It is not easy to identify a rectal prolapse. Especially when we don't know such things exist. Most people want nothing to do with discussions about this area of the body. What happened to me should be mandatory education for women before it happens. What is supposed to remain tucked up inside the body, begins to fall out. What should never see the light of day, becomes quite prominent as well as physically and emotionally uncomfortable.
Some of my symptoms that had been dismissed for months were feeling like I had to go or still had to go when nothing was there. I'd had lower back time for many months but chalked that up to sitting most of my working day. I also had a pinpoint pain on the left side of my body that wasn't quite forward in my consciousness. I had begun to pee more frequently, although I thought it was my body adapting to my therapy schedule. Each hour in between clients. I was six months into menopause so was having no vaginal symptoms. Nothing in my mind put anything together.
Once I spotted blood, I became more aware of what was going on with that orifice, especially after elimination. One day, a week before my colonoscopy, I had been waiting for what seemed about 20 minutes because I didn't feel as if I were finished. I reached back to check (understanding I don't recall ever really exploring my anus) to find about a golfball sized "balloon". It felt rubbery and had no excrement on it whatsoever. In a panic, I quickly cleaned up and ran to the computer.
Initially I searched the symptoms and body part...rectum, balloon, outside. That's when I first learned of rectal prolapse. I had the symptoms. At the stage it becomes visible (on the outside of the body), is the final stage. Some women choose to live with the prolapse that undergo surgery. Once mine came out, it sometimes retracted on its own. Sometimes I had to push it back inside on my own (ewww). Sometimes I could feel it outside the body while I was in session and had to completely ignore it to focus on my clients.
I had called Dr. DeLeo the day I discovered the prolapse. I wasn't sure if the colonoscopy needed to be delayed or what other doctor I would need to see. She gave me an appointment the day before the colonoscopy. While I often had cautioned my clients not to self diagnose from the internet, I had found images of a prolapsed rectum on the internet. Being the inventive person I am, I placed my camera on a stepstool and stood over it while the prolapse was fully exposed and took a picture. It was identical to the internet photo. I did not think to bring the photo with me on the day of my appointment. In fact the whole topic was totally embarrassing. The fact that I took the photo still surprises me. I'm glad I did it though.
When I saw Dr. DeLeo, she asked why I thought I had a rectal prolapse. She claimed she found no evidence of one while in a Pap smear position. She had me stand up and probed my orifices. She proclaimed me to have a bladder prolapse.
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