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A pessary is a plastic product which fits in your vagina to aid and support your uterus (womb), vagina, bladder or rectum.
The pessary is often times used for "prolapse" of the uterus. Prolapse means that your uterus droops or tends to "fall out" because it loses support after you give birth or have pelvic surgery. This challenge is generally fixed with surgical treatment, however, you may also utilize a pessary to maintain the uterus in place.
A pessary might help for those who have a "cystocele" (when your bladder droops straight down into your vagina) or for those who have a "rectocele" (if your rectum sticks up into the bottom of your vagina). A pessary can also help a lot of women with stress bladder control problems (the leaking of urine when you cough, strain or exercise).
Women that are pregnant with incontinence can also use a pessary. What type of pessary will I use? Your doctor will determine which type of pessary you should use dependent on the issue you have. The pessary has to be fit perfectly. There won't be any equipment that will tell what the right size is. The pessary is fit by trial and error.
It typically needs a couple of attempts to find the correct one. Following your initial fitting, you will need to return to the medical doctor's office to have the pessary rechecked. Your doctor will most likely look at the pessary in two or three days. After that you will most likely be examined every month or two. Occasionally the size or model of the pessary will have to be changed.
How do I Care for my Pessary?
It is vital that you adhere to your medical doctor's guidelines about taking good care of pessaries. Nearly all pessaries can be worn for many days to weeks at a time before they need to be taken out and cleaned with ordinary soap and water. You should be sure to keep your check-up appointments and clean the pessary as your doctor tells you. Does the pessary cause any side effects? You may notice more vaginal discharge than normal.
Your vaginal discharge could also develop an odour. Certain vaginal gels can sort out these types of unwanted effects. Your personal doctor might or might not have you douche too. Vaginal irritation is yet another possible unwanted effect. Ladies who are past menopause might need to use oestrogen cream for the discomfort.
The vaginal pessary can fall out of the vagina if you strain or lift something. This usually means that your pessary is too small. Check with your doctor if your pessary keeps falling out. What else should I know? Many pessaries can be worn during intercourse--your doctor will explain if you can't. Make sure to tell your physician immediately when you have any discomfort with the pessary or if you have trouble urinating or having a bowel movement.
