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[VioletAquarius]

Hello

I'm new here, and I'm hoping for some help and advice.

I have a prolapse (bladder & bowel), and the bulge feeling comes and goes.  It is at the entrance of my vagina, but hasn't come out.  I also have urge incontinence, due to the prolapse I presume.

I do pelvic floor exercises, the 'bridge' exercise, the kegel8 stimulator (although this has not worked), and I'm taking collagen powder.

I am wanting to stop it getting worse, and I'm not sure if it's possible, but lift it back up slightly.

My GP has suggested estrogen, and I said I would come away and research and have a think about it, but I did ask if it was tablets and she said 'yes'.  But on researching, I'm getting confused, the tablets appear to be for hot flushes, etc, and the vaginal cream appears to be for vaginal discomfort & pain, etc.  But then I've read cream is for prolapse, which is the opposite of what my GP said.

My question is: Does anyone know if is is tablets or cream I need to take for a prolapse?  And has anyone else used this for their prolapse and did it help? 

Any help, information or advice, would be very much welcomed and appreciated.  Thank you.

[HellsBells]

I used Vagifem pessaries - tiny little things on a long applicator. Really helped my prolapse and also resolved a problem with recurrent UTIs (an unusual thing for me). Hasn't resolve very thin skin at the perineum so not transformative. Definite improvement. Not systemic estrogen.

[VioletAquarius]

Thank you both.

It wasn't the menopause that caused the prolapse, it was high intensity exercise (really annoyed and upset at myself), I didn't know this could cause it at the time and wish I never did it!!     - Would it still be vagirux/vagifem I would use then seen as it wasn't the menopause that caused my prolapse? 

Also, does vagirux/vagifem cause bleeding?  If so, how much and for how long?  I suffered very heavy periods, some with clots, and I don't want to go back there.  I'm currently peri-menopause, I haven't had a period for 10 months so want to wait 2 months before starting it to know I've gone into menopause.

HellsBells - that is really good that it helped your prolapse - how exactly did it help it?  Are you still on it?  Can you take it forever?

Thank you

[sheila99]

It might be worth considering a vaginal ring (estring). It releases oestrogen and can hold the prolapse up. If you search on here you'll find someone who's benefited from it.

[HellsBells]

It wasn't a miracle lift - it has (according to an internal exam) restored some elasticity, in that the bladder wall when pushed back up doesn't do a sudden 'drop' on release, but comes back down more slowly - but it does drop. It has really helped my urinary incontinence.

I am about to use a machine called a Physiotek to stimulate the pelvic floor - it's not cheap but the practitioner is an expert in women's pelvic floor issues and I don't want it to get worse. Once restored I will have to do exercises for life.

[Mixi]

Hi,
I have both types and mine have definitely improved. I've been on treatment since 2020 first HRT Sandrena Gel and Utrogestan (vaginally). Then end of 2021 my consultant said to add in Vagifem pessary twice a week and this definitely helped my urgency to wee problems. Then last year I added in testosterone and this year I started physio for the pelvic floor. Doing exercises 4 times a day for several months and they really did make a difference. I use utrogestan vaginally so I know that my cervix is much higher than when I started. The rectocele is less bothersome also. I take Magnesium Citrate daily for migraine and I'm sure that helps with the rectocele.
Good luck x

[Dierdre]

Vagifem and physiotherapy sorted my prolapse, took about 6 months but once the estrogen was replaced it was easier to do the exercises and the pelvic floor was strengthened.  Surgery should be a last resort and without estrogen replacement it will only prolapse again after time.

[Taz2]

Thank you both.

It wasn't the menopause that caused the prolapse, it was high intensity exercise (really annoyed and upset at myself), I didn't know this could cause it at the time and wish I never did it!!     - Would it still be vagirux/vagifem I would use then seen as it wasn't the menopause that caused my prolapse? 





Thank you

Hi VioletAquarius - I just want to welcome you and reassure you that you are ok to use Vagifem/Vagirux and it was the effect of the menopause which caused your prolapse due to the drop in oestrogen that caused your muscles and tissues to become weaker. As has been said you definitely need local oestrogen and, yes, you can take it for ever. My prolapses worsened when I had to stop full HRT for a while. I ended up with a prolapsed womb as well as the bladder. I had managed to keep things under control with full HRT and a pelvic floor exercise programme after referral to a pelvic specialist clinic.  I hope that you have been referred and given a proper assessment? Prolapse can make you feel as if you have done something wrong but we are not really told enough about how to prevent it happening to us. We all know that we should do pelvic floor exercises every day but we are  not really told about what can happen as we get older if we don't. I had a hysterectomy in the end plus a front wall vaginal repair which sorted the prolapsed bladder out for a few years.

Vagifem/Vagirux shouldn't cause bleeding.

Taz x 

[VioletAquarius]

Thank you everybody, I really do appreciate it all.  I am really down and upset over my prolapse, I am desperate for it not to worsen and come out of my vagina.

I don't have a consultant, I did go see someone who confirmed my prolapse and said I can have a ring pessary or surgery (my GP referred me).  I didn't want either at that time, as the bulge feeling comes and goes, so I was discharged.  Who do you see about help with prolapse and all the estrogen options available to try?  I'm in the UK.

Sheila99 - I will look into that, thank you.

HellsBells - thank you, why have you stopped using Vagifem?

Mixi - you think Magnesium Citrate helps with your rectocele - do you mean it feels more lifted?  I am looking into starting Magnesium [hydroxide] for the urge, so if it helps with lift also, that would be great!  Are you still using Vagifem?

Dierdre - that's really good to hear.  Which type(s) of prolapse did you have, is it like a stage 1 now?  Do you still take Vagifem? 

Taz2 - thank you, you say I can take hrt/estrogen forever, but there's no conclusive evidence that it is safe to do so, nor any evidence that it isn't (not that I know of anyway).  Can I ask please, what is full HRT? (I've seen full HRT mentioned a few times on here, but don't know what is classed as full HRT).
You're also spot on there, in that we are not told things and so many of us could have prevented these problems if we had known (it not only would help us ladies, but would help the health services too, they will save £1000s and 1000s hours in appointments, etc).  Glad to hear that Vagifem shouldn't cause bleeding

[Twirl]

Thank you for this thread.
VioletAquarius, Im so sorry to hear how upset you are over your prolapse.  I can very much relate to how you are feeling.
I felt a bulge 8 weeks ago, was totally in shock when I was told I had a prolapsed womb. And told to go home and do pelvic floor excercises.  I was doing excersises regularly for 6 weeks, was coping with the bulge as it did feel better on some days,  when suddenly I had a new symptom of an urgency to wee, called GP, to be told it was probably a UTI. It wasn't,  bladder was prolapsing. So was referred to the surgeries nurse who suggested I had a pessary fitted, I said I would go away and think about it, I felt so disheartened that I had to resort to an intervention of some sort of device.

I gave in 3 days later as I couldn't stand this urgency to wee. So was fitted with the pessary. Nurse did suggest i needed some oestrogen cream but knowing nothing about this and the nurse not really very forthcoming with any helpful,  supportive information,  I have just been left to get on with things.

I think its a pelvic floor physiotherapist that you need to see regarding help and advice with prolapse. And I think the GP can prescribe and offer suggestions about oestrogen options,  although for me, my GP hasn't been that helpful,  I had to ask them to refer me to a pelvic floor physiotherapist on the nhs but haven't heard anything, so I have booked to go private in 2 weeks time.

Good luck in navigating all this, its a difficult time and very confusing.
Its interesting to hear that its ok to take HRT and oestrogen for ever, I am still so anxious about taking hrt/oestrogen,  yet i am sure it would help. Thank you to you all that have posted. Its very helpful info x

[Dierdre]

Dierdre - that's really good to hear.  Which type(s) of prolapse did you have, is it like a stage 1 now?  Do you still take Vagifem

Mine was bladder and slight rectum stage 1.
I don't have a prolapse now the local estrogen has streghened the muscles in my pelvic floor. It was the depletion of estrogen that causes the muscles to weaken.
I take vagifem 5 times a week and ovestin externally every night. On the days I dont take vagifem i use ovestin internally as well as externally.

[Mouse60]

Why is there not a national information campaign around this? Why are so many of us suffering?

[VioletAquarius]

Dierdre - that is amazing!  I didn't know a prolapse could be reversed, you have done really well there!

Twirl - thank you for your post.  I'm sorry to hear about your prolapse, and it's good to be able to relate with people who are suffering the same.
How did the pessary fitting go?  Did it hurt?  Did the first one fit you okay? (as I've read it can take a few goes to get the correct fitting one).  Have you had any of the horrible side effects from it?
My GP referred me to a pelvic floor physiotherapist at my local hospital, but all she did was pelvic floor exercises with me and confirmed I was doing them okay, although they were very weak (that's why I couldn't feel anything when I was doing them).  After a while and still not being able to feel myself doing them I was told there was nothing more she could do so I was discharged. 
Good luck with your physio appointment - please let me know how you get on with it, and if it's better than the NHS I will look into this.  Please can I ask who you have gone with?

[EllieJ]

Good morning I also have a double prolapse, cystocele and rectocele and was referred to a gynaecologist who offered a ring or surgery. I definitely do not want surgery! Had a ring fitted and it made its way out 24 hours later so I never bothered again. I opted for physiotherapy (slightly embarrassing having to exercise around someone’s fingers!) but it did help and my physio was amazing. I also did Pilates which helped my core strength but I think what really helped was losing a couple of stones in weight. I’m now on evorel conte patches which I’ve started for other reasons but will be interested to see if these also help prolapse wise. All the best!

[HellsBells]

Still using the Vagifem - Physiotek is an addition. I'll use everything I can.