potential anal fissures this spring, he decided to start taking the magnesium every other day, instead, so that he only has a bowel movement every other morning now. And for a few months, that worked. But as of almost a week ago, he has a hemeroid or anal fissure or something like that again he and can't get his rectum to stay in anymore. It will go in momentarily and then come right back out. He's uncomfortable all the time. He sits on a heating pad as much as he can, and he has put sugar on it to try to help shrink it and bring the swelling down. He also takes Ibuprofen. It has improved over the last week, swelling-wise and pain-wise. So, he is holding out hope that his prolapse will stay in again once the hemorrhoid or fissure is better again. He still really doesn't want to go to a doctor and he is also afraid of having to have surgery. He's really embarrassed. No one knows about this except me. And money is very tight for us right now so we literally can't afford medical bills and don't have insurance for him that will cover any of this. And he is afraid of the recovery after surgery, too, because our 13-month old and I depend on him so much. But I'm worried about him. 🥺
And I wonder if anyone has any advice based on their own rectal prolapse experience.
If we did go to a med center or doctor locally, what would the first step be? And for those of you that have had the surgery, how was your recovery? And how has your condition been since?
Thank you so much! I'm hoping I can get him to the doctor soon, or that it gets better again on its own. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
EDIT to add: He knows how not to strain while going and all the things. He even does the low mooing sound to help it be easier on his pelvic floor. But, he didn't start doing those things until after the prolapse started.
Hi all. Had ongoing issues with peeing for over a year now. Been prescribed numerous meds for an over active bladder despite me telling GP’s that it felt like something was blocking the urine. Finally managed to get a physical exam on Wednesday and was told i have a pelvic organ prolapse. I can feel a bulge coming down from the vagina when i’m standing which i’m fairly certain is quite new. Have a lot of pressure in my vagina and bum for the past week which is how I ended up getting the physical exam. I’ve been given a referral to gynae but it could take months to be seen by them as it’s a non urgent referral.
Is there anything I can be doing in the meantime? Always do my pelvic floor exercises but i’ve been struggling a bit with them. I’m 36 and had 1 child 17 years ago, it was a forceps delivery. I’ve recently lost 14 stone in weight, and still have more to go so i guess one of these could be the cause. I’m just very lost at the moment, so much information online and none really from the doctors.
Since being diagnosed at 5 weeks pp with bladder prolapse, I have been told again and again by a midwife, a nurse, two physical therapists and a urogynocologist that there is no way the prolapse would cause pelvic pain.
In fact, my physical therapists insists that if I did not experience the pelvic pain I would never have noticed the prolapse.
What have other young mums experienced in this regard?
i am 4 weeks pp. i am wondering if a ‘healed’ cystocele will show at the entrance of the vagina. like does the bulging of the bladder and bladder hole go back up to its original place? honestly this is my main concern since i genuinely hate to see it where it’s not supposed to be. kind of tmi question but i want to have hope that when the symptoms go away or when my pelvic floor is stronger, i won’t have to worry about seeing it
I have a cystocele, urethrocele and rectocele at 29. I’ve no kids, but this all happened due to a mid term loss and I really hope I get the chance to have a baby one day and become a mother.
But, there’s a part of me that thinks my chance is over because of my health and that it will only get worse? :(
Any advice?