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!!

Welcome Teedee and Lemon ! Teedee, make sure you rest, rest, rest, your bloodloss would give your body quite a job now rejuvenating itself, glad you're okay. You went in same day as me, but I had no complications, I don't feel over energetic yet.
Footle that's funny about the good scare to egt my bowels going haha, but I think there is a lot of truth to that one. I have a couple of friends in the medical field who could keep me going. I am not familiar with the little book about the husband, but I would think it is pretty darn funny lol...If he keeps up the good work, it will be very difficult to resisit him for 6 weeks. I really love him very much and he is amazing though even when I'm not sickly.
Flowers so glad to hear from you and find out you're feeling well, I think after a month i will feel much the same way and for anyone out there who questions this, keep in mind, I was terrified and gave up 7 years of life quality out of fear of the unknown and now, I am so glad I did this, no regrets at all!
Jewel PMS is nasty, I go through it a lot myself, how long do your downer days usually last?
I am posting again right away for Lemon and those who haven't been to gyne consult yet.
Happy healing everyone.

Lemon regarding seeing my gyne etc. for initail consult. I live in Canada and well my gyne, he just asked what my symptoms were and then had me do the usual for pap and swab, then he did the internal and fel that i had a cystocele and rectocele. He asked me to bear down when he had his hand just inside the vagina where the cystocelel and rectocele were. Then he had me standing up while doing the same thing, this was so he could tell how much stres was on them. He asked me to sqeeze my kegel muscles to see how good they were and told me they were really strong. I told him I went to a pelvic floor rehab clinic and they told me the same thing, infact that my muscles were too strong on one side causing more damage to that area. He totally agreed with that assessment. He suggested surgery to me right away because he knew kegels wouldn't help me at this point, but gave me alternatives to try like, a pessary, which didn't work. I went back to him two years later and he reasessed and explained to me exactly how he would fix the problem. He offered me an anterior, posterior repair, an endometrial ablation for bleeding because my uterus is too high and not loose enough to take out vaginally and he didn't want to do an incision through the stomach muscles as well as a TVT to fix bladder leakage. I was extremely frightened and remember feeling sick and hot like I was going to pass out when he was explaining it to me.
He could obviously see the terror on my face and asked me to go home and think about it for a while and come back later with a decision. He is great, very patient and very enthusiastic about helping woman have better lives. He is very homest about the surgery and it's sucess rate as well as the recovery. I came back to him agreeing only to the TVT. He still wanted me to think about it and if I changed my mind, I could still be booked for the others. I ended up calling back to have posterior repair and then day of surgery just before going in, I asked him to fix the cystocele as well. I have my own reasons for passing on the ablation though. Well I think that pretty much covers my experiemce with it. I did not feel embarrassed at all. Hope fully you have a good doc and that is half the battle. Good luck!

Thank you for the welcome, and the advice. It's very therapeutic to hear everyone else's stories :-) Still feeling low today, and to top it off I have toothache so will be dragging myself to the dentist this afternoon. I cant cope with pain anywhere else! Thank goodness for my amazing OH and this board.

Hello all. This thread is moving so fast, which is wonderful. Welcome to Teedee and Lemon!
I have just got back from the doctors and I have an infection It turns out that smell I mentioned a few days ago which I though was a bit off was a lot more offensive to the doctor I must have a very forgiving nose! I know a few of you will tell me off as I should have got this seen earlier and you did tell me to go!

She examined me with a speculum (ouch) and took a swab (ouch) She is sending it off but in the mean time I have been prescribed the most evil of all antibiotics Metronidazole. She said they make you feel grotty but are the man for the job so to speak. She said i must not take them until 48 hrs have passed since my last alcoholic drink. Unfortunately I had a smal glass of red last night so I cant start taking them till tomorrow evening. Oh joy!

Hello everyone - so lovely to see new people coming in.

Just a quick reply for Lemon as I am not sure if you are UK or US based and I thought my UK experience may be different to Rect in Canada

I knew I had a rectocele for two years and just ignored it, even though it was a nightmare going to the loo and sex was loosing it's sparkle!!
What made me go to the GP was the night I had sex and bled! Proper fresh blood and lots of it - obviously it totally freaked me out and all night I wondering if I had broken the wall between my bladder or bowel and vagina and I had all these horro thoughts of stuff leaking into my vagina!
Anyway, I went to the GP next day and she examined me and couldn't really see where the bleed cames from but confirmed a rectocele, and thought the blood must have come from the 'bulge'
I was refered to an obs and gynae consultant and saw him a few weeks later. His examine involved me lying on my side while he examines me and asked me to bare down.
He immediately offered surgery (even though it wasn't a huge bulge). He didn't suggest anything else, and to be honest I was hoping for surgery ust to get it all over and odne with. All he did say was that they prefered not to put the mess into someone my age (33) on a first go as it could lea to infections and as I am young (!!!) it was best to start without it.
Unfortunately I had to wait 6 months for an op and during that time I had times when I thought I was crazy for wanting to so it but then I would have bad days with what I call 'bowel retention' where I couldn't bring myself to have sex for fear of leaking!!
I am so pleased I had it done! Obviously I cant tell for sure yet (13 days post op) that it has worked completely but so far so good!!!!

I have a 'little' knowledge of all this from reading up etc but Lemon, it sounds to me like you may need an anterior (cystocele) and posterior (rectocele) repair but also it sounds as if you may have a wom prolapse too. I wouldn't be suprised if he suggested fixing all three and if so will probably suggest a hysterectomy (sp?). Until I read up about them it sounded such a horrific thing to o but actually the womb is so small that actually its's not much to lose (I understand that some people will be upset by the idea of loosing their reproductive organs of course) and if you still want children it would be a huge decision to make but it seems to me (having enough children) that it would end so many problems. Imagine having a designer vagina, no more bleeding, going to the loo normally!!! Wow!

Good luck with the doctor. Read up what you can on the subjsect so you go informed. Let us know how you get on x x

Footle my hysterectomy was done with a robot i have 5 little 1/2 inch scars on my belly and was up and about in 3 days :) that was a great experience for me i was so afraid because every one i know was saying how bad it was for them but come to find out they did not have the robotic one.....

and yes my job is not very nice to me lol .... when i was pregnant with Emmalee my body had not gone back to normal after having Amanda and so i had to come off of work early because Emmalee was so low in my pelvis that they could feel her head when thy did the exam :( and was put on bed rest..

I hope you all have a safe and happy recovery today and don't over do it :D

Hmm, right out of nosiness I came onto this thread hoping it would just put me off having a third!

Now reading it im wondering if I have a rectocele issue.

After my second baby (first was C-section) I noticed my bowel movements seemed more sluggish and hard work. I did find out I had an under active thryroid which would expalin that but even on medication now, I still feel different in that department.

Inside my vagina everything seems to be lower, as in the top is bulging but I just thought that must be what happens after a natural birth?

Now im thinking there might be an issue? Or is it normal to expect the inside just to feel a little different.

I have no pain with sex or any other issue.

Footle i hope this helps!

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Footle, hun, I think you should perhaps have a quick check in with your GP if you are at all worried. I haven't had pain meds for a week now and have had no blood for 2 or 3 days and even then it was very very pale and watered down with the normal 'lady juices!!!!!'
I was wondering what ladies were talking about when they said - when will I know my period is here - well, I cant see how they wouldnt as my bleeding has never been close to a period style loss. I have only need to use panty liners (hate that name) and not even normal pads.
Again, perhaps I've been lucky and I'm the abnormal and your loss is normal, but wonder whather you are doing a bit too much and causing the stitches to pull but having said that I drove today (very short journey) and am pretty much back to normal minus the hoovering!!

Hopefully everyone else will shed some light on bleeding.........

Is Hoovering Vacuuming?

Well today was certainly a good day. My husband took me out for a bit to visit with people. I lucked into getting a couple of those donut cushions from a friend of mine. Her husband Tuck, only 28 years old also a friend of mine, recently passed away from colon cancer and he used the donut cushions after his surgery, so she gave them to me. I find them so awesome, now I can sit at the dinner table and the car rides are more tolerable as well. I also like the fact that I have something that Tuck once had, I miss him, he was so much fun, could make anybody laugh. He hardly complained when he was dying and he was in a lot of pain, so I at times feel bad for feeling sorry for myself, after everything that Tuck went through. When he was alive he talked about how he couldn't have a BM at all because of a total blockage in the colon, how awful that must have been for the while he endured that. I would tell him about my BM problems which were so lame compared to his, but he would listen. RIP Tuck, thanks for the cushions.

To Footle regarding pain meds. I have cut back my pain meds in half and can go as long as 10 hours for the last couple of days. I do have discomfort for sure, but not bad. I am one week post-op. I also have not hardly any bleeding right from the time they took the packing out. I have way more bleeding with me period. I have a very slight pinkish/red colour discharge, so light that the entire week would not have even touched the absorbancy of a liner. The more I do, the more discharge, but still that is in the amount of 2 drops more. I feel so good it is hard to believe that I had surgery. Today I was up a lot and walking more and now I feel a bit more tired, but not bad and I do ache more than usual. I don't know how old you are or how healthy you were before the op, but everyone does heal at a different rate. If you can't get into your dr right away, perhaps call a nurse from the hospital ward you were in or a medicare Q&A line. I think I would be worried about the bleeding too if I were you. Hope all is okay.

P.S. ladies, bowels are stil working perfectly and all is coming straight out.

Hello ladies, welcome to all the new posters. Sorry in advance for long post, I have been back to work this week, so not able to come out to play with all my new best friends. It's horrible being at work with people and not being able to talk about BMs, stitches and all others sorts of TMI hee hee

Footle, my experience of bleeding was like Jewel, very light and no way could I be confused as to what was period and what was not. It would do no harm to perhaps make a quick call to either gp or ward to check if this is what is expected. Better to be safe than sorry...! I do recall being told by someone who had the op before me that fresh blood could be from a bleeding stitch indicating an infection. Please check it out just in case. I was still taking pain meds ant 2 weeks, kept coming off them then going back on them, thinking I was ok then being in bits evening/night time. Maybe just lower the doses slowly..?

Keisha, yes hoovering is vacuuming. And whether it makes sex any better, some of the posters on the old thread said yes yes yes, but I am still too scared to have a go, my recovery has been slower than most and at 9 weeks post op I still have osme pains. I can't imagine trying it till all the pains have gone away. Luckily, or unluckily, my DH is going away for 6 weeks in 2 weeks time, so I am anticipating a fun reunion ho ho ho as I just HAVE to be recovered by then. We are a forces family so we are used to no sex for months and months (when he goes off for his desert holidays) and then fab fab fab reunions, so that will be a nice way to start the summer holidays off.

Here is a link to the old post, new ladies, you will find a lot of useful info here.
I don't know how to make it a neat link, perhaps someone else on the thread is more techno than me, and knows how to do that...?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/698136-anyone-had-posterior-repair-rectocele-repair/AllOnOnePage

Rect re you midnight posting with the big aches, I had the same ops as you and the same aches. You feel ok, soyou potter about then ouch argh ouch. You really do have to take it easy (says Mrs Pot).

Emily, you have made me feel so much better, I am in a right funk and you just described perfectly it in your post from Tuesday... oh der, I am due on any day, so probably that is why I feel like this. I am a bit of a div and hadn't put two and two together till I read your post. I think these ops send us off on an emotional path, like Flowers said, so if you add that to PMT it can be a bit much. TBH this thread really really helps, as its the only place you can vent, seek reassurance. How many of your RL Friends can you have detailed conversations about fanny pain with, over and over again..?

I went to my gp over something else, and he has given me a antidepressant presecription but I haven't taken it to the chemist yet, I am hoping I can just snap out of it. Realising that half of this is just PMT is marvellous, and makes me confident that given a week away with the inlaws next week (they are lovely, I can't wait) I might be able to just be smiley shiny happy people again without the meds.

Also Emily you are doing so well! I didn't do the school run for 5 weeks. I think I have turned into a little old lady after having this op (I am 43 so only halfway there really).

I am also on the south coast, W sussex/ Hants border, so hello neighbours!

Love and light ladies, and hooray for long posts xxxx

Morning ladies!

Footle - I would also recommend you ring and check about the bleeding. I'm now speaking from experience as I have an infection which is the last thing you want.
Missing - I hope work has been ok? It must be so strange going back to work after being off all that time.
Rect I think going out and about is good for ones mood. Your friend Tuck sounded very brave!
Hello Quickchat I had a bladder prolapse so I'm not familiar with the posterior prolapse but I'm sure one of the other ladies will be along to advise.
My bladder prolapse was very low so that I could see it and I had no doubt of it's presence as I had to push it back in sometimes. I know there are different degrees to these prolapses and if it's affecting you it may be worth showing it to your GP.

I am really please as for the first time in a long time I slept all night without getting up to go to the toilet. I'm so thrilled as it proves my bladder is capable of doing this now!
I start taking my anti -biotics tonight for a week and I can't dring any alcohol for 48 hours after the last one so thats annoying. I am not a massive drinker but I do like a of an evening sometimes. I'm dreading taking these tablet as there is a lot of bad press re side affects. Have any of you ever taken them? They are called Metronidazole?
Anyway off to potter about for a while.
xx

Hello again, and thank you for the welcome.

Rect & Footle. I am intrigued to read that your pelvic muscles were strong. I had assumed that all these different prolapses were due to weak muscles down there, but apparently not. Quite reassuring to know that I am not necessarily in this situation due to not working them enough in the past!

Jewel. Yes, I am in the UK and will be depending on the good old NHS (unless I win the lottery in the meantime) so it?s good to hear how you got on. I am thinking, hmm, six months, might be sorted by Christmas if I am lucky, and, after putting up with it this long, that doesn?t sound too bad. In fact, if I time it right, it might be my perfect excuse to get out of cooking Christmas dinner - always look on the bright side!

I would be fine with a hysterectomy, if offered one, as I am definitely finished with babies and, after 30 years of periods (give or take a pregnancy or three!) which have been a nightmare since the word go, I?d be more than happy to see the back of them!

Footle. I definitely get constipated. It comes and goes and I find flaxseed oil capsules help a lot. It?s horrible though isn?t it. How awful that you battled on for so long thanks to that first doctor :( I am sure you have done the right thing and hope you feel better soon.

Meg. No personal experience with Metronidizole but, if it was me, I would have someone go buy me some probiotics from a health food shop. Acidophilus or similar. You need to kick the infection?s butt but the antibiotics will wipe out all your good buggs too so you need to replace them. Hope you feel better soon too.

Lemon, thanks for that advice, I hadn't thought of that x

Footle, thank you, that has made me smile. MN as the cure instead of the happy pills. Actually I think I have just cured myself, I just ate a bag of maltesers, a bag of chocolate buttons and a blue riband (in less than a minute) - I feel much better now. I am sure I can fix this myself - I tried reading "The Astonishing Power of Emotions" or something like that, last night, but I fell asleep (7.30pm!!!) so am no more enlightened than I was before, but I shall give it a go again tonight.

Rect I am sorry to hear about your friend, he sounds amazing. It's people like him that make us realise just how lucky we are, warts and all.

Meg, yes I had those same antibiotics and didn't have any side effects (but I do have a cast iron stomach and good guts). I was also warned off the drink, as apparently its really bad to drink when you have them.

"Sexual arousal ( not only intercourse ) tends to have a stretching effect on the vagina, which could interfere with the healing process. Once this area is completely healed, sexual activity may be resumed without discomfort". See, we're not even supposed to THINK about it. oh dear I thought about it and ouch ouch ouch I have some shooting pains. Well I shan't be thinking about it again until the end of July when he gets back home, he will just have to tie a knot in it till then.

Sorry forgot to say, Meg, thank you for asking about work, it's tired me out working this week, and that is with my lazy arse, sit down all day and look at the computer kind of job. I cannot imagine doing Keisha's job or anything even vaguely physical.

I know I am slow to recover energy levels (fibromyalgia) I don't want others to worry that their recovery will be this slow (sorry Rect).

I have next week holiday, so am looking forward to going up north to see my outlaws, they are fab and we all get completely looked after. That cold northern air will be just the ticket.

Happy healing ladies xx

Footle - Your last comment has made me laugh - I had an experience that I wasn't sure about sharing but now you have broached the subject.......

Last week, feeling a little sorry for my hubbie (and his high sex drive) I instigated a little 'grown up play time' - My not being physically involved of course, but just 'playing' was enough to make it hurt like hell! I wasn't even being touched but Oh the pain! It ached SO much inside that I had to stop! Poor hubbie!!!! So, yes, I suggest avoiding any kind of 'sexual arousal' for a few weeks!

And Thank you - Way too much information - As always from me!!!

Missing - My advice would be to try a little longer off the antidepessants and lean more on your family and prolaspe repair friends!! Sometime you simply need to get something off your chest to feel better and we are always here to listen and not judge!

LemonAda - I think you should definately get the bal rolling on this - the majority of us here wish we hadn't waited so long!

Footle - promise you will go tomorrow is there isn't a vast improvement. I have no smell at all so don't let it go for long (you know what it's like to leave things!!!)

Meg - sorry havent heard of those antibiotics but if the doc recommended them..... if you are prepared for the worst i.e, them knocking you sideways then whats another week on the sofa! We're getting quite good at this when we need to!

Missing - I sometimes wish I could have 'hormone removal'!!! My mood swings, lethargy, Bms, headaches are all connected to my cycle. It's ridiculous. I have an iPhone App where I log my cycle and it does an average and predicts my next period, when I ovulate etc, I also log headaches and symptoms and it's amazing to see the paterns!!!

Off to watch my little boy play football now. Been a right lazy arse the last two days (I went back to bed this morning for three hours!!!) so am determined tomorrow to get up early and make the most of the day!!

Spk soon
Em
x

Ooo chocolate.......now where did I put that block of Dairy Milk......