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[VioletAquarius]

Hi

I posted a question on here yesterday, but I've just seen this New Members bit here, so thought I'd post.

I have just turned 50 and peri menopause.  I haven't had a period for 10 months.

I have a prolapse (front & back), the bulge comes and goes, and I also have urge incontinence, which I think is due to the prolapse.

I am desperate to stop my prolapse worsening, and hoping that I can lift it up a bit, so I no longer feel a bulge anymore.

I have not suffered with any menopause symptoms, apart from the occasional hot flush, and really heavy irregular periods (some with clotting), I had polyps removed.  Apart from the heavy irregular periods I thought I was sailing through this, and so happy that I was and that I didn't have to take hrt. 

I have an intermittent dull pain in my left armpit, my GP sent me for a scan & mammogram - it showed that I had a benign cyst in my right breast (so the opposite side of my pain).  I cannot however feel the cyst.  I was advised that these are common, but go away after menopause.  I have also read on another forum that armpit pain is common in peri menopause.

For my prolapse, I do pelvic floor exercises, along with the Kegel8 stimulator machine (although don't think this works).  I also take collagen, and looking to take hrt/estrogen, but want to wait 2 months before taking this in case I bleed (as I want to know if I've reached menopause).

I am however scared about hrt/estrogen and cancer scares [I had endometriosis when younger, so not sure if I'm at greater risk of womb cancer].  I do want to take hrt for my prolapse, but unsure if I can take it for life.  (As if it can't, surely when I stop it the prolapse will worsen again).

There's also the other hrt side effects, eg breast growth, bleeding, etc....but I'm not sure if that's just the daily oral pill or whether these side effects happen on local vaginal hrt as well.  Can anyone advise on this please?

I've had a little look through the forum, and everyone seems really nice and helpful, so I'm looking forward to getting lots of advice, help and information, and once I understand it all I can give that back to the new members that follow on after me x

[CLKD]

Hi!  R U seeing a physiotherapist interested in Womens' Health?  Kegel's can be the incorrect procedure  . 

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use to chart progress.  U may not require HRT if symptoms are not severe.  Do read the 'bladder issues' and vaginal atrophy threads: 4 warned is 4 armed ;-).

Where have you read about cancer 'scares'?  Research years ago has been discredited.  If you need to be referred to a dedicated menopause clinic, you will get good advice which you can take home to absorb B4 making any decisions.  Not a gynaecologist as they often don't know much more than some GPs seem to!

R the periods becoming worse?

[KaraShannon]

Hi Violet Aquarius

I went onto HRT before menopause started.  I've no idea now if my periods are 'my own' or the HRT, but I think they are my own, at least at times.  I went onto Evorel Sequi, which is for peri.  I am thinking of making the switch soon to Evorel Conti.  It's an intuitive thing, going on how I feel. 

This is just what I think but the quicker you have oestrogen treatment for the prolapse, the quicker it has a chance to improve and not worsen.  I seem to occasionally get prolapse symptoms, they seem to come and go with my cycle, which is why I'm thinking it's time to change to a continuous regime (which takes away the cycle).  Agree with CLKD, if you can see a pelvic floor physiotherapist that would be ideal, the quicker this is treated the less likely it will worsen and may improve.

All the best   

[VioletAquarius]

Thank you both.

No, I'm not seeing a physiotherapist.  I did see a one originally when my GP diagnosed my prolapse.  I asked to be referred to someone that could help, although the GP didn't really want to refer me.

I was referred to a pelvic floor physiotherapist at my local hospital.  All she did was pelvic floor exercises with me, confirmed I was doing them okay, albeit they were very weak (and that's why I couldn't feel myself doing them).  After so long seeing her, with no improvement in me being able to feel it when I did a kegel she said there wasn't anything else she could do, so I was discharged.  She didn't discuss hrt or anything with me (and I didn't bring it up, I didn't know hrt helped prolapse at the time).

BUT now, I have urge incontinence too.  Was this the correct type of physiotherpist you mean?

CLKD - I haven't had a period for 10 months now.

[CLKD]

MayB see a different physio interested in womens' health?


Some find that a  -type thingy helps to tighten muscles ...... perhaps some1 will be along with advice.

[VioletAquarius]

Hi!  R U seeing a physiotherapist interested in Womens' Health?  Kegel's can be the incorrect procedure  . 

Hi CLKD, why do you say kegels can be the incorrect procedure? Have you done something different and succeeded?
I have been looking at exercises and came across Hypopressives, was it this?

[VioletAquarius]

MayB see a different physio interested in womens' health?


Some find that a  -type thingy helps to tighten muscles ...... perhaps some1 will be along with advice.

MayB see a different physio interested in womens' health?


Some find that a  -type thingy helps to tighten muscles ...... perhaps some1 will be along with advice.

Just seen your post,  . Yes, anyone with advice? 

Thanks, when I go see my GP I'm going to ask of I can see someone different.

[Minusminnie]

Might be worth asking to see a urogynaecologist to get your prolapses assessed. A follow on to another/different pelvic floor physio may stem from that.

[KaraShannon]

I was referred to a pelvic floor physiotherapist at my local hospital.  All she did was pelvic floor exercises with me, confirmed I was doing them okay, albeit they were very weak (and that's why I couldn't feel myself doing them).  After so long seeing her, with no improvement in me being able to feel it when I did a kegel she said there wasn't anything else she could do, so I was discharged.  She didn't discuss hrt or anything with me (and I didn't bring it up, I didn't know hrt helped prolapse at the time).

Is that all they do?!!

I hope they do more than that, kegels are not enough on their own, I would have hoped they have other exercises that strengthen ALL the muscles in the pelvic region, not just the sphincter muscles. 

If they are all just offering kegels it's a joke.  I am going to ask to be referred and I hope they will be doing more than that.  If all they offer is kegels I will probably write to the department of health

[KaraShannon]

and probably get nowhere 

[Taz2]

Hi VioletAquarius. I'm sorry that you don't seem to have been helped by your physio treatment. You should have been offered urodynamics and biofeedback alongside the kegel programme. Did you have the all important bladder/pelvic floor assessment, where your urine output and flow strength is measured, before the right treatment is decided upon? I've had this a few times now and found it really helpful. This is the NHS advice https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/treatment/ but if you search for Urodynamics it will bring up various hospital outpatients advice leaflets. The West Suffolk Hospital one is very clear and informative.

Taz x

[VioletAquarius]

Hi KaraShannon -  I didn't know they were any other exercises to do apart from kegels, and that kegels didn't exercise all the muscles.  I thought they did, I'm beginning to think I know very little about this.  I am going to ask to be referred to a different pelvic floor physiotherapist, and will ensure to ask about these other exercises with them, whatever they may be, along with urodynamics and biofeedback, that Taz2 has mentioned.


Thanks Taz2, I will have a look at that link.

At my first appointment she gave me a sheet to complete, which is where I had to record my drinks, and how many times I went to the toilet, and how much there was, for a few days.

I handed this is at my next appointment and she said it wasn't the typical symptoms of urge incontinence as I could hold onto too much (I do however hold on as much as I can to train my bladder to hold more), and that I wasn't going loads of times through the day and didn't wake up through the night.  But I do have urge, it comes on suddenly and I have to stand still and hold it in, I cannot move otherwise I'll wee - sometimes I do. 

I didn't have urodynamics or biofeedback done, just back and forth to appointments, where she checked my muscles while I lay down and did kegels, and then sent back to carry on at home.  By the end of it, no improvement, I still couldn't feel myself doing them, so I was discharged.

[SarahJayne]

Hi!  R U seeing a physiotherapist interested in Womens' Health?  Kegel's can be the incorrect procedure  . 

Hi CLKD, why do you say kegels can be the incorrect procedure? Have you done something different and succeeded?
I have been looking at exercises and came across Hypopressives, was it this?

Hi VioletAquuarius

I’ve just started looking into hypopressives. It’s a breathing and muscle exercise that creates a ‘vacuum’ effect in the abdomen that pulls the pelvic floor upwards and should strengthen it. I quite literally only started reading about this last night, hence searching on here this morning. There’s a couple of YouTubers that show a series of exercises. One is called Empower the flower, quirky name but she’s really good. Another is Hypopressives with Alice.
As I said, I’ve only just started looking into it.
I wish you well with your search for a solution😊

[VioletAquarius]

Hi SarahJayne, sorry I've only just seen your post. 

I haven't looked into this fully, though might be my next step if physio doesn't work.  I was just apprehensive as didn't know how long this has been practiced for, and a bit scared in case it damaged your diaphragm or anything.

Please do let us know if you get any good info or start hypopressive and how it goes.