Pelvic Floor Reconstruction

[Shakey1500]

Anyone had one?

I've got a bladder and bowel prolapse and looking at surgery in April. I'm also having the external bits improved and a new perenium (I say new, the existing one is about 3mm wide/long) built by pulling from the top leg muscles. At least I think that's what he said (my head was reeling by this point) Also having a camera inserted into bladder and a biopsy taken

Thanks piggy most useful Must admit to never hearing of the Manchester repair. I'm not 100% on the leg muscle bit to be fair. I was reeling quite a bit at the 8-14 wks recovery time he'd given me, trying to figure out how the hell I was going to explain this at work. I do know that my perineum is pretty non existent and one has to be fashioned out of something. Might offer him DH's love handles

I'm already suffering the incontinence, painful sex and chronic pain (back) so am very much hoping that these symptoms will be relieved a bit. I can cope with the incontinence to a degree, sex has been painful for so long we've given up but the back ache is the worse by far.

Shakey that all sounds dreadful, poor you. Do you mind saying what age group you are roughly? I'm just being nosey as it sounds like a lot to deal with

Hi Shakey, sorry to hear you are suffering so much. I had surgery similar to what you will be having although in mine they used mesh, not leg muscle.
I read so much about it before going in for my op, including all the threads on here, I scared myself stupid about what might go wrong.
It has been a year and two weeks now since my op and I can honestly say my life had been transformed!
Before my op I couldn't have sex, I couldn't pick up my children, couldn't poo without using laxatives, couldn't walk very far, always needed incontinence pads - the list went on.
I found the recovery hard, much worse than I was expecting. The first week was awful and my husband ended up having to take time off work to look after me. But after the first three weeks, things started to get better. I had 12 weeks off work and returned part-time to begin with.
I have no complications with my surgery at all. I can have sex now and it isn't painful at all, I can go to the toilet, don't need to use pads.
I am so glad I had this surgery and I feel so guilty as I promised myself I would go back on to the prolapse thread and post a positive comment, but I never have as I've been so busy getting on with family life!
Good luck for April, I really hope everything works out as well for you as it did for me.

malymoo thanks so much for posting your experience and being honest about the recovery. Yes, I'm insisting DH takes two weeks off work. I'm so pleased your surgery was a success, what a relief that must be for you

I wasn't expecting all this tbh. I knew the bladder was kaput but honestly thought 'quick op, hoik it up, week off work, job done" and it's turned into much more. Not least this camera and biopsy I figure if it was going to be grim they'd be doing it sooner than April yes??

East I'm 45 but 19 mentally

Shakey It sounds like you don't have much to lose. If I was in your position I'd probably go for it.
Link to Manchester repair. It's only line drawings but quite graphic. They didn't take all my cervix away. www.atlasofpelvicsurgery.com/5Uterus/8ManchesterOperation/chap5sec8.html

Shakey please please come & update after the op. I was on the waiting list for a 'pelvic floor repair' but have chickened out due to having young dc's & being worried about recovery & lifting.

Mine would have been a posterior prolapse repair with perineum repair too (but not the leg muscle thing).

I'm going to ask to be referred for physio instead & may possibly have the op when my youngest starts full time school. (I am 36 btw).

Best of luck with it

You are clearly very young Shakey . I assume the younger the better for surgery, faster recovery. I wish you & Beanhead every success

piggy Yikes, that it graphic! It's not just me that thinks pics 3-11 look like a penis is it?? Who knew?

beanhead Absolutely I'll update and be totally honest like malymoo unlike existent mothers who tell first timers that childbirth will be fine (

East thanks for the young comment , it's made my day. Considering I was asked if I was an 18 year old's mother last night at an open mic night. Granted it is entirely feasible but I don't think the person posing the question quite deserved the length of daggers I shot him.

I shall 'watch" - good luck Shakey I 'm nowhere near as bad, so didn't need to go down the surgery route ( blooming glad - at 60 only ever been in hospital for 2 DC! )

DH was at my father's 50th, which seems shocking now. Those pictures were very detailed, I hope your DH isn't into DIY Shakey.

Bean is fine shakey

Just a quick update if anyone's watching. Looks like the surgery won't be April Spoke to the consultant's secretary (who was a tad snobby tbh) who said it'll be more like June/July.

So the glass half empty thought is- bugger, have to suffer a bit longer. Buggers up Summer Hol.

Glass half full thought- They can't be that worried about finding cancer, always a plus. It'll be warm during recovery.

What piggy said ! About recovery . Six weeks us just to recover from the worst excesses of the surgery. I am seven weeks post major surgery and still weak . That thread is good and a bit scary so research widely and look for the success Stories too ! Do you have kids shakey? X

Also meant to thank agoodbook for recommending the FB private group, it's just wonderful. Chock full of women going through same/similar problems.

Hi Shakey! Just checking my thread for replies and noticed yours.

I've a thread re rectocele/cystocele and perineum repair, and the recovery. No replies yet, and I'm a week post op.

Wanted to send a friendly wave in your direction!

Ooh hello waves back, thanks for posting It really gives a little thrill that some people, somewhere are thinking of one, even fleetingly while they write. Such comfort.

Have you a link to your thread?

fromParis Hello there

Yes, I have a 7year old DS. Traumatic (fast!) birth, no pain relief, 4th degree tear, 4 operation across two years to repair. Hence I only have one child

aw just read about the delays shakey, thats...disappointing

but it does give you time to prepare yourself and get ready

read that link, phew!!!! leaves you in no doubt hey

hang on in there in the meantime

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2298010-Rectocele-cystocele-repair-post-op-recovery

Did it work Shakey?

I've just checked and it did open, so hopefully you can read to where I'm at now.

That sounds like an awfully traumatic delivery!

My first pregnancy, I was overdue by 2 weeks and ds1 was born with his arm up at the side of his face, so I had a 3rd degree tear. I found the stitching afterwards more painful then the actual birth, as I had spd and the stirrups were so painful. (I had a minor op a year after as had problems with scar tissue and skin tag in the birth canal).

Ds2 flew out and I didn't tear, despite him being 9lb 6, and a week early.

Ds3 I was induced due to high bp and was another fast delivery. I didn't let them stitch me (only a small tear) due to remembering the awful first delivery experience, and spd was worse during this pregnancy, so I couldn't really open my legs.

I can't believe how "natural" childbirth can wreck havoc on your bits. I had a look down there when I got home, and I had what I thought looked like a willy bulging out the entrance. (Sorry tmi, I know!). To begin with my own pelvic floor exercises and recovery made things ok to carry on without intervention.

However as the years passed (ds3 is nearly 5) I've had terrible trouble with heavy periods that lasted for weeks opposed to days. And difficulty going to the toilet and leaking urine got very bad.

I've just turned 36, and don't want to be feeling so scared of going to the toilet and worrying about pads. My gynaecologist suggested a hysterectomy, but I'm unsure, so opted for a 2nd ablation at the time as doing the rectocele/cystocele repairs. The perineum repair was done due to me not allowing them to do the stitching after ds3, so my fault really.

Can I ask Shakey, how are things on a daily basis? What is the camera in the bladder about?

Please do not feel the need to answer should you not wish to discuss.

Hi Gimmesomemore

Yes, I could open it, thanks.

Have to say, I'm really surprised you've gone back to work so early!? I was told by my consultant it was 8-14 weeks recovery and he would be signing me off work for 3 months? Just to remind, I'm having similar- repair bladder and bowel prolapse, perineum reconstruction and camera/biopsy on bladder. You must be (quite rightly) shattered. How are you feeling today? Must be so hard with the kids/house also and quite right your DH should be doing almost everything! Not to suck eggs but (I've heard) the more you do in these early stages can hinder the repair and increase the risk of it not working as well as it could?

Yes, traumatic birth indeed. Very fast for a first one (apparently). I went from 2cm dilated to 10cm in an horrifically painful 40minutes. My sister had to strongly insist the midwife examine me again as she was adamant I couldn't have been much further than the 2cm.

Don't really remember pushing, I was just in shock. Ventouse delivery and then straight into theatre (after a brief hold of DS) for surgery. Unbeknownst to me (as I couldn't bear to look) the stitches broke down over being home for two weeks and the area became severely infected. Antib's for 2 weeks. Then a repair in a bloody side room (outpatient). I am SO with you on the excruciating pain from stitches. The only comfortable position was face down on the floor Then after 6 months I knew things still weren't right (stitch are wise and inside vagina) so had 3rd op under general anaesthetic and was sterilised at the same time. Still in shock I think. Buried head in the sand, after a year it still wasn't right and I went to a different consultant. He did a modified Fenton's procedure and finally was able to have sex again (though couldn't tolerate a tampon, still can't)

Fast forward 7 year later and noticed increasing incontinence. Went to GP fully expecting some meds or somesort but she diagnosed a bladder prolapse instantly. Referred to a urogynaecologist (who is lovely!) and he ordered urodynamics and MRI scan to assess damage. Urodynamics revealed that (in his words) my "bladder was so irritable" and he wanted to have a look with a camera and take a biopsy also (that gives me the EEK factor but I figure they can't be that worried about cancer else they's do it right away. That's what I'm telling myself anyway..) That's when he also revealed there was the bowel prolapse as well as bladder. AND he was very sympathetic about my perineum. In fact he said it's an "absent perineum" and it is a pretty pathetic thin strip of scar tissue (not even flesh really) about 3mm wide/square.

I'm really surprised actually that, inside, the repair has held between vagina and anal canal (which is an obviously relief). Day to day I've chronic lower back pain, feeling the bulges down below, urine incontinence, general exhaustion and constipation. My bowels won't evacuate properly because of the bulge(s) I think. Trouble is I can't take a laxative during the week because of working FT. Come the weekend I'm absolutely shattered.

Crikey that's long-sorry!

Hi Shakey,

I've been meaning to get back on to reply but had a bad couple of days. I've been feeling so emotional, I guess feeling stuck in the house doesn't help, and being so cold outside I've been put off going for short walks.

I've become really uncomfortable again, and have trouble going for a wee. It seems to take forever and the skin down there is sore. As I've had another ablation you have weeks of watery discharge, which seems to aggravate all my stitches. I also have bleeding, so all very messy. (Sorry for tmi!)

I'm sorry that I think I've misled you into thinking I've gone back to work, which I haven't as I'm a sahm. DH went back Monday of this week, and is out the house before 7am and is never home before 8pm. I really could have done with him taking this week off too.

My youngest has had no time off school since starting last September, and has been ill off and on all week (Sod's law).

He has had sickness, nosebleeds and today terrible diarrhoea. So producing lots of washing and clearing up. He has been off school today, and I'm so tired now.

Has your consultant given you any idea of a date for your op? It does sound like you are coping with so much and I can't believe that you are not being seen as a priority?

I hope you are keeping well and have a good weekend.