Anyone have Pelvic Floor Muscle Prolapse?

[deanne]

Okay, I did Kegels the whole time it took me to read that thread!

I have an almost four year old who I delievered naturally & vaginally VERY quickly. The last few years, I notice sneezing & coughing can be tricky, but just a few weeks ago I started an adult gymnastics class. Needless to say we jump A LOT on the trampoline & I make lots of trips to the restroom. It bothers me.

Thanks so much for all the information! And Renee, for bringing up the topic!!

Deanne

[Andrea]

I am reading this with great interest. I have problems during certain high impact stuff. Not plyo, but fast jumps. My doc also told me at my last exam that my bladder is a little weak and asked if I lost any urine when coughing or sneezing. I don't, and I didn't elaborate.

My question is, "Will this get worse as I get older?" I am not having any more children.

Andrea

[KayB]

Probably. How's that for a scientific answer? Estrogen plays a large role in the elasticity of tissue & as we age our estrogen levels go down....presto.....menopause!

[Kathy]

........in my experience, this problem did not go away--and I was the kegel queen. My kids are 19 and 17 and the problem grew progressively worse despite everything I tried. It took years but it finally got to the point where I was afraid to do high impact, laugh, or even sneeze. For heaven''s sake I was 41, not 85!! I finally went to the doctor and had my surgery in August....and I am sooooo glad I did. I didn't realize how much my life was impacted until I didn't have the problem anymore.

I think kegels are fine to weaken the muscles but if your bladder is truly prolapsed, surgery is a definite option.

Kathy

[Theotoks]

Originally posted by junemom
Patricia...what is it and where did you get it?

It's called Kegelmaster 2000, it is a spring-action thingy - hard to explain exactly, but i guess you could say it is something you insert and squeeze against internally. Almost like a thighmaster.
Just do a Google search - I got mine online.

P.S. Tell me it's not battery operated. KIDDING, kidding.

Nope, you operate it yourself!

[LovingLife]

Thanks to everyone for joining in and giving such varied information (love that link Sandy and it gave another link for yoga recommendations). I'm going to call my OB this morning for a referral to a Urology group to get a more detailed, second opinion. I"m curious as to whether my PV muscles are just stretched and thinned out or if there is actual tearing and damage that won't mend with exercise (which is what my OB alluded to before, but not with specifics).

'm curious about the not lifting over 20 pounds though. I carry around my kids at times until they are 40 pounds or more (knowing that that's the car seat law poundage -- I help them in and out, etc.) But it makes sense. And I don't want to give up my high impact -- I love Cathe too much! (only you vidiots would understand the lamenting here ).

Kathy -- I can identify with your "I'm not 85" thought -- I was stunned in my OB's office thinking, "Hey, I'm just 38!"

I did the search on the Kegalmaster 2000 (and the Kegal Exerciser and who knows what else) yesterday too. I think I'll hold off on ordering until I get this second opinion though.

In the book I mentioned before -- it handles incontinence and a variety of prolapse conditions in separate chapters, showing non-surgical and surgical approaches for each. So it seems like even though the incontinence can be a symptom on prolapse that there are some PV weakness conditions that lead to incontinence w/o the prolapse and the Prolapse having more problems attached (or not attached enough ). Fun to find humor in this delightful topic!

[Theotoks]

makes an interesting comment on Body Bar Energy Action Circuit when she modifies double-foot jumps to one-foot-at-a-time.

I'm paraphrasing, but she says something like, "We jump this way for those of us who have had four kids --- and you know what I mean! And if you don't know what I mean, email me and I'll explain all about it,"

I think she is modifying for this very problem,

[LovingLife]

That's interesting Patricia because the landing with one foot is much more doable than both, huh?

And Gerrie -- I forgot to ask you before which method of surgery you had. Was it abdominal and did you have to have a hysterectomy too or was it the laparoscopy? I'm just so fearful of any of it (and what the side effects could be). But if it looks like the befores could be worse than the afters (or like it will just get worse with time) I'll warm up to it, I imagine.

I am curious about how differently I'd do a Kegal with one of those devices though -- don't we need someone like Tracie Long to be teaching us proper form on this? Somehow those little fist squeezes from the FIRM Classics just aren't enough, huh?

[Motivatedbusymo]

I will post an update if I have any decrease in symptoms.

[Karen Pf]

I wonder if anyone has tried herbal supplements along with the Kegel exercises to strengthen ligaments? I would think that it might be worth a try, instead of surgery?