@luftmensh1 Was this several years ago? I believe I found the conversation. Our member’s name is @ggm43 and her last posting was May 31, 2019 It looks like she recovered and all was well after the frightening event.
@ggm43 I hope you’re doing great and if you’re still with us on Connect, would you like to join us with an update? Your journey and recovery might help others who are facing this surgery.
The comment I am referring to was much more recent, perhaps in the past month or two. I was interested because the colpocleisis surgery is one that is being considered for me.
The comment I am referring to was much more recent, perhaps in the past month or two. I was interested because the colpocleisis surgery is one that is being considered for me.
Luftmensh, I adjusted the title of this discussion to focus on colpocleisis surgery to help you connect with others who may have experience to share with you, like @imallears@ggm43@tobiw@brr and @baxtersmom.
Hi,
I have never had colpocleisis surgery or contemplated it. I have had bladder prolapse for about five years and have been using a pessary for about 3 years with great success. I researched the other prolapse surgeries and decided against them, This particular surgery is personally something I would never consider. I am not advising against it but, as you are doing now, try to find others who have had it. That route is better than relying solely on a doctor's decision or the internet. Not an easy decision to make and I would value any information that is shared here and be interested in your decision.
Hi,
I have never had colpocleisis surgery or contemplated it. I have had bladder prolapse for about five years and have been using a pessary for about 3 years with great success. I researched the other prolapse surgeries and decided against them, This particular surgery is personally something I would never consider. I am not advising against it but, as you are doing now, try to find others who have had it. That route is better than relying solely on a doctor's decision or the internet. Not an easy decision to make and I would value any information that is shared here and be interested in your decision.
I have used a pessary for a number of years. The first one began coming out, so I went without it for a while, but my prolapse was bad enough that the bulging tissue stuck to my underwear and I would have to peel it away frequently to get up from sitting, and the tissue was irritated and looking red. My gynecologist referred me to the head of female pelvic medicine at a hospital, asking that I be seen right away. She was not available so quickly, so I got a next-day appointment with a doctor in the same group. He fitted me with a pessary two sizes larger, which I still use. There have been some downsides to the pessary: there is a discharge, which is somewhat messy and odor-producing, so I have to use a light liner pad and change it several times a day; it has also irritated tissue, sometimes causing a sore or bleeding. The bleeding had to be checked out via ultrasound and hysteroscopy. A polyp was removed, and no malignancy was found. I was told to take a vacation from the pessary to let the sore heal, and it didn't heal so quickly, so I was without it for some time. Without the pessary, I felt tremendous pressure, a sense of needing to urinate almost all the time, but not always being able to do so. This seemed to inflame the nerves in my pelvic area, my arms, hands, and legs, which was almost unbearable. Also, I wasn't always able to empty my bladder completely. And I could have episodes of incontinence a short time after being unable to urinate. Out of desperation, I went back to using the pesssary, but it kept coming out whenever I went for an exercise walk. It was okay around the house, going grocery shopping, to an appointment, but it kept coming out during sustained exercise walking. A larger pessary was tried twice, but was found to be too large. Maybe I had lost my skill in inserting the pessary during the long vacation from it, but I seem to have regained the ability. I push up the bulging tissue, which the doc claims is the vaginal wall, before I insert it, and now it stays in again for exercise walking. I also use gloves to remove it, and put a drop of KY Jelly on the two fingers I use. I notice at times in the shower that some of the prolapsed tissue bulges over the side of the pessary, and I push it back up. With the pessary in, I feel like a person, but it may not be a long-term solution. Also, I may not always have the dexterity to insert and remove it. I am 83, and I have arthritis in various body parts, including some of my fingers.
During the pandemic, I was afraid to go anywhere, including to the urogynecologist who was treating me, which involved a half-hour drive and going into an elevator building. When I learned that the same medical group was sending one of its doctors to the medical center in my retirement community once a month, I opted to see that doctor in the medical center across the street rather than risk greater exposure of myself and the two people I live with before any of us were vaccinated. This brought about some confusion over who was my doctor, but that is a separate story. (Both doctors are associate professors at a university hospital and are involved in research.) In April, my former next-door neighbor, who is perhaps 6 years younger than me, just had the surgery, which essentially shortens the vagina, bringing the walls together, along with a hysterectomy done vaginally. She is very happy with the results. Now she can comfortably travel to visit her daughter out of town. Of course, this surgery is an option only for women who are not sexually active. Colpocleisis is an obliterative, rather than a reconstructive surgery. I'm sure you've heard that some unlucky women who had reconstructive surgery with a certain type of mesh had problems, infections, and even died. Several years ago, I read about a doctor in Israel who was studying the use of stem cells to treat prolapse. The problem with surgery, he said, is that it often has to be repeated. I think this whole topic needs more open discussion. It's not something people are comfortable talking about. I also consulted a retired gynecologist who is a friend, and he is encouraging. I'm supposed to have a procedure called urodynamics, to gain more information for the surgeon, in a few days. That's about all I can write now.
Luftmensh, I adjusted the title of this discussion to focus on colpocleisis surgery to help you connect with others who may have experience to share with you, like @imallears@ggm43@tobiw@brr and @baxtersmom.
Hi,
I have never had colpocleisis surgery or contemplated it. I have had bladder prolapse for about five years and have been using a pessary for about 3 years with great success. I researched the other prolapse surgeries and decided against them, This particular surgery is personally something I would never consider. I am not advising against it but, as you are doing now, try to find others who have had it. That route is better than relying solely on a doctor's decision or the internet. Not an easy decision to make and I would value any information that is shared here and be interested in your decision.
Luftmensh, I adjusted the title of this discussion to focus on colpocleisis surgery to help you connect with others who may have experience to share with you, like @imallears@ggm43@tobiw@brr and @baxtersmom.
Thank you for your honest and detailed history. My problem is very minor to what you are experiencing so I can understand if you decide to opt for this surgery. I often wondered how a woman who has any dexterity difficulties manages. I hadn’t heard of urodynamics before so thanks for that. And yes I have read of all the problems with the mesh surgery and would never agree to that solution.
I hope the pessary is a long term solution for me and that more women jump in on these types of conversations even if surgery is not being considered. I think you are taking very cautious and informed steps towards your decision. Glad you know of at least one person who successfully had this surgery.
This is not a topic that comes up at all in my circle of friends and acquaintances so I personally know of no one who has any problems. May be the age group and hope that younger people are more open.
Sound like you may be making a decision in the near future and would be happy to continue to hear from you. I will ask my daughter who is a Nurse Practitioner if she knows of any of her patients who have had any of this surgery. Her patients are all in the assisted living facilities up here and , since I do work for her at home, I know of patients who have prolapse.
I know of several women in my building who have had prolapse surgery, but I don't know what type of surgery they have had. One died of lung cancer. I can get more information from the others. The same group of doctors I have been seeing once had a nurse practitioner who came to the medical center in my retirement community (Leisure World of MD). She specialized in urogynecology and prescribed my first pessary. She also gave a talk on the subject at Leisure World. A lot of women came. It was obvious that at least some women were embarrassed to have friends or neighbors know that they have such a problem and the symptoms that go along with it I have also gotten a lot of information from Stanford University Medical Library, which will do free literature searches on any topic for you. Of course, they do occasionally send donation requests.
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@luftmensh1 Was this several years ago? I believe I found the conversation. Our member’s name is @ggm43 and her last posting was May 31, 2019 It looks like she recovered and all was well after the frightening event.
@ggm43 I hope you’re doing great and if you’re still with us on Connect, would you like to join us with an update? Your journey and recovery might help others who are facing this surgery.
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1 ReactionThe comment I am referring to was much more recent, perhaps in the past month or two. I was interested because the colpocleisis surgery is one that is being considered for me.
I will update soon.
Luftmensh, I adjusted the title of this discussion to focus on colpocleisis surgery to help you connect with others who may have experience to share with you, like @imallears @ggm43 @tobiw @brr and @baxtersmom.
In the meantime, you may also be interested in this article:
- What to Expect from Colpocleisis https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/colpocleisis
Do you have a date for surgery or are you still considering options?
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2 Reactions@luftmensh1 @colleenyoung
Hi,
I have never had colpocleisis surgery or contemplated it. I have had bladder prolapse for about five years and have been using a pessary for about 3 years with great success. I researched the other prolapse surgeries and decided against them, This particular surgery is personally something I would never consider. I am not advising against it but, as you are doing now, try to find others who have had it. That route is better than relying solely on a doctor's decision or the internet. Not an easy decision to make and I would value any information that is shared here and be interested in your decision.
FL Mary
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2 ReactionsI have used a pessary for a number of years. The first one began coming out, so I went without it for a while, but my prolapse was bad enough that the bulging tissue stuck to my underwear and I would have to peel it away frequently to get up from sitting, and the tissue was irritated and looking red. My gynecologist referred me to the head of female pelvic medicine at a hospital, asking that I be seen right away. She was not available so quickly, so I got a next-day appointment with a doctor in the same group. He fitted me with a pessary two sizes larger, which I still use. There have been some downsides to the pessary: there is a discharge, which is somewhat messy and odor-producing, so I have to use a light liner pad and change it several times a day; it has also irritated tissue, sometimes causing a sore or bleeding. The bleeding had to be checked out via ultrasound and hysteroscopy. A polyp was removed, and no malignancy was found. I was told to take a vacation from the pessary to let the sore heal, and it didn't heal so quickly, so I was without it for some time. Without the pessary, I felt tremendous pressure, a sense of needing to urinate almost all the time, but not always being able to do so. This seemed to inflame the nerves in my pelvic area, my arms, hands, and legs, which was almost unbearable. Also, I wasn't always able to empty my bladder completely. And I could have episodes of incontinence a short time after being unable to urinate. Out of desperation, I went back to using the pesssary, but it kept coming out whenever I went for an exercise walk. It was okay around the house, going grocery shopping, to an appointment, but it kept coming out during sustained exercise walking. A larger pessary was tried twice, but was found to be too large. Maybe I had lost my skill in inserting the pessary during the long vacation from it, but I seem to have regained the ability. I push up the bulging tissue, which the doc claims is the vaginal wall, before I insert it, and now it stays in again for exercise walking. I also use gloves to remove it, and put a drop of KY Jelly on the two fingers I use. I notice at times in the shower that some of the prolapsed tissue bulges over the side of the pessary, and I push it back up. With the pessary in, I feel like a person, but it may not be a long-term solution. Also, I may not always have the dexterity to insert and remove it. I am 83, and I have arthritis in various body parts, including some of my fingers.
During the pandemic, I was afraid to go anywhere, including to the urogynecologist who was treating me, which involved a half-hour drive and going into an elevator building. When I learned that the same medical group was sending one of its doctors to the medical center in my retirement community once a month, I opted to see that doctor in the medical center across the street rather than risk greater exposure of myself and the two people I live with before any of us were vaccinated. This brought about some confusion over who was my doctor, but that is a separate story. (Both doctors are associate professors at a university hospital and are involved in research.) In April, my former next-door neighbor, who is perhaps 6 years younger than me, just had the surgery, which essentially shortens the vagina, bringing the walls together, along with a hysterectomy done vaginally. She is very happy with the results. Now she can comfortably travel to visit her daughter out of town. Of course, this surgery is an option only for women who are not sexually active. Colpocleisis is an obliterative, rather than a reconstructive surgery. I'm sure you've heard that some unlucky women who had reconstructive surgery with a certain type of mesh had problems, infections, and even died. Several years ago, I read about a doctor in Israel who was studying the use of stem cells to treat prolapse. The problem with surgery, he said, is that it often has to be repeated. I think this whole topic needs more open discussion. It's not something people are comfortable talking about. I also consulted a retired gynecologist who is a friend, and he is encouraging. I'm supposed to have a procedure called urodynamics, to gain more information for the surgeon, in a few days. That's about all I can write now.
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5 ReactionsThanks for the link. I received similar information from the Stanford University medical library. It's free, but they do send donation requests.
In my lengthy reply, I neglected to mention that, in addition to being 83, I am a caregiver to my husband, who is significantly disabled.
Still considering options
@luftmensh1
Thank you for your honest and detailed history. My problem is very minor to what you are experiencing so I can understand if you decide to opt for this surgery. I often wondered how a woman who has any dexterity difficulties manages. I hadn’t heard of urodynamics before so thanks for that. And yes I have read of all the problems with the mesh surgery and would never agree to that solution.
I hope the pessary is a long term solution for me and that more women jump in on these types of conversations even if surgery is not being considered. I think you are taking very cautious and informed steps towards your decision. Glad you know of at least one person who successfully had this surgery.
This is not a topic that comes up at all in my circle of friends and acquaintances so I personally know of no one who has any problems. May be the age group and hope that younger people are more open.
Sound like you may be making a decision in the near future and would be happy to continue to hear from you. I will ask my daughter who is a Nurse Practitioner if she knows of any of her patients who have had any of this surgery. Her patients are all in the assisted living facilities up here and , since I do work for her at home, I know of patients who have prolapse.
FL Mary
I know of several women in my building who have had prolapse surgery, but I don't know what type of surgery they have had. One died of lung cancer. I can get more information from the others. The same group of doctors I have been seeing once had a nurse practitioner who came to the medical center in my retirement community (Leisure World of MD). She specialized in urogynecology and prescribed my first pessary. She also gave a talk on the subject at Leisure World. A lot of women came. It was obvious that at least some women were embarrassed to have friends or neighbors know that they have such a problem and the symptoms that go along with it I have also gotten a lot of information from Stanford University Medical Library, which will do free literature searches on any topic for you. Of course, they do occasionally send donation requests.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions