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!!

Hi missteach, I think it's the 4th dc that finished me off physically,do you?
On the wind pain front,I only had that I night-about 10 hours of writhing in pain in hospital after being given lactulose.No more lactulose, no more pain for me.

caz-I was nervous too and found it best to studiously distract myself.No point keep going over things.I had done my research and made my decision,so I refused to let my mind wonder down that panic and doubting road.(although I did buy the kids a couple of christmas presents each in case I keeled over!!)
Do some fun stuff,that's an order!

14k, re 4th dc.. in my case no, I was absolutely fine after having him (he's now 11). It's only the last 3 years or so that I've had problems. For the last year or so (i'd waited over 1 year for the surgery) Ive been doing pelvic floor exercise religiously, and though they drastically improved my pelvic floor and muscle tone, it did nothing to improve / alleviate the rectocele. I'm glad I did them though as 2 days post op and I could contract pelvic floor relatively pain free. I've been building up the frequency and strength of them daily as well as the other abdomen and leg exercises... gives me focus!

Hello - it's my 1 month 'anniversary' today so thought I'd check in with you all! Still at my mum's house (!) which makes all the difference as I don't have to get breakfast or dinner .... am working about 5.5 hours per day sitting at a desk & have decided that sitting for that long makes my perineal stitches/scar sore so try to walk around at regular intervals. Had shooting pains in all sorts of funny places today so hope that's just the tissues repairing themselves? I def. feel like my lower 'parts' are 'dragging down' still when walking, but am sure it's normal (& related to being tired). A doc told me yesterday that Anasthetic takes 102 days to be completely out of the body!!! Am still addicted to Lactulose .. missed a day or so & it was more painful to the stitches ... be warned :) oh, and the wind for the first 4 days or so was ridiculous - all normal from being pumped full of air for the op.

Keep up the positive thinking everyone - it certainly helps. Take care & take it easy.

Hi everybody.I have not posted for ages...since May. Had a posterior repair, perineal body repair, perineum repair and Tvt tape in September. Most has gone well I am now 11 weeks post op. The posterior repair seems to have worked wonderfully and I can now go without the old lengthy splinting stuff. Still have a couple of haemerroids but I think I will have to live with that. My central core feels much stronger.
My problem at the moment is the Tvt tape, I have dragging, pinching, sharp pains and nervy stuff in the left labial area, a sharp pain in the right, and prickly Holly leaf type pain in the front pubic area. I cant seem to walk properly, and amwalking like a geisha as it all feels too tight. I had problems from the beginning and I had to return to surgery on day 4 to have the tape loosened as I couldn't wee a drop, so the tape was loosened then. I still couldn't wee until day 6 and had to self catheterise, but that resolved itself by week 2. Technically it has worked a treat as there is no stress incontinence at all which is great, but thevarietyof pains are not receding and are too much to cope with. I am taking medication that I do not want to take for long and it doesn't change the fact that something is wrong. I am now waiting for a date in the New Year for complete removal of the Tvt which is disappointing, but necessary. It seems to work very well for some people so this is a shame. Lovely to see so many new faces and some old ones! Good luck with all your operations!

Hello! I have just been referred to Stoke Mandeville for a rectocele. I also have a cystocele but I am not sure what they will do with that as its deemed not as bad (although it feels large!). My pelvic floor is really good and I am hoping against hope that I do not get fobbed off. My DD is 13 mths old and I am desperate to get this sorted as its so soul destroying. I have avidly read all your posts and you are such a positive bunch .

Would anyone be able to advice me on top tips for how to approach the initial consultation?

Many thanks

The previous thread can be found by typing 'mums net rectocele'. It was started by 'flourybaps'! I don't imagine she had any idea of what she was starting when she set the first one up. It has been the most supportive site I have found and has been a great source of comfort for me when I was really down trying to make sense of what was happening to me at the time. The range of people's knowledge was amazing! I was really pleased to find it still running with the same feeling of support and sharing that it had before. You are all amazing!

Catmeifyoucan, I am under Miss Price at the urogyny dept J R, Oxford, she works closely with Mr Jackson (I was originally under Prof Mortensen until my main problem was diagnosed as a deficient 'perineal body' (which I didnt even know existed!) This meant that I went from colorectal to gyny. The gyny team can also repair recoceles so I wonder if they will do the whole of your op?
The care was amazing from gyny team and the ward staff. When things went a bit pear shaped with the wee problem nothing was too much trouble. I even had my own urodynamics nurse who came to see me every day and phoned me daily for a week once discharged! let me know the date of your op and I could come and see you as it sounds as though you will be away from home. I am only 12 miles away. If you are in at the beginning of the new year I may be too, having the tape removed so we could watch out for each other!

Goodmoc...keep strong.it may seem like the end of the world at the moment but things will get better. Patience is the key! Regarding the first consultation you have to keep in mind that you are important. This may seem like routine to them but to you it is important that it goes right so try not to feel rushed by anybody. Have just a couple of outcomes that are essential in mind such as

1. 'being able to poo without all the strange contortions and assistance' if you know what I mean?!
2. 'being able to wee without having to turn upside down'.

If you concentrate on your desired outcomes then you can leave the logistics to them to a point although those conversations could come before the op. This keeps things simple and unemotional, and gives the consultqnt just two clear situations for which solutions are required. Hope this helps!!!

Jackie 62 I thought my storymigh give you hope. 2 years ago I had a TVT and posterior repair for stress incontinence ( mild). I was totally unprepared for the operation and initially began to make a recovery but then suffered from symptoms you describe which have been diagnosed as neuropathic pain ., the TVT worked insofar as I no longer peed myself even if I do star jumps butnmy flow has altered and I sometimes want to go all the time . I have been on a lit of painmeds amytryptyline , gabapentin and reluctantly Prozac . But here is the good bit . Bit by bit, month by month I have got better. In the beginning if I could not tolerate tight trousers, sit for any lenghth of time, stand even if I needed a poo it set the pain off . I cried myself stupid and regretted mucking about with my body . I could not tolerate sex. But now I feel good . I have cut down on my meds and I believe I will get off them next year totally. I did contemplate having the tape removed but it's a very difficult operation. I recently had a cystoscopy to check that the tape had not damaged my bladder and it has not . The gynaecologist recommended using dilators twice a day to turn off the abnormal pain response and I am happy to say that gradually it has really helped me . So please don't give up. Take heart from my story . Good luck

I don't know why I said please don't give up because you are obviously not givin up .I meant, time may do the trick .

Flymttm, thank you for that. It is lovely to hear from someone who has the Tvt and it has worked. My problem is that I have so many problems that I am not happy to have it inside any more. It wasn't right from the start and isn't getting any better. I have been off work for 11 weeks now and can't stay off for ever. I also have to get back to a good level of fitness to be able to return. At the moment that is just not happening, I can't even walk! The pain is so bad that I am taking gabapentin for it but don't like the long list of side effects and am on other stuff anyway so it is beginning to get complicated. I have too many symptoms to be able to ignore it, and it is not improving, in fact it is getting worse. Luckily my surgeon removes Tvt successfully so here goes, there is no turning back I'm afraid!

Hi all
Tried to post on thurs but hasn't appeared
I am back in local hospital , not one the surgery was done at.
Started feeling shivery and tired with back and leg ache weds
On thurs felt worse and had temp of 38.2
Saw gp who sent me here. After waiting on examination table
Tilll one am they found me a bed and started iv antibiotics
Next day had ultrasound and ct which showed heamotma in pelvis
Felt shockingly ill with temp 38.9 and had an adrenal crisis
Still on iv Antibiotics. Hope to go home tomorrow Really pissed off
Anyone got any stories of hematomas dispersing on their own.

It's about 5cm apparently Just want to be better. X

Hello Ladies....
OMG..14k, I really feel for you, everything seemed to be going so well. Please keep us up-dated. You really made me smile with your orders....I have been getting more organised for Christmas, tree is up,pressies almost wrapped & singing along to Christmas songs & deffo not dwelling on my op.

I went to hospital on fri for more bloods/MRSA tests etc, all was fine before but has to be done within 14days of op. BTW I am under "Mr Dartey" in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. On a daily basis, I am struggling more everyday especially the low back pain & dragging underneath. Keeping off any meds though as asked not to take anything for 2 weeks. Was advised to try out the Movical before going in to see how it affects my body, then I will know when to take it just before my op.So sorry that I don't know anything about hematoma's for you, my thoughts are with you.

Hope that all is going well with Lolly's Christmas visit to Birmingham, how are you feeling now ???
The only extra advice that I can give about your 1st visit is, do your homework & understand what your body is going through & what they might do. Plus write down any questions/concerns ready for your Consultant so that you can ask anything there and then. How many of us leave the hospital and think " I wish that I had asked this or that ".
Love to ALL of you XXX

14k sorry to hear about your heamatoma sending healing vibes. Hope you feel better soon

Thanks both of you
I've really felt worse these past few days then I did when I had the op.
Still in hospital because my temp was still up last night

Fingers crossed for home tomorrow It's dhs birthday too.

Jackie62, Thankyou so very much for your offer to come visit me while i'm in the JR, i really appreciate it.
As yet i still don't know who is doing my op it's all a bit of a mystery at the moment but as i have rectal intussusception (rectal lining prolapse) Prof Mortensen is definitely doing that. I know that during the surgery to repair intussusception, rectoceles are usually repaired at the same time but at the moment i can only wait and see.
I'm hoping to hear from the hospital any day now so i shall keep you updated .
I'm sorry to hear that the TVT hasn't worked for you. What are the options for you once the tape has been removed? Is there anything more they can do for you? Are you booked in for January?

Hello everyone. 14k what rotten luck just when you were feeling you were over the worst. I'm sure this outcome must be quite unusual so hope it won't worry those going for surgery too much. My story is still a very good one. I went to see my consultant today, now 7 weeks post op. He says I'm fine and I don't need to go back-hooray. celebrated by a nice long walk in the sunshine and felt fine afterwards. I really had no pain or discomfort throughout. Again I can't praise having a spinal too much. No after effect
i have a friend who's just been told she needs surgery for bladder and uterine prolapse. She says the consultant will do this by keyhole surgery and she will recover after a week(!!) Has anyone had this or knows anything about it?

Catch me... lovely to hear from you.perfectly happy to come and visit, it would be difficult for you if you are not local. We could put visitors up at a pinch as well if they need to be nearby (dodgy sofa bed!!) Hope it all continues to proceed well. I have no idea how Prof Mortensen is as I never met him but the gyny team are great so no need to worry there.
Re the tape, the idea is to take it out and hope for the best...sometimes the repair leaves behind scar tissue which acts as an extra ligament so I may be in luck. Otherwise I may have trouble with incontinence. We will just have to wait and see which way it goes.
Good luck to you all.
I think we are nearing the 1000th post again. Has anyone got the know how to set up a new link??! It would be a Shame to lose contact.

flymttm good to hear that you had a good result with the TVT. I am much better leaking- wise now but still have this odd and sometimes sharp pain on the one side, it feels a bit like I have a bruise. It's been about 10 or 11 weeks since I had my op,I guess that I just have to give it a bit more time to heal. Did you get dilators from your surgeon? I have also developed a bad cold with cough and wonder if the hacking cough has put a strain on the TVT. Not sure whether to make an appointment or give it a bit more healing time.

Thanks clopper. I think 11 weeks is short in terms of healing and when you feel I'll generally you are more likely to be aware of pain that's what it was like for me. Yes I got dilators from gyne over a year ago but could not tolerate using them then. Recently I was referred to a different gynaecologist because I was thinking about having TVT reversed and he persuaded me to use them religiously twice a day which I did very tentatively . I did tell dh because he has heard too much about my lady bits and I was thinking I would never be able to have pain free sex again. Any way good news is this week we have ( perv alert) done the deed not once but twice. And it didn't hurt . I am not relaxed enough yet for it to be wonderful but I am so happy to have come this far. I hope I give inspiration. To you wonderful ladies recovering from TVT, hysterectomies and repairs because I have had them all and my recovery has been arduous and complicated but I am feeling so much better.

14 k I hope you have been able to get out of hospital. . Take care. Fly

14k, I am so sorry to hear of your problems, what rotten luck. I do know of someone who earlier this year developed a hemotoma 8 weeks after an operation, not the one that you've had but guess it's the same principle. Had the most terrible pain and awful bruising. Had medication, sorry, don't know which and it did disperse naturally but took about 3 weeks.

And for you TVT ladies, I am now nearly 6 months past mine and still have awful urgency, really have to rush like mad to make it in time but the frequency and other problems have eased so still hoping for the best.
best wishes to you all

Thanks everyone. Nice to see you again footle

I don't want people waiting for ops to think this is normal.
They said while its not terribly uncommon to develop a small hematoma after a vaginal hyster , most wouldn't even realise and would naturally reabsorb. I have another medical condition which means I have a lowered immunity (to infection) and am at risk of adrenal crisis when ill.
It was the infection of the hematoma that made me ill.
We were aware that I was much more likely to have complications before I even had the op so it's not usual, it's me.

I have to say that although I feel completely worn out, things down there are feeling pretty good and I would not bother taking the paracetamol if it weren't for the other stuff. I've even had a little look and it looks like it did before dc, so nice not to be able to see my insides!!( god that's tmi)

Hope I haven't put anyone off because even with what's happened, I still hope I'll have a good end result from the surgery.

Hi. After years (since 1996) of referrals, and being told "take laxatives/your bowel just doesn't work properly/there's nothing wrong/use manual evacuation, etc.", I have finally been diagnosed with a rectocele. The colorectal surgeon told me to go away and use manual evacuation forever more (he saw no reason to see me again!), so I went back to my GP, who has referred me to a Gynae surgeon, hoping to get it repaired. This has affected not only my bm's, with lots of embarrassing moments, and wiped out any chance of a sex life, but also given me years of pain causing problems with my legs (pressure on my sciatic nerves). Has anyone else had the same sort of problems with this, and did the repair (for those lucky enough to get one) worked?

Hello Ladies...so lovely to read everyone's comments.
Dear 14k...hopefully you are slowly improving despite your set-back. Just rest & take care.
Lolly55....Where are you ???? We have 5 days, how are you feeling now ??? I am still trying not to think about the op, seems to have come around very quickly. Any tips ladies ??? Do's & Don't's ???
Dear Nan...what a mess, but at least some-one is listening now, have you got your appt yet ??? I totally agree about the sex life (none)..my pain in both my legs has got worse & worse, I can hardly walk now plus all the dis-comfort underneath. Luckily I have only been going through this about 6 months in total. As for the after....should be able to let you know this time next week !!!

Just gonna carry on thinking about Christmas & getting sorted. Will most prob start panicing on Mon.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX