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Hi Everyone,
I know I risk overwhelming everyone with all my questions on so many topics, but I was wondering if anyone has tried massage therapy orpelvic floor physical therapy ? I am in a different situation than many of you . Due to my Colin and uterus falling into my vaginsl areas needed to have major surgery to reconstruct my vaginal area in October of last year. 4 weeks post surgery I developed a severe case of IC that took me a long time to figure out as I couldn't differentiate between the surgery pain and what I now know is IC. Part of the recovery of vaginsl surgery is physical theraphy to get your muscles working properly again. I also have a lot of scar tissue as I had abdominal surgery.
Has anyone on this forum used any kind of massage or PT that they had success with , especially as it related to their IC condition?
By the way, it's colon not Colin but I can't get back to fix word on my iPhone for some reason.
Thank you
Hi there pico, i have had the
Hi there pico, i have had the same problems with prolaps uterus, bladder and colon and had major surgery on it . i think you will heal nicely from the surgery even without physiical theraphy it takes some time but for me all the prolaps problems have dissolved with this surgery, the healing of my ic and vv is still a different story, still struggling a lot but I know this will take a much longer time to heal.
So after this major surgery take good care of yourself.Don't put to much pressure on the pelvic area and always keep in mind that this is a weak spot. Be carefull lifting anything heavy.
With your IC problems you are in good hands with Dr. B, but time and patience is needed.
Lots of good healing wishes, Anneke
Anneke,
Anneke,
Anneke,
It is so good to hear from you. How long ago was your surgery? What kind of IC symptoms are you experienceing? What is helping you to improve your IC conditions the most? Have you been given any hope that you can heal from the IC sypmtoms based on other women's experience?
I would really like to hear more about your story and how you cope with the IC. Thank-you so much for your reply.
Sue
New York
Hello there, my surgery is
Hello there, my surgery is actually a long time ago they removed the uterus and lifted the bladder and colon, actually created a new vagina so to speak they used a surgical mat ( don't know the correct english word for it) to keep everything in place. Back than they did tell me that all the bladderproblems were caused by the prolaps which later turned out to be IC.
The prolaps problems were solved defenitive, even years later everything is still in place. IC problems still there but over the years were very much up and down. Being in remission for a couple of years and than the problems came back after having laser therapy.
My experience is that the worst part of IC will blush out on their own after 2 to 3 years after that its more waxing and waining, but for now this second time around my symptoms for the last 10 months are daily bladderpain more in the neck of the blader and vv which I actually developped in treatment.
I am slowly improving on the bladder part but the vv or weird pelvic pain ( I sometimes can not tell the difference between those two) is giving me a much harder time. i have read on the forum that probably this is the last to go away in this treatment. Still on list one though sometimes eating some vegetables of list two.
I still need the amytriptiline and tramadol but try to take less and less..
Because you found Matia really early after starting your symptoms you will probably see improvement sooner, so hang in there and try to stay at list one until your appointment.
Anneke
Anneke,
Anneke,
(what a beautiful name, by the way)
When you said your bladder neck pain and vv pain developed after therapy, did you mean the laser therapy? What did you have the laser therapy for? I ask because I'm may need to get laparoscopic work done o my stage 3 rectocele that was never corrected properly in my last surgey. Obviously surgery is the last thing I want to do but this rectocele is getting worse and I may have no other choice.
Your English is better than mine! That's embarrassing for me!
Sue
Hi :)
Hi :)
I too have some prolapse...a grade two rectocele and cystocele. I developed I.C. (when I was 12 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child) due to a variety of factors such as long-term Motrin dosing for severe menstrual cramps and pelvic pain, etc. After I had my second baby, it was believed that my prolaspe could be causing the I.C. symptoms and they wanted to do surgery. Something in my heart so no, so they let me try 3 months of Pelvic floor physical therapy. Sorry to say it did nothing at all to help the I.C...it might have helped the prolapse a little...but in the end it just flared my I.C. and vulvodynia :( I even tried another Pelvic Floor therapist and she made it even worse.
The only thing that has helped me is Dr. B. I am still a very new patient, but I started the diet 3 months before I met Dr. B and it helped a lot!
Hang in there...
Sue and Liveandlex,
Sue and Liveandlex,
I do not have any noticeable PFD, but I have worked on other issues by studying with Katy Bowman, biomechanist. She is an expert on the pelvic floor and has a VERY refreshing take on how to improve and maintain pelvic floor health. Go to her blog and do a search on "prolapse". You will learn a TON!
Sue, can you look at Katy's work and consider putting off any more surgeries!!! There are many things to balance out and you may be able to avoid surgery.
Start here:
http://www.alignedandwell.com/katysays/4-fast-fixes-for-pelvic-floor-dis...
Then do prolapse search. You could also email her directly. She gets 100s of emails per day, but if your email is brief, she will probably get back to you. First do some reading before you email her.
Hope that helps!
xo
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Thanks Mimi I'll check it out
Thanks Mimi I'll check it out :)
Mimi,
Mimi,
i spent a year doing exercises such as Katy's plus some more. I did physical therapy too. But stage three rectocele can not sometimes be repaired. Maybe if I had seen dr brizman before. Now my stage 3 is slowly becoming a stage 4. I can't live like this. It's Incredibly uncomfortable and mechanically doesn't work if you know what I mean. I have never had surgery in my life nor even taken a tylenol. I struggled with what to do originally but my colon was falling along with my uterus. I realized too late what was happening and gravity was not on my IDE. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. I chose the wrong doctor because i was trying to save my uterus and avoid mesh. But it's wrong of me to go back in time. I made the best decision I could at the time. I need to go on from here and heal the best I can.
Sue!
Sue!
I am so sorry! I absolutely agree with you. I made a lot of choices before IC that I regret now. But Dr. B told me not to beat myself up about it because of course, as you rightfully said, we are making the best decisions we can at the time. I hope going forward you can find the right answers so that you can be comfortable again!!!
((Hugs))
Mimi
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Hello sue,
Hello sue,
my laser theraphy was a facial one with a dermatologist, ic was brewing under the surface but this treatment was probably the last drop.
vv came up when i was about 6 weeks doing the protocol and the herbs but it is just another part of the same tree although a bit harder to deal with at the moment. Matia assures me that this too will heal, so keeping up good spirits. Hang in there you are on your healing path.
Anneke
Anneke,
Anneke,
I am now concerned about getting the laparoscopic surgery for my stage 3 rectocele. I really need it as it is anatomically giving me such discomforting pressure and really needs to be repaired. But laparoscopic is laser treatment - right? I fear it could make my IC symptoms worse. There is also the thought that it is putti pressure on my bladder and uretha though and things might feel better if it is fixed.
Its scarey to know what to do.
Sue
Sue,
Sue,
I had laparoscoy done on May 2, 2012. Three days later I woke up with IC. I don't want to scare you but I felt I needed to mention this. Doctors did not believe it was responsible for my IC but deep inside of me I don't feel like it was a coincidence. This is just my experience. The surgery is under general anestisia and they do insert a cathader in your urethra. An incision is done on your bellybutton and they may need to make another. For me, it was only one incision as they were checking for endometriosis. Following the surgery they do medicate you for pain. Although, it is considered a minor and simple surgery, your body is still under stress. Speak to Dr. B and see what she thinks. Also, speak to your doctor and have them explain the procedure to you. Sue, this is my story and how it all began. Things may be different for you so get informed and make the best dicision possible for you.
Sandi,
Sandi,
How are you doing with your recovery? Well, I hope.
Sue
Sandi,
Sandi,
I had to reply!!! I also had a Claparoscopy to check for endometriosis and had a catheter in my urethra during surgery. The laparoscopy was on Monday, by Friday i had IC. (i know now, looking back, there were underlying issues that increased my chances of IC, but the surgery was what tipped me over the edge so to speak!)
I'd love to email and see if other symptoms are similar between you and me, maybe to share and make some sense of it all!
C
Hi Sue & C,
Hi Sue & C,
My recovery has had its ups and downs. I can have no pain for 1 week or 2 and then it hits me like the devil is living in my bladder and urethra especially mid-cycle and during my period. I honestly believe my hormones are the major cause of my painful bladder. I feel as though after the laparoscopy my sysmptoms were exactly like a horrible UTI (frequency, pain, burning sensation etc...). This lasted about a month. The catheder in my opinion caused an infection but no doctor can confirm this. I have so many questions with no answers. When I first met with my urologist the first thing he said to me before even introducing himself was "the laparoscopy did not cause your bladder problem!". Oh well, all I can do is trust and have faith that Dr. B will help me get through this miserable time in my life. I have a great support system at home which I thank God for everyday!
C our stories do seem very similar and I would really appreciate you contacting me so we can compare our symptoms. Maybe we can help eachother answer some unanswered questions!!
smorello@sympatico.ca
I would also like to compare
I would also like to compare symptoms with both of you if you'd be willing to, even if my situation was more invasive.
Sue,
I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling well. Anytime you want to compare symptoms just contact me and I would be more than happy to. I also have had a painful weekend and what has helped me is a hot compress on my bladder. Dr. B. told me to do this and it really has helped. Also, taking a long hot shower.
Hope you feel better!
Anneke,
Anneke,
I am now concerned about getting the laparoscopic surgery for my stage 3 rectocele. I really need it as it is anatomically giving me such discomforting pressure and really needs to be repaired. But laparoscopic is laser treatment - right? I fear it could make my IC symptoms worse. There is also the thought that it is putti pressure on my bladder and uretha though and things might feel better if it is fixed.
Its scarey to know what to do.
Sue
Sue,
Sue,
I am not sure if a laser is involved, isn't this a type of keyhole surgery.
When your still concerned maybe you can ask Matia what she thinks.