Hem Spotlight: Gina

A huge part of our mission at Hem Support Wear is to normalize the conversation about pelvic floor health and build a community of support. Many people who experience prolapse or other pelvic floor conditions feel confused, isolated, or hopeless, and we believe it shouldn’t be that way.

Welcome to another installment of our series Hem Spotlight, where we feature real people and their pelvic floor health stories. Our hope is that by providing a platform for people to openly share their journeys, we will all feel less alone, more connected, and more empowered.

The following story comes from Gina, who lives in Lincolnshire, UK.

Tell us about your experience with POP. 

In 2020 I started running, and after a year I discovered a bulge coming out of me and the feeling of what I can only describe as a tampon stuck in wrong place, a lower back ache and a bulging tummy. I went to see the General Practitioner (GP) who told me that I had a prolapse, but was also concerned that it may be cancer. I had to go for internal scans, cameras and hospital check ups. I was then told it was scar tissue that the GP had thought was cancer; thankfully, I was given the all clear from that.

I later had a ring pessary inserted and was put on a waiting list for prolapse surgery (front and back repairs), plus a hysterectomy. I had my surgery in May 2022, two years after my initial GP visit. There was no mention of physiotherapy or support wear, in fact I was even told that physios are mainly for broken bones, etc. Five weeks after surgery the consultant told me to live life as normal; I also found out he’d not done the back repair (rectocele).

Six months later I’m back at the GP as rectocele was giving me symptoms. I was referred to a different gynecologist at the same hospital; she told me I shouldn’t be lifting anything or participating in intensive exercises. I told this doctor that I would rather try to self manage than have surgery again, and she ended up referring me to a physio. I currently manage the rectocele fairly well with Pilates and some lifestyle changes.

I’ve since been told prolapse happened due to a forceps delivery 20 years ago and then the running on top of that.

Do you have any advice or words of comfort/encouragement/hope you’d like to give someone who may be at the beginning of their POP journey?

My advice would be to do as much research and self help as possible. Don’t let the GP/doctors fob you off and dismiss you. You know your body! Look into Pilates and pelvic floor physiotherapy.

What are your favorite pelvic health resources (online, in person, etc.) if you have any?

Jessica Valant on YouTube and other Pilates instructors online are my favorite pelvic health resources to follow.

How can we, as the Hem Support Wear community, be a source of support and connection for you or someone else? 

The Hem Support Wear community can be a source of support and connection by making people more aware of POP and how life-limiting it can be for some people. It’s not talked about enough and so many live in silence because they’re embarrassed about it. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

Not one medical professional suggested support wear to help mitigate my symptoms. I was told to live life as normal as possible after surgery and I’d be fine to get back to exercising, lifting weights and my job as a dog groomer. Then I had another consultation telling me that I shouldn’t be doing any of those things and that I needed to change jobs!! 

There are too many contradictions between health professionals; more needs to be studied by the medical industry as some doctors have absolutely no knowledge regarding prolapse or the resources available. The National Health Service in the UK only provides ‘ring’ type pessaries when there are other better ones available. I have had to do my own research on so much to live a normal life and continue working my job using things like breathing techniques, etc.

Interested in sharing your POP/pelvic health story as part of our series? We’d be honored! Submit your story here.