New thread for those having/had posterior or anterior repairs, TVT, rectocele and all the other down below stitchups

[MissingMySleep]

Hello ladies, I hope you find this, I don't want to lose my pre-op and post-op buddies!!

OMG DB that is terrible.Have you consulted with a specialist to repair any nerve damage in that area? So you have absolutely no clitoral sensation? How old are you and do you have a husband? Do you ever feel like you want to have sex? Like if you do feel the slightest bit aroused for any reason, maybe there is hope for you. Why'd you lose your job, what happened, did you have to quit or did you get let go? I was wearing massive pads for my incontinence and that is how I lived day to day. I changed it 3x /day. If I did anything other than walk, like jumping, dancing, I would soak a pad in less than an hour. How long has it been since you gave birth? So many questions for you, just curious as maybe there is help out there?
When I was 13 years old, I was riding a bike with a friend and we were doubling. I was sitting on the seat and my friend on the handle bars. The seat of the bike broke and it caused me to slide off the bike backwards while we were travelling pretty fast. I ended up landing on the spinning tire and thrashed and bounced from the tire until the bike stopped. My jeans were of course ripped and I was bleeding heavily from the vaginal area. I had to go to hospital and I ripped all the flesh around the labia and clitoris, it ended up infected and I had a bladder infection and kidney infection. It was a mess. Well it never healed properly, the skin overlaps and healed to other parts of the skin that was damaged and I still have the scars, but I can feel stimulation. Of course I wouldn't really know about all that at 13, but obviously I recovered over time. For months I couldn't stand the thought of peeing it was so awful. I wonder if your injury could heal in time? Just a thought. Well let me know anything you wish to share.

On another note, I am still suffering from that nasty headache. I had my soak and it was just about gone, but now it lingered back to near full force again. I have been outside in the fresh air, it is tolerable at this point and I can eat now. My 18 year old daughter has just officially moved out on her own today. I am so happy for her, but sad at the same time. She is such a sweetie and I will miss her being here. Hopefully she will visit often. Her place in Edmonton is about 45 minute drive from here, so not so bad. I am going to visit her tomorrow and go grocery shopping. I think now that she has moved I feel less emotional than I did before she moved. It was perhaps part of my little depression I feel was setting in.
Footle your outercourse comment is funny.

Hi all i am a newbi. Im sooo glad i found this site. You all sound great and givin out alot of support. Which is alot more than i can say about gps- there trained robots. Even though ive had this 4 3yrs, i av only just found out wot the problem is. posterior and antierior rectocele and weakness of the pelvic floor, also evacuation problems, not incontinence. I dont have any sensation when i need the toilet and it stays in the rectum- very uncomfortable. I av a deep fear i will mess myself so i bearly go out. Also ibs and colonic inertia slow bowels - chronic constipation. Unable 2 take laxatives av the runs. g. supposities brought on more bowel problems. Fiber gel also worsens it. Yet i eat healthy- dont wanna get fat! Since takin lax im always goin 4 a wee, unable to retain fluid. I av been on a wild goose, with the nhs drivin me MAD. Got diagnosed i had a very rare syndrome obstructed defecation syndrome by a gasterentologist. He was TRYIN 2 palm me off with lax, i wasnt avin it. So my gp, then referred me 2 kgh 2 c a consultant who knows about this. He z i needed 2 go 2 st marks in London 4 biofeed bk. Which i did, treatment started last August. May 18th i had a proctrogram, which showed up the 2 rectoceles, pl weakness and not full evacuaction. Meanin only half the stuff they put up the bum came out. Then only 2 b told over the fone surgery wouldnt do anythin. That was my worse fear. My quality of life isnt worth breathin 4, i was devastated and burst in2 tears- i cant live like this, its impossible. Itold er i want the sugery, ive lost everythin- it wont do anythin but bring on more problems, she is a top surgeon with plenty of experince. I only got told this on monday and thurs, thank god i found this site. It literally stopped me from havin 2 od. And i know that must sound madness, but i av been put through so much via the nhs, i was almost convinced there was nothin that could b done. Now i know different. I would like 2 say 2 flower40 thanx 4 puttin me on the right track and im glad it all turned out well 4 u. And i wouldnt worry about the molly trolley- ive been usin 1 4 ages- just easier 2 pull than carry! Sayin that it suits me age 80!!!! and just 4 the record im 48!

Hello ladies, I am back, have spent ages catching up with the news here,
I wanted to write, but felt so rough, getting upset with actually talking about it. I realise there is a big issue in the way the system has worked for me and will do something about it once I am over this.
I have been unable to contact the consultant via the ward or any of the hospitals she works at, there is no secretary, or email address. They did not approve of my asking, I did not go to the GP as i could not see the one i know. I did speak to her and booked an appointment, the earliest next week. she is popular! They were all so kind on the wad but now i feel alone< apart from you all of course. Anyone i have approached has wanted to pass me on somewhere else! This was an NHS job done at a private hospital. It is frightening to be left like this, i don't know myself anymore.
The antihystermines have helped, the itching has eased. The pain hard to control

Welcome whiffy.Too bad someone was so rude to offer you no hope of normallacy in your life. I wish everyone had my doctor. He is the best, everyone i know that sees him just loves him. He wants to help so much to improve your life. He did such a good job on my surgeries and has changed my life for the better, I am forever grateful to him. Of course there is hope out there, we live in a world where they transplant organs from one person to another, people alter their faces to look like they want, to say that you can't restore your mpelvis area is such BS. I thought I was clearly destined to wee myself and splint out every BM for the rest of my life, but that is not the case at all. I am a new woman, really I am. I am still in recovery phase, but marked improvement here!!!!! Good luck whiffy with finding a good surgeon.

Blue so glad to hear from you again. We were all worried. So sad that you have been getting the run around, what total crap! I am so thankful for the dr I have and the way the clinic is run and the hospital. I know there is help for me if I need it and right away! So you have an allergy to something, what do you think it might be, the pads? the TVT or the stitches? I am trying to remember the post you had with all the information about your troubles. How is the pain, any less or the same? Do you have any good pain killers for the time being? You say you don't have weeing sensation. Mmmm, I wonder why that is? Do you find that it is rather slow when you do go? I felt a lot different down there after my TVT as I always felt like I had to go before and after the op the urge was gone. I know now when I am full and I have really long wees now a bit slower than before, but lots. I thought for a bit that my bowels weren't working right either, but they are. I thought I was goin got have to splint a few times, but I was very patient and eventually it all worked. I have had some constipation that has been very painful and scary as I thought that I completely wrecked teh surgery, but it is still okay. Give it some time Blue, you are in rough shape right now and having a BIG set back, so you are in sense, worse than just first day post op. you must be feeling so alone right now. You poor dear, hugs out to you.xoxo Keep us posted and if you are down, post anyway. I do and I get the support I need whether it be a kick in teh ass or kind words, all is good.

I thought I would update my situation from earlier today and I am happy to report that I feel better getting out seeing people. Headache is very slight now, I'm on teh mend. Footle, Emily you were right. Went to the fundraiser BBQ and really had a good time. So happy to see all Tuck's friends and family, had great thoughts and memories of him on his Bday. Great food also, but it poured rain like I have not seen it pour before, we had soe shelter. There has been nearly $3000 raised from this group of 50 people for cancers below the waist, more money will be raised tomorrow after the underwear affair walk/run.

Have a great weekend ladies.

Flowers missed your comment earlier. Thanks for the hugs. Yes the period sucks for sure. The reason I didn't get a hysterectomy is, my uterus was the one thing that was not falling or prolapsing. Upon examination my dr pulled on the cervix to see if the uterus would move down at all. Apparently, she is tight and securely in place. Honestly can you believe that. He likes to do the non-invasive hysterectomy method where he removes it vaginally instead of cutting through the abdominals. Mine is too intact for the simple hysterectomy, so he offered me the endometrial ablation. This procedure can stop you from having a period or make them lighter, but success rate is only 44% and in some cases it can make you bleed even more. I was concerned about other factors as well, so I still bleed!! If my uterus starts to fall, I will be going in for sure. I think my period is coming to a slow now, bleeding is minimal. Glad for you that you don't have your periods, you've paid your dues. Take care.

HI All,
Doombar, so sorry to hear of your terrible plight and the loss of sensation, your job, health, fitness, sex life and probably sanity. I know this is not america but have you sought advice re suing the hospital where your baby was born? I dont know anything about what I am on about (if that makes any sense) except to say that it doesn't seem right that the neglect in providing care has had such awful consequences on your entire life. Anyway I do hope you will find improvement following your TVT, you sound so brave and nobody deserves to suffer like that... hugs
Whiffy, so glad you found us, I hope you keep on asking for answers and get a gynae referral, can you do some research for a gynae who has good success rates and ask to be referred to them? Keep posting and dont let them fob you off, hugs to you too
Blue, so glad to hear from you but so sorry things aren't much better and you are having such a hard time getting any assistance from the health service, that is just terrible that they leave you with nowhere to return in the event of any problems, just shocking really! Are you on anti-b's for the infection? I was prescribed metro..zole (something or other like that) for mine plus the gel but was unable to get hold of that. Gosh I do hope you get some relief too, hugs for you aswell
Virginal- So glad to hear you are feeling better and you went along to Tuck's event and had some fun, I was worried if you didnt go you would always regret it as I know you said he was a dear friend, well done x

I feel like a fraud coming on now as I truly am so much better these days and looking forward to my hols (with some trepidation) on monday, also have good news that after getting some excellent advice and making a complaint to hmrc they paid up what they owed for my daughter this week so that has been a big relief, I also got a small extra amount as compensation for their shocking customer service and endless delays and mistakes. So to anyone who is feeling low, hang in there... I was soo down in the dumps at one stage, I remember at the beginning of May I lay in bed all wknd and howled non stop and yet now I am almost back to myself and optimistic that there will be some long term improvement in my pre op condition that makes it all worthwhile.

Ladies who are struggling, my heart goes out to you and I hope you will one day reach this place where it is all a bad memory and you are moving forward again.. stand up for your rights and entitlement to decent standards of care (including aftercare..) and don't let anyone fob you off with less.

God bless all of you, prob wont be able to post next week, but all think of flowers at the beach trying to hold the jelly belly in while wearing swimming cossie and perving at the hunky waiters, no cushions or molly trollys in sight, love to you all, thank you for everything, you are all so amazing, and take care xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Footle, our posts crossed again, glad to hear your good and hope thurs goes ok xoxo

thanx 2 all 4 the warm welcome. Ive not had any kids. So y this happened ive no idea. I just pray when i go 2 c gynie this does get sorted, then i can move forward and rebuild my life. Has any1 else out there, had it said that surgery wouldnt do anything? I just couldnt and still cant believe that a hospital can actully leave u ljke it-- its cruel.

hi 2 all hope yor all doin good. u r all gonna think ive gone mad, but i have 2 write it anyway lol b4 i found this site i was desperate 4 sum answers- found a website 4 a private gynie. U ask the question and he replies lol anyway got a reply 2day- Thanx. U may ring us on..... 2 make a consultation, it helps if u ask yor gp 2 referr u 4 a 2nd opinion..... does that mean i get it all FREE???????? How i would love 2 go private, they would do there best 4 me. DOOM BAR HI, boy i really do feel 4 u, im so sorry 4 wot yor havin 2 put up with. I dont know if this will help you, but biofeed is not only 4 pelvic floor exercises but also 4 evacuation problems, constipation. St marks is a top hospital 4 the bowels- even though it didnt help me it might u. As i av evacuation problems, she was goin 2 try a self irrigation on me. It would of been 1 that i would do at home- but she z it wouldnt do anythin 4 me. As my stools r soft theres another 1 she recommended, but im refusin 2 go bk as they av refused sugery 4 the pld. So im goin 2 northampton general hospital where hopefully they can sort it all out! Google st marks and biofeed bk lorraine obrien.
personally i say give me a stoma bag and cathita with a home irrigation kit-- you are in control when u go toilet dont that sound soooo good take carex

hi DOOMBA i f yor stools r soft i av the name of the irrigation 4 u---peristeen water irrigation- google it and c wot it says fingers crossed x

Hi All, sorry not much posting, working etc doesn't give me much time for MN.

Hello to the new ladies, I am so sorry to hear what horrible problems you have had ans still are having. If you need support this is the place to be, plus you may find ladies can give practical advise on what to ask your gp/consultant etc.

Blue, OMG you need urgent attention now, please please please ring and book an emergency appt or even just go back to the hospital that treated you and refuse to leave until someone has seen you. You situation sounds positively dangerous. Please don't wait until next week.

I wanted to let you know some info received from my consultant, as I think this may apply to many ladies a few months post op. I was healing, slowly but in a positive direction, ie a little better every week. then suddenly at 11 weeks I went backwards in that I had lots of pain again, and didn't know why. This new round of sharp pain (here there and everywhere, not just one place, but mainly along the V of the TVT) has been getting slowly better. I emailed my consultant to ask whether I needed to come to see him, or was this normal. I have a few replies from him that I wanted to share....

...I suspect you might simply have been overdoing it and the pain is perhaps due to a little pulling in the lower abdominal muscles. It is very unlikely that you have an infection this late after the surgery. This isn?t particularly unusual as it can take up to 6 months for scar tissue and sensitivity to settle down completely.... and also

........As it is the scars then it is very likely that you are now in the phase of nerve regeneration which is often accompanied by a few weeks of hypersensitivity. This is a quite normal part of scar healing. Sounds like there is nothing to worry about....

so.. if you suddenly get a lot of pain where your scars are (for me this is every bloody where, inside and out) that is all it is, and I am taking this as a good thing, nerve regeneration sounds good to me.

Happy Healing Ladies and Blue, please let us boss you about, please go see someone today

xxx

Well missing nice to hear about this delayed healing. I have been experiencing some pain in the groin and the front pubic bone of all things. I mean for the past three days, I can not even touch the pubic bone it feels bruised. It also feels like there is a pulling and bruised sensation right where I go pee. I can't explain it really, I don't think I have been over doing it, but I have been digging in the garden with a fork, so I have to jump in it to get it into the ground. My husband thought I shouldn't be doing that, but it didnt really bother me at the time. I am mostly suffering from extreme exhaustion. I mean I have never been this tired in my life. This morning after sleeping 8 hours, 7:30 am, my husband brings me a bran muffin in bed and I get up start eating it and then I wake up a bit later and the muffin is still in my mouth all soggy, so I eat it, then take another bite. The same thing happens where I wake up a bit later with it still in my mouth, this went on till 11:00 am. 5 times over. I really don't know that I am drifting off to sleep. I kam so tired that I cry over nothing really. My kids are being teenagers and creating a lot of stress for me lately. I do not have the energy to deal with them as I need to. I think I am suffering with anemia as I was supposed to take the iron supplements after surgery to get the Hb up. I thought eating foods high in iron would be enough, but maybe not. I just can't have any more constipation that I have already, so that is why I don't take the iron. I think I will have to go to my GP right away and ask him to check the CBC in my blood work and go from there. I have my appt. with my gyne/surgeon on July 6th and don't want to wait that long. I looked up anemia on the web and found out that it really is not a good thing to have. It can be dangerous because your heart has to work harder to pump blood around to get enough oxygen enriched red blood cells throughout your body. I know I would not be severe, but I don't think I am getting better. I just know I am not a tired person, never have been and if anything I have always been the type to stay up late and have so much energy, that is not me now.

Well that is my rant for now, all you other ladies suffering, please don't take NO for an answer, there is a dr out there who can help. Blue, I htink a trip to a hospital emergency is in order at this point, please go.

Yes Dawn that is it exactly, like a really horrible bruise in the front pubic bone. Its almost worse than the post op pains (clearly its no where near as bad) cos I thought I was better and my pains had more or less gone.

Well ladies I soon may have to change my nickname again as I think intercourse will be shortly in the future. My husband and I were intimate last night, we decided to use him for stretching exercises instead of cucumbers. Basically, he is just extremely patient and if it hurts he backs off. I found the most incredible lubricant ever. It is Intrigue by K-Y. It has a silicone base, when it goes on, it feels like room temperature, not cold at all and it is slippery, no stickiness at all, ever and a little goes a long way. Very neat stuff. Back to the point, he can go in but it takes a long time to get past the tight opening for about three inches, then it is smooth sailing after that. Except for the fact that he can't move or it will hurt. This is just stretching the area very carefully. All is well there so far. I can see where this will take time to be comfortable again, but there's hope at least, I mean I actually believe that it will work again. I know that dr said no intercourse until I see him again, but I don't know if this really counts as intercourse because it would be the very same thing I would be doing with stretching tools. There is nothing fast or rough about what I am doing, so I hope that it's okay. I wonder if I should just give it a rest until I see the dr in July?? Any thoughts? well must go now, off to the dr.

Footle Of course it will get better :)

Dawn Your poor Husband - Here it is, here it is. And....STOP!!! LOL
Only kidding! I bet he is happy to see that you are on the mend and getting back to normal. On that note, how did it go at the docs? I am hoping you are home by now.............

It is my wedding anniversary tomorrow and I am wondering how to celebrate! Is it really that bad if we dont really do anything? I srously can't be bothered! I love hubbie very much and am really happy that we have beem married for 9 years but I just can't seem to keep my mind on things like organising. It is also my b'day in a couple of weeks and friends keep asking what I am doing....to be honest I am happy letting it go by! I'm not depressed or anything, quite happy actually I just can't be bothered with anything more than normal day to day!!!LOL

Big hugs

Blue - have you an update? I really really hope by now you have been to see a doc x

Well I am back from the doctors and he didn't really have a lot to say except that he wants me to take the iron and wait until I see my dr to assess the situation. He suggested Milk of Magnesia to help with constipation. I haven't used it before, so I will see how it goes. My blood pressure is 90/60 so a bit low. My Hg is 108 and it should be between 120 and 160. It was 150 before op. I guess I will just have to suck it up and find a way to deal with it. My husband said even just taking it every 2nd or 3rd day will be better than nothing. It is really hard to build up you Hg by diet alone. I am tired though and was told to rest, take it easy and take the iron. I will let you all know how that goes.

Footle I think in your case as you are post menopause, it is harder to recover from this op, my dr told me to have this done before I went into menopause because the tissues stretch easier because of estrogen. I can see why it is a bit slower for you, but I think you are doing amazing. Hope you have more intimate days that get better and better.

My husband is a patient man to say the least, I like him more than cucumbers anyway, so I will keep up what we are doing to ensure it stays stretched, but being very, very careful. I would say I feel a bit like Footle describes, an achy feeling down there and a bit bruised, nothing real bad though in my case. More happy that everything is accessible and working again.

I just want to clarify something. At the doctor's today, the Hg was read to me without decimal points, so normal is between 12 and 16. Mine was 15 before surgery and is now 10.8. I am considered mildly anemic at this point. That's all.

Dawn re the iron, when PG my iron went down from 15 to 11. The GP said not really anemic, dont worry about it. The midwife said argh, its a big drop, and no ownder you feel like shite, and quickly got me an iron prescription. Which worked fab, as I have cast iron guts I took the max dose without any really probs (just black poo). So they might say barely anemic, but if you were 15 before, it explains why you feel awful and you really really need to get your Hg back up by whatever means works for you.

Em happy anniversay!. DH had his 40th just after my op and we didn't bother much (just as well as he put his back out on the day and we had to call an ambulance for him, oh happy memories...) I think it's quite reasonable to just swap cards and be happy without having to go mad with organised celebrations.

Footle no idea what that pain is have you been doing something odd? Gardening? Maybe moving in a way to avoid straining your underneath and strained your gluts?

have a nice day ladies (PS just posted off my redundancy forms so am feeling very pleased - that's it, its done now)

thanks Footle. Feeing very odd, have been there 10 years but it feels like a lifetime.

Blue where are you? How are you?