I am 58 years old, an avid gardener and exercise at the local health club daily.
I have been told that the way this problem would be corrected at the hospital and also covered by OHIP would be through sutures and the chances that it would last would be 30 - 50 % and the time frame was very narrow.
The way my doctor recommends is to go to a private clinic and have a mesh-like material surgically positioned, and this would last a life time, at a cost of $6,000.00 to me.
Since this procedure is done at the hospital (although a different way ) it would not be covered under our extended medical.
He has also discovered (although I am having no problems-as yet) concerning a pocket by the rectum which could eventually push through the vagina as well. This again would cost me $2,000.00 at the private clinic.
My question is whether anyone has talked about this problem and which way have they gone to have it corrected.
Does anyone know of a study happening at a hospital or university that would accept a patient? Can this be claimed on income tax as a medical expense?
Hi Gardener, I'm just 10 days out of surgery for prolapsed bladder (cystocele) & the Dr. said I should have had the surgery sooner. He did have to use a graft (mesh). It was uncomfortable & I had to come home from the hospital with a foley catheter. Sure was glad when I could remove that. Don't know about your insurance---I have Medicare & medigap. He says he thinks I'll be OK, just not to lift anything heavy or strain. I kept putting it off, & it kept getting worse. ( I'm 76 yrs. old) I wish you lots of luck, whatever you decide.
I had a cystocele,rectocele and enterocele 7 weeks ago with a mesh inserted. I do not understand why you have to pay since OHIP paid all my costs. We do have private insurance but this was only to cover the cost of a semi private room.
I would ask that doctor why he is promoting private health care. This really upsets me since I think there must be a lot of this going on.
I am 55 years old. Two years ago I had a hysterectomy to fix a prolapsed uterus. At the same time I had a rectocele repair. I now have a prolapsed vagina, a cystocele. Because of my age, I have been warned that surgery may not last. I am hoping that I can somehow put off surgery and decrease my symptoms through exercising my pelvic floor. Does anyone have any experience with this? Where can I receive assistance in doing these exercises effectively? My doctor gave me a prescription for an estrogen cream. I stopped using it because it causes itching and swelling. The pharmacist warned me about these side effects but I find it intolerable. What kind of cream can I use that will not give me such discomfort?
I am curious to know why the doctor told you that you should have had the surgery sooner. I am in a position of now attempting to postpone the surgery because, I thought that the sooner you have it done the more likely you will need to have it redone in the future.
Hi Lasalle, Before I had the surgery,for prolapsed bladder---I tried an estrogen pill which is inserted into vagina, like a tampon. Didn't work. My surgeon said the kegal (?) exercizes could be done until I was blue in the face, & wouldn't work. My cystocele was protruding from vagina, big & very uncomfortable. Dr. said by waiting so long I had deteriated inside, & that he didn't have much left to tie the mesh to. I am getting along just fine now, of course it's only been a month---but the main thing is not to lift heavy stuff or strain. The other alternative was a pessary---which usually doesn't work very well & the Dr. has to remove it for cleaning about every 3 months-yuk. Whatever you decide---Good Luck. Kittybege
Registered: 09/10/06
Posts: 10
Loc: Toronto Canada
I have seen a female gynecologist who said I am a 'excellent candidate' for pessarie. My appointment with the uro-gynecologist is for JUly (!) Until then, I am doing Kegel exercises, 5-10 repetitions three times daily, and Pilates exercises, which are difficult, but seem to help a little. 1- there are pessaries we can clean ourselves and they do work sometimes. 2 Why not get a second opinion?
Hi all. I was wondering if anyone with any time of pelvic prolapse experienced pelvic/very low back pain? I am only 30 and my daughter's difficult birth has cause me to have a prolapse - seeing my gyn this week to confirm what exactly is going on.
I had a hysterectomy and Marley procedure (bladder supported by a mesh sling) in Oct 04. I was 57 at the time. Everything was covered by OHIP, except of course, semi-private coverage for the hospital stay. My doctor said that this will last a lifetime as long as I adhere to the rules of not lifting more than 15 lbs, no jogging and a minimum of 50 Kegels a day. The success of the procedure is even more positive if one is able to use estrogen vag. cream. However I was not, so I must rely on the other instructions. The hospital stay was six days and the initial post-op recovery time was six weeks.....total recovery is six months, but life is back to normal after the initial six weeks. I had less post op discomfort than I expected and I went home without a drain or a catheter....my doctor would not have allowed me to go home if I had still needed a catheter as it is not possible to assess whether the bladder is functioning normally while the catheter is in. I am doing fine and life is back to normal in that respect. I would however suggest not delaying the surgery. It was 18 months from the time the surgery was originally booked until I finally had it. During that time I was becoming progressively worse and my daily activities more restricted. The wait time may be even longer now. You must also allow the time it takes to get an appt. with a specialist (urogynecologist)and the wait time for a cytoscopy (usually a minimum of 3 months)before the surgery is even booked. It is not considered to be urgent so the wait time has not been shortened, at least in the GTA. So if you are in discomfort and it is affecting your daily life, get on with it. Also pessaries only work on certain types of prolapses and at best they are temporary. Eventually you have to have the surgery. If you wait too long you may not be a good candidate for the surgery and then you're stuck with it.
Hi. This is my first post. I just had a cystocele about 3 weeks ago. The surgery went very well. The catheter was in 4 days. Catheter was annoying but tolerable. I only took Tylenol twice following the surgery. Very little discomfort. The day after the catheter was removed, another prolapse occurred. I delved into the internet world of research and realized I likely had a pelvic prolapse. Internet research suggested an MRI to diagnose other structures in need of repair. My surgeon is not an ob/gyn. I wanted her to be my surgeon though. I printed out info and she ordered the MRI which I had earlier this week. I meet with her next week to discuss the scope of the next surgery.
I wanted to address to conversations about Kegel muscles. My Kegel muscles were strong. I knew that. Following the surgery I asked what else holds up the bladder. Was informed there are also muscles and ligaments and mine were all stretched out. So it's not always about Kegel muscles. Also, I am a survivor of long-term childhood sexual abuse which seems not to be mentioned as a possible cause of weakening of all these ligaments in anything! When I first went to doctor to tell of odd symptoms, she could see the prolapsed bladder. Ack! When I asked what caused it, she said "pushing out all those big babies". Well, I've never had children. (I'm 54.) I'm pre-menopausal. Healthy. She did say "trauma to that area" could be a cause...and is the only one that makes sense to me.
A question...it doesn't appear to me that a prolapsed uterus always means a hysterectomy. It looks like it needs to be reattached though to lift it up. The only reason I saw for a hysterectomy (barring any other symptoms other than the prolapse) was to repair the pelvic floor and the uterus was in the way. Anybody else with experience in this area? Because I do think my uterus just fell yesterday following 4 strong sneezes in a row. I have had constant tolerable low back pain for awhile but especially noticeable since the surgery but mostly on the left side. Apparently low back pain can go with any of the organs about to prolapse or having prolapsed. I don't know what back pain predominantly on left side means though.
I'm so glad I found this forum. This is a tough problem. Doesn't hurt but there is discomfort and definitely emotional distress. Am scheduled for my next surgery the end of July and am hoping the MRI shows everything that is needed to be repaired. Don't want anything else falling out of my body that should never see the light of day! Seeing others' experiences here is very helpful. Thank you.
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I have had constant tolerable low back pain for awhile but especially noticeable since the surgery but mostly on the left side. Apparently low back pain can go with any of the organs about to prolapse or having prolapsed. I don't know what back pain predominantly on left side means though.
