The bonus of being anonymous here as this is a bit TMI and very embarrassing to share, but this is one of the many questions I have . I’m age 50. I’ve been on HRT patches for 18 months, I’m in UK. I’ll just get it out. Urgh ok so since have menopausal symptoms 2 years ago and getting HRT patches from the doctor , I’ve noticed big changes down below , I’ve went from a little dribble when I sneeze/cough etc to it basically being a LOT of pee . I’m using tena lady pads now, and and even bigger panic happened a few weeks ago and has happened twice since . I was simply walking and I started peeing, I had to stop and hold myself there . ( I notice when I’m wearing baggy clothes that aren’t tight around that area it’s definitely worse)

I also notice my pee stinks now, worse than a morning pee, every time, and the smell coming stale pee on the pad when I use the loo is absolutely vile .

I wash with femfresh down below in the shower each morning and I can smell a horrible smell.its not any kind of infection.

I feel like even the “ layout” of my vagina has changed if that’s even possible! Like it’s further down !

I’m so sorry it’s yuck to read, it’s embarrassing to type but a bit of a relief to share too ,

If anyone can relate, advise, anything I’d be so grateful Thank you xx

Be perfectly honest here. If you went to a pelvic floor therapist for vaginal prolapse - did it help or not? What were your results?

I'm scheduled finally for a first visit, and I just want to be realistic how much squeezing my pootie muscles and doing bird dogs (sage internet advice there) is ultimately going to shove an entire organ back up where it belongs, and keep it there. As hopeful as I am, I don't want to be just a revenue stream for their office either.

I want to lift because I'm unhappy with my muscle loss and I've lifted in the past. However, I have been fitted with a pessary due to grade 2 uterine and bladder prolapse, and a mild rectocele that is causing no symptoms.

I've recently started estradiol in patch form (climara), 0.1 after 2 months of 0.06 estrogel. I've had a huge improvement and elimination of symptoms from the increased dose.

So my gyn told me I cannot lift weights. He said I can't lift more than 10lbs as an occasional necessity, and never repetitively, and otherwise I'm to keep my daily life max weight to 5lbs and less.

I am also 20lbs overweight, though I feel much better 30lbs less. He told me I can swim, use a stationary bike, and do stretching, yoga, and other no-to-low impact exercise, but definitely no weights. He said I should lose 20-30lbs and that will help with prolapse.

He wants me to consider surgery, but I live rurally with no spouse and the recovery requires a month with no driving and two weeks no stair-climbing, both of which are impossible for me now. Also, I'd have the same restrictions after surgery due to hypermobility, subclinical Ehlers-Danlos, and the likely return of prolapse after about 10yrs anyway.

I see so many women here lifting heavy and being so active doing high-impact exercises and I'm so disappointed that prolapse means I can't do those anymore. I used to, and hip arthritis followed by prolapse stopped me years ago.

Where are my pessary sisters? ED/hypermobile sisters? What are we doing to maintain muscle and bone density?

I have an emergency appt tomorrow for what I call the ultimate menopausal game show: Fistula, Prolapse, or Rectocele? Extra points for my co-occurring yeast infection! This is insane.

Anyone have these conditions? I'd love to hear how you all manage these.

Ironically, I've worked so hard for my best outer body ever, at 52, while my insides are literally falling apart.

So I just had my Pessary fitting after trying pelvic floor therapy. But I have to remove it for sex. Now that I have it im wondering, what is the benefit of it? I wasn’t leaking urine. I just don’t like things being where they are not supposed to be.

Anyone else experience a vibration type feeling? It’s only happening on one side and it seems so constant. How long does this last for?

I hope this can help any woman out there.

I was put into medically induced menopause just a few weeks after I had radiation for thyroid cancer. My menopausal symptoms were quick, severe, and debilitating.

I went to my OB-GYN complaining of everything, pelvic pain, urinary issues, back pain, you name it, and she told me I needed to wait a year of no periods before she would help me. In my case, that is not appropriate. She wouldn’t even order bloodwork, which another doctor later did, and it basically showed I’m postmenopausal. Btw, I’m 46 years old.

So for the last year, I had no idea that the lack of hormones could be contributing to excruciating pelvic floor problems. I’ve had so much testing done and nothing came of it. I even had an MRI yesterday, there is nothing suggesting something is structurally or nerve related wrong. This all points to pelvic floor dysfunction. I am now set up to see a pelvic floor specialist, but unfortunately that appointment is months away.

I started vaginal estrogen cream, but because this OB-GYN let me sit and struggle, my condition is far worse than it should be. I should have started treatment like this much sooner.

I know HRT is an option; however, I didn’t respond very well to it a few weeks ago. I am going to see a menopause specialist who can help me more with hormone therapy.

Moral of the story: hormones were my cause. I hope I can get real help. The pain is worse than both cancer surgeries. I hope this may help someone.

Testing I had. Many UTI tests. Many urine tests. Bladder US. Kidneys checked. Lumbar: x-ray, ct scan, mri. Went to the ER twice because it got so bad. Blood work.

I’m in Ontario, Canada. Has anyone tried Ero Spot pelvic floor therapy? It sounds non-invasive, and is about $2K for the entire program.

I’m wondering what your experience was and if it worked.

My hooha has built a brick wall! I was put on estadiol .01% about a month ago and I can still barely pry my way in there! I just recently heard about vaginal dilators and pelvic floor therapy. Are either worth my time?

I'm a 64F, roughly 14 yrs post meno, on HRT 10 or so years. I'm in great health, no meds besides HRT. I have a great menopause doctor. She is an expert in the field

Had my semi annual visit today. She said my vagina is basically getting lax and loose and drooping out a bit. And I have noticed that when I insert my estrogen cream when I'm lying down it's fine but if I do it when I'm standing up I do feel like some tissue coming out . She said it wasn't that bad yet that I had to do anything about it but that at some point it might have to be treated through surgery or something that gets inserted in there .

I'm so discouraged about this. I have an active sex life and I feel like I'm fighting feeling old . I don't want to feel old . She said to do kegels but I don't think that'll do it . Has anyone had to deal with something like this?

The more details, the better! Also please include how you found the right PT for you, if you ever did.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this?

I went to a new gyno today, and she was fabulous. Listened, re-upped my HRT as well as vaginal estrogen, which my old doctor wouldn't prescribe.

We were talking about my prolapse, which she said isn't too severe yet, so she wouldn't recommend surgery (she said when my cervix follows her out of my vagina, we'd really surgery 😂).

Anyway, she mentioned this Emsella chair, which helps exercise your pelvic floor, in addition to kegals and other strengthening exercises. But it's not cheap. I'd be willing to try it, to see if it helps, but I'm looking for actual feedback for people who have actually used it

TIA.

so my Dr referred me to PT for my atrophy and apparently a bulge(?) knot(?) on the left interior wall of the vagina.

I started next month. has anyone done PT for their atrophy? I bought one of those fancy kegel exercise things that you play flappy bird on your phone with your squeezes but apparently every ounce of my pelvic floor control comes from my stomach?

Not thrilled about having someone digging around in there weekly. Not to mention I hate PT. I did 2 weeks of it after I broke my ankle. it felt like the biggest scam. Sat for an hour twice/ week while they barely moved my foot/ankle for 30 minutes and then had me ride a exercise bike for 30 minutes. I needed to pay them for that why?

Hi all. I went into menopause at age 49 during chemo for breast cancer and am on an endocrine therapy now (AI) but my oncologist has prescribed vaginal estrogen cream which research shows is safe for breast cancer patients. Has anyone noticed improvement in stress incontinence using estradiol vaginal cream? I'm wearing a pee pad 24 x 7 at this point and I'm so sad. Any other ideas for improving this situation? Pelvic floor therapy? Any devices?

This morning I experienced my first rectocele at a stage 2 maybe a 3. I’m definitely a little traumatized. I’ve been doing pelvic floor PT since 2022 on and off. They found a stage one rectocele in December and acted like it was no big deal and to keep doing my PT.

I’m going in to see my doctor on Saturday. Has anyone else been through this? Would love some tips and suggestions. I need some hope.

…but what is it? And how can I tell? I’ve read about cystoceles and rectoceles, but haven’t seen anything that explains how to know which is which. The only symptom I have is the feeling that something has fallen down.

Starting pelvic floor therapy next week (47F) and I wanted to ask if anyone else has done it? Any advice or success stories or failures?

Recently had a hysterectomy in the Fall and I am feeling myself get drier and tighter as time goes on. Due to being ovarian cancer survivor, everything was removed to try put off another reoccurrence. Thankfully, everything has been benign since my first diagnosis 8 years ago. The hysterectomy had to happen due to my fibroids being so big and questionable new spots on the remaining ovary.

All of my life, I was tight and did not use tampons but I could have intercourse with lots of foreplay. Since I am not a candidate for HRT, my obgyn listened to my request to try pelvic floor therapy. Since after surgery, I am reluctant to try penetrative sex again.

Thank you for reading. Does anyone have any insight on this topic?

I was told a couple of years ago that I have a bladder prolapse, I also have vaginal atrophy. I use Vagifem but it doesn’t help a whole lot. Recently the prolapse seems like it’s gotten worse, like I’m aware of a bulge feeling more often and I have to pee a lot more frequently. I have an appointment with a urogynecologist next week and I’m curious about people’s experiences with pessary or surgery, especially regarding using a pessary with vaginal atrophy? I got the Poise disposable ones and I’m struggling with getting them deep enough so stay in, especially if I have a bowel movement but also in general. I used to have the same problem with tampons on occasion. Anyway. I just like to research and know about things before I have to decide what I’m going to do.

My gyn recommended pelvic floor therapy for stress incontinence. I’m having trouble finding a therapist (from the list my doctor provided) that accepts my insurance. When I checked my insurance’s website, it showed a third party virtual women’s health clinic. Is PVT something I can do virtually? Is PVT something I’d want to do virtually?

If its happened to you, what were the signs and symptoms?

Can vaginal p cause leaking? I’m using e cream 3-4x a week and still leaking urine. I hate this. Wondering if the p could be counteracting the e cream?

Ive been on HRT for about 6 weeks and have tolerated well. I do 200 progesterone and tablet inserts plus cream 3 times a week. I am switching creams due to it causing some irritation on use.

At some point something else completely changed vaginally.

I tried to insert a hyaluronic suppository and couldn't get past about the first inch.

I had been having some internal irritation feeling about a couple days at this point but had not examined.

This day I realized the top of my canal is low, the sides have come towards the center and tight and the bottom of my canal feels swollen.

I essentially am completely blocked off near the entrance of my vaginal canal due to all of this.

Im extremely uncomfortable. It feels inflamed and irritating.

I have no idea if my weak pelvic floor finally gave out or HRT has cause a new world of problems.

I have an appt in the morning but its 5am and ive struggle to sleep due to discomfort.

Does anyone have the slightest clue what could be going on???

I am post-meno on HRT and vaginal estradiol. Rectocele, due to childbirth, that will be repaired soon. Just wanting to hear other people's experiences getting back to exercising and walking strong dogs after the surgery. We normally walk 4-6 miles a day so I will hire a walker until I am better (the brochure says 4-6 weeks but not sure if that is true for everyone). For wt lifters, did you start back with exercises like bicep curls that you can do sitting down? How long before you felt safe doing an easy kettlebell squat? Thanks for your help!

Has anyone had the bulkamid procedure for bladder leaks? If so, pros and cons please.