Pt 8 (Oct13) Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc

[Bladderama]

Welcome to thread 8 (again - see below) 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.

With apologies for confusion in thread numbers - an earlier thread was called part 7 but it was actually the 6th thread.

Here are the previous threads:

Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 4
Thread 5
Thread 6
Thread 7

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.

Hello!
I've been lurking for ages but it's finally time to post.
I am so scared of what I need to face.
I have a rectocele since the birth of my second child 3 years ago.
I have to assist my poo coming out. I also get a sudden desperate urge to wee and sometimes leak.
I also had anal fissire after both births which sometimes comes back.
I've had pelvic floor physio and lost a lot of weight which hasn't helped.
I go back to the hospital next month and am really worried about what happens next.
Thanks for reading.

Smoked- hi! I've found everyone here really supportive- I've had cystocele surgery a month ago. I think for me the worst thing was having to go through nearly 2 years of appointments, physio, tena pads and all the rest. I was so relieved to have surgery. If you can hang on to that you are doing well!

Thank you macca!
As much as anything I worry about the fissure coming back as an after effect of surgery.

I worry about my family too. Im really not much fun to live with. Im seeing my gp next week as my mood is so low.

4 hours to bake that's devotion for ya. I had to do my own swap, maybe my lady bits just aren't appealing to look at what with the huge bit of my vagina wall hanging out lol. Im offended now.
Smoked, I was like you, I watched what other people were saying but decided to join in with my story in hope that I can help someone else who has unfortunately found themselves in the same position. It also took me a while to pluck up the courage to go to the GP. Embarrassment left at the door I am glad I have. Got my op in 2 weeks, nervous as hell about it but hopefully 6 weeks of pain will mean a lifetime of not worrying.

Swab, back of the class for me!!!!!!

Went to my Pre op appointment today and god bless the NHS, they had lost the piece of paper from the consultant to say which operation I was having. She read through his notes and decided it was only a TVT. Call me over sensitive but I cried! I am so worried about this op and don't want to come back again after, as consultant said I could at some point in the last appointment!
To cut a long story short, I finally spoke to admissions and he has booked me in for the TVT and vaginal repair, so all is well. I have now emailed his secretary my understanding of what is happening (which will be bladder and bowel repair and perhaps a hysterectomy decided during the operation) so we are all clear. I went into work/bossy mode.
It has really helped reading all your posts and and fully prepared to take laxatives before the event ready for a lovely soft poop after!

happylilme - I am booked in for the 11th of December and so I will watch with interest how it goes for you.
Out of interest, those of you who have had their ops via the NHS, did any of you have your operation dates changed at the last minute? My consultants prefers to do his ops at a local hospital that only does elective surgery but I have had to be booked in at another that is also an emergency/acute hospital and have been warned it is possible it could be changed. Apparently I have to hope that the oldies don't break any hips or get flu! I am wishing them all good health!

Pre-op for me too today. Seems as if it's taken ages to get this far this time around! BM are now becoming less frequent - whether that's down to giving up smoking (trust me it SO helps to have easy BMs in the morning but I guess that's a rubbish reason NOT to give up!) or my rectocele I'm not sure. I know I DO get very uncomfortable down there if I don't go everyday. And all this even from eating a ridiculously high fibre diet too. Maybe I'm not drinking enough??

Managed to go 4 weeks now with no cigarettes (feeling very pleased with myself for that - CHAMPIX are brilliant)) and 1st 9.5lbs lost in 12 weeks with Slimming World. Therefore feel generally healthier than I have done in ages. Blood pressure a bit low (which must be better than being high, surely?) and heart rate pretty good too at 66 bpm.

REALLY really not looking forward to Op (sacropolpopexy) and all the restrictions afterwards and the state the house will get in pretty quickly. My partner too has been absolutely crap. Absolute ZERO on the emotional support front just hope he can redeem himself a little post-op with the practical stuff. A lot of them are rubbish creatures aren't they? I think I would be out of here if it wasn't for my op looming - seriously. It's raised some pretty serious issues between us which isn't helped by the fact that he's never got over the trauma of losing his previous partner at an early age (36) from cervical cancer. I realise this might make me sound a bit heartless but the truth is that I'm the one needing support now and the most I'm getting is from my 18 yo daughter and my sister. I'm sleeping on the sofa every night now too.

Sorry to moan but my insides are getting me down enough without having extra emotional turmoil too - or do they often come hand-in-hand like this?

I promise to be on a more positive note next time

Dragon I shall let you know how it goes, i'll hopefully be out by the 8th so I will let you know between then and your due date. (no happy baby this time just a stitched up vagina, such joy) I am also stressed due to work circumstances so I am going to GP to see if I can have mild sedative just to get me through this stage. I'm going through the NHS they said the likelihood of surgery being cancelled is low. I hope so as I would be devastated. Im trying to stay positive. life has been pretty rubbish especially emotionally. Cant really bring myself to have "fun" with hubby. He has been very supportive and not pressuring me. Hopefully a few months down the line this won't be a problem anymore

Noordinary - good luck with it all and to others. well done with weight loss that will give you a bit of leaway for afterwards haha! Don't worry about the house, mine has got in to such a state and now I cant be bothered to try and sort it - think if the rest of the family don't care - why should I !
Yes men are crap with lots of things so my empathy there! But 6 wks down the line I have no pain (bit of stinging tho) Fanjo looks better than it has for a long time although is still hard and lumpy inside at mo but has been worth it. And I am not going to think about exercise other than walking til after xmas. Just need to sort out bowels grrr!

Noordinarygirl it's really interesting what you said about emotional turmoil, I feel a bit like that at the moment, not with my husband but I am feeling really really sad that I don't have any daughters and won't ever because I'm not going to have any more children. I love my boys and don't ever want them to feel like they're not loved or wanted but I so wanted a little girl, I don't have many friends really and my mum lives about 200 miles away and I just wanted to be able to have someone to go shopping with and do girly stuff with. When the boys were babies it didn't seem as bad but now they are 3 and 5 it seems to really be hitting me that it's all going to be rugby and ben 10 and lego and football and I don't get to do the pretty pink things or the sylvanian families etc etc. I even looked up adoption the other night on the internet before thinking no that's ridiculous I can't do that!!

Smoked - I worried so much about the op (am now facing a 2nd op as 1st one didn't quite work) that even my girl friends didn't really give me much support because they were all like oh it's routine, you'll be fine, it'll be all done and then you'll be so much better. But at the back of your mind you think what happens if something goes wrong??!!!! Even though the op was worse than I thought it would be in terms of pain and the recovery afterwards I don't regret having it done at all, it's a bit like childbirth, horrendous at the time but you do forget about it fairly quickly. I'm just hoping this 2nd op is successful!

Hi to everyone here, some of you I have previously talked to, and all the newbies who keep appearing! After about 18 years!!! I finally got a diagnosis of Rectocele, Cystocele, and Intussception, and on the 5th November I finally got the surgeon to agree that repair was the only way for me. I AM NOW ON THE WAITING LIST FOR LAPEROSCOPIC RECTOPEXY!!! To say I am overjoyed would be a huge understatement. Thanks for all the help and support you've given me, in getting this far! hugs to all. XX

Oh, that's brilliant Nannasylv, so happy for you, what a journey you've been on. Was this from your local urogynae dept, or did you end up going further away, I know you were considering it?

WhoKnows, I had to go further, to a hospital an hour from home (crazy when you think I live in Birmingham, with hospitals all around), but I would hae gone further, if needed. You're right about the long haul to get to this point, and he did say it's a long waiting list, as others also are from outside of his area! When will the NHS recognise the need for all health authorities to do something about this type of problem! I'm just praying for a cancellation to bring the date closer now.

Happylilme - I shall keep watching your progress and best of luck. As for your comment about not feeling like having any fun with hubby, I m single at the moment but there is nothing like a saggy vagina to put off the idea of sex. I definitely feel it needs fixing before I want to get into all that.
I got the written confirmation today from the hospital of the date and they meh it clear in there it could be cancelled. I have made all sorts of plans, like everyone else, to be able to do this And my head will explode if it is all for nothing. Still wishing good health to all the local oldies!

Anybody else out there had this done and live on there own? Keep thinking I will be found dying in my own squalor! Ok, bit dramatic but it is going to be a bit lonely. Having said that many of you have small children and that must have its own challenges.

Nannysylv - so pleased for u! Read the posts a lot and can.t believd u had to waut so long. I have concerns regards intuss but gp has said not. Could I ask what ur early symptoms were.

Dragon I know what you mean about arranging things. My mum is flying in 2 days after op for 2 weeks so they better not cancel it. Plus I've told work, the kids and hubby has 4 weeks off (very lucky or unlucky lol might be divorced by the end of it)
I'm hoping this surgery will help both physically, being able to poo without aiding it along will be a novelty, and emotionally, that I feel normal again down in the nether regions.
If anyone could get back to me on these questions
Do I need to take in my own pads to hospital and if so do they have to be like the maternity ones?
TMI alert, do I need to shave my lady parts before surgery?
Nanny I cant believe you had to wait that long, I went to my GP late September, referred straight away, operation on 6th of this month. That is in Leicestershire. I think that sometimes we women are just expected to get on with it and if we moan it's just hormonal. I have very painful periods and specialist (man) said oh it will stop when you go through the menopause. I said that im in my early 30s, he shrugged. I came out fuming. GRRR

Oh and Dragon I hope you don't feel on your own to quote the tories "We are all in this together" And to quote Labour "things can only get better" Balanced :0)

Happy - don't shave, you are more likely to pick up infections through the abrasions it leaves on the skin. I would have a close trim though, makes it easier to keep clean afterwards. I think I took towels, but didn't need the capacity of maternity ones, just normal ones (and make sure they are unscented).

Dragon - have you got anyone who will be able to help you with cooking, laundry, shopping etc? It really would be advisable to try and find help with those things. I remember someone a while ago going to stay with their mum for the recovery period. My op date didn't get moved, it was done at a big general hospital. Would have been a total pain if it had, I had made so many different arrangements to cover work, childcare, housework etc.

Nannasylv - fingers crossed for a cancellation for you.

Testing, testing, it is either me or this site but something isn't working!

Well it is obviously my Ipad - laptop seems fine.

Happylilme - you made me laugh out loud. I clearly need to take a manifesto from each party into the hospital to read through for inspiration!
As for shaving your ladybits before you go in, I have a waxing planned for the week before. I shall have it done at home so I can use huge amounts of Emla cream and wrap myself up in clingfilm. It works a treat but if there is a fire I will have to go down with the house.
I plan to take my own pads into hospital as I am fairly sure the NHS ones will be functional but out of the arc. Perhaps not with a loop for a belt but probably like a brick.
whoknows - I do have a cleaner booked for twice a week for two weeks. After that it is the Christmas period and she isn't working but hopefully two weeks will be enough. I do have a daughter who lives locally and will pop in often but she has a two year old and a 9 week old baby so I don't want to be a burden. A number of friends will pop in after work from time to time. Not ideal but like all those with small children, I will have to work with what I've got.
I am also very pleased to hear your operation didn't get cancelled. I seem to be getting very bothered by this out of all proportion. Read a newspaper article today saying that the A and E crisis is having a knock on effect to elective surgery. It said that in June it was the worst it has been since 2004. Not what I wanted to read but it also said it is worse in the first few months of the year, so that's a positive. I also suspect they are only talking about those cancelled on the day as hospitals have to report those. If it is cancelled the day before they don't. I really need to stop fretting about it as I can't do anything about it and the vast majority do go ahead.

It hadn't even crossed my mind about a possibility of my op being cancelled. Oh darn! However scared I am of it, I'm now counting down the days until I get 'fixed' and can't wait to have some time away from work - however painful it may be!

I will also make sure legs, pits and 'bits' are shaved and/or neat and tidy. It's bad enough to think your feet are up in stirrups with your bits flopping all over the place without thinking they are hairy too (legs I mean!)

Has anybody ever wondered why people actually want to become gynaecologists in the first place? It'd have to be up there (no pun intended) with dentists and chiropodists for me. Yuk!

Yes I do wonder and especially why men become gyneacologists! my male gyneacologist seemed to focus in totally on whether the rectocele was interfering with sex and if it wasnt he did not recomend having an operation because afterwards sex might be painful. He proceeded to give a demonstration of rubbing his arm roughly to show how abrasive sex would be saying imagine if I had a big scar on my arm and I did this. I was appalled because I wasn't thinking about the effect on my sex life at the time the other things were more important like the going to the loo and the general pain. I think it was because he is a man and just cannot understand what it is like to be a woman and his priorities are coloured by him being a man.
Unfortunately my first two operation dates were cancelled the night before BUT i was assured this was unusual, there had been a bed crisis at our hospital and it was earlier in the year when beds were full after winter illnesses so please don't worry, there is enough to worry about as it is!
My hospital asked me to shave beforehand but I think they all have different policies.
When you wake up you have one of their big chunky brick pads on but after that then I think you just use your own once you are moving around and the catheter is out.
Good luck to those of you about to have your ops.

Nannasylv - so pleased you have at last been listened to and are finally on track to being fixed. For others still waiting - hope you get a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment - it does get better.