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

Gimme

No, no utterly my mistake having read back, sorry

Oh poor you. I can imagine the discomfort around your stitches

TMI alert ( actually no, this is my thread and there's no such thing as TMI )I recall the hospital (after stitches broke down) saying I HAD to keep the area clean. I said "You're joking? There's shit, piss, blood, pus and gawd knows what else coming out of there" Sheesh.

Hope you've got a relaxing weekend planned?

I've had a back massage today but tbh, it's killing me now! Not sure it was a wise move but hey ho.

Eitherway I HAVE to be well as we're off to Disney California next Fri- eek! Going to shamelessly use prolapses in a quest to get upgraded. Got to be useful somewhere hasn't it?

Not sure I am seen as a priority No date as yet. I'm playing "check the postbox every 5 minutes"

Hey Shakey, sorry to hear your op was cancelled!
Mine was originally booked for September, but was then rearranged in December. It was a LONG wait!
You should definitely try to get that upgrade - there has to be some perks to having a prolapse!!
Hope you have a fantastic holiday!

Oops, not sure how all those lines got there!

How are you doing Gimme ?

Hi to anyone still watching

Update- I had my surgery on Fri 22nd May after saying I'd be available for a cancellation. I'd actually been signed off sick by my GP before then as I just wasn't coping with all the symptoms. So they ran on the Tues "could I come on the Friday?" Ummmm YES!

So it was good I'd had no time to dwell on it you know? Saw consultant before the op, op took only an hour. That general anaesthetic stuff id FAB. I blinked and it was all over. Came out with a catheter and packing which was removed the next day and I came home on the Sun.

Slept like a bastard the first week and since then, I've done bugger all Have attempted a couple of short walks the last two weeks and Ye Gads I can really feel the swelling and discomfort.

Hope all are well x

Hi Shakey, I had an anterior and posterior repair last Oct. It is a slow recovery. I was very surprised how incapacitated I was after some repairs to a small enough area of the body. It's like being a shuffly old lady. All you can do is just really take it easy. And clamber back up on the sofa as much as possible. You won't do yourself any favours by rushing it as I'm sure you are finding out. You will find yourself improving in leaps and bounds each week. Also I had to wear just loose leggings for months after it. I found my tummy was swollen for a good few months as I couldn't bear anything like trousers or pressing on it. And couldn't reach down to pick something up off the floor comfortably for quite a long time as it was like having a big invisible pregnant belly in the way. My bladder function has come back fine. I do get a few twinges in it but the other symptoms have gone. It was definitely worth it and I'd do again if I had to. For the first 6 weeks you might be thinking the cure is worse than the disease but it all gets better. And 'don't look down!' is my other advice, as your bits will look horrendous. Again not to worry it all goes down dramatically over the coming weeks. You will think every so often that something is coming back but I think it swells up on and off inside every so often. Best of luck for recovery.

Hi Sadie (your username reminds me of Babs in Funny Girl )

Glad you're recovering well, very reassuring. Yes, I'm beginning to find out first hand just how slow the recovery period will be. To be fair DH has been a star, thankfully so I've been able to rest whenever. I laughed at your shuffle comment as that's exactly how it's been.

Luckily, and I don't know exactly how, I have NO exterior stitches around the new perineum . I didn't see the consultant post op (app Aug) but I had a peek and there's a new bit there. The registrar who discharged me said he'd stitched it "letterbox" style. And no chunk out of my leg either. All clever stuff.

I've some random, non op vicinity pain in the fleshy part of my bum that I can't explain. Though I'm inclined to put it down to nerve/ligament being back in place after suffering for back pain for so long.

Hi Shakey, I hope you are healing well. Do you mind me asking how your recovery has been and if you are glad you did it so far?

I need to have the same as you, anterior and posterior repair as well as perineum rebuild. Im 32 with young children and wondering if it's a crazy idea to do it now and should wait until they are older?

Thanks

Hi all, especially Gimme how are you?

Sorry Addicted I've only just seen your post! My recovery has been much better than I ever anticipated. Sure I was a tad uncomfortable the first week and shuffling for a couple of weeks BUT nowhere NEAR as uncomfortable as I thought. DS is 8 so no lifting required and I imagine it would be trickier with babies/toddlers. Have you a partner at home? Or parents/anyone nearby that could help during recovery? I would say absolutely go for it if you have support AND you aren't coping with the symptoms. I know I wasn't coping pre surgery, not sure how I lasted so long really. I am symptom free now. Even the chronic backache has gone which was one of my worst symptoms. Whereabouts are you (vaguely if you wish). Sorry for late reply x

Thanks Shakey. That sounds like you've had a great outcome and it wasn't a traumatic recovery.
I thought I could put up with it and put surgery off, but ive realised I can't and want to get back to normal not feeling like an old lady while I'm still young!
My DH says he will help out but I don't think he quite realises how much he will have to do if I can't lift anything. Sometimes he leaves really early or is home very late so I'm not quite sure how that will work getting then ready for nursery and bed. My DM is just under an hour away and said she will help but sometimes that can be a bit stressful.
Do you think I will be ok to do work emails etc from about two weeks?
What have they told you about exercise and avoiding a recurrence? Did they give you physio afterwards?

Oh I'm in the south east by the way, what about you?

Oh I'm glad you say my message

I would think doing emails etc would be ok, but NO physical activity. There is a chance of failure with the repairs and this is greatly increased and come undone if too much activity is done too soon. I literally slobbed on the sofa for a good two weeks and did nothing. The first two days after coming out of hospital (was in for 2 nights) I slept almost constantly (anaesthetic I think).

Could your DH take two weeks holiday to look after you/kids when your surgery is scheduled? Honestly, take any help available. One thing I found was especially helpful was to tell all and sundry what was happening. I put a massive FB post up outlining my condition, what surgery I was having and what the recovery would be like. I was inundated with offers of help with shopping, cleaning and taking DS to school and back. Fortunately DH was off for the first two weeks but after that, a friend picked my DS up from the door and took him to school and back. The other great thing the FB post did was raise awareness! About 3 women messaged me privately suffering from prolapses to some degree or other.

I'm being referred to physio so will see what comes of that but to be honest I'm not sure I need it but will go and see if there's something I'm missing/tips etc. Don't want to risk failure even at this good stage.

Earlier in the thread, someone posted a link to a private POP (pelvic organ prolapse) group and that's been great! I even wrote a file for them called POPMAN which is a tongue in cheek, laymans terms to POP for men. Seems to have gone down well

I'm in Wales. Sorry to hear you're suffering

www.facebook.com/groups/184143085606/

^^ you have to request to join and be approved etc

Thanks Shakey, I'm not on FB, I wonder if they would let me join through DH's page? I could say I needed to read him your popman piece!

Yes I could ask him to keep the first two weeks clear but if he doesn't get work he doesn't get paid which he hates. He was back at work when dc2 was 3 days old so I'm not sure how much I can rely on him, and he's not the most sympathetic person!

Sorry you've been through this too and everybody else, it's pretty depressing and not the sort of thing I want to tell everyone about. Good for you letting everyone know about it, I haven't figured out what to tell work yet.

You could join FB solely for that reason and use it for nowt else? I'm thinking probably not your DH's account as maybe some of the other ladies wouldn't be quite convinced it wasn't some dodgy character getting his rocks off on talk about vaginas Nothing against your DH!

Work wise, I just thought sod it, they can have the ins and outs. To be fair though, I have an unusual work scenario (that I can't go in to) which would require me to give them warts and all.