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I am 56 years old with cystocele (PROLAPSED BLADDER) I am not
incontinent, but can feel and see bladder at my vaginal entrance.
NOT FUN. I did get fit for a pessary, but little to no information
from the docotor on how to use it etc. I am postmenopausal, thus
a more dry thin walled vagina. Since estrogen cream is so expensive
if you do not have insurance, it was not suggested that I use estrogen first to prepare my vaginal walls. WRONG..... First uses were disaster!!!! Pain - bleeding ...A JOKE REALLY....My thoughts were "THIS IS ALL THEY HAVE TO OFFER A WOMAN"?!!!! I knew then that it is truly a man's world. A man on the moon, space stations, mars explorations, vagina on a man, penis on a woman , and this is all that is offer medically for women!!!!!
Well after use (a must) of estogen cream, i tried again.... Lying down like in the doctors office to insert and remove.. OUCH...BIRTHING THE FRIZBIE....Or the dog chew toy, as my neighbor longingly refers to my pessary.
Then i could not reach the little device inside me.... great... so i used a crocet hook to fish out the little booger!!!! SCARY!!!!!!! No one talks about this stuff. THE REALITY OF USE OF A PESSARY !!
So once again I tried...
Estrogen Creme a must.
I tied tampon strings together , secured it to one of the holes, so i could find my pessary, and give it a pull to remove.
It works best if you get on your hands and knees to insert and remove (if you can)., so your bladder and organs are fallen back
into their correct positions, and you are not fighting against gravity.
Insert some gel before removal, and it makes removal alot easier.
During urination, pull tampon string to the side.
During defication(pooping) pull it foward. Make sure you take things
to avoid constipation, because this device presses again your rectum, slowing things down. Also giving you consistant feelings of having to poop.
I removal mine every few days, clean pessary and string with hot soapy water. Peroxide also if you wish.
Then use your estrogen creme with no pessary in, for full absorbtion into your vaginal walls.
If you do not like the side effects of estrogen creme, use just a half
a gram, twice a week then you should not get hot sweats, goopy vagina, moody etc.(My personal opinion..experience.NOT MEDICAL ADVICE.)
Well I hope this information will be useful to you ladies....Good luck
September 5, 2012 - 8:57amHAPPY KEIGELS.......
This Comment
Thank you! I had a pessary inserted two years ago or more for "cystocele" (bladder falling out of my vagina, peeing my pants a lot).
January 27, 2013 - 4:57amI kept getting constant letters from a Kaiser nurse to come in (a very long drive) to have it checked. I did that once, and it really hurt. I had bleeding for a few days afterward. Since the nurse put the rubber diaphram with holes in it back inside while I was bleeding, the blood glued it to my bladder. I decided to take it out myself this time. It was a real struggle to get it out, and I bled again. I left it out so my bladder or vagina or whatever got stripped off and caused the bleeding could heal. I've been afraid to try to put it back in by myself, but I know I'll bleed just as much if I let them do it. I'll try your ideas on how to get it back in, because it pinches every time I sit down or walk. Maybe getting on my hands and knees will help, if I can reach my vagina that way. Special thanks for the tip about putting string in one of the holes for easy removal next time. I read that dental floss works, too. I'm post-menopausal, age 61. I can't use estrogen in any form because I had terrible problems, pain, and surgery for endometriosis. I still have my uterus, although the nurse said it's getting smaller. It's prolapsed, too.
You're also right about the pessary blocking the rectum. Mine seems to have blocked it so much that only rasinettes can come out. I started taking apple pectin capsules and doing saline or lemon water enemas to loosen my stools. It seems to help a little if I take the pectin every day when I eat. The intestinal blockage may have been causing really bad candidiasis that goes all the way up into my throat, nose, and mouth, causing me to spit 24/7. I found out that if I suck constantly on unsweetened acidophilus tablets (like Accuflora) and leave one in my mouth overnight every night, that helps control the spitting. It took me years to discover this on my own. ENT's and an allergist told me the candidiasis was post-nasal drip! I insisted I had an infection somewhere, and I think it may have been related in part to the pessary and rectal blockage.
You're absolutely right about the abominable "health care" available for women in this country, especially us seniors: urogynecologists included. Even the women ones I've seen don't know what they're doing. All we have to go on is blogs and "do it yourself" articles.
This Comment
Use gel to get it in and out, so you don't bleed. And a few sips of smooth move tea so you don't get constipated.
September 22, 2014 - 8:35amThis Comment
HI, TRY SMOOTH MOVE TEA (FOR BOWELMOVEMENT) ONE TEA BAG IN LARGE
CUP, THEN DRINK HALF AND PUT REST IN THE FRIDGE, AND DRINK NEXT DAY, OR DAY AFTER THAT... THAT WAY IT DOES NOT MAKE US CRAMP ETC.
VAGINAL ATROPHY IS A PROBLEM , SO IF YOU HAVE NEVER USED A DILDO,
January 28, 2013 - 12:26pmI SUGGEST YOU GET ONE... IT WILL HELP YOUR VAGINAL HEALTH, AND
KEEP YOUR WALLS FROM CAVING IN.... IF YOU CANNOT USE ESTROGEN
CREAM,USE A LITTLE OLIVE-ALMOND- OIL, MIXED WITH A LITTLE ALOE VERA
GEL FOR HEALING...... SOOTHS THAT VAGINAL..... BIKE RIDING HAS HELPED ALOT FOR ME TO STRENGHTEN MY CORE AS WELL. LET ME KNOW
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i just got a pessary today. I really do not like it but I don't have money for surgery and I am afraid surgery would not work anyways. My doc said he was surprised I would try the pessary. After he put it in he said come back in 3 months! I said I needed him to show me how to remove and put it in myself. I got it out and then he was out the door. The nurse or medical assistant was no help. I managed to get it back in. When I talked to him in his office. he said that if I got it in I did not have to see him in a week. Also said it might fall out during a bowel movement. I was pretty bummed.
May 9, 2012 - 11:45pmAfter a few hours, i had to go and sure enough out it came! I figured I will try again tomorrow- bought KY jelly for the insert.
I know I have a bad attitude but the whole thing sucks. I am 57 and don't want to have surgery that will not work. Dr is suggesting surgery with vag hyst. This whole thing has me freaked but I am trying to lose weight due to my blood pressure and I want to go back to exercising and am hoping this will help me because I am chafing inside using the treadmill with this bladder almost hanging out.. Don't feel much was explained to me, just getting a push for surgery. nice that he is so confident, but then most doctors have to be. I find most of them to be arrogant. I work in a hospital so I don't like most docs anyways. Figure I will end up with surgery but taking it slow and hoping tomorrow will be better so I can go to the gym. Very depressed and sorry to be such a downer! Good luck everybody!
This Comment
https://www.empowher.com/community/ask/does-anyone-have-any-information-using-pessary-cystocele?page=2#comment-116946
READ MY COMMENTS NEAR THE END .. IT IS LONG...9-5-12
September 5, 2012 - 11:37amThis Comment
Get another doctor! The pessary, when fitted right, WILL NOT come out. Get a doc who will work with you on fitting you will the right size and shape. There will be several trips back to get it right, but it is worth it to avoid surgery. I am going to a urogynecologist who is helping me avoid surgery not pressuring me into it.
May 28, 2012 - 6:02amThat surgery has too many problems with it. Some people come out with more pain, with leaking when they didn't leak before. A disturbing number of those bladder slings fail and once failed, they can't ever be fixed right again. Then, if you don't have a uterus anymore, you can't use a pessary and you are just cooked!
This Comment
I have a prolapse now, but last year had a cystocele with no mesh. Now I have a prolapse again and my "second opinion" doctor wants to do a surgery and use a mesh product. He did not mention a pessary. I am confused, but definitely think that there are problems with the mesh. I also have had a hysterectomy in 1980. I am married but have had no sex at all for at least 5 years and just a few times before. I wonder if there is the possibility of sex with a pessary if there is an opportunity. I think, also, that a pessary can be tried and if it doesn't work... then other options. If I have surgery, then it might have nonreversible consequences, such as my surgery of last year.
May 1, 2012 - 11:45amThis Comment
kayjean, dont get the mesh...the companies are being sued with a huge class action lawsuit...as it fails, and it damages things internally in women!
November 5, 2013 - 7:22pmThis Comment
I was going to have surgery for my bladder problems and one of my friends told me about the pessary ring. I'm very active, lift weights and really did not have time for 8 weeks of recovery. Well I have been using the pessory ring and love it. My problems have gone away. I take it out every night and place it back in the morning. ( I remove daily for hygiene) EASY!! :)
February 24, 2012 - 5:35pmThis Comment