Jennifer was a patient of mine whose sex life had tanked in part because her bladder had fallen down. She and John had been together for fifteen years and after her third vaginal birth, she felt a dryness and a bulge between her legs.
Jennifer preferred not to undergo surgery and was therefore very interested in a conservative measure to treat her prolapse. So I offered her a pessary, a small medical grade silicone device that is inserted into the vagina to support a prolapse, the organ that had fallen down; her bladder. She was delighted to know she could resume sexual activity with her husband even with the pessary in place. She believed that their relationship after the children were born was just as important as it was before they arrived. She had her priorities straight!
Jennifer at age forty-three was into her peri-menopausal years and her doctor had prescribed a low dose localized estrogen tablet that is to be inserted into her vagina twice per week at night on a Monday and Thursday.
I fit Jennifer with a ring pessary with support (more of an art than a science) which managed to hold her bladder in the right place. It was quite comfortable as it should be and she was able to void properly. When Jennifer returned to my office for her follow up visit one week later after trying out the pessary, she told me that when she used the low dose localized estrogen therapy it gave her abdominal cramps so she cut the dosing back to once per week.
It was important that Jennifer’s and every woman’s vaginal tissues are moist and well lubricated. So I recommend Gynatrof, a hormone-free gel for Jennifer to use twice weekly on different days to when she inserted the low dose estrogen tablet, so as not to alter it’s effectiveness. The beauty of Gynatrof is that it can also be used as a lubricant during sex. Did I mention that one can remain sexually active with most of the pessaries used to treat prolapse? Well, Jennifer was delighted to learn this. Spontaneity in the bedroom is key and it would really kill the moment to remove a pessary in the heat of the moment.
That said, I did show Jennifer how to service or clean her own pessary which must be done every two weeks. Once she removed as she bore down and inserted her finger into her vagina, she could clean it with mild soap and warm water, dry it and reinsert it by squeezing it and using lubricant. She was good with all that and so excited to get back to the bedroom armed with Gynatrof gel to ensure her vaginal tissues were healthy and she was well lubricated for a more playful sexual experience and even better sexual satisfaction!
Maureen McGrath is a Registered Nurse host of the Sunday Night Sex Show on News Talk 980 CKNW, feminist, women’s health expert and a 2016 TED speaker on the Sexless Marriage. Her book is available on Amazon.ca : Sex & Health: Why One Can’t Come Without The Other. She is recipient of the Vancouver Board of Trade Community Catalyst Award 2016 and a finalist for YWCA Women of Distinction.
