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My first encounter with the word pessary was in Denmark when I was researching treatment for prolapse. A pessary is a prosthetic device that is inserted in the vagina which supports the internal structure. There are numerous different types of pessaries which come in different shape and sizes. Therefore, it is important to discuss with your doctor the best pessary for you and to try different sizes to find the best fit. With this in mind, the one size fits all motto does not apply. The most common pessary is the ring pessary. However, depending on the severity of your prolapse a different pessary may be selected. With certain types of pessaries you can wear them during intercourse, however with some you have to remove them, then reinsert after intercourse.
Personally, I have tried both the ring and cube. The ring is one you can leave in for roughly three months to six months and can also leave in during your period but you can choose to remove it if you prefer. When it was initially inserted it was quite painful, howev
er once it was in I didn't notice it at all. One problem I encountered was when I got my period it became quite infected and really painful and so since I couldn't remove it myself I had to go to the doctors and they removed it for me. On the second attempt I tried the cube one which you remove daily. The cube was so painful to insert that the doctors decided this was not a good option for me. I have always suffered from a tight pelvic floor hence why the pessary was not at this stage of my life a good option for me. My muscles were just too tight for me to insert the pessary and it was a painful process, one I would not have been able to do everyday. Due to this, the doctors recommended I work on relaxing my pelvic floor muscles, and then move on to the pessary. The main thing to remember when going through this, is that everyone is different, and don't be discouraged if you have trouble in the beginning! The most important thing is to find what works for you.
Here is a really useful link that describes what a pessary is but also goes into the possible side effects with pessaries: https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files/65609Ppessary.pdf
Pessary Q&A with Gaynor Morgan. Gaynor is Europe’s leading pessary expert, an adviser to pessary designers and manufacturers and a trainer to physiotherapists and doctors in the UK and throughout Europe.
Gaynor Morgan's Facebook Support Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/pessariesandprolapses/
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