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

I just wondered, as twice every day (at least) I'm lying down, with my bum higher than my upper body, which reduces the pain, and, since I started doing this, I have managed to spontaneously have a BM a few times, without digital help (if I raise my knees very high with a stool in front of the loo). I noticed that someone on MN had said that it temporarily makes things move back up, and I think it does.

Can anyone help? Having real problems getting lactulose dosage right.... Usually take 15mls in morning (makes tummy v gurgly if I take it at night) BUT do take 10mls at night if feel I need to.... Anyway, had extra dose last night and was fine all day until I had sudden cramps after leaving work - thank goodness I had gone to garage and on return journey could screech back into work to run to loo ( at the holding on for dear life and not convinced I was going to make it stage). A page full of 's aren't enough and only reason I didn't howl after was I had to do school run. Any help out there??? Really feel enough's enough.

fengirl1 - I really felt for you, when I read this. I had a similar episode, years ago, on a trip to Birmingham, from North Wales. It wasn't a happy ending, and I understand the embarrassment. Lactulose reduced me to passing thick liquid, a few months ago, and I had to find a different way. If I drink Pineapple, or Apple juice, just before bed (more often, if things get a little stuck), It makes things more manageable, for me. I daren't go down the Lactulose route again, I can't run fast enough!

Hope you're feeling a bit better now.

XX

Hi Fengirl - I was advised to take lactulose in the morning so you have the daytime to drink a lot of water which is needed to make it work. If I feel things aren't moving as they should (ie around period time) I will then resort to a suppository before work so I know my bowels are empty all day putting less strain on scar tissue etc. I use one of those little plastic medicine cups and fill it up each morning, probably more like 20ml. Hope this helps. If I forget the lactulose and lots of water then I'm in trouble for about 2/3 days until things start working again so I think I'm with the lactulose forever now!!!

Hope all those that weren't are feeling a bit better x

Haha Sure, thought you were talking about the medicine cup for your suppository until I read your post again! Thanks to you and Nannasylv for the thoughts. Will try 20mls in am (but not tomorrow!) and see if that works. X

Hello everyone

I have been lurking for some time and just wanted to introduce myself.

I was diagnosed with a Rectocele about 3 years ago after the birth of my 2nd dd. I was told to wait as I was not sure if I had finished having children. Recently things felt worse and after looking with a mirror I noticed that my downstairs bits didn't look right.

I saw my GP who referred me to Mr Abdalla Fayyad, Consultant and Subspecialist in Urogynaecology and Minimal Access Surgery at my local hospital. I did ask to be refered to a hospital in Croydon someone meantioned on this thread. I did say I had been lurking! The doctor however strongly recommend him. Tbh felt a bit pressurised to take his preference.

On meeting the consultant he seemed vey nice , nicer then the first consultant I saw who first diagnosed me. Any way he examined me he used a spatula (not sure if this is what it is called) to hold my Rectecele back and I wet myself . Even he said it was dramatic! I have never had this problem before. Anyway he had a good rummage around as he could not find my cervix!!! Asked me if I had had a hysterectomy I said no then the hard pushing started as he tried to locate it. I had to turn on my side and put one leg in the air. God I wished the floor would swallow me up.

Afterward he said I had a large Rectecele and a Cystocele. He asked me if I had a problem with incontinence. I said I did not. He said the Rectecele may be applying pressure so it is stopping it. He said he was leaning towards doing the Rectecele first and then see what's what. This horrified me as I imagined being incontinent for months while I waited for the second op. He said he could do the Rectecele and cystocele and TVT together. I said I was unsure about the tape. He meantioned an article in the daily mail that maligned tape but he thought there was nothing wrong with it. He is sending me for a water works test but he is not free to operate until June. He has booked me in to save a slot.

Sorry for the long post but just had to get it off my chest.

After the exam. I have notice I am sore down there and now feel I need to pee every minute of every day. Did not have this before. He was a bit ruff with all the pushing to locate my cervix. Do you think he could have made it worse or is it all in my head?

I had the dreaded drip with my first daughter after needing an epidural due to having severe SPD, when I was finally ready to push i pused her out very quickly as the midwife kept threatening me with forceps and stiruups. I really hated her! I Had SPD wiith my second daughter but found a specialist chiropractor who really kept it at bay so was able to have my home birth. Short under 4 hours and 4 pushes and she was out!

My husband did notice something was not right when I was pregnant but when I asked the midwife she said it was the pressure of the baby.

Again sorry about the long posting I have obviously been bottling it in.

I feel very down about it all and wish it would all just go away.

Hello to you, Piplysmelie - I can totally understand how 'down' you feel about it all. Just remember you are not alone in this as everyone on this site has been/is going through the same. It is a long haul to get it all fixed (I'm about half way) but once you start the determination to get there in the end sees you through. And it gets less embarassing with each visit to the doc!!! Lol!.

I had only the rectocele/enterocele repair first and am now going for the TVT (after much soul searching), but having asked around my friends have found three that have had this and they say it helps lift everything back up and is no problem at all (10years +, 4 years + and 6 months+ post ops) so I am going to ignore all the negative aspects and just have it done! (still very sceptical though, and scared!).

The worst for these ops is the waiting time as your head just goes round and round with worry, but everyone here can help with that!

Good Luck, and keep us informed xxxx

Thank you sure it's lovely to have found a group going through the same thing as I do feel a bit isolated. You are all so supportive to each other and I have felt better just reading through the thread.

I've been recommended to try taking magnesium supplements for constipation by another support group I'm in for my main condition. I have to say that a dose of Osteocare (which includes mag) plus a big chunk of pineapple seems to have done the job for now. Will keep trying that. I've had lactulose which seems to just make things worse and Laxido which is just vile. I'd rather just go the natural route if I can as the chemist panicked me about giving myself lazy bowel. Might be worth a try for some of you?

I have my op date for posterior and anterior repair on 26th March as luckily have private insurance. Can I check - I'm guessing I'll need pads post op? I don't do pads, I'm a tampon girl. Any recommendations for comfortable ones post op? Thanks

I've asked my son if I can borrow his Inversion Table. I'll let you know if it helps, although, I'm sure, hanging upside down isn't for everyone.

Hope you're all as OK as possible.

XX

My op's on hold.... Spoke to surgeon's secretary today as not happy she told me gp letter would make no difference to date. She made all sorts of excuses and when I asked her who made the decision all of a sudden she put me on to the consultant.... He told me he needs to see me in papal (cervix) clinic as I had told gp of a couple of incidences of spotting. Don't know whether to be angry I'm being given the runaround or worried sick... (And horribly suspicious I would still be dangling if I hadn't rung).

Ben - I have been using Tesco maternity pads since giving birth to DD 17 months ago (not able to use tampons due to birth injuries) including after my first lot of surgery at the end of November. They do a thin one with wings (I find the wings useless and fold them under the towel) and a thicker one. I've found the thicker one quite comforting and reassuring if things feel painful and are swollen. Otherwise the thin one is more or less invisible under clothing, including leggings. I have preferred to use maternity towels rather than sanitary towels because the maternity ones don't have any deodorising or scented agents in them - if you cold be at risk of infection, e.g. after surgery, you don;t want anything that could mask the signs, an 'off' smell being one of the signs.

Nannasylv - hope it helps. You'll be six inches taller when you've finished lol!

Hi Piplysmelie and welcome - I wet the examination couch too lol and the consultant said cough again and I did it twice :) at the time was mega embaraced but now can laugh - you will too ...in time x
Ben - AS cardamom says I used maternity pads too.... I am very prone to thrush but thankfully despite antibiotics never had a prob with this post op xx Boots do a selection the thick ones £1-05 xx
Sure - glad you managed to make the decision lol you are right it is the psychological torture we all go through x
Fengirl and Nannasylv - love xxx

Sorry - realised I hadn't said hello to all the new ladies [shy smile]. Been too bound up in my own problems... Anyway - there is nothing (and I really mean it!) that you can't ask on here - I know I have and have usually had helpful answers!

ifOnly and FiveHours - how are you? Long time no news!?

Jackie - thank you so much for your help with my decision, I really hope I won't live to regret it but need to give it a try as my life is somewhat on hold at the moment and the years are whizzing by too fast!

Everglades - thanks for your input too. Did they say why you got urge incontinence after the TVT? Is is a common occurance?

Hugs to all xxx

THank you for the advice. How long do you normally have to wear pads post-op? Another question which is a how long is a bit of string.... if all goes well with no complications, is there any chance that I'll make it to my anniversary meal at Fifteen restaurant in London (we're in Kent) 3 weeks post op. I've told DH that we'll have to cancel but being a man, and given that I have been in both HDU and Intensive Care in the past 6 months this seems a minor op to him, he thinks that we might still go....

Hope all are as well as can be expected.

I've had a 'womens physio' appointment and am now booked in for an 'anal ultrasound' and a proctogram. On Monday I'm having a colonoscopy... the fun never stops!

Hi all

Feeling much better today went to bed with a hot wheat bag between my legs and that seems to have helped!

I am also able to look back on my examination and think oh well at least I impressed the consultant!

Waves at everyone

Thanks for your help as I now have a better perspective on it all.

Hope everyone is feeling good sending positive vibes to all

Pip

Hi sure. I am glad you have made a decision. It is difficult to work out what to do with all the pros and cons. I really hope it works for you, good luck and keep everyone posted. Are you just having the TVT? If so it should be quite straight forward with a quick recovery. If you do have problems air them on here and I can put you in contact with someone who can help.
Hi Pipy, no need to feel isolated, we have all gone through exactly the same thing! I had a similar 'wee' experience, and so have many more! It is embarrassing but the staff are used to us women arriving and weeing all over their floor. All in a days work for them! The wheat bags are great aren't they!
Ben 10, welcome. Going for a lovely meal 3 weeks post op weeks a little bit optimistic, I was hopping around at that time. If you medicate yourself to the hilt it might work out. I hope so, disappointing if you cant make it.
Five hours, have fun!! The anal physiology is a bit wierd, and I have posted a long explanation of the proctogram earlier if you can bear to take a look!
Good luck everybody! Xx

Well ladies. My decision is made. I'm going to have a laporascopic sacrohystereopexy and a posterior repair (I may also need an anterior repair at the same time, but my consultant will avoid that if at all possible). The sacrohysterpexy is basically where they put a mesh sling under the uterus to support it back into it's original position. In other words, I will retain my uterus.

I'm booked in for 23rd April, so I now need to start thinking about the practical things.

My mum is going to come and stay for a week when I get out of hospital.

I've bought 2 soft cotton jersey nighties for lying around in.

I need to organise for dd's childminder to do an extra day a week to cover the day when I usually pick dd up from school, at least for a few weeks until I can drive again.

I need to buy a couple of soft bras or night bras. I have tremendously big boobs (34) and will be uncomfortable going without a bra, but also, uncomfortable wearing underwired bras in bed.

I need to decide what to knit while I'm off work!

I need to buy some good books to read.

I need to buy some maternity pads (thanks for all the info on this)

What else do I need to do?

Nighties not pj's :( - can I not wear PJ's Littlefish? I don't know what else you need to do. During my last ops, it was good to have Batiste dry shampoo and wet wipes if I wasn't up to a shower.

My problem is I have only had major major ops ie rib removal and emergency lung surgery so don't really know what to expect. I was on very major drugs post-op like oxycodon and attached to the bed with chest drains so not able to be mobile. I guess cos of the site of the surgery I won't want to be walking around much.

My op is in 3 wks time. Can report back but I;m sure the ladies will have loads of advice for us

Ben10 - you may well have a catheter immediately after surgery so pj's would be a bit tricky! Good luck to everyone having surgery soon.

Oh poo I forgot. I was in gowns for the whole time I was in with a catheter due to the drains. Would be better to have nighties I agree. Will have to have a primark visit.

Jackie I think I'd prefer to cancel knowing that we can go another time and actually have a good time. He's booked a hotel as we're in London but there is obviously no way that there is going to be any of that going on . It's a lot of money to pay out if I'm just going to sit there drugged up. I'm drugged up enough for my other condition at the best of times