Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc part 7

[gottagetthroughthis]

This is thread 7 of a long-running series of posts from ladies suffering from pelvic prolapses to support each other through the process of diagnosis, repair and recovery.

Here are the previous threads:
Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 5
Thread 6

Info from BBC Health

What is a pelvic prolapse?

As the muscles, ligaments and supporting tissues in the pelvis become weaker, they are less able to hold in the organs of the pelvis such as the womb (uterus) or bladder.

Gravity pulls these organs down and, in the more severe cases, may appear through the entrance to the vagina.

A variety of problems can occur, depending on where the weakness lies and which organs are able to descend, but in every case there is some degree of prolapse of the vaginal wall, which begins to invert (rather like a sock turning inside out).
Prolapse of the womb or uterus is the most common prolapse, affecting as many as one in eight older women to some degree
Prolapse of the bladder, known as a cystocele, is less common.
Prolapse of the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the bladder) is known as a urethrocele.
Prolapse of the intestines is quite rare, and known as an enterocele or rectocele.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on which tissues descend, and how severe the prolapse is.

They may include:
A sense of heaviness or pressure in the pelvis.
The appearance of a bulge of tissue in the genital area, which can be quite alarming, and is often red and sore.
Urinary problems, such as having to urinate more frequently, feeling the need urgently, being incontinent (losing control of the bladder) or, conversely, being unable to pass urine when you need to.
Pain in the pelvis or lower back.
Sexual problems, including pain and decreased libido.
Constipation.
Vaginal discharge or bleeding.

Treatment and recovery

Once a prolapse has developed, surgery to fix the affected organs is usually the only way to cure it effectively.

However, another option is to use a device known as a vaginal ring pessary. This is rather like a contraceptive diaphragm or cervical cap. It's made of silicone or latex, and placed in the vagina to push back the prolapsed organs and hold them in place. Many women happily manage their prolapse this way.

Oops sorry I forgot to put South Tyneside PCT.

Mangled sorry that you found your consultation upsetting but it sounds really positive that he has reviewed your notes and wants to do his own tests and assessments. I am sure that there will be something that he can do to help you to alleviate your pain x

None of seem to be near Nanasylv is quite interesting how spread out across the UK that we all are.

I'm in Birmingham, if that helps? I'd willingly go to a place that would do it.

I felt the consultation was a positive outcome aswell and money well spent. I did however expect to pay for all the tests and hopefully get as many prolapses fixed and max out my credit card of 10 thousand (no intention or ever be able to pay any of this debt either) He said I had to do the evacuating xray again and I started to cry and said can I not get a copy of the xrays for you to see and he said no. I said its not doing the test thats the problem, please Dr I do not have any money to pay for it, why can you not accept a copy. That is when he said he would see me in his clinic at his NHS hospital.

Nannasyl I would be willing to travel to get mended also (UK). Infact before todays appointment I would have been quite willing to go to heaven. I will keep you informed if I get help with the intu x

Hello again, sporadically checking in again. Liking your new name bladder :-) glad your on the mend.
Hello to the new ladies.
Yellow horse, I am having anterior and posterior repair on Tuesday with Mr currie. That's if stoke hasn't completely closed down by norovirus. Did you go to stoke or Wycombe? Did you see Mr Currie for your consultant or one of the team?
Am anxious now, hoping that it all goes ahead without a hitch, have told all my customers I'm off for at least 6 weeks but more likely 8. Ds has come down with some dreadful green cold/cough. God hope I don't get that before Tuesday.

Hi,
Thanks for thinking of me! Not yet checked the rest of the thread since I went into hospital. Only escaped yesterday evening, so I'm pretty tired still!
Well, it turned into a much bigger operation that we had anticipated. He was planning to do front and back wall vaginal repair with collagen mesh (which he did) but then after doing these he discovered an enterocele about 4 inches square all across the top, so he repaired that as well. Apparently this was being held up by the front and back wall prolapse and is harder to see lying down, which is why it didn't show up on the MRI poo-ogram. So he fixed that too. I'm so relieved he found it, but am feeling pretty upset that there was yet another prolapse waiting to be found. I can't help thinking what else is waiting to be discovered... Back in June 2012 he reattached the puborectalis, one of the pelvic floor muscles, that had ripped all the way through. He decided that although it had mended OK, it was still too thin at the front, so he put a few really big stitches through it to make it stronger.

So I am pretty sore and bruised and juts about everything - sitting, lying down, standing - hurts! I had a scary time with bad constipation yesterday in hospital that required an emergency enema, but I'm still on Movicol and I'm hoping that now everything is clear, things will pass through OK. That's always my main panic - that it will all get backed up, and then I;ll do myself a mischief.

DD (2.5) was an absolute star and so brave whilst I was in hospital and is very pleased to have me home :-)
Will catch up on the thread a bit later.
Hope everyone is doing OK.
XX

Thrifty........I had Mr Currie privatly at the Chilterns, Anteria, posteria, and TVT, he is very good except at explaining things. consultant/ surgeon in his field. You must live locally. I am Pitstone had op 6th October well but still loosing stitches and discharge. I expect you will be off for the eight weeks not six. I thought I would be back after six weeks as well only recently got some strength back. Good luck for Tuesday

Oh cardomon, sounds like you've been well and truly mended, at least it sounds as if they fixed everything. Hopefully you'll be feeling like a completely new woman when you've healed up.

Slinky, hopefully not having a tvt, just anterior and posterior and merena coil. Dont know if thatll make a difference to the recovery time, probably not too much, but absolutely cannot afford to take more than 8 wks off, so hopefully ill be able to manage it.
Interesting you say he wasn't very good at explaining, even though you went privately. I had 'one of the team' ,nhs, a lady, still don't know her name, she was super quick, I couldn't really understand her, and she was crap at explaining too. Thank god for this thread, I have got sooooo much useful info from reading peoples posts on here, without it would feel very unprepared. Tomorrow am shopping for glycerine suppositories, and packing for tuesday :-) I am in aylesbury BTW, so not far from you..

What essentials do I need?

Bladder - also love your name. Fantastic some of us are doing so well but shocking others are still not getting the treatment they deserve.

Cardamom - that's a lot of work you've had done but as you say one recovery which will be so much better in the long run. It can be miserable at times but it is so worth it.

Thrifty - I found baby wipes fantastic when I was bed bound as well as face wipes. Bear in mind it's difficult to reach down to the bedside locker with a cathetar in. I packed everything I needed to hand in a carrier bag so when my OH brought my bag in I asked for everything in the carrier bag to be unpacked and within reach which also included some mints, lipsalve, hairbrush, magazine, phone charger, tooth brush and paste - I already had a book, specs, dressing gown and slippers, phone with me. This time round I was first in so my clothes were only worn for a couple of hours so they were put in my bag in the locker and i wore them home. You will need a nightie, towel and ST's in your bag plus underwear. Oh and I took some dates in just in case ;) - you don't need much. Good luck.

Nooooooooooo........
I am so fed up, I have done everything, spent weeks preparing, told all my customers I'll be off, cleaned and closed up my van, sorted out all my finances to cover the 8 weeks needed, arranged all the childcare, cleaned and sorted the house, packed my bags, even celebrated DPs birthday early, Ds has gone away for the week today, all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed. And they've cancelled me.... No beds apparently...
I have had a good cry because I am so ready, but now I need the consultants (mr currie) secretarys number, so if slinky or yellow horse has it, would you pm me please? Would save me some chasing tomorrow.
I can't believe they wait until 5pm the night before to tell you, I can't even call them back today!

thrifty you have my total sympathy hon and in a very un mumsnet manner I'm sending you a big ((((hug)))). I was cancelled just before Xmas on the morning of my op; I went into hospital as planned but in pre op discussions with my surgeon I mentioned I'd been taking arnica and, long story short, she then cancelled my op as it can cause severe blood loss. Guess its better to be safe than sorry but like you I had put so much in place, childcare, finances etc.. not to mention the mental preparation. I was devastated and so I understand exactly how you feel.
I really hope you get an alternative date asap. X

Thrifty - eeekkkkk how awful. Know a little about this as also got cancelled at the last minute - all gowned up and ready for theatre. I remember being in shock, it's hideous for you. I was rescheduled for 2 weeks later after pleading and switching consultants. Everything crossed for you that you get a revised date soon. In hindsight it worked better for me - I physically couldn't go back to work and was more rested plus felt confident with my new consultant. Good luck.

Oh no Thrifty - what a nightmare, I hope you get rescheduled very soon.

Troubled - hadn't seen your post before posting. I remember you also being a member of the 'cancelled' club. Thankfully I appear to be fully sorted since my last op 3 weeks ago and all these horrible memories are already starting to fade.

Ok so I have just re-joined Mumsnet after many years - I think I was one of the earliest members when my children were small. Where did those years go??

It's been very reassuring to know that there are many mums out there who have experienced similar problems to me. I had my rectocele repair 6 days ago - also coil fitted. I am unsure of recovery time. Yesterday I felt pretty good and went out (as passenger) for a drive but afterwards felt horrible - draggy painful tummy. I think I may have been unrealistic from looking at previous posts to think I would be back at work after 2 weeks? I don't have specific pain but feel the need to lie down rather than sit. I am the sort of person who never sits still but since getting out of hospital have just been lying on sofa and reading/watching telly. I would be interested to know about other experiences of recovery time...

Thank you for your kind words, have calmed down a bit now. Will chase them up tomorrow, and get ready to go back to work wed. Unlikely that I'll get seen quickly, I think the hospital is on lockdown due to norovirus, so I'm thinking it isn't just me they've cancelled, still gutted though.
Mrsannie, I was planning on taking 6-8weeks off for my repair. But have no actual experience.

MrsA - I had a rectocele repair in Sept and was off work for 7 weeks (actually signed off for 6 but it just worked out that way because I am part time). For the first two weeks or so I did very little sitting, it was all either lying down (or sat half up in bed) or pottering around. If I did need to sit I had to slouch as far down as possible in the chairs to take the pressure off my undercarriage. I couldn't sit for more than a couple of mins in an upright (eg dining) chair, even if it was a padded one. It all just gradually improved, but whenever I felt uncomfortable/tired I went and lay down again. Mine is an office job, I was still somewhat uncomfy in my office chair after 7 weeks and built my hours back up over a couple of weeks, starting with 2 hours a day. My normal hours are only about 5 a day (school hours), I was back to this after 2-3 weeks I think. I remember being very pleased when I had a night out after about 10 weeks and managed an entire evening sat on pub/restaurant chairs. All in all it took about 14 weeks for me to feel totally back to normal. I too never normally sit still during the day, but just had to go with it for the recovery period.

Got my surgery in the morning (assuming I don't also get cancelled at the last minute. Any news, Thrifty?). Anyone care to hold my hand, remind me what I'll need (overnight bag and lots of magazines packed)?

I'm jn for a cystocele repair under a local anaesthetic and have been told I'll be home the same day and won't need a catheter. Still feeling apprehensive but weirdly excited for my new fanjo.

Thanks WKWTTG for your reply - glad to hear you are now fully recovered. I think I may well have underestimated recovery time - may have been in denial!

NeopreneMermaid - one thing I was really pleased I packed was lip balm. Hospital rooms so drying and I used it constantly. Good luck with your op.

Good luck Neoprene. Things I took in were a magazine, Kindle, phone and charger, sweets (my mouth was dry afterwards and a bit of extra sugar was also very welcome, i took a bag of Starbursts), flannel, toothpaste etc, sanitary towels, slippers, dry shampoo. Big knickers for afterwards, slip on shoes so you don't have to bend to do them up and jogging bottoms, nothing tight on the lower half. I also cut my toenails beforehand to save bending to do it in the next couple of weeks and trimmed the ladygarden to make it easier to keep clean.

hiya.

finally been diagnosed with a mild cystocele and most probably rectocele along with it. been referred to physiotherapist to see what they can do to help.

it's affecting my heath, I suffer recurrent UTI which exacerbates kidney problems I have, and I have a lot of bowel issues which make the rectocele uncomfortable and difficult to manage.

what expected outcomes can I expect? what can physio do to help and what if it doesn't help, what happens next?

Thanks WhoKnows. Sitting in my hospital flasher-gown awaiting the consultant now.

Hello Fan. I have a moderate cystocele and had physio for 3 years (with dc2 within that time) and it did improve things slightly but not enough to make walking feel completely comfortable so I'm having a surgical repair (today in fact!). I don't have rectocele experience but plenty of ladies on this thread do and someone knowledgeable will be along soon. Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble. You're in good company here!

Thrifty, I have the no for Mr Currie, but being a techno phobe, I don't know how to pm you on this forum, clicking on your user name produces a profile, but nothing to pm you with!
I won't be back on pc till later today now, but if you have no luck finding it, please post or pm me. You are welcome to pm me anyway if you need. Assume you going into Stoke for your op?
Good luck.