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PART 9 (Mar 2014) Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc

53 replies

gottagetthroughthis · 19/03/2014 00:08

Welcome to thread 9 (again - see below) of a long-running series of posts from ladies suffering from pelvic prolapses to support each other through the process of diagnosis, repair and recovery.

With apologies for confusion in thread numbers - an earlier thread was called part 7 but it was actually the 6th thread.

Here are the previous threads:

Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 4
Thread 5
Thread 6
Thread 7
Thread 8

Info from BBC Health

What is a pelvic prolapse?

As the muscles, ligaments and supporting tissues in the pelvis become weaker, they are less able to hold in the organs of the pelvis such as the womb (uterus) or bladder.

Gravity pulls these organs down and, in the more severe cases, may appear through the entrance to the vagina.

A variety of problems can occur, depending on where the weakness lies and which organs are able to descend, but in every case there is some degree of prolapse of the vaginal wall, which begins to invert (rather like a sock turning inside out).
Prolapse of the womb or uterus is the most common prolapse, affecting as many as one in eight older women to some degree
Prolapse of the bladder, known as a cystocele, is less common.
Prolapse of the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the bladder) is known as a urethrocele.
Prolapse of the intestines is quite rare, and known as an enterocele or rectocele.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on which tissues descend, and how severe the prolapse is.

They may include:
A sense of heaviness or pressure in the pelvis.
The appearance of a bulge of tissue in the genital area, which can be quite alarming, and is often red and sore.
Urinary problems, such as having to urinate more frequently, feeling the need urgently, being incontinent (losing control of the bladder) or, conversely, being unable to pass urine when you need to.
Pain in the pelvis or lower back.
Sexual problems, including pain and decreased libido.
Constipation.
Vaginal discharge or bleeding.

Treatment and recovery

Once a prolapse has developed, surgery to fix the affected organs is usually the only way to cure it effectively.

However, another option is to use a device known as a vaginal ring pessary. This is rather like a contraceptive diaphragm or cervical cap. It's made of silicone or latex, and placed in the vagina to push back the prolapsed organs and hold them in place. Many women happily manage their prolapse this way.

OP posts:
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gottagetthroughthis · 19/03/2014 00:30

No sorry wrong one try this link it works!!

Thread9

OP posts:
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jellybean1212 · 25/04/2014 10:52

I am new to all this stuff. I recently have been diagnosed with rectocele. Now I am absolutely horrified because of the surgery.
I want to ask ones who already went through that. Can people live normal life after rectocele repair? I mean doing sports, dance.
I am dance teacher. And I am just so scared... Dancing is my life and the only thing I can do for a living. Will I be able to continue my work?

Please answer if you know something about that.

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kazzawazzawoo · 25/04/2014 13:17

I think there' s another ongoing thread called part 8 that you could post on, more people may see that one Smile

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jellybean1212 · 25/04/2014 18:58

kazzawazzawoo, the previous thread is not accepting new messages.

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kazzawazzawoo · 25/04/2014 19:13

Have you tried the one called 'Pt 8 (Oct 13)? (I think). Someone else has posted there today.

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CSRHP · 28/04/2014 23:23

Hi ladies, have any of you had sphincterplasty postpartum? How was the surgery and recovery? Thanks

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Ssaajj · 04/09/2014 11:25

Bit confused - this pt9 doesn't look to be active. I am new (though have read most of the historic threads) & have posted into pt8 which looks active, but with over 990 posts will soon be full...

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loopylouisa · 24/10/2014 22:27

Hi ladies - I've read most of these long running threads which date back quite a way - was wondering if any of you ladies had had a recent tvt - would love to know how your op went and if there's been any improvement and whether it was painful or bearable - any tips or advice would be very welcome

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Naturally2806 · 25/10/2014 16:38

Hello!! Please help!! Freaking out. Due for keyhole sacrohysteropexy and anterior and posterior repair on Monday. Not really had any discussion on side effects with surgeon. At pre op appointment tried to ask questions and the dr told me she was just assessing my health for surgery and couldn't really answer my questions fully. Just been on NICE website which wasn't very reassuring at all. Now seeing the posts in here I'm absolutely terrified I'm doing the wrong thing and thinking of cancelling Monday. Although my symptoms do affect my everyday life and relationship with my hubby they are not as severe as some who have posted on here. Should I cancel it and leave well alone at the risk of making it worse?? In scared the mesh could damage my spine and I don't understand all the stuff on eroding

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loopylouisa · 25/10/2014 17:43

Dear Naturally2806 - I know how you feel I'm booked in in four weeks for TVT and I'm freaking out - I now have loads of questions which I didn't know I would have when I saw the Dr at the hospital ages ago - I've already put one appointment back because like u my symptoms are livable and I wasn't sure I wanted to go ahead - however with the gift of hindsight I wish I'd gone with the first appointment as it would've all been over and done with now and I would've been well on the road to recovery - can't you go to the hospital on Monday and ask your questions before they operate hoping they can give you reassurance then ? the one thing putting my op back gave me was the time to think even though my symptoms are livable at the moment they will probably worsen as I get older and you owe it to yourself to give yourself a good quality of life - let me know how you get on

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sadie9 · 25/10/2014 18:09

I had an anterior and posterior repair (without mesh) a couple of weeks ago. And the waiting and worrying beforehand was the worst part believe me. Like you before the op I was really worried and read all the bad stuff on the internet. THEN I read about the issues with common operations/procedures like endoscopes, Casaerian sections and the like. Just as many horror stories there. No one would ever have a C-section if they read the 'research' of what might go wrong! I had a look at the NICE guidelines on repairs. Most of the studies have a 1% serious thing going wrong. And they don't tell you the age of those 1% - it could be an 83yr old lady who had 5 other operations before that. I had to choose - either I try to live with a bulging bladder protruding from my vagina, or I trust a doc who does this operation every week. I trust my GP who tells me others have had good results. And I trust my physio who told me I'd need an operation no matter how many pelvic floors I did.
If people's operations go fine, we don't hear about it. People generally only post on boards if things don't go well. So the other 95++% successful ops go undocumented. The docs wouldn't be taking on the headaches of stuff going wrong if the majority didn't get a successful outcome. They'd send us home with a pessary. I'm sure yours will be fine too so please try not to worry.

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Naturally2806 · 25/10/2014 18:46

Thank you!! It's not so much the anterior and posterior repair bit I'm worried about, but the mesh one. My surgeon is basically going to try and do 2 procedures simultaneously- 1st the mesh and then the repair after. I feel I owe it to my husband (and I guess to myself) to try and get my bits fixed!! Sadie9 **do you mind if I ask why you didn't have mesh??

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sadie9 · 25/10/2014 19:59

I didn't have mesh because my cervix/uterus is still up high where it should be. So generally if that is the case they do it without mesh. Then later if the cervix starts falling they'd do the mesh then. If the uterus is prolapsing, they do the one you are having to keep everything anchored up there. From what I have read they do all the procedures together usually. I know there is a lot of stuff about the mesh a few years back, but like I said we never hear about the success stories.
And yes we owe it to ourselves to live a normal life without having to be reminded of our nether regions every time we sit down, stand up, go to the bathroom, pick something up of the floor, not do exercise, not do long walks, not join in with stuff with the kids, not enjoy sex for years or decades possibly etc pretending everything is fine.

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Smokedsalmonbagel · 06/01/2015 14:06

Any one still about? I've got pre op assessment next week and op the week after.
Having a rectocele repair. Feeling scared and could use a bit of company.

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Smokedsalmonbagel · 09/01/2015 13:34

Anyone?

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sadie9 · 09/01/2015 15:34

Like I said the worrying beforehand really is the worst part. I am 13wks post op now and nearly back to normal (I had cystocele & rectocele done). It'll be fine, really. I just went off to sleep and then woke up, mine took less than half an hour. Any questions please ask! Best of luck with it. You'll be looked after really well in hospital.

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Smokedsalmonbagel · 10/01/2015 10:37

Thank you.
My main worry is my history of anal fissures, im worried tgis is going to cause them to come back. I know I need to be really careful.

Also long did you need help with the kids for? Mine are 4 and 7. It is a 10min walk to school. Wondering how long it will be before I can do this. Week 4 post op is half term, wondering if I will need some help that week.
Thanks, im a worryer anyway so feeling up and down at the moment.

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MotorcycleMama · 11/01/2015 11:06

Hi smokedsalmonbagel how are you doing? Have you had your pre-op appt yet? I have no experience of the op you are going to have, but totally understand the anxiety about possible risks and managing recovery time. I have got a minor rectocele which caused me problems with emptying my bowel for a while, but it improved spontaneously thank goodness. How does the rectocele effect you? I can't imagine it is much fun, and I'm sure life will feel better after your repair. am heading for tvt procedure for stress incontinence post-childbirth and am terrified. I keep changing my mind about waiting for longer to see if things improve (DS is 10 months) or just getting it done now to get some quality of life back. I can be here to handhold.

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sadie9 · 12/01/2015 10:32

Hi Smokedsalmonbagel, by week 4 you should be okay at home with the kids, but you may still not feel like going for big outings or anything. I had the bladder and rectocele done, so not sure how it is after just the rectocele. I would figure give yourself 2 weeks off the school walk, if you can. It would be doable but at a very slow pace and not carrying schoolbags or anything. If it was level ground with no hills possibly after a week giving yourself twice the time to walk it. And you may want to hit the sofa afterwards. Having said that you may have no problem walking it after a couple of days.
After the op, the swelling is invisible and inside. Now you might also be sitting a bit gingerly on one butt cheek on a hard chair. So you come home from hospital feeling like a bit of a crocky old lady, but you do improve massively from week to week. If found it was like having an invisible heavily pregnant tummy in the way. Its discomfort rather than pain, manageable with paracetamol. You only discover what your stomach and abdominal muscles are used for after something like this. Bending down was uncomfortable so I put the kitchen stuff so that everything is on counter level for a few weeks. So like bottom tray of dishwasher was uncomfortable for me for a few weeks. No heaving lifting for 6 weeks, so only fill kettle enough for one cup. I used to kind of slide the saucepans over the countertop from cooker to sink. With the kids, get down on your knees to help tuck in clothes, put stuff in schoolbags etc rather than bend over. Get them to pick stuff up and hand it to you. Just overemphasise to everyone how much you need to rest up the first 6 wks. If it means plonking kids in front of Netflix/dvds every afternoon and cooking them pasta every day for 3 weeks, or missing a few afterschool activities those weeks, well its not forever. Do whatever you can now to make life easier next couple of weeks, like dinners in the freezer.
The motto for recovery is: go slow now so you can go fast later.

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sadie9 · 12/01/2015 10:41

Forgot to add, as one worrier to another. I tell myself this. "The amount of fear and anxiety I feel is not proportional to the amount of danger me, or anyone else in is. It is just my mind trying to keep me safe".

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Smokedsalmonbagel · 12/01/2015 20:17

Thank you both for your replies.

Thank you motor I need some hand holding. I live in hope the rectocele disappears but its here to stay. My youngest is 4 so know what the waiting is like.

Thank you so much Sadie for breaking it all down like that. I've got my pre op assessment tomorrow and theres so much going through my head.
I've joined the pop facebook group I saw on here but it's scaring me even more. Lots of talk of ops not working and 6 weeks not enough recovery time.
One thing I will ask about tomorrow is my bladder. I get urgency and take mirabegron which helps. Im concerned fixing the rectocele maymake things worse.
Will be glad when it's all over.

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Dragonfly71 · 13/01/2015 21:39

Sadie9 thank you so much for your posts. I don't want to self diagnose as I am seeing my GP Thursday... But I am pretty sure I have a prolapse, although I am not sure of degree. I realised I had a UTI about a week ago and when I got the hand mirror out had quite a shock. Kind of like a landslide at your favourite beauty spot. I am very tender too and have lower back pain. I don't have incontinence and my cervix hasnt dropped but the urethral and vaginal areas are definitely effected. I will know more Thursday I hope but have a feeling I will be back for some support. It's very scary. I just want to feel normal again. Also I work full time and as its a new job taking time off is going to be tricky. But at the moment I just want to be "fixed".
Very relieved this thread exists!

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loopylouisa · 14/01/2015 21:33

Well I'm 6 weeks post surgery with my tvt - I'm feeling great was back on my feet after two weeks and had to remind myself not to lift things as I felt so well - 6 weeks in and the only wet knickers I've had was when I ran out of patience having a wee and pulled up my underwear too quick - I've run for a train and there's been no leaks - with regard to pain it wasn't too bad - it's the best decision I made to have this done and I believe my surgeon is a God - get it sorted girls - you will be glad you did - but make sure you rest don't be tempted to do too much and undo it - good luck

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Smokedsalmonbagel · 15/01/2015 09:52

Good luck dragonfly, let us know how you get on.

Glad you are doing so well Louisa.

Had my pre op this week and feeling reassured.
Have started telling people I'm having it done. Don't really like talking about it so feels bit awkward.
Feeling tearful at times but generally ok.

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loopylouisa · 15/01/2015 12:38

Smokeedsalmonbagel - good luck - you will be fine and although embarrassing (I concocted many stories why I was having this done because I was so embarrassed) afterwards you will be so glad it's sorted - the scariest bit is waiting to have it done and I cried on the morning of my procedure but that's the worse bit and when you wake up every day you recover a tiny bit more xx

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