# vaginal bulge



## Mary2001 (Aug 25, 2006)

Hi All. I am keen to know if anyone has any condition of the following:- enterocele, rectocele or bladder prolapse, and if your symptoms are the same as what I describe below. I have a vaginal bulge and been to see my GP who said it was an anterior wall prolapse and referred me to a ghynacologist. My smear tests are fine and always were. I am past menopause. When examined by the gynacologist he had difficulty finding any prolapse and eventually he said there was a small bladder prolapse, and he inserted a ring which came out that evening. (I have a follow-up appointment to see him to get it put back in later on ) While at the examination he thought I had a small blue lump on my cervix and was going to take a biopsy only to discover it was a big blue vein was there, and no lump. My question is : Can a vaginal bulge be caused by something else like your small bowel coming down, or the rectum coming out through the vagina to cause a bulge, or the sigmoid colon coming down and causing it. (I was thinking maybe it could be one of those organs he saw which maybe looked like a blue lump) I have this vaginal bulge and when I release gas it goes away sometimes, but only for a short spell and then back, its like air got trapped in it, and very uncomfortable, but mostly it gives the sensation that I need to empty my bowels, and I really dont know how that could be caused by anything to do with the bladder. The vaginal bulge used to come down when I was emptying my bowel and felt like I had not completed empyting my bowel. Now its there on and off on a daily basis. If anyone with an enterocele, rectocele, or bladder prolapse has these type of symptoms I would be greatful for any feedback offered, and what helped you. The only thing that helps me is to keep on and on emptying my bowel day in day out, and Im still left with a bearing down sensation. Thanks for your support and reading my post. Mary.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Mary I would ask your Dr about this question:


> Can a vaginal bulge be caused by something else like your small bowel coming down, or the rectum coming out through the vagina to cause a bulge, or the sigmoid colon coming down and causing it. (I was thinking maybe it could be one of those organs he saw which maybe looked like a blue lump)


If you did ask him/her that question... what did _they_ say?And did you tell you Dr this?


> I have this vaginal bulge and when I release gas it goes away sometimes, but only for a short spell and then back, its like air got trapped in it, and very uncomfortable, but mostly it gives the sensation that I need to empty my bowels, and I really dont know how that could be caused by anything to do with the bladder. The vaginal bulge used to come down when I was emptying my bowel and felt like I had not completed empyting my bowel. Now its there on and off on a daily basis.


And if you told the Dr this.. what was their response to that info? Did they call it a enterocele, rectocele or a bladder prolapse?I know they use pessary devices at times to hold bladder prolapses... perhaps that is what they inserted??I would do a search on rectocele or enterocele and even bladder prolapse on this forum and others and see if you find any info about them that way.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

HI Mary so sorry you're still having problems---i know from reading some of your previous posts that it's all been an ongoing ordeal for you--lots of discomfort and pain.i don't have that situation myself but i was curious so i googled it and came up with this website--although maybe you've already seen it. it has information and diagrams of the different kinds of prolapses--bladder, small bowel, large bowel etc. http://www.womenshealthlondon.org.uk/leafl...e/prolapse.htmlhopefully the ring--a pessary?--will help when the doc gets it back in place. and hopefully he and/or others on this board can give you some more information.i really hope you can find some relief....


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## Mary2001 (Aug 25, 2006)

Thank you BQ for reading my post, and for your reply. Yes I think I will ask the gynacolgoist on my next appointment if he can tell me what exactly is causing the prolapse, but I am not sure if he would know if its something in the bowel is coming down and maybe I would have to see a co-rectal surgeon for that end of things, although Im not sure. My doctor just said it was the anterior vaginal wall, but the gynacologist had difficutly finding it. Thanks again. Mary


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## Mary2001 (Aug 25, 2006)

Annie Thank you for reading my post and the website with the info on it. Yes I am having this difficulty for such a long time without getting any definite answers or things that work to treat it, and its hard to try and live with it due to the discomfort. I think if I could get some definte answers from the medical profession as to what exactly is wrong then I would be able to do something positive about helping myself. I looked at the website and it hard to know which prolapse it is, as its always pressure on my back passage versus trapped gas feeling/bulge in the vagina. It drives me crazy. I am thinking of trying the product V brace, as it looks like something that might help a prolapse, and maybe offer some relief until I get some answers, but I have been searching for so long for something that would work.


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## Kelly56 (Jan 3, 2010)

Mary,I have recently been told that I have a rectocele as well. I am seeing a female rectal surgeon and she suggested I read "Pelvic Health and childbirth" by Magnus Murphy, MD and Carol L. Wasson. I was able to find it at the library and I was happy to find that much information that is very well explained. I had some tests last week and am seeing her this week to see what she suggests I do. I have had IBS-D for many years and have had rectal incontinence apparently due to injury during childbirth. Although this book can't solve our problems I feel it is important to understand what has happened to my body and to educate myself so that I can make the decisions I will need to to correct or deal with it. I hope it helps you. Debbie


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## Mary2001 (Aug 25, 2006)

kelly56. Thanks for your post, and sorry for delay. I was not in the ibs site for omens issues some time. How did you get on with your tests, and thanks for the information about the book. I will try and get it at the library as its informative to read up on these issues. I am seeing a co-rectal surgeon next week to see if he can help me and will keep you posted. Thanks for your reply. Mary


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

mary-- good luck with your dr appointment--i do hope hope he can help you. and yes please keep us posted.


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## Mary2001 (Aug 25, 2006)

Hi all. Its been so long since I checked into the ibs/womens issue boards. Here is an update: I saw the co-rectal surgeon last month, and basically what he is saying is all my symptoms are coming from the intussusception/rectal prolapse issues and the only help he could offer would be colostomy which I declined, as I dont know either if I could cope with that, as its major surgery. I asked if I could have a mesh repair operation that would hold up the prolapse and he said that oeration is not succesful, so apparently no surgery for rectal prolapse is succesful. He said it is a functional disorder and all the emptying/pressure/sweating/sleepy/weakness is sensory issues. I have the same problems everyday as outlined in my posts, and probably will have to live with it. I do pelvic floor exercises daily but don't know if they will help or not. Anyone know if there is medication or anything helpful for sensory issues (I forgot to ask surgeon that question)Thanks to everyone on the boards who has tried to help and for all support offered. Mary.


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## Rolynn (Apr 24, 2010)

Just ran across your post accidentally & wanted to reply. My gynecologist has confirmed that I have a rectocele & enterocele. I do not know the degree, but it is fairly bad. I have the same symptoms as you, not being able to completely empty by bowels & pressure in the vaginal region. My doctor says that pessaries are a great help as a temporary measure, but unfortunately, we have not been able to find one that I can use. The one with the ball, she couldn't get up behind the pelvic bone & any without that anchor will not stay in place. We recently tried one that uses suction to hold in place, but it still didn't work. The only fix is surgery, and unlike what you are told, she says that a mesh can be used with great results. The trick is finding a doctor who is experienced. There are only one or two in our area, and I have not been to see him yet. She is referring me to a doctor at the medical school, who she says is an expert in pessaries as well as in the type surgery to correct the rectocele/enterocele with a mesh type support that will be permanent. I am hoping to find a pessary that will work for the short term, but do plan to have surgery eventually. Sorry for the wordy reply - my purpose was to say that you should consult another doctor & find a gynecologist/surgeon who specializes in vaginal prolapse repair. If your gynecologist cannot refer you to one, check with the nearest medical school. Good luck, Rolynn


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## Mary2001 (Aug 25, 2006)

Thank you Royln for your reply and I hope the surgery is succssful for you. Where are you. UK? or USA? I would love to get some kind of mesh repair to hold everything up, but I don;t know how many years it would last, or indeed if its totally succssufl long term. I have had a pessary in to hold my bladder up, but it came out, then had it refitted at a bigger size, but it came out too. Did the pessary you have fitted help with the rectal prolapse as thats what I would love to get sorted more than anything in the world. Have you tried any pelvic floor exercises? Please keep us posted how you get on, as its such a difficult problem to live with, and good luck, I hope you get more success with it than I did. Mary.


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