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!!

Sorry if i am getting bits of yoour infos mixed up...stillnot functunctioning100%...but just sift thruitand try tomake senseofit till i get home...

Not a problem Lynnro , I knew you meant me :)
Hope you're recovering nicely x

Thanks to the other advice too, I do only want 2 DCs, so I'll start nagging the doctor to fix it after this one! Luckily for me, I knew what it was when I went, so didnt have to explain so much as say "I have a rectocele, please have a look"

Hi Ladies, Just checking in to give an update, Well things have still been up and down with the BMs, went to see my Consultant yesterday for my post op check he has discharged me from the hospital now. He said I will be still swollen for a few weeks yet and once the swelling goes down I should have no problems with the BMs and not to have the Movicol from now on just eat the recommended five a day of fruit and veg and have plenty of water. I think its a question of wait and see if things settle down.

Hi there, I always think the wait and see is a hard one but hopefully your consultant is right, Shazza, and you are getting there.

Unfortunately I keep doing the 'wait and see' thing but so far with no success, I still have this overactive bladder problem since my TVT. Really really did think the medication was having some effect at the beginning of this week as I managed two good afternoons and evenings with 3 hr gaps between loo trips. But yesterday was my worst day for weeks and I have been on the tablets 3.5 weeks now. Am due to see consultant again next week but know it will just mean 'try another medication' and it will be 11 weeks since my op next week and I am so tired and upset about all this. Had to cancel our holiday, was due to go on Saturday.
PS; Think you can only edit in Preview, Footle.
Hope you're all doing ok.

Hi everyone, 2 months post op (30th June) for posterior repair. No probs apart from some worsening faecal incontinence, which has never been too serious, just leaks, but can get sore and irritating. Also have had to use more Loperamide, (Imodium) for the loose motions.
Think all stitches have come out, and have my gynae follow up next week. I would recommend it, if like me, you experienced frequent pain due to trapping of wind and faeces, plus having to help it out manually as many here have stated!
Interesting about the tooth question. Its difficult as the way that they cover themselves for this possible eventuality is they should pre warn you about any possible tooth/bridge/crown damage especially from tracheal intubation, (usually by anaesthetist, when he/she comes to assess you pre-surgery.)
This means they are not liable and is at your own risk but you would have to seek advice.
If you think they didnt mention it at all you may have a case.
I lost part of my front teeth as a child, many things were tried ending in a bridge in the 80's. This bridge lasted till Oct last year when I had an ear op. About 3 weeks after I started to notice the end tooth wobbling a bit so thought bridge was coming loose. Also had horrendous pain. As this thing had never shifted in 24 yrs nothing the dentist or me could do would get it off! She eventually found through xray the tooth had snapped off. With bridges no longer on NHS (she quoted £1000!) I had no option but to have a denture, but wonder if the damage was down to the op?!
Lots of love to all x

Glad you are doing reasonably ok, Jannie. Dental treatment is a bit of a nightmare nowadays, isn't it? The costs are so high!

Thanks for the sympathy, Footle :) I feel as if I've turned into a Champion Whinger! Yesterday was pretty good, today is rubbish so far. Really driving me crazy as I can't predict from day to day how it will be so making any sort of plans to do something is nerve wracking. We were due to go away tomorrow for two weeks and then due to go and visit friends in France at the end of the month and have no idea now if I can or not. Trouble is that even if I try and go, with this constant 'urge to go' it stops you relaxing and enjoying anything. How are you doing?

Thanks Footle, it's kind of you :) Yes I know about the Sheewee. I bought (although have never used) a Uriwell, like this - www.amazon.co.uk/Medicare-Uriwell-Adult/dp/B002NWFIMS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314998727&sr=8-1

Haven't actually worked out how and where I would use it though! And really the thing that is driving me crazy about the frequency and urge problem I have is the nearly constant feeling of 'needing to go'. It is very nearly 4 weeks that I have been on the drug I was given and I've just kept hoping it would start to work, but am losing hope now.

Hello ladies
I'm new to this thread, have been reading it since its start in 2009-eeek! Couple of weeks to go until my surgery, I have a fairly mild rectocele but would rather have it fixed than spend the rest of my life having BM probs, yuk. DS born in 2001, with forceps and ventousse so I think that was the cause.
I haven't thought about it much really, I'm an Operating Department Practitioner (same as Theatre Nurse really) so see this surgery all the time; I'm having it done at my hospital, with my friends looking after me and I know the surgeon quite well so have no qualms there. Didn't even consider the recovery part... am supposed to be going on a reunion weekend in Dorset 3 days post-op (I'm in Sussex). It was booked ages ago, then my surgery got re-booked, didn't want to risk losing the date yet again! Stupidly have been thinking... oh it's just a few stitches (I know, head in the sand, should know better with my job...), all I have to do is get chauffeured to Charmouth, lie around in floaty dressing gown looking weak and helpless and be waited on by attentive husband who will bring tea (or Shiraz) at my faintest whimper... oh, knickers. Looks like I should probably stay at home :(
Guess it would be silly to do anything else, although I may as well feel rubbish in nice country house in Charmouth as anywhere.
Thanks for sharing your experiences folks, it's an eye opener! All the best to you all x

Hi ToTheStars, well it's nice to see how optimistic you have been/are :) Hope it all goes well for you.
And yes Footle, have read the IC thread and due to previous problems with UTIs etc I am quite well up on that subject, more than I want to be! Have tried Uva ursi in the past, it's a sort of urinary disinfectant and worked like a diuretic on me. I also read another website and am pretty sure I have OverActive Bladder rather than IC.
Will think about a herbalist. I have another appointment next Wed with surgeon. Thanks for taking an interest, I appreciate it as it's a lonely business with this problem. Not one you can really start discussing with just anyone.

Stars - I was a bit like you. I had a christening to go to 7 days on from surgery (I was a godparent so quite important) I had day surgery for a moderate rectecole and was hoping I would feel up to being driven there, sitting around for a couple of hours then being driven home. However, it really is quite major surgery. I didn't make it to the christening. The following week (12 days post surgery) I made my first trip in a car, 5 mins down the road, sat for 2 hours at a kids party then got driven home. I was so tired I slept for the rest of the day! The sitting down part is very hard (for obvious reasons!) and even if you do get comfortable you find you are very tense which makes you tired and other bits ache! I also found I slept most of the time for the first week or so, and was not really up to company at all.

However, having said all that, being optamistic is definitely a good thing, and with support you may make your weekend after all. Just do not underestimate how big an opertation it is. I scared myself silly before my op reading this thread, but actually it did give me a realistic picture of recovery time. It really is 3-4 weeks before you can drive or walk very far, and at 6 weeks you are fairly normal again. I am now 11 weeks post op and 99% where I was before (some aching if BMs not regular enough or if I lift something to heavy for too long). Sorry to go on for so long everyone!

Good luck Stars and look forward to hearing about your recovery!!

Beyond - Just wanted to say that I forst noticed my rectecole when I was pregnant with my 2nd child. It didn't really get any worse through the pregnancy, but I did also have the heavy feeling down below. I had my surgery 4 years after that pregnancy, and it did get slightly worse over time.

Thanks folks; surgeon has said I'll need 4 weeks off work; I guess I'll just have to see how I feel when I get home afterwards before gadding off anywhere!

Hi everyone...have had a few days with bm probs... did/does anyone get a pain nabove pubic bone before having a bm?

If I walk too far I am exhausted and have to sleep for hours...I am now 12 days post op....My daughter took me to a store...just one and i made sure i located the bathroom upon entering as if i need to go (bm) i need to goooo.....

I am pretty much off of pain med Toradol and only take Tylenol if required which is not too much....

I dont think i would have been comfortable going to a function 3 days post op Stars....I was glad to be in hospital too, it is quite a painful first week and you get soo tired so easily.

I am assuming bowel control will improve as the muscles heal...my whole back vaginal wall and muscles were cut and resectioned.... so far bladder is ok.... and abdominal incision for ovary removal is healing well....

Still having a small amount of liquidy pinkish discharge especially after sitting up for a length of time....

Also..not sure if anyone else has a poor appetite but i am not at all hungry.... i do eat but not with vigor.... drinking milk as a substitute at times....

Will pop back again soon...

Lyn

Well thank goodness for Mumsnet! Have pre-warned my lovely and sympathetic chums that I probably won't make it to Dorset, (will all Skype instead) read the rcog pages mentioned earlier in the thread (SO-O-O-O helpful: www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/PelvicFloorRecoveringWell0710.pdf) and been out to stock up on panty-liners (didn't even OCCUR to me), prunes and a new dressing gown!

...and according to the Royal College of Ostetritians and Gynaecologists; no hoovering for 4-6 weeks. Every cloud...:o

Hi all, Hope you are all feeling better. I have been dropping in for a while now since I had my op 13 weeks ago. Thank you to all of you for being so open and supportive of each other, it realy has helped me knowing there were other ladies out there going through the same thing.

Just thought I would write a few of my experiences, in case anyone else is going through them.

I started feeling 'normal' again at around 5 weeks post op, when a few stiches kept appearing on my pads. I was so swollen inside and outside, I wondered what the surgeon had done. I had TVT, rectocyle (back vag wall and muscle repaired) and perinium repair.

Just in case anyone else has this -at around 5 weeks my discharge which had slowed down to a pinkish suddenly became heavy.(Thanks for the tips on the boots pads, and going without pants when possible to get air to it!) When I saw the nurse and had swabs taken the results were clear and the doctor said it was my body just kind of flushing out dead skin etc. After a few days it cleared up.

Right up to about 8 weeks I was tired, aching and sometimes feeling a bit spaced out (switched off). One of my legs kept feeling weird and was aching at the groin area, I wondered if it was to do with the position that I was in during the op - but thats ok now.

I am so pleased that I had the op. I am a lot neater down there now and I dont go to the loo for a wee 'just in case' anymore, I know that I can hold it for 3 - 4 hours(I sometimes feel I need to go, but try to wait). My bowel is working a lot better and I am trying to eat more fruit.

Sex is still a bit owwch, but its fun starting again, slowly.

I am 52 and have started with hot flushes now, so thats my next thing to try and got sorted.

Thanks again to all who have posted suggestions etc. Sorry, but good luck to those who arnt having it so good, I hope you are sorted soon.

Please remember not to do too much, I know you can feel a fraud, but you have had a big op. Try and take it easy and 'no lifting'. (Thats what I was told)

Love
Jane

Well its been 7 weeks now since my op and im feeling exactly the same as before the op not going for a BM for a few days and when I do go im having to strain and the feeling of it been stuck etc. Im doing everything that ive been told to do, eat fruit and veg and drink plenty of water, I even took some laxative the other day with no effect. I dont no what to do now. Do i wait a few more weeks then go see my doctor? Its frustrating thinking I went through all this and it might not of worked. Any advice I would be very grateful.

Sharron

Oh Sharron, sorry.

I went back to see the consultant at 6 weeks for my final check and thats when she looked to see if all was well. I was still swollen on the inside where the stiches had been and it was a bit uncomfortable and the examination quite scary. I was given some cream to put inside.
Have you not got an appointment for that check?
If not I think I would be asking for one. It was at that appointment that I was advised when I could start planning going back to work. I had another 4 weeks off work.
I hope you get sorted.

Jane
x

Hi I tried starting a new thread with this as I am not sure of etiquette of posting here and I haven't read all posts.

I went to gynae with stress incontinence in May. Started taking tablets - all fine. Went to Body-Pump at the gym twice - absolutely loved it. WHen I had my period I could not get a tampon in and realised I had a prolapse. However, incontinence was improved.

Went back to gynae and he confirmed the prolapse and within minutes I had signed up for the repair. He said the prolapse is masking the stress incontinence.

Now my dilemma is do I have the op or do I just live with it (not really a problem at the moment) and enjoy the improvement in my continence? Basically I am really scared of some bloke, (who could barely look me in the eye and give me more than 5 mins of his time) cutting into my vagina......

Help please...