Rectocele & Repairs continued....

[CAZ1958]

Rectocele & Repairs...continuation

Hiya Ladies...
Don't know if this will work, above is the Subject Title
Don't want to lose my friends.
Will come back with a link if poss !!!
Fingers crossed
ZZZ

Hi all - Well, I'm back from my visit to my new Consultant. He was really lovely, and took lots of time to answer all my questions (which I'd drawn up based on your experiences of treatment!).

He examined me and said that my uterus is about half the way down, so will definitely need to be either removed, or supported. He wants to do a posterior repair, but not an anterior repair as he feels the cystocele is being caused by the uterus coming down. He doesn't want to do too much at once, and cause possible scarring and therefore pain with sex etc and would rather re-visit the cystocele if necessary in a few years time.

The two possible solutions he has suggested for my uterus are a vaginal hysterectomy, or a laproscopic sacrohysteropexy. I'm going to do a search of this thread for any experiences of the latter, but would be grateful for any information you have.

He was genuinely a very nice man, who didn't mind when I cried and said that he wanted me to feel that I was able to make some choices about my treatment. I think I would feel happy with him operating on me. I just need to get my head around it as dh and I had lots of fertility issues prior to me getting pregnant with dd, and although I know in my heart and in my head that at 43 I'll never have another child, this feels like yet another occasion where my fertility choices have been taken away from me. Does that make any sense at all?

Hi Littlefish - big hugs to you [[[[hug]]]]] - try not to get too miserable about all this. I would say definitely try hanging on to your uterus if at all possible as it seems it will affect you too much psychologically if they whip it out. If the consultant is able to do something laparoscopically then I would imagine that is a good sign, showing he is up to date with modern technology etc. Also, if that doesn't work then there is always a hysterectomy at a later date should you need one. What about a vaginal pessary that could hold your uterus up in place?? I have heard of people using them for years with no problems (including sex, etc.)
Keep us informed; this thread is brilliant for moral support xxx

Personal question coming up.... Does anyone else have a problem with wind? I've noticed it doesn't seem to get mentioned on here. I've been v 'windy' for ages and really wanted to find the nearest rock to crawl under today when I laughed and let out a giant (and very audible) fart... . Not the first time it's happened either. Advice please!

YEP... Oh boy... very bad and could not hang on to it if I tried very loud and forceful lol xx tried peppermint capsules ect ect but what I am not getting is the bad spasm I used to get with wind so maybe its a trade off lol

Me too! It can be absolutely appalling some days!

At least I am not alone! Will give peppermint oil a try - and do get the spasms too. Have to try and wait til I'm on the move so no-one knows it's me.... Oh the joys!

I honestly don't know how I would cope without all of you.....

Yup, farting like a goat over here as well . If it's me and DH I shrug it off and ask him what else he expects, and DD thinks farts (hers and everyone else's) are hilarious. It's been getting worse for me as my still-to-be-fixed rectocele has got worse.
Littlefish - very very glad that you had a good consultation and feel this is someone you can work with. I second Sure's comments about hanging on to your uterus if you can. I'm 40 and was horrified at the thought of being without a uterus at such a young age. Like you, getting pregnant with DD was not straightforward and in all likelihood she will be an only child. But that's not the point - it doesn't mean that my uterus is a redundant piece of tissue that can just be disposed of!

Did he comment on whether doing the sacrohysteropexy would mean a poorer result if you subsequently needed a hysterectomy? That might be something that would make me shy away from this option. Other questions I'd want to know the answers to are: Does he consider this to be a 'permanent' repair, as far as surgical interventions can ever be said to be permanent, or does he anticipate that at some point your uterine prolapse may recur? Does the sacrohysteropexy involve using a mesh? If so, has he seen any problems in using mesh? What are they and how are they typically resolved? Would doing sacrohysteropexy mean no more kids - if there is mesh holding it up it might mean the uterus can't expand so easily during pregnancy? Is it possible to suspend the uterus another way by tightening the ligaments and the front and back (this is what I had done - not laparascopically though - but obviously it might not be appropriate on your case)? Sounds like you are on the right track - hope you are feeling easier in yourself. X
Sure - good luck for tomorrow (it is tomorrow for the urodynamics???). Hope it goes well! X

ligaments at the front and back
in your case
sorry - tired.....

Bother, just lost what I'd typed and can't be bothered to start again! Thanks for the wishes Carda - tomorrow I will hopefully find out the extent of my cystocele/urethrocele (? spelling) at last. And by the way, after my posterior repair at least the farts are silent so it is possible to blame the smell on someone else !!!!!! Lol x

Footle, reading your story about being embarrassed talking to your doctor because of the link with your sister in law reminded me of my third child's birth. I was half way through labour when the midwife came in and asked if I minded having a medical student in the room. I decided that might be a good idea as we would at least have someone in the room when my baby was born. This lovely handsome young man in his late twenties entered, and it turned out that he used to sit next to my young brother at school...it seemed a bit mean to chuck him out on that basis but it was a bit embarrassing!
Nanna, still thinking of you xx
Good luck everyone with tests coming up! X

fengirl1 - Try having the wind problem as you lean into a chiller, in a very quiet aisle in Sainsbury's, I wanted to be swallowed by the floor! Are you telling me it gets even worse after surgery (if I ever get it)?
I rang today, and was told the results are in, and she will get the consultant to look tomorrow, then tell me if? he wants to see me (I hope this doesn't mean they still don't know the cause, because I feel about ready to jump off the nearest cliff) (don't worry folks, it would take at least 1.5 hours to get to one, and I'm still not driving!).
I realised I must have had a Urodynamics test years ago, when they suspected backflow into my kidneys (lots of water infections, over a very long time), I feel for anyone over the embarrassment in this one!
Keep you fingers crossed for tomorrow folks, I'm running out of options to get this diagnosed!
Glad everyone else seems to be getting sorted though!
XX

Nannasylv - I'm still waiting (referred to hosp last August), so very definitely not had the op yet! Good luck with your results. X

fengirl1 - aah, so you're in a similar position to me. I would be over the moon if they got as far as correct diagnosis, then I'd know I was on the home stretch!
Fingers still crossed, no news as yet.
Hugs to all!!!!

Had my urodynamics test today - laugh a minute!! Lol!! . Actually not as bad as I thought. My second consultant did the test and was there all the time and we just chatted about children, schools, uni, gap years, etc. Turns out he has 3 DDs which might explain why he is an ob/gynae!!! Lol!

The first thing I had to do was wee into a jug. He then inserted two catheters - one in the vagina and the other in the rectum to measure pressure. He then started to fill me up with liquid and I had to say when I felt I had the urge to wee (about 30 secs later) and he then said he wasn't even a third of the way through the liquid!!! Yikes, thought I!!! I was finally full to bursting and had to stand on the floor on an incontinence sheet while he and I did star jumps! After three I had wet his mat! I was then told to empty my bladder sitting on his commode with the jug underneath. And could I wee? Absolutely nothing would come out. He went out of the room to see if that would help - nothing! He then turned on all the taps and went out again - still nothing!!! He kept popping back to see how I was getting on only to find me almost nodding off whilst waiting for the flood gates to open!!!! It really was quite commical, lol ! Finally he removed the catheters and sent me off to the loo where eventually I was able to pee at last!!

Anyway - end result was that everything I had described was as he found it to be and I will be needing a TVT, so am now on the list for that!!! OMG this is never ending!!! Has anyone here had a TVT and what does that entail? Is it successful, painful, a disaster???? Has anyone had problems and had it removed? Would it help with having to wee twice during the night? Lots of questions that I'm sure some of you fantastic ladies can answer.

Sorry about the mega post, yet again!!
Nanasylv - sorry you haven't had any answers yet x

Well done for getting through the test. Didn't have TVT, had Burch's colposuspension instead, so can't help with that. But just wanted to say well done! X

Sure - I'm really sorry, but your post made me laugh so much. I had this picture of you in my head, doing your star jumps, whilst peeing on the floor like the woman from Little Britain. Well done you for maintaining your sense of humour through all of this. I really admire your resilience. I'm afraid I can't help with any information about the TVT as my bladder is the one part of my anatomy which still seems to be behaving itself!

Sure - sorry to hear you're in line for another op. Hopefully this one will be a bit easier for you. Keep your chin up. X

Surewoman,
I had a TVT operation last September (nothing else); and I would say it has been about 80 per cent successful. I was really bad before the operation - lifting heavy objects (like my children), sneezing, walking fast (let alone running) would open the floodgages!
It has definitely improved my quality of life, although I still lea slightly when having sex. In addition, two weeks ago I started using a Kegel8 machine religiously every day to improve my pelvic floor as I don't want any more surgery. I'm hoping this will improve the TVT's success!
They basically put tape (mesh) under your bladder neck opening and pull it up so you don't leak anymore. I stayed in hospital overnight, although many operations are conducted as day cases. Sometimes, there is a problem passing urine after the operation and you might have to have a catheter for a couple of days. I was fine straight away, but you're not allowed home until they are satisfied everything is OK.
It was slighly painful for a few days, but in order for it to work properly, they recommend you do nothing - and I mean nothing - for at least 3/4 weeks, and you can't lift anything heavy for about four/six weeks. This enables the tape to 'fix' itself properly.
If you search the Internet you will be able to scare yourself silly about horror stories - and there is a huge debate about the use of mesh - but it seems to be the case with any operation of this nature.
Hope this helps!

Hi sure- I got the TVTO in Nov only difference is the position , mines is attatched to the groin ......up over the urethra and tucked under bones in pelvis then sewn to groin.Was done with all my other ops so I was in hosp for 5 days had catheter in for 36hrs and as with Bug had to do a trial voiding and then have bladder scans to make sure no residual urine volumes left. I was lucky no issues, Can sneeze, cough, jump no leakage but if I drink too much coffee I still have urge incont which can cause slight leak but TVT is not designed to help with this only stress incont. I also got cystocele repair so dont know if this is why I can now go at least 6 hrs at night without peeing and I go longer between pee's during the day, can hold more, dont have to go 20mins after just having been and no leeking during sex :) I also dont have that urge to pee as soon as we get down to buisness I always thought it was psychological. My issue is I still have discomfort in groin and along line TVTO , after sex it can be uncomfortable but not excruciating(think this is TVTO but may just be from scarring from cystocele) , I also have very small patch of tape (few mm) which is very near surface/exposed which I have been meaning to contact consultant about, I am due to see him in april and as it is only sore when I fiddle about with it I have left it at moment( saw GP who had no idea). The problems with the mesh are erosion and this apparently can occur with 1wk to 7 years , Like Bug says if you do a search it can be scary and if I had looked into it too much I would probs never have done it but I have it now so just keep fingers crossed so far so good xx A lot of the research into probs talk about types of mesh used so maybe you could talk to consultant about the type he uses I know I had one manufactured by Johnston and Johnston which has the better?? bigger holed mesh. Jackie had TVT and had to have it removed for multiple reasons ( she had a really bad experience) so maybe you could chat to her as she is quite clued up about it all x. Hope this helps a little, I have to say as a whole things are better now and I am glad I had ops done but there is a tiny part of me that does worry about having mesh inside my vagina but that will be another bridge/detour I will have to cross on this journey lol x :)

Hi Sure, could I suggest a plan of action? Having had a dreadful experience with the TVT I would be really sad to hear of someone having the procedure after me and then possibly developing problems. I would suggest a 4 month pelvic floor blitz using Michelle kenway's book 'inside out' from the Internet. You may find that the problems are lessened and there is no need for surgery. Please don't just go for it as the first step! It may work for some people but when it goes wrong the symptoms are devastating. I was unable to walk properly, the pain was dreadful and it caused havoc with my life. I am so glad it is out, and that was an experience I wouldn't wish on anybody either!
Good luck with it, lots of love xxx

Thanks everyone for your replies - I really appreciate this. Jackie, can i ask how bad your symptoms were before the TVT was inserted? I've been told I have moderate to severe symptoms that are only going to worsen as I go through menopause. At the moment I am not doing any sport etc which is hard as I am normally very active and fit, but a slight cough or sneeze not to mention jumping/running makes me leak so I'm staying clear of zumba classes, etc. which is annoying. I was originally told I would need a cystocele op which never got done and I wonder if those who have had a cystocele repair has any leaking beforehand. Could my leaks be because of that? xxx Thanks a lot everyone for all your helpful advice x

Hi Sure - as I understand it a cystocele can actually help prevent urinary incontinence as a cystocele often means there is a kink in the urethra and the kink helps to keep the urine back a bit. So when a cystocele is repaired and the urethra is straightened out, urinary incontinence can get worse. Which is why they do the thing with the ring pessary during urodynamics. XX

Yep I had leaking beforehand , at gym if I jumped I would almost completely empty bladder. I would go to toilet before and during a class, force myself to pee thinking I would have nothing left to come out but no still happened.... I wore nighttime towels to try to soak it all up during a class . But unfortunately because had ops done together dont know which bits helped what xxx Why dont you also discuss with the consultant if he has had to remove TVT and percentages of this happening.
We are here on this site because we have problems and need support in real terms if you have not had a problem would you be on here?? or how many people out there do not know about the support on offer and are suffering??.
It is a dilemma and a risk......Since my op have read so many papers on these ops and I dont envy your decision , dont know if I could make it all over again if I needed to. xxx

Sure - no leaking to speak of, but do 'have a spalsh' standing up from using the loo.... Mostly the opposite for me - need the loo far too often and cant empty completely if my bladder was q full. Have nerve damage so feel urge v early on but don't have the 'I'm going to wee myself' feeling if bladder v full. Very aware tho that repair can allow hidden probs to show themselves.

On another subject... what is everyone's experience of pain? Wondering if what's going in with me is par for the course and trying not to take anything unless I need to.