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!!

Thanks caz. I'm in hospital just waiting for laxative to work. What fun!

Hi again - thanks for the comments; here's a quick upate:

Caz1958 a TVT means 'Tensionf Free Vaginal Tape' (sling!).

Spent all Sunday in bed and then drove my 4 yr old to a birthday party in the afternoon!! First time driving since the op in an automatic car, and all fine. I sat on a chair with my feet up on another chair for most of the party and got home 3 hours later absolutely exhausted!

Am feeling really tired recently, and have also had a bad smell from 'that' area since last week. One of the nurses said I have thrush and to take the oral medicine, which I did last Thursday. The smell got better but today (Mon) I woke up feeling terrible and it was back! Slept all day & went to Doc who took a swab. She also got an appointment for me at hospital tomorrow to get a stitch removed from my Perineum repair and an interim check-up. I have now had 2 'self-disolving' stitches removed each side of my pubic bone where the tape was fixed, 1 permanent from Perineum, so now another one has to go! Will report on progress!

14K - you will learn to love those laxatives. I'm sure I am addicted to Lactolose now .. it makes life so much more comfortable .. what's the news re perineum reubuild?

All the best.

It's a yes on the perineum rebuild so I will have some external stitches.
I'm laying in hospital bed unable to sleep cos I'm right near nurses station and they are really noisy
Thanks for asking

I am now 5 months on from my posterior repair for a rectecole. For those who are just embarking on their own 'journey' I thought I would sum up my experience:
THE GOOD - Mainly how much easier BM's are (not 'helping it out any more'), also used to have very itchy perenium due to old scar tissue and stretching from rectecole which has cleared up. Feels firmer down below generally.
THE BAD - I do still get the occasionally ache, but only after real exertion (an hour of zumba for example!) And I do have to be careful to avoid getting constipated as that also causes aching and soreness. I also need to wee more regularly, and have to get up in the night (I never had to get up at all before).
THE UGLY - My perenium! After an episiotomy, a self healed tear, and the op it is never going to look great. Also the sex issue. I still haven't attemped it as rather scared, but hoping that doesn't turn out ugly!!
Hope this spurs you on!

14k - thinking of you - hopefully you r all done and feeling good (I was on a high first night after op. before anasthetic wore off) .. hopefully your meds will be good & topped up to keep you pain free. It didn't take long for me to be off them so fingers crossed for you.

Perenium repair has ended up being my 'problem area' due to stitches, but not as bad as after child birth! They didn't take the other stitch out today as it's not healed yet and they dont want the cut to open again, but they trimmed the loose end and it feels much better. I feel much better too so am going to drive myself to work (desk job) tomorrow for a few hours ... 20 days after surgery.

EMMDEE - I'm not as far along as you but agree with your Good, Bad & Ugly. My Good is that I don't feel like I'm 'gaping' anymore, Bad is occasional pain & dull ache on Right hand side (TVT) and the Ugly is a bumpy Perenium repair & slightly odd shape at the front! Nothing major though. I will get the Bio Oil out once stitches are healed and calmed down & hopefully scarring will be minimal (!!). Can't imagine having sex, but am single so it's been a while anyway .. hopefully if I meet someone new they'll be happy with the results :)

Hi ladies, I posted on here a while ago, i think it was February, at which time i was having a moan about the amount of time i had to wait to see a Consultant. It actually took TEN MONTHS! and it turned out to be a complete waste of time, he spoke to me like i was something he found on the bottom of his shoe and i left his office in tears.(Mr Currie,Stoke Mandeville) I asked my GP to refer me to another Consultant (Mr Jackson,John Radcliffe) which she did and i saw him 6 WEEKS later . Well since then i've been back and forth to the hospital so many times that i've lost count, i am also seeing a Colorectal surgeon. I have had numerous tests and between them (the consultants) have decided that i need to have: Hysteroscopic resection of endometrium,Hysteropexy,TVT tape, Perineal body reconstruction,Posterior repair,Anterior repair,Ventral rectopexy.It's alot to have done but i can't wait, i just want to feel "normal" again.At the moment i don't have a date for my operation because as yet it's not been decided if i am having all the procedures done together or if the Gynae consultant is doing his bit first or vice versa?
My questions to you ladies are: Has anyone been treated by either Mr Jackson or Professor Mortensen(Colorectal surgeon),Has anyone had these procedures done at the same time?

Dear 14k........hope that is still going well, thinking of you XXX
I have got my Doc's to prescribe "Movical" before I go in to help with the bowels etc.

Dear Jens....Why isn't anything just straightforward, sounds like an infection to me with my limited knowledge, it still sounds like a long healing time, bless you.
No news from Lolly then......
Catchmeifucan....OMG, such a lot to be done, sorry no knowledge of your consultants but I am in the South West.

Was anyone else suffering beforehand ??? I have decided to get myself signed off work until my op on 14/12. No pay but I am struggling so much with work & normal household/family stuff. The only relief is sitting with my legs up. I have had 1 nasty birth & 2 home births with no-painkillers so I don't think that I am a "baby" but I am so so uncomfortable (low back pain/underneath/legs) lack of sleep & weeing !!! I am really struggling.
XXXXXXXXXX

I'm still alive!!!!! Been feeling very sick and actually was sick a few times. My worse pain has been my back. Bad lower back ache and only diclofenic suppositories will touch it.
Docs say all went well and I should be happy with results
I hope they are right. So far so good.
So they did vaginal hyster. Posterior and anterior repair and perineum rebuild.
Expecting to go home Friday morning.

Thanks for good wishes x

Hiya Sweetnes....Go Girl, really proud of you !!! OMG you have had it all done...Will be thinking of you tomoz & fingers crossed for friday XXX
You will be a new woman by Christmas !!!
Hope that the back pain goes...........mine is killing me now & that is pre-op & that is without the dragging underneath & going to wee/num 2's.
I am struggling to work everyday & life so I am throwing in the towel.

Rest & Sleep........so Happy that it is all over for you.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OMG - you girls make me feel like such a wimp as you are REALLy going through it!! I'm actually feeling a lot better since they 'trimmed' the stitch. Have taken a couple of salt baths since then & been to work for a few hours yesterday and today. I think that has helped in a lot of ways (given me something else to think about) but I get completely exhausted! Pain is reducing gradually & am beginning to feel optomistic for the first time (3 weeks today since surgery). Recovery time is so much longer than you expect!!

14K .. congratulations .. you made it - if Docs are happy then try to believe them - you have had a lot done; don't let them send you home if you don't feel ready & TAKE IT EASY for as long as poss. & let others do all the work at home ... Speaking from experience!

Catchmeifucan - shame about Mr. Currie - I was so hoping he would do my op as he is apparently a brilliant surgeon (but is known to have a terrible 'bedside manner'). Sorry I don't know anything about the others - just ask as many questions as you need to and make sure you feel comfortable with their decisions; you need to go into surgery as confident as you can. Good Luck x

Oh, and ask if the Consultants will actually be the ones to operate on you as sometimes they let the Registrars do it! I had a panic as pre-op the Registrar did my 'info-chat' & I had to ask that the Consultant operated. They let me meet the surgeon (Mr. Schafi) and he was lovely (plus everyone I asked told me he's a v good surgeon). On NHS you can't always get what you want but it's worth a try if you feel strongly about such things!

Jensiob, thanks for the reply.I was also told that Mr Currie was a brilliant surgeon and maybe he is but you're right about his bedside manner the man is a complete pig! he actually said to me "don't talk to me about your periods", after waiting for 10 months to see him i was totally bewildered by his attitude, i don't know who he expected me to talk to about my periods but i was under the impression that a gynaecologist was the person to discuss them with. I am happier and feel much more confident now that i'm being seen by Mr Jackson who is based at the John Radcliffe.He gives you plenty of time to discuss everything and always explains things fully.
So did you have your surgery at Stoke Mandeville and if you don't mind me asking , what did you have done?Thanks for the "consultant doing the surgery tip" i will remember to ask that at my pre-op assessment.

Hi everyone I'm 5 weeks post op now and feel back to normal. Caz for me i had a bad time for the weeks leading up to surgery- MUCH worse than afterwards cos I was not coping emotionally as well as I could. It's wonderful to have it all over with and I've rather enjoyed my recovery time-just taking things easy. But I'm lucky not having dependant kids anymore so really haven't been under pressure
I wonder why we've not mentioned our surgeons until the last few posts. Very useful information -anyway mine was Mr Malak E Sussex and i have nothing but praise for him. I had perineum repair too but no external stitches so no discomfort at all. In fact it was hard to believe he'd done anything!
14K enjoy being home and hope you get a fuss made of you.

Hi again - Catchmeifucan: I am feeling that maybe I was lucky not to have Mr Currie after all, although I do wonder if my Perineum would be as lumpy if he'd done it ... guess I'll never know & also I think things depend on the tissue they have to work with ... am envious of Cantbelieve's repair as I'd like mine to seem like nothing was done!! I did write to Mr. Currie explaining my terror and he wrote a lovely note back so hopefully he's not always as awful as he was to you! Glad you're happier with Mr Jackson.

I had my surgery at Stoke Mandeville (posterior repair, tvt and the unexpected Perineum repair ... I had just told the surgeon that I never felt that I was stitched up properly after the birth & he later said he found my perineum in a bad way!). Personally I found the hospital staff amazing (minus 2 Indian women registrars - one unsympathetic and a bit 'brutal' and the other didn't seem to have a clue). Nurses, docs, and everyone else were & are wonderful, the bed quite comfortable and even the food OK. Lots of tea & coffee and always someone around. Made my stay quite relaxing actually, and I'm with 'cantbelieve' .. things were WAY WORSE before the op than after - once it's all over all you have to concentrate on is getting better .. I wasn't going to do the tvt but took a leap of faith after talking to the surgeon(I call it the Nike option .. "Just Do It")! Had I known about lumpy sewing as opposed to "no outside stitches" I would have asked about that too ... write all your questions down and get them answered; if you're like me it'll help put your mind at rest :-)

How r u doing 14K .. home now?

morning all,
I can't believe how well I am.I think when you expect the worse you get a pleasant surprise.
I came home yesterday with some diclofenic,paracetemol and movicol.The lactulose gave my such bad,painful wind the doc told me not to take any more.
I'm not really in pain,just discomfort.A feeling of pressure in bum area and slight stinging where the stitches are.
My bed at kings college hospital was so comfortable as you could make it bend up under knees and at the head.Had a job to recreate that last night and ended up sleeping with pillow under knees.
Top tip from way back on this thread,after the op when they take the catheter out(usually next day) when you go for wee you find it hard to do one cos all so swollen etc.I remembered someone said to put a cold wet cloth or I used baby wipe to your pubic bone area(not vaginal opening).Anyway,it was like flicking a switch and out it came.What a relief! Not needing to do that now but it works.
Have to say,my only actual pain atm is from horrid mouth ulcers.Obviously,I'm tired and slow but I think in the weeks to come I'll struggle to remember not to do to much.My youngest of 4 is 4 and has questioned me all morning on what I can actually do.
One thing that wasn't mentioned was driving,how long before we can?I was told no lifting more than half full kettle,housework etc for 6-8 weeks.
This is quite tiring and so struggling to spell! so bye for now ladies.

I was told about 3-4 weeks for driving. And actually I tried at 3 weeks, and it hurt so much I left it for another week then was fine.
I found it was the whole sitting down bit that was the problem.

Hi all..Well a very busy couple of days getting some christmas prezzies sorted, off to Birmingham next weekend to deliver them..Getting closer now (hmm) how are you feeling Caz? Have you had your admissions letter yet? The closer it gets the more nervous i'm feeling!

14k..So pleased all went well and your feeling ok,don't forget to take it easy.. Thanks for the tip about something cold, have added an extra flannel to my list of things to take (grin)

Bought the new Martina Cole book yesterday to take in with me, love her books so hopefully may take my mind off things when i'm in there..

Take care everyone xx

Hi 14k - Take it easy, especially with the 4 yr old. My daughter is the same age and I have to keep reminding US BOTH that I'm not allowed to lift/be pulled about etc :-) I first drove just over 2 weeks post op but it may have been a little too early as I was terrible the next day. 3 weeks after was fine but I have a little, automatic car so it's easy. Other's I know are waiting until at least 4 weeks as they don't feel ready. Think you have to go with your gut (so to speak)! Glad you're feeling OK. The best info I was given (by a nurse) is that you'll have good days and bad days ... it's really true so don't panic if you seem to 'go backwards' now and again. Good luck!

hello again,still doing ok but have some things to ask those who have already had their ops,if they are still around.
Had quite a lot of pain this morning following bowel movement,I didn't strain so don't think it got wrecked or anything,but any ideas?

Still got a feeling of pressure in bum,normal?

Doing a wee is really slow/stop start.That will get better,won't it?(no tvt)

Don't know why but can't get to sleep at night.That is a pain but can't think how to sort it.I am tired but just can't get comfortable.
Thank you all for the advice and just the contact really!! My brain is still a bit fuzzy,I know caz and lolly have their ops in a couple of weeks and just to let you know,so far so good.

14k I found if I leant forward when I weed it was better. I think the bladder just has to be retrained now it's back where it should be.And I found sleep very difficult. It was if my mind was restless going over it all-but now having nothing specific to worry about. This lasted about two weeks and sometimes I'd find the mornings the worst bit of the day cos I could feel a bit low. But fine now. I went to a stand-up for hours party on Saturday and felt wiped out on Sunday so it's easy to forget and then get caught out.
Lolly -good luck with all your preparations and try not to worry-truly the anticipation is the worst bit

Thanks. Can'tbelieve. X
So fairly normal then!

Hello Ladies...
14k......you sound as if things are going well-ish, really pleased to hear that. I am going to add a flannel to my list as well (when I make one). Just the thought of going for a wee/Num 2's post op, makes me cringe !!! Just reading your posts & others keep me sane. Just take it easy darling. XXX

Hiya Lolly...yeah, I have had my letter. Bloods/MRSA tests again this fri, just to make sure all is OK. Then 10am 14/12......I have stopped work now as I am struggling so much on a daily basis. Trying not to think about it all (makes you feel a bit sick inside)..I understand that it will be a good thing but............Anyway, been concentrating on Christmas, got quite a lot more organised...would like to do the decs & tree in the next couple of days. Got Movical from the docs...how long before the op should I take it ??? Really want to be right on top of this part as much as possible.

Take care all of you ladies
A slightly nervous Caz XXX

Hi, I've read all the messages (took me days!) and followed your stories, what an inspiration you all are. Sharing your stories, good or bad is brilliant and this thread has really been a godsend. It's helped me more than any doctor, nurse or even literature they've given me.
I am 2 week post op on Wed. Had mod-large rectocele and cystocele repairs done. The worst pain was WIND... OMG! It lasted 4 days, despite passing wind for nearly 2 days (sorry TMI). I was litereally writhing in agony day and night from the op day, Wed eve to the Sunday. Was fine when I first woke up at about 2 pm, ate a sandwich, cup of tea and was pleasantly surprised a how well I felt. Boy was I in for it! All night in agony, then physically sick in the morning... ouch that hurt the undercarriage site! Anyway I had much pain relief during the next 4 days although after about 3 hours it had worn off only to be in agony again till the next meds were due. This cycle continued day and night. I didn't eat 1 more thing during the 4 days. Nurses didn't seem concerned at all just checking my urine was clear and drinking plenty which I was but even this was hard. Sorry if this message seems a bit garbled as it's late now and I'm feeling tired so will continue tomorrow. Good night ladies. x

Well, didn't sleep much at all last night. Anyway I came home on day 3, despite still being in wind pain. Continued with regular meds till about day 8 then things got easier. 1st bm in hosp on day 3 which wasn't too bad, even though I'd had some codeine, I made sure that I only had it twice in 24 hours, at night time to try and get more rest. Also made sure I had lactulose regularly and this also helped. Bm not bad at all, small as I had not eaten for 3 days. Now, day 13, I am still very tired and uncomfortable. I've hardly had any meds for nearly a week apart from lactulose once daily (and paracetamol once or twice to ease aches & pains down below). I've been pottering about doing bits of washing and laundry sorting but thats about it. I'm so lucky to have my Mum here - she has taken 2 weeks off work and she is an absolute cleaning freak! My house is like a new pin! Which is lovely in time for christmas... it takes so much pressure off my and my DH. My 4 kids have been brill as well, they are 19, 16, 14 & 11. DH taking care of school runs, cooking, shopping and looking after me. Feeling a bit better each day, it is slow but steady progress...

BTW, I'm 43 and had been struggling with bm's and sex for about 3 years. Agree with other posters... having the op has def improved the bm's - no more helping it out yipee! I just need to go pretty much immediately that I feel the bowel moving, just don't want to risk anything and Im still very loose. Wee has been ok apart from feeling a little bruised (it was fine before op even though I had a small cystocele).