Vaginal prolapse. Help anyone?!

[rose1]

Hi,

I gave birth to a nine pound baby over 4 months ago. It was a pretty long and difficult labour, I pushed for over 2 hours and my baby only came out via vacuum extraction which took over 15 minutes.

Sorry if this is too much information, but am desperate to know if anyone else has had a similar experience as it's really, really starting to depress me and get me down.

The problem was that after the birth my vagina seemed to be really stretched, so much so that the opening to my vagina didn't really close. I've been doing my pelvic floor exercises pretty much religiously every day and it has improved about 80% over the last 3 months or so.

However, my vagina still doesn't seem to close properly yet of it's own accord and when I get in the bath or a swimming pool, it feels like a huge jet of water is shooting up it when I move around. It's awful! I know that you get water in your vagina when you go swimming but I've never felt anything like this before. Has anyone else experinced this in water? I talked to my gp about it today (who's been working as a dr for about 35 years and he said he'd never had anyone describe that to him - which just makes me think there must be something really wrong with my vagina!!).

To make matters worse, I feel a really uncomfortable downward pressure in my vagina if I'm on my feet for any more than about 30 minutes. Also when I check it in the shower my vagina seems to be sitting much lower than it was before i gave birth (I have to insert my finger on a different angle) and it's really uncomfortable to wear a tampon.

After doing some research on the internet I think that I might have a form of vaginal prolapse (I'm really lucky in that although I have some of the sysmptoms described I don't have any continence issues or anything protruding into my vagina).

Am desperate to know if anyone else has experienced any of these symptoms or if they have had a vaginal prolapse.

If you have had a vaginal prolapse did it ever go back to "normal"?

Did it improve after you stopped breastfeeding?

Will I ever recover from this?! I'm so depressed about it! I'm terrified that it'll never go back to how it was and I won't be able to go swimming or walk around the block (as it feels like it's going to fall out!), have a normal sex life or wear a tampon again.

If I knew that it would improve or recover with time i'd feel much calmer.

Almost everyday I wish that I'd had a ceaser so at least I wouldn't have this problem now. Am also worried about having more children and wonder if I can insist on having a ceaser to prevent even further damage in the future.

My ob checked it at my 6 week appointment and said that it looked like a "normal" vagina that had recently given birth - but I tell you this can't be normal as I can't imagine women would line up to have more children!

Am going to book an appointment to see a physio tomorrow, but would really like to hear from other women first hand.

I feel so depressed about it! :crying:

Any advice would be much appreciated!

[Lastcenturymum]

Ask your GP to refer you to a gyno (but guessing you had one from the birth?) You can also see a physiotherapist who specialises in pregnancy and post natal stuff. I had a friend who used to be one (she's now a lawyer-go figure!) But I'm sure they will put you on the right track.

Birth can stretch you a heck of a lot and you may be able to rectify it with exercise, but a specialist will be able to give you more info. Hope it sorts itself out for you:) :hugs:

[LotusMum]

You can get a referral from your GP to a specialised physio at your local hospital. I saw one who specialises in Womans stuff for incontinance issues and hip problems. She was great and very supportive.
My sister had prolapse and has since gone back to relivitve normal. You will never be what you once were, so unfortunatly you will have to deal with that one, but you can get better.
They even have special little machiney type things that you can put in your vagina (I read about these, havent seen 'em in real life) so that you can REALLY work on your pelvic floor.
Dont worry, you will be fine one way or another. If excercises dont work and it really is a problem or is very severe, there is an operation that can be performed to pull everything back up....but dont worry, that sounds pretty unlikely in your case as it has to be pretty severe.
Just go and get your referral and do something about it, but try not to worry too much, you will be fine.

[k2ma]

Firstly :hugs:. Birth can be a battery on mother.
I think that you should ask to be referred to a physio that specialises in post birth recovery. It sounds as if you have been knocked about a bit.

If it is any comfort to you I was told I had to have a c- section for DS2 to prevent further damage after third degree tearing with DS1. So that option will more than likely be available to you if you wish. Discuss it with your GP, it is all part of healing after a trauma to know that this is unlikely to happen again.

I hope you find some help soon. I think one has to be pretty persistant with asking for it until you get what you require.

[Toffee apple]

wow first of all :hugs: ,i am glad you are doing something about it as there is nothing "normal" about how you are feeling ... well i maen that in the sense that you feel it isnt right, one of the mums in my mothers group had to have physio & use a machine to help her & yes it helped a great deal.
I myself feel angry about my stitches popping open & never healing properly ,i feel that surgery is on the cards for me in the future ,we will see what happens after this bubs (eeekkk)
best of luck.

[stellarella]

Almost everything you described is exactly what I experienced.

The size of my baby, length and type of labour (minus thew vacuum extraction)...the sensations you describe afterwards...all the same. I had a 2nd degree tear aswell but you dont mention a tear.

One year on my vagina is almost back to normal. It is still s bit stretched, but hey, thats part of having children. My sex life has never been better and everything feels fine.

It probably took me a good 4 months to recover from Oscars birth and sometimes feel jibbed when I hear of mums recovering in days or weeks.

I certainly think you should see another GP and mention this prolapse, but there is a good chance its all normal.

The water in your vagina thing...:laughing:
That happens for a while, but will improve.

The heavy sensation in your vagina is also something I experienced and after sex I would get a very achely feeling in my vulva and vagina for quite a while too.

Big hugs for you. I dont think you should stress about it unduly, but by all means seek more advice :hugs:

ETA: I just want to let you know that one year on I wouldnt dream of having a c/sec for any future children, thats how well I have recovered. It will more than likely improve for you with time and kegal exercises. It does take time though. You have been through an absolute physical marathon. But you will feel better over time. I dont think anyone can really understand what a womans body goes through in childbirth and we often dont realise it will take such a toll on us. Just concentrate on healing yourself and replenishing.

[rose1]

Thanks to everyone that has replied so far. It's much appreciated! It's great to have a space in which I can both ask questions and vent at the same time. What did women do in the days before the internet?

I must say that I think that sleep deprivation is contributing to how depressed I feel about the whole polapse thing.

It's good to hear first hand that there is hope!

Stellarella thank you so much for your reply - it makes me feel a bit better to know that there is someone else who has experienced something similar and whose symtoms have really improved/recovered with time and pelvic floor exercises. I forgot to mention that I also had a second degree tear. It's funny, I was terrified of tearing, but when I did, I didn't find it to be anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be - especially compared to this prolapse business! I'd never even heard of prolapse before this.

I've managed to get an appointment with the physio for next week so hopefully she'll be able to give me more of a concrete prognosis and maybe some additional exercises or something. The poor woman, I reckon I'm going to need councilling to go with the physio!

I hate to get to personal and all and I hope this isn't too rude a question, but you said that your sex life was better than ever. It's just that i can't even imagine having sex at the moment, I was wondering in what way is it better? Is it an emotionally connected kind of better or a physical kind of better? I can't even get a tampon to sit properly!! (And could barely walk around the supermarket this afternoon due to the incredible downward pressure in my vagina). I just can't imagine my sex life returning to anything like normal. My poor other half has been very patient about the whole thing, but I don't know how much longer it can stay like this.

I must also say that I know that surgery is an option if it doesn't recover on it's own, but the idea of it freaks me out a bit. How do they know how much they need to hitch everything up?! What if they hitch it all too tight or something?

Sorry to ramble on about it all, think I'm suffering from sleep deprived, prolapse induced depression! Some of the women (about half of them in the group - what is going on with the medicalisation of birth these days?!) in my mother's group were comparing ceaser scars today. As well as inwardly wishing that I had a ceaser scar rather than a prolapse, I briefly mentioned that I had some pelvic floor issues - I wonder how many women actually end up with symptoms like these? I can only be thankful that at least I don't have any continence issues.

Anyway thanks again to all who replied. Will maybe write an update after my trip to the physio.

[our little treasures]

Hi
Firstly I don't think you have a prolapse but I am not a doctor either. Usually they spot this after birth and tell you immediately also your obs would be a gyno as well and that is there job to know a normal Vagina to one that isn't right, iykwim!!

Now personally everything you mentioned is what I have felt after the birth of my 2 children. I don't have sex until after 3mnths with both as the pain down there was unbearable!! The pressure and all of what you describe was me to a tea and even while pregnant with my other 2 I felt that pressure again in pregnancy.. I had a 3rd degree tear with first and have since had 2nd degree with my DS and my daughter I just gave birth too. The trauma and the pain does get better expect it to take a while.

It won't hurt to get it looked at again though and make sure you do go to physio!!

With the bedding question I also found it much better after having my first 2 physically! Much more comfortable IYKWIM!!

[Lastcenturymum]

Thanks to everyone that has replied so far. It's much appreciated! It's great to have a space in which I can both ask questions and vent at the same time. What did women do in the days before the internet?



Suffered in silence I think! There was so much that just wasn't talked about. My mum wasn't told about periods, or sex :eek: she knew nothing on her wedding night - fortunately my Dad knew she wouldn't know anything!

I've got a girlfriend who just had an prolapse-she's older and they can 'rehang' the uterus (sounds like interior decorators, doesn't it? :laughing: )

As for sex, its a scary thing after a bub. I tore so badly with my first and had high forceps, that I couldn't get up off the loo without feeling like my whole pelvic floor muscle was ripping and wrenching end to end. But time does heal. take it gently. And intimacy comes in all forms, just be patient (hope he can too!) so when you start getting some sleep again, you will feel more like it. Just don't shut off emotionally cos you can't 'have sex' in the standard manner. There are plenty of creative things you can do.

And can I suggest once you are feeling better, to really work on your core stability muscles? (maybe pilates) It helps SO much in SO many areas of your physcial well being.

All the best.

[BJelly]

Hi Rose, sorry I didn't see your thread sooner

Hugs to you - I know first hand how scary it is to feel like your insides are going to fall out when you walk.

I too had never heard of this, and that also scared me witless.

I too went to a GP to find out what to do and I found him useless - no help whatsoever - just because my uterus wasn't hanging out, it wasn't considered a prolapse - the fact that I had to walk with my hand between my legs if I was up for any longer than a few minutes didn't seem to matter - arrrrgh!

I tried getting into see the physio at the hospital I gave birth at, but they were useless - I'd have to injure myself just to see them as the car park was quite a distance from the hospital.

I went to the yellow pages and found that Women's health physios wouldn't take me on when I told them my symptoms - that made me really scared. Finally I found a physio that specialised in pelvic floor problems and she was fantastic. She couldn't see me straight away - I had to wait a week, but she gave me some great advice over the phone that really helped.

She suggested wearing bike pants to give extra support so I didn't need to use my hand to walk around the house.

She also suggested lying down as much as possible and doing things in 5- 10 min bursts.

Don't lift anything heavier than your baby until your pelvic floor is improved - so that means getting help to lift strollers and shopping and housework.

She also suggested sitting down in the shower - we don't have a bath - I got a plastic outdoor chair and sat on that when showering for a few weeks - I can't tell you what bliss it was to be able to enjoy a shower without having to rush it because I couldn't stand up for very long.

My story does have a happy ending - I got better just with physio - I only needed to see her 3 times over a period of 3 months. After a couple of months I could walk for an hours or so, and by my DD's first B'day I was pretty much back to normal - just the occassional urinary incontinence when I got a cold - all that sneezing and coughing weakens the pelvic floor.

I even gave birth a second time - I ended up getting the same thing again, but because I knew what to do, my recovery was soooo much better and quicker. This time I knew not to do too much and I demanded a wheelchair to leave the hospital (they weren't keen on it until I requested a physio see me before I left and she backed me up). When I got home I kept off my feet as much as I could for the first couple of weeks. I rang up my fabulous pelvic floor physio when I got home and got in to see her after a couple of weeks, and I'd say this time I was back to normal within a couple of months.

I will need to keep up my pelvic floor exercises for the rest of my life, to avoid any weakening of my pelvic floor as I get older, but I can at least live a normal life, and have a normal sex life too.

Best of luck with your healing - you aren't alone.

[wild at heart]

Rose1: Your birth sounds exactly like mine 7 months ago but my ds was only 8lb. I ahve just seen a physio this week who advised that I have prolapse and she has prescribed intensive exercises. I feel the same way re the tampon as i tried it today! I really want another baby but need to sort this out. I have no sensation "down there" in the bedroom. I need to sort it out! I feel for you and I hope it can be sorted out!!

[stellarella]

Sorry I didnt check back in this thread before to respond to your questions re: sex! :D

Sex is definately better for me physically. Not sure why, everything just seems to be super sensitive in a good way. I can climax really easily.

It did take me quite a while....about 8 weeks to feel ready to have sex again and I was worried it would hurt etc. It took a while before I enjoyed it again I think.

I am interested to hear how you go with your appointment. It sounds like your symptoms may be worse than mine.

:hugs:

[Sarahg]

Hi Rose1,
My story is very similar to yours...ridiculously long labour, 2 hours of pushing and a vacuum extraction. YUK. Then I had infections several weeks later and eventually surgery at 11 weeks post birth to rectify the poor stitching effort of a dodgy major public hospital.

I still suffer jabs of pain and the occaisional dull one that lasts all evening nearly 8 months after the birth. I went to a really good gyno who knew straight away what was wrong - hence the surgery. I also went to a great pelvic floor physio (though I only went the once, but should have gone more). She gave me lots of great exercises and really checked that I was doing the pelvic floor/kegels properly - which I wasn't. My greatest saviour from the pain has been yoga - It has reduced it considerably.

I do not look the same as I did before, and this does depress me sometimes and my perineum is about 3 times wider (into my vagina) than it was before, which just doesn't seem right.
I really have to cross my legs when I sneeze at night, tiredness doesn't help the whole issue. But I definitely feel that I'm getting better. I hope you do too, and I really recommend pilates or yoga, it has really sped up my healing.

Good luck

[rose1]

Thanks to everyone who has replied! I haven't logged on for weeks, but it's much appreciated! It's the no time thing again...

I feel sorry for anyone else who has similar symptoms to me, but at the same time it's nice to know I'm not alone! Thank god for the internet!

Ok. Since I last logged on I've been to see not one, but two physios and have started attending pilates classes specifically geared for post natal women. Thank you to the person who made the pilates suggestion. I can't believe the incredible difference it has made to how I'm feeling.

I saw a physio a couple of weeks after my last post, which turned out to be a pretty depressing experience. She said that my cervix had "dropped" and as a result I had a "foreshortened" vagina. She basically said that my ligaments that held everything in place were damaged beyond repair and that once ligaments are stretched like that there is nothing that can be done.

She checked that I was doing my pelvic floor exercises correctly (which I was) and said that she "hoped" that I would improve. She didn't provide me with any additional exercises, information or positive vibes and basically sent me away instructing me to come back in three weeks time (which seemed a bit pointless to me).

Needless to say I felt even more depressed than I had before I saw her and went home and cried for half the day. Then I managed to pull myself together enough to track down a physio who only deals with post natal issues. All of the staff have post graduate degrees in vaginal stuff and the difference in the information I was provided, the attitude and range of exercises suggested was HUGE.

The second physio that I saw runs post natal pilates classes and I've been going to as many as I can manage every week. It's costing a fortune, but I figure it's a good investment! Have also bought myself a fit ball and have been incorpating the exercises I've learned into my routine at home. The difference has been immediate and incredible. I feel so much better I can't believe it.

The second physio that I saw said that I do have a vaginal prolapse and that on a scale of 1 to 10 (if a 10 is having everything hanging out of your vagina) I have a prolapse than she would rate as 3. Which is not so bad I guess. I felt much better just knowing that I'm not imagining it, where I'm at and what I need to do to try to fix it.

Although she also said that it's difficult to repair ligaments, she advised me that you can train your muscles to compensate. She told me that she had women who had been to see her who although they still had the prolapse, managed to get to the point where they no longer had or felt any symptoms, so they could walk around without noticing it.

Apparently I have a uterine prolapse which occurs when your uterus drops out of place. I'm relatively lucky in that I don't have the sort of prolapse that results in incontinence (at this stage).

I realised that although I don't have any urgency issues or any leaking when I cough, sneeze, laugh or run (not that i do any running these days!) I couldn't stop my pee mid stream. I've been working on the exercises and for the first time in the last week or so since I gave birth 6 months ago I can stop it (but not all the time). I've found that it's slowly improving.

She also said that the prolapse probably occurred as my second stage of labour went for almost 4 hours which is a ridiculously long time for everything to be so stretched with such an enourmous baby (I'm kind of small too - you wouldn't think that I'd have a 9 pound baby).

She said that she thinks that it probably has been feeling worse for me in the last few months as my nerve endings are only just beginning to recover. She thinks that the prolapse was probably worse to begin with than it is now, but it only FEELS worse now.

She also suggested that this was the reason that my tear/scar had started to hurt a lot more recently. She advised me to massage my scar with oil, which although it hurts now, will help to desensitise it.

So after going to these classes religiously and incorpating exercises into my routine at home I have noticed a dramatic improvement. I can now walk around for maybe an hour and a half to two hours before feeling like everything is going to fall out (which is much better than the 30 minutes or so I could manage before and a pretty good improvement for only a few weeks of intensive exercises).

However, my scar still hurts and my vagina still won't close properly of it's own accord. So sex, tampons and swimming are still out at present. I'm doing the exercises she gave me religiously and am hoping that it will one day recover. She said that I should expect to see an improvement after a period of about 3 months (if I do the exercises 3 times every day) and that I will hopefully get a bit more improvement again when I stop breastfeeding.

I'm hoping that I will have recovered enough to be able to go swimming this summer, but hey I guess I'd settle for being able to walk around all day at present without noticing it. I figure if worse comes to worse, and I can't get a tampon to sit right again, I could always have a period every second or third month by manipulating it with the pill (I HATE wearing pads). If I can get sex and swimming to come good I'll be happy! (And I think it'll be a ceaser for me next time)....

Thanks again to everyone who has replied. It's been fantastic for me to feel some support from the internet world of women out there (!) when I've felt so kind of out of control and lacking information.

I still don't feel 100%, but certainly feel much more positive now I've got information, support and a strategy to deal with it.

Am going to see the physio again in another few weeks so will maybe write another update after that.

[Lastcenturymum]

Hey thanks for the update! that's why this site is so helpful - always someone been in a similar situation so you don't think you are the only one and lots of encouragment and advice.

Yah to Bubhubbers:yelclap:

And yeah, pilates is the way to go!:thumbsup:

[Toffee apple]

Oh rose1 ,thankyou for your update ...you do sound much better/positive & i am so glad you have have found help, & help that is showing that you are having improvement ,a plan at least :yelclap: .
It is just so scary what can happen to us after having our babies ,& yet we soon become experts if we need to.
I am due in just over a week & am a liitle bit freaked out as to how i will be down stairs after this bubs ,my scar is aching due to the pressure of the baby & i feel it constantly .
Thank you again for sharing your story & most importantly your recovery:hugs: .

[jakeanteleahsmum]

hi
i also had a vacuum extraction and like ur feeling now i felt like my vagina was being pulled down if i stood on my feet for to long plus i also had the stretching of my vagina.i spoke to my op and he told me that it is normal to feel that way after having to have a vacuum extraction as you are stretched more to get the vacuum and bub out.he also told me that the pulling can be cuts inside from vacuum plus the feeling of the vacuum coming out.i cant tell you when i stopped feeling the pain only that now 13mths later i dont feel any pain (apart from tenderness from scar)and that your vagina does get tight again but never like before.it does get better it just takes time.

[Mischief]

Hey sweetie, Im so sorry you are going through this!

Can I ask if you had an episiotomy?

I felt very uncomfortable for some time after Oliver's birth. I was in labour 42 hours and the end result was the same as yours! Pushing for ages, and then vaccum. :(

I had a huge cut, and my vagina felt really sore and achey! The first few times we made love, it hurt quite badly, I dont wear tanpons so I wouldnt know about that, but I guess it would feel sort of the same?

I didnt feel *loose* but I did ACHE like the bottom of my pelvis was going to fall out! Even sometimes NOW I still ache esp at my periods!

Definately ask for a referal! If not for anything else, for your peace of mind!

PM me any time. XX

[youngones]

I know this thread is a couple of months old, but I thought I'd let you know I also experienced something similar. 16 hr labour, 4 hours of pushing :eek: and a ventouse, with an internal and external 2nd degree tear. I asked my GP about it when I went to have my first pap. She examined me and said that it all looked very 'normal' for a VB. That said, she told me that prolapse isn't usually diagnosed until 12 months after VB, because the vagina is considered to have been through 'major trauma' (no kidding!) and they need to give it reasonable time to recover.

12 months post partum, things are pretty much normal. I won't say it is the same as before, but it certainly isn't bad. I massaged oil on my scar and it isn't even visible now, sex doesn't hurt at all - in fact like someone (I think it was stellarella) said, it is even more sensitive than before :thumbsup: . It was definitely a few months before I could use a tampon again, but then I switched to a cup and found that far more comfortable.

I am not only able to walk briskly for hours now, I run for 1/2 hr to an hour nearly every day and happily trot around in high heels again at work! My job involves a lot of driving and so I put a sticky note on my steering wheel for a while that just said 'squeeze!' to remind me to do my kegels. I do them now as a matter of habit.

I hope that things are still going well for you.

[Fingers Crossed]

Hi Rose1.
I know this thread is probably finished with but I thought you might like a little extra info. I was looking for a forum on this issue in Sept 07 but couldn't find one and couldn't work out how to post a new topic. So thanks!!

Anyway I had similar birth experience - almost 6hrs from start of pushing to delivery of our first son with forceps! This resulted in a vaginal wall prolapse (bulging from vaginal opening) which also led to sagging of my uterus into my vagina :(. For me it felt like a fullness at my vagina and I often found myself support myself with my hand at these times...difficult when out and about :o.

I found this condition had a profound effect on my self-esteem and sexuality. I think these issues were significant and very upsetting. I was lucky to have an understanding ear - my partners support helped alot. Also I recommend lots of TLC and trying to keep a rational eye on that 'mother's guilt'.

For my physical symptoms I found a physio who specialised in pelvic floor specifically following childbirth. This is what she advised which has helped me:
-pelvic floor exercises (at least 3 times daily). The sooner you can begin these the better.
-'bracing' my pelvic floor for lifting/sneezing/coughing
-laying down to rest as much as possible - especially if prolapse is 'down' (often later in the day)
-Not walking when prolapse is down
-Not lifting anything heavier than my child
-Supporting pelvic floor when using bowels (also trying not to get constipated!)
-I also used a device called a PFX2 which helped me make sure I was doing the pelvic floor exercises correctly and I used to see if I was improving.

I am 3 months down the track and I still have the prolapse but it is not 'down' every day. (Sometimes it is only down when I need to go to the toilet - because a full bladder or bowel bulge into the weakened vaginal wall causing it to prolapse). My pelvic floor/ vaginal muscles are improving in tone and my vaginal entrance is less 'open'.

The physio tells me it is a 6-12 mths recovery and that not falling pregnant again before 18mths has passed is ideal to give full recovery before another birth. For me I have to weigh that up against my age and our desire to have a few more. I have also been told it is very possible it will reoccur with future births and for this reason surgical repair is best left until you are finished having children and the youngest child no longer requires regular lifting. Otherwise you may need the operation more than once and apparently it is less effective each time.

Like I said I wished this forum had been available in Sept. Sorry for all the detail and that this post is so long but hopefully this is useful to someone out there!

[youngones]

Forgot to mention that no health professional worth their salt would diagnose any sort of prolapse until 12mths post partum. Apparently, for a period of 12mth after a VB, the vagina is considered to be in a state of trauma (no kidding), so I wouldn't necessarily believe the physio who told you that your ligaments were damaged beyond repair.

Different location, but when I was 14 I managed to tear and stretch all ligaments in my right ankle. It took months and months of physio and plaster to heal and it was about 2 years before I could run or play basketball and other stop/start sports again. I went to a very well known sports med doctor about 10 years later and she gave me some exercises to try. After about 8 weeks of these exercises, I had cut 12 minutes of my 10km time (for running). This is just to let you know that the body is really good at healing itself and that one health professional might tell you one thing, but another might tell you something far more positive!

Hope it is all traveling well for you!

[Sarahg]

It's so nice that we can help each other out. I really get some good advice from everyone. This posting has really brought home how important those kegel/pelvic floor excercises are.

I had surgery to repair my damage, and have been told I run the risk of a more severe prolapse in the future. I got pregnant again 7 months after the birth of #1 (Not planned). It helped the muscles in the beginning and removed the daily dull ache that I had, however now that #2's getting bigger the ache in my labia is returning and I constantly have to remind myself of them kegels. I have to have a c/section this time so there won't be any more birth induced damage (I'm happy about it).

I am considering a uterine hysterectomy as a final solution to my (possible future) problems, as we don't want anymore children. I'm not sure tho if any ob/gyns will do it as I'm only going to be 30. Any thoughts?

x

[jakeanteleahsmum]

my mum had a hysterectomy at 32 but hers was cause she had cancer.she was told unless for medical reasons they make you wait till 34 but this was like 20 years ago and times have changed.my sil was told last year that its 32 and above.best thing to do is ask your doctor

[smog]

i am just reading thru this thread and beginning to wonder if this is what i suffer from. i had my first child over 10 yrs ago when i was very young so had know idea really of what returning to normal might be. i had a very long traumatic labour with a prolonged pushing stage of 3 hours, several failed vacuum extractions several attempts at forceps delivery which was eventually successful at delivering my posterior baby. i had an episiotomy also a 2nd tear and torn cervix so plenty of stitches.:no:not good. anyway ever since i get the heavy aching feeling u r all describing i get it worse when im tired, have my period or after sex. it is often so bad that i cannot walk at all. this has been going for ten years now i thought it was normal. after the birth of my second child 5 years ago i have really struggled to regain the pelvic floor as in i cannot stop urinating midstream etc. he was also a posterior bub tho not nearly so traumatic but he was a much bigger bub. im now preg with 13 weeks to go, im worried if i go for a natural birth as i had intended will i be making this worse? im finding the aching heavy feeling worse during preg does anyone think it may be prolapse?

[clsteven]

Gave birth 16 weeks ago and suffered 3rd degree tear. Many complications including a catheter for 2 weeks, bladder infection and infected stitches. Had problems peeing for 11 weeks so I visited my OB who diagnosed me with an overactive bladder syndrome. Researched this online and guessed at misdiagnosis, figuring I had a prolapse and PFD. Found a physiotherapist that specializes in pelvic floor who confirmed my suspicions and had me peeing relatively normally within two days. Still having "heavy" feeling in vagina and constant feeling of having to poop. I don't seem to have symptoms of a rectocele (no constipation, no need to insert fingers into vagina to have BM, etc.). I'm wondering if anyone with a bladder prolapse also suffers from a heavy/full rectum. I find this whole thing depressing.