Prolapse Surgery: Is It The Right Choice?
I’ve been sharing a lot about surgery not always being a fix for prolapse, so today, I’m going to share a different point of view…
When surgery is the best option for a person living with prolapse.
Sure, prolapse isn’t life threatening but it is life altering and can be devastating on a woman’s self esteem and sense of self.
Often surgery is recommended in the medical field but what isn’t shared is the need for rehab post op. So many women who choose to have the surgery need some sort of re-do because they unknowingly return to habits like bearing down onto the pelvic floor muscles.
In Prolapse To Powerful I share the exact steps I use with my clients (and myself!) to overcome the challenges of prolapse to get back into lifting heavy and getting sweaty.
But what makes surgery the right choice for you? Well, that’s something I can’t answer but can give you some things to think about and look into so that you can choose for yourself.
I do believe that surgery is the right choice for some women. It isn’t the only choice and thankfully there are less invasive options to try first.
This is because there will be recovery time post surgery. Depending on the type of surgery (mesh repair, partial or full hysterectomy), you could be required to recover for 6-8 weeks. This may mean taking time off of work or being limited when it comes to lifting and carrying your kids.
There’s also the possibility that your prolapse isn’t the reason why you’re experiencing symptoms. There’s the possibility that there’s a pelvic floor muscle thing happening. When you’re pelvic floor is hypertonic (overly tight), hypotonic (unable to contract or maintain a contraction)
This is a conversation to have with your doctor of course. But I have worked with clients who’ve had a hysterectomy for other reasons and the hysterectomy happened to take car of the prolapse at the same time.
Surgery is one option you have when it comes to managing your prolapse. But it isn’t the “easy” way out either.
You see, managing prolapse is a holistic affair and sometimes, your symptoms are an indirect cause of the symptoms themselves. So it’s important to become informed about how your pelvic floor is working BEFORE taking the plunge.
In my online coaching program, POPMAX, I work with you to determine what steps you need to navigate your prolapse naturally and with/without surgery. There’s so much more to prolapse that your pelvic floor gets the blame for, so don’t you think it’s worth it to see what you can do without surgery first?
Surgery may not solve what you’re going in for. This is where being informed about your pelvic floor can be really helpful.
Sometimes what happens, is that out pelvic floor is hypertonic (overly tight), or hypotonic (in need of strength), and it’s the muscles that are bringing on the symptoms and your prolapse is getting the blame.
But when your pelvic floor isn’t functioning as well as it can, they can’t supply your prolapse and it may not be your prolapse making you symptomy,..
So if this is the case, surgery may not be the fix you’re going for.
A pelvic PT can assess you and your pelvic floor to see how your pelvic floor functions and help you to determine if surgery is the right fit.
Prolapse isn’t a one size fitness all and there are so many non invasive options like pelvic floor muscle training, pessaries, and external supports garments that can give you the relief you’re looking for.
Don’t get me wrong, surgery is a great option for a lot of people living with prolapse, but it isn’t for everyone.
If you are considering surgery for your prolapse and are still wondering if it’s right for you, please feel free to reach out to me and I’ll reply personally to answer your questions.
Ciao for now,
Terrell
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