Womb and bladder prolapse

[Abbella]

Just found this forum, and relieved to know that I am not alone with this problem. I am 70 this year and have been wearing a pessary (gellhorn type) for the last, 6 years, have to go to the hospital every 6 months to have it removed, really have to brace myself for that, the pessary acts a bit like a suction and the nurse has to manoeuvre it so that it breaks the suction to get it out, but it has done the job of holding everything in place very well. However after the last pessary procedure I started bleeding and had a smelly discharge, so the gynae said the vagina had atrophied, thinning skin, related to age, and has decided to give the pessaries a rest for 2 months to give the skin a chance to heal, and to apply oestrogen cream, so I am now realising how bad the prolapse is, no pain, but I am aware of it all the time. I don't want the op as I hear bad things about it, plus I am a carer for my disabled husband, my children live a long way away and both work full time, so nobody to look after me, and we also have a dog that needs his daily walks!! I suddenly feel very old, I have always been very fit and active, walking the fells where I live, I am going to try a different type of pessary on my next visit, but just wonder how long I could continue to use one, presuming I live into my 80's or even 90's, the gynae is really leaving the decision up to me, and I in a dilemma as to what to do,. Hoping somebody out there has solved this problem and can pass on their thoughts. Abbella (breathing in as I speak)!

[HighlandMo]

Hi. I'm in my late 60s and discovered a prolapse a year ago. I did my research and didn't like the sound of the pessaries or the op. I was sent for physio and am doing that but not sure how helpful it is. I decided to try sea sponges and that is working pretty well for me. They work like a tampon/pessary and because they are soft they are comfortable and you can put it in/out yourself, wash it and I leave it out at night. Sometimes it slips a bit which is uncomfortable and needs adjusting. They can be trimmed to size.