Prolapse Symptoms - New Member

I have been to 5 doctors over the past 2 years and FINALLY think I know what's wrong. I have been complaining of very loud - and I mean "meeting stopping" loud bowel sounds. It got so bad, I didn't want to go to meetings anymore because of the loud rumblings and groanings in my guts. My primary care Dr. dismissed these saying "Everybody has bowel sounds, that's normal" She thought my aortic pulse felt "prominant" and sent me for an aortic ultrasound. That was normal. After years of telling her about my gut noises - and that they were getting worse, along with constipation, and that polyps ran in my family, she finally agreed to send me to a gastroenterologist. He told me I have irritable bowel and did a colonoscopy because I am 47. No polyps, told me to take fiber for the bowel sounds - it helped some but then basically stopped working.

I have also had low back pain for a long time and it radiated to my hips. I have osteo-arthritis and was worried that the arthritis was beginning in my hips. Again after pushing the issue, my primary care sent me to an orthopedic doc who sent me for a MRI which showed no arthritis to explain the pain. He gave me a cortisone shot in my right sacro-iliac joint last summer and that helped some. I went back to him this summer asking him to do the left hip and he said "no, you need to go to a rheumatologist." In the months waiting to see yet another specialist, I went to my GYN for a well-woman exam (had been 2 years since last one) He too had ingored all the years of me complaining of increased, very loud bowel sounds. Basically, it feels like things are backing up, pressure, gas and rectal contents going in the wrong direction. In the past, he has told me that my uterus felt "heavy" He gave me a pessary years ago which I wore when I played tennis to help me not leak urine when I played hard. It helped. So now he says, "Wear the pessary every day but think about a hysterectomy. You won't want to wear one the rest of your life and besides, since your uterus is retroverted, it won't help you as much." He also told me that the prominent arotic pulse coud be caused by my uterus pressing on the aorta. Well, after wearing the pessary for 2 weeks now, 90% of my bowel sounds are gone! Back pain is improved too, but not totally. I also don't have that awful feeling in my rectum. I kept the appt. with the rheumatologist (who also is an internist) and he told me that prolapse wouldn't cause back pain! In the next breath however, he said he didn't know anything about a woman's uterus! Some internist, huh?

So, now I'm considering having a hysterectomy. I may seek a second opinion with a uro-gynocologist. Anyone out there have the symptoms like these? I honestly think prolapse is my problem. I'm angry it took so long to find the answer. Everyone just kept ignoring me. I'm thinking I should have the surgery sooner than later.... your thoughts, ideas and comisserations please!

How is the determination made if my symptoms are due to a prolapsed uterus vs bladder vs rectum? The pessary lifts everything, so how is a differential diagnosis made?

Hi ajmjmm4-

My Dr has told me that my uterus is in the beginnings of prolapse. When he did the exam he said my cervix was low, etc. I told him of my "stress incontinent" issues. He could very well do the hysterectomy, but is referring me to an Urogynecologist who specialized in incontinence issues and pelvic floor reconstruction.

Have you checked out some of the threads under Pelvic floor in the forums tab? (go up to the top of the screen and click on the forums tab and look for the Pelvic floor section) Some of them describe the various tests they had to go through for issues that may be similar to yours. See if that helps. I would strongly encourage you to see the urogynecologist. It sounds to me like that would be your best bet at this point.

Hope this helps and you get answers and resolution to your issues. :-)

Hil

Hi, I had a prolapsed uterus also. Before my surgery my lower back would hurt whenever I was on my feet alot. Also I always had gas and problems with irritable bowels. I couldn't even go out to eat without taking anti-diarrhea pills. Since my surgery in May, I have not had those symptoms. I am not sure if the prolapse was the reason for all my symptoms, but they are gone for now. My bowels move regularly now also, which was not the case before. I feel 100% better and do not worry as much now when we go shopping and out to eat. I would go without eating if we traveled for fear of not getting to a bathroom in time. Since my surgery, we have went out of town and I was able to eat at a restaurant before we traveled home with no problems. I am not saying that you will have the same results, but this is how the surgery has helped me.

Thank you for your replies. At first I was kind of excited to have the surgery if it meant an end to my symptoms, but after reading some of the complications of surgery - prolapsed vaginal wall - probably the one I fear the most, I'm not as eager. At the same time, the pessary is only a "band-aid fix" and not a total fix at that. I am thankful to all the women on this site who share their experiences.

Hi ajmjmm4 !
The symptoms you describe, sounds like everything I had before my hyst.
I did have a prolapsed uterus which in turn caused a lot of other problems which have all been corrected now. I had a very thorough gyn who checked everything and asked a lot of questions of me.
My vaginal wall was weakened by the prolapse which caused my rectum to bulge in and at times I would have to push it back to have a bm.
I am happy to say that I feel better now then I have in years. I'm 48 and probably should have had this done 5 or so years ago. I have no regrets of having the hyst. Just make sure that if your having any of these other problems that your dr is aware of them so they can be corrected at the time of surgery. I had a TVH/BSO with postier repair May 6th. I didn't have badder repair as it wasn't needed.
Good luck!

Hi Ajmjmm,

I also recently had a hysterectomy due to uterine prolaspe...which as you know by experience has caused a lot more other problems. I opted to go ahead and do the hyster and repairs now at 35 instead of years later. Yeah, it wasn't an emergency to do it now, but quality of life was the issue. Plus, I figured it would be a faster recovery at 35 than at 45 or 55. Our bodies just don't heal as fast the older we get.

The sad part is that I had already been suffering with my "conditions" for 12 years. But the doctors, who seem to know everything, did not want to do a hyster on a 23 year old. I was too naive to disagree with all knowing doctors...that would never happen now.

Re: this site. It can be a great wealth of information! There is so much here to learn. I too was excited about my surgery and then got freaked out over all the problems other women were having. One thing my husband pointed out to me..."While nothing is without its risks, most of the women with positive outcomes are not taking the time to post their positive experiences. They've moved on and are living their lives. Women who have run into complications use this site to help with their frustrations."

So, just keep that in mind when on this site. I wish more women, like me, with positive outcomes would stay in touch after their surgeries. I recommend that you take your concerns to your doc and have very candid conversations with him/her. If you don't get your questions answered or if the answer doesn't sit right with you...move on. I did that. Interviewed 3 docs; doc #3 was by far the best. She was also a woman, who I seemed to better relate to than the men who gave me very vague answers to my questions.

Good luck!!