vagina is like a sock

Hi
I have thinning walls of the vagina so bad that the drs. can see my bowels, not every common. The way there are going to fix it is explained to me in laymans terms as darning the toes and then grafting it with pig skin. No driving for 2 weeks and no lifting bending, vac, no sex, you all know the rountine for 3 mo's. I go for surgery on the 8th anyone ever heard of this one???



Thanks

Barbiej45

I haven't heard of them lining the vagina with pig's skin, but I have heard of the ultra thin vaginal walls. (Actually, this is more common than one might think.)

Mine was so thin my bowels were protruding into the vagina (rectocele) and although surgery was recommended by several doctors, my endocrinolgist (also gyno expert) told me I try more involved hormone therapy first. He was right! Seems I was very estrogen dependant before surgery and needed more than "average."

They began my treatments with vagifem tablets (daily for a while) and then gradually increased my bio-identical hormones until I improved. It's my understanding that sometimes women don't absorb oral estrogens the way they should. Have you had your hormone levels tested? One doctor told me that while the blood test for hormones shows what is AVAILABLE in your blood, only the saliva test show what your body is ACTUALLY USING.

Have you gotten a second opinion? (ALWAYS get a second opinion before ANY surgery.)
If they have not tried other hormone methods, maybe an endocrinologist could help. In any case, you have some time to try the vaginal estrogen before surgery.

I would like to hear what you decide to do and how you are doing. I'll be thinking of you.
Hugs,

I read about the procedure youre having done a few months ago in my urologist office. Its a very sucessful procedure and tends to hold up alot longer than the other techniques to build up the vaginal walls. You can always ask your surgeon to give you some pamplets regarding this procedure, or guide you in the right direction to where you can read statistics regarding this procedure. Its your right as a patient to be as informed as possible before going through with any type of procedure.

I am having the same sugery next month. A&P repairs using a collegen patch. I can't remember the exact terminology. Anyway, Urogyn dr. says it is pigskin that has all the DNA removed. Says it holds extremly well. Says he will cut the vaginal walls, place the ends over each other to create a double layer and then use the collegen patch to hold it all in place. It apparently absorbs into your own body becoming part of you.

The doctor used donor tissue and a new type of mesh to build up the vagina wall. Only problem it only held for 5 months, then it ripped. I will be having another surgery mid Oct to repair this rectocele. Interesting, let us know how it works.

Levanah