Want to discuss prolapse bladder or any kind of prolapse

@gardeningjunkie and @baxtersmom
It's really interesting to me to read about your experiences. It makes me wonder if perhaps urethra is also "saggy" since I never seem to have much volume.
@gardeningjunkie Was your surgeon also a urogynecologist? It sounds like traveling that far was definitely worth the effort.
JK

My doctor was a Board Certified Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgeon, worked only on women.

@gardeningjunkie Urogynecologist is synonymous with Board Certified Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgeon. I think they have basically changed the terminology from urogynecologist to that.
My gynecologist recommended a urogynecologist for me but I asked my daughter's sister-in-law who is a urogynecologist and she said she often gets cases that were not handled as well as a urogynecologist would and she has to correct them. I did not go to her because I felt funny going to someone I know socially, plus the hospital she is at is less convenient for me. I do sort of regret going to the one I went to. I think I chose her because she had the earliest available appointment, which is probably not a good sign.
JK

Thanks for the explanation.

@gardeningjunkie I meant that my gynecologist recommended a urologist to me. I’m glad that I chose to go to a doctor whose speciality was more aligned with my problem.
JK

I have had 3 vaginal prelapse surgeries, late 2013 which was really sudden and quite visible when I looked but had not fallen out of my vagina, a reoccurrence in 2015 after I had a bad cold or flu when I coughed non-stop it seemed for 2 weeks and I swear I felt my vaginal give way when I was watching TV - that surgery lasted only a few months, the last surgery was in 2016 and that MD said that his surgeries NEVER fail. Ha! Prior to that surgery, I had to have a colonoscopy and defecography test (had never heard of that test) He conveniently didn't tell me about that one and it was humiliating - well, that surgery failed in 3 months. It is about to turn to 2021, I am back to the rectocele and cystocele, not protruding and not really bothering me much aside from knowing that it can progress further. I have a totally different urogynecologist than any of those 3, I see "in there" a bit of a different color on part of the prolapse and so will see her Jan 7. I'm glad to have been going to a urogynecologist routinely for monitoring. It is disheartening for sure. I am now 68. As for my history, I had a hysterectomy at 34, have taken hormone replacement since then and I have been sexually active. I keep my weight down and was always really active until the pandemic and have been eating a plant based diet mainly for a very long time. The last 3 months I have given up most sugar but not as successful as I'd like to be but so much better than I was since I don't eat candy bars every night. I don't hold out any hope at all. The nurse practitioner I saw at the urogynecologist office who sees me for my annual visits said that maybe I would benefit from a pessary but I wasn't ready for that step yet, emotionally anyway. She suggested Kegals and she said they work. I have read they do and I have read they don't. For a while I was having terrible bladder urgency and just barely getting to the bathroom in time but now that has improved and not such a problem. My tendency is toward constipation for many reasons so I make sure to stay as regular as possible. My insides live inside me and I know my insides better than anyone so I try to really listen to myself and trust what I hear - then take myself to where the help is.

donnacarp- Have you had the "new mesh" used to support your prolapse? Have you had a bladder sling put in to straighten out your urethra? I had both surgeries around age 65 and now at age 72 I am still doing great and very active. The mesh will give the stitches reattaching the prolapsed tissues and the sling will allow the entire bladder to empty thus your urge to urinate is back to a normal level.
Go back and read this blog, at least the last 6 months to understand the success many of us had had. In the last six months I believe we have posted names of our surgeons. My prolapse was more dramatic then yours, my uterus was protruding an inch out of my vaginal opening. I also had some bladder and colon prolapse. The hysterectomy removed the uterus, and the surgeon (in my ignorance my gynecologist said he could do it and performed the surgery) simply tied up the bladder and colon with stitches. My colon held but the bladder tissues weren't strong enough to hold the bladder in place. He should have recogized the weakness and even after surgery kept telling me it was fine. Although not proturding, I could feel my bladder just at the opening and it felt uncomfortable when I walked. I had all the bathrooms scouted out at all my shopping locations as I might need to pee several times during my errands. My gyno didn't have the extra training require for the mesh and sling and I was never even told about it. It took me a year of him telling me I was fine and a new gynocolgist to explain this me. She recommended a surgeon who had helped many of her patients with special needs. You must find a specialist who does female repair surgeries only. I'm not talking a urologist or gynecologist who does basic hysterectomies. In past blogs others talk about this. Many, like me had to travel to get to this type of specialist.

thank you so much. Before I start reading back, please tell me what part of the country you live in. The first doc who did this was my gynecologist doing the rectocele part and a urologist did the bladder / he used sling which I think held a while, the second was a well known urologist who did many or the web touted he did, the third was a urogynecologist. I would go to the moon if necessary. I know of a specialist or so says the website, in Oklahoma City but it is hard to know for sure unless someone knows by experience. Again, thank you for this information.

replying to @gardenjunkie, you have been so incredibly helpful. I looked up the credentials of the urogynecologist that I see here in NYC. She is board certified in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. Unfortunately she did not do my last surgery but I have kept an annual appointment with her or her nurse practitioner so that I can be seen in her practice and followed. I have an appointment on 01/07/21. I am thankful to have gotten an appointment so soon. I hope to learn much more about what is going on with my body now. I am a born Nervous Nelly, not a pessimist really but I do follow through right away when something isn't right.

I understand your apprehension, my blood pressure always goes up just walling into a medical facility. I'm excited for you to get to a surgeon with the right training. As I mentioned, I made a big mistake going to a "baby doctor" after my prolapse. I am sure he was fine as an OB, but my needs were more complicated. I'm glad I have offered you some hope. I used to blog searching for answers on my eczema site or this site. Yet because of my searches and advice and testimonials from others I am free of eczema today and I am all tied up with zero side effects down below. I didn't want to live with organs protruding from my vagina or needing to pee 3 times a night! So far my female issues are in the past and I am so grateful and want others to be get help and relief also.