Gynae Surgery next week

[Geminizc]

Hi ladies,

I am just looking for some advice please:
Next Tuesday I am having my perineum repaired and reconstructed and possibly a full pelvic floor repair, dependent on what they find when they get in!!
I was hoping someone may have experienced these ops and possibly give me an idea of pain/ recovery etc.

Thanks

Zoex

Levels of pain and recovery time will of course depend on what sort of surgery you have. Can you speak to your consultant prior to the surgery to get an idea or phone the ward?

I saw my consultant last Thursday after my pre op and tbh she is very dismissive of most of my questions (angry)

TMI Alert

She had me in tears last week as she said I definitely need the perineal repair and that she doesn't think the rectocele is severe enough to warrant the posterior repair, despite me explaining to her that I have to insert my fingers into by vagina to apply pressure so I can empty my bowels. (blush)
The rectocele isn't obvious unless my back passage is full so I told her I didn't think she could see how bad it was. She has assured me that she will check the rectocele once I am under the general, but if it's not too bad she will not do the repair.And that I'm may have to use my fingers for the rest of my life (sad)(angry)
So I'm in limbo I won't know until I wake up whether I'm in hospital for 1 day or 4 days, or whether I'm off work for 2 weeks or 6!!

I'm dreading it so much, I just want to be fixed x

Poor you - can't help, but hope it goes well. Make sure you don't let the consultant dismiss your concerns - tell her want it fixed in one op, not two!!!

gemini is it possible for you to cancel this op and ask to be seen by another consultant?
I had a traunatic childbirth lasr year, after being seen by the biggest fuckwit consultant, I went to my GP in tears who sent me to see a different gynae (I went private but he also does NHS so I still would have been able to see him).

I can honestly say that seeing this gynae has changed my life, and I have trusted him to do a further op which I never thought possible.

There is nothing worse than being dealt with my a health professional who you dont trust and have a good relationship with, and also someone who dismisses your fears which are perfectly reasonable.

Get another consultant and discuss this all properly (and if youre near cardiff my gynae is amazing)

Please try not to worry too much about the levels of pain post op. I had the old scar tissue from my episiotomy and 3rd degree tear excised and re-stitched just 2 weeks ago, and the discomfort really has been minimal - nothing like the horrors that I experienced post-natally when I had a haematoma and infection. My lovely gynae promised to leave lots of local anaesthetic in-situ whilst I was still under, and true to his word I didn't feel so much as a twinge until around 3 hours post surgery. This gave me plenty of time to get dosed up on oral painkillers to manage the inevitable discomfort, and I would definitely describe it as discomfort, not pain.

I was very careful not to sit directly on my bottom (iyswim!) for the first few days (great excuse to loll around on the sofa), and have avoided sitting on hard surfaces for a couple of weeks. I learnt from my post natal recovery not to be too active and to allow the stitches time to heal.

Do try to speak to your consultant again before your op (she should come round to see you to do your consent form beforehand) and discuss your concerns again. Definitely worth asking about local anaesthesia being used post operatively as well - I'm sure it made a big difference.

Big thread about this rectocele repair