incarcerated uterus?

[monarch27]

Has anyone heard of this or known someone who has had it? If you have a tipped uterus you can develop this. It's where the Uterus gets trapped under the pubic bone. I'm so freaked out right now that this is what has been causing my recent issues.

I have a lot of pressure on my bladder, especially at night and feel like I need to pee pretty much all the time. Last night I was up every thirty minutes. I had this a few weeks ago but it got really bad over the past five nights.

Can someone tell me how to check where your uterus is? I would feel better if I could feel it above the pubic bone but I've tried and I cant. Should it be pretty obvious?

Heidi in Utah : (

[Mosaic]

I would stop worrying. It is very rare... a retroverted uterus will typically flip out of the pelvis by 14-15 weeks. In fact, peeing all the time is actually a good sign: a retroverted uterus is flipped back, so it usually doesn't sit on your bladder, so you don't get that urge to pee all the time like most pregnant woman. Check out these pictures of a retroverted uterus to see what I mean.

ETA: I also find it really hard to find my uterus, especially this early on. So I wouldn't necessarily try that approach.

[at_the_hip]

Hi Heidi - I have read about it before - but I thought it could cause an inability to urinate? Can it also cause frequency?

As for finding your fundus - you must be lying down. Trying at different times of day will make you more likely to be successful (ie. when you wake up with a full bladder in the morning, just after urinating first thing in the morning, after sex/orgasm, etc.). Really you will feel kind of a firm bulbous mass - sort of a ridge will first appear just over your pubic bone. Mine is up at my umbilicus now but this is pg #7 for me and I'm also measuring a month ahead. An average woman will have their uterus rise up out of their pelvis at 12-14 weeks...and by 20 weeks is at the umbilicus.

I hope this helps a little and that all is well.
kind regards,

[monarch27]

I am unable to urinate if I hold it too long. I set an alarm for every hour at night so I don't get into that situation because that is a lot more unpleasant. Last night the pressure was worse though and I just cant sleep if I feel like I need to pee. So I ended up going around every 30 minutes.

A tilted uterus does tilt back, mine normally tilts way back but in pregnancy it can cause a lot of pressure on your bladder and urethra if it's not getting into the right position. Doesn't make sense but it happens.

I will be 15 weeks on Sunday and so I'm hoping by then all is in the right place. If not on Monday my OB is getting me an appt. with someone more specialized. I'm going to try getting into an inverted position a few times a day because I've read that can help your uterus get into the right position.

Heidi in Utah

[tarakahn]

I also have a tilted uterus and it's been causing some trouble if I wait too long, but lately I also sort of feel like I'm not getting it all out. And I have to go more often. When I first couldn't pee, I looked it up and found all the info about the tilt being a possible cause, but of course, I found the info about the incarcerated uterus as well, so of course I'm worried about that now too! Talk about having TOO much information. I've read that it's a 1 in 3,000 thing, so it is rare, and some of the symptoms are the urinary issues, like not being able to go, and "hesitancy". Also a fever and sacral pain, but I guess it's possible not to have all of the symptoms... I can't feel my uterus yet, but then again, if it's still tilted, maybe I wouldn't. I'm 12 1/2 weeks. Probably just being paranoid, but still wonder.
Heidi, did you get everything checked out? Could they tell what was going on in there?

[mediumcrunch]

Many,many women have tipped uteri and it poses no problem.
Honestly, if you are feeling the need to go every 30 minutes my first inclination would be to r/o bladder infection before thinking something as rare as an incarcerated uterus was causing it.

[monarch27]

Today I am 15 weeks 4 days, and the pressure on my bladder has finally eased. So I didn't end up having to go to the specialist. Weeks 12 and 14 were the worst for me with having trouble urinating, I also ran into feeling like I wasn't emptying my bladder during week 14. My belly popped out during the last 4 days and so I'm sure my uterus is not trapped now.

Here is what I did that seemed to help. They suggest a knee chest position to help your uterus move up. This is where you get on your hands and knees but move your head to the ground and keep your butt in the air. I did this about 2 or 3 times a day for 15 minutes each. When I started doing this my nights got a lot better! Also they suggest sleeping in a prone position, this is on your belly. I would have to sleep kind of on my belly and somewhat on my side because it wasn't comfortable but this is supposed to help your uterus move up as well. I also drank all my water before 4 and only sips of stuff in the evening, this helps your bladder stay not as full while you sleep.

I read everything I could find about it. Believe me, I was kind of freaking out last week too! But I also read a post on another forum where someone was having the same problem (a lot of women with tilted uterus's have this same thing, especially during later pregnancies) Her doctor explained to her that after you've had a few babies, if you have a tilted uterus, things get stretched out so your uterus ends up basically steam rolling your bladder as it moves up out of the pelvis. This makes total sense to me, I had twins last time so I KNOW I must be stretched out a good bit.

I hope it doesn't get too bad for you. If you wake up and cannot pee, I found that getting into a warm tub helped get it started. If it's so bad you just cant after four hours, go to the ER and get a catheter.... Don't wait! This never happened to me, thank god! It does happen though, and I read it just gets extremely painful the longer you wait.

Believe me ladies, this is nothing like a bladder infection. I was checked numerous times.

Heidi in Utah

[LissaP318]

I am 14 weeks pregnant and I just learned yesterday that I have an incarcerated uterus. I have a child already (normal pregnancy) and have had 2 miscarriages, which were very early in the pregnancy. I woke up Thursday morning and could not urinate at all. Was advised to go to the ER. ONce there they did many routine tests and an ultrasound. It was then determined I had the incarcerated uterus. I had a catheter in for about 12 hours. ONce removed I was able to urinate. I was discharged earlier today. I have still been able to urinate on my own with no problems and I am not in any pain. I seem to be urinating frequently but I am also drinking alot.
On a different note we have had a trip planned to Disney and we are supposed to leave Wed. Jan 20th. My doctors have not advised me against the trip since I now know how to catheterize myself just in case I can not urinate again. I do have some follow up appointments on Monday with my OB and Family doctor. Just would like someones thoughts that has the same issues. Would you still go on your trip?

[monarch27]

I wouldn't cancel your plans unless your doctor advises you to. Hopefully he can reposition it for you before your trip! I can't imagine trying to enjoy a vacation while your having so much pressure in your pelvic area. For me it was so uncomfortable during week 14, standing up and walking around was especially uncomfortable because of the intense pressure on my bladder. If I were you I would request that the doctor tried to reposition it for you, if it is truly stuck the sooner they do this the easier it is. Good Luck!

Heidi in Utah

[LissaP318]

Thanks for your thoughts.They did attempt to reposition it in the ER and maybe it worked. I am not uncomfortable just feeling the need to urinate frequently. I was very uncomfortable when I couldnt urinate at all. So I am thinking that my uterus is working its way up to where it should be.

[LissaP318]

I guess what I really want to know is if your symptoms came and went? I mean I could not urinate at all Thursday morning and then by that evening I was able to go on my own and have been able to since. I'm scared that it will happen again. None of my 6 doctors at my practice have ever had a case of this so they are doing the best they can by speaking with specialists and doing research.

[monarch27]

Yes, my symptoms definitely came and went. I originally had the trouble being able to urinate during my 11th week this continued well into my 12th and then went away for a good week, It came back and worse during my 14th week. I also developed a rectocele which is a prolapse of the rectal wall. My doctor suspects this was also due to the intense pressure in my pelvic area. Some days were better than others, and I learned to prevent the urine blockage by getting up a lot at night and limiting my water after 4pm because it only got completely blocked if my bladder got really full. During my 14th week the symptoms were pretty consistent though, it felt like there was a brick on my bladder and it never felt like I was getting my bladder all the way empty. I am 17 weeks tomorrow and have had complete relief from both the bladder and rectal problems for a week and a half.

If they were able to reposition it, it's unlikely that it would get stuck again from what I've read. They can tell if it is still stuck with ultrasound. I never had mine repositioned, it was able to pop up on its own which is what happens in the majority of cases... read about those positions a few posts up, most of the time this alone is affective. I hope you find some relief in the coming week! In the meantime though I know it's really uncomfortable, Sucks having wacky unusual symptoms huh!

Heidi in Utah

[earthmommy2]

I want to say BREATH!!! I have a tipped uterus and read about this when I was pregnant with my first 5 yrs ago and had a huge freak out. But I was assured that it's rare and also told by my MW at the time that it's normal to stress about things like where your uterus lies...Breath, if anything it makes your belly grow differently or even your labor different. With my kids, I never had contractions that spanned across the front of my belly, all of it was in my back. My MW said it had alot to do with the tipped positioning of my uterus.
Much love and hugs!!!

[LissaP318]

Went for my doctors appointment today and things are good!! My doctor seemed very positive that my uterus is on its way up to where it should be! Thank goodness! Also they usually have trouble locating a heartbeat and she found it instantly. Which is another good sign that the uterus is moving. Looks like I wont be canceling my Disney trip after all!!! Thank you for all your information. It definitley eases your mind to know that you are not alone in a rare situation!

[emma2010]

I am 11 weeks pregnant and have been wearing a catheter to drain for a week. I would like to know if there is anything I can do to help the uterus move in the right direction. I have been doing some exercises, but things don't seem to improve. I am on my fourth catheter...take out one, wait for 2 hours with drinking lots of water and learned unable to urinate another one gets put in. I am going to see my OB again on Friday. I really want to get off the catheter dependency ASAP.

[LissaP318]

When I was having trouble the only thing my doctors told me to do was sleep on my stomach and to get onto your hands and knees with your head down towards the floor and butt in air. They suggested 15 minutes about 4 times a day. Typically the problem will correct itself but it is very uncomfortable when you are unable to urinate on your own. They taught me how to self catheterize. Have they showed you how to do that? At least if you know how to do it yourself you wouldnt have to wear the catheter all the time. You could just do it yourslef when your bladder is full. I hope things work out soon for you.

[emma2010]

Thank you LissaP318 for sharing your experience. At least now, I feel I am on the right track. I have been doing the exercise as you described about 6 times a day (every 2 - 3 hours), each time ranging from 10 to 25 minutes. When I see my OB tomorrow, I am going to ask about self catheterization. How long did it take for your uterus to move in the "right" direction?

[monarch27]

Ugh!! I so feel for you! Yes, I also did those same exact things. I didn't get complete relief till about 15 weeks so you have a ways to go. I know sometimes the doctor can physically shift the uterus but it is a pretty uncommon ailment so not many OB's have the experience to do it.

Just a warning, if you start having something bulge out of your Vagina... Dont freak out, it will correct itself once the uterus moves up. I had this happen and it was terrible, all the pressure in my pelvic area caused my Rectum to start pushing that direction. I thought I was going to have to deal with it the rest of my life but it completely went away along with the pressure.

Good luck momma! Hopefully this is the worst thing you will experience your whole pregnancy.

[emma2010]

Thank you sooooo much, Monarch27. I have been experience the bulging thing coming out my vagina for a while and told my OB at my first prenatal visit at 8 weeks. She recommended me to take Miralax...that hasn't helped. In the past couple of days, I wonder my problem relates to my uterus. Thanks again for helping me to understand my body.

I am going to talk to my OB tomorrow about self catheterization. If she wants me to continue to wear a Foley catheter, I worry about the bladder not doing its job when the catheter is removed...did anyone experience this problem?

Also for Foley catheter wearers, I frequently have an urge to urinate. Do you have this problem as well?

Thanks for all your input. If there are things I need to know, please share them with me. I'd really appreciate all your thoughts and time.

[emma2010]

Congratulations Monarch27. I missed the part that you're expecting and your baby is coming in June. Exciting time!!!