Bladder prolapse - may be TMI, sorry!

[Sillyphilly]

I am due for bladder prolapse repair in a couple of weeks. Just got thinking today that as my bladder is being put back where it should be and away from the vaginal area, will I end up being even looser than I am now?!
After a very large baby I am already a lot looser down there than before and now I'm panicking I'll be cavernous! 😪
Does anyone have any experience of this please? Do you generally end up looser or tighter than before surgery?

Thank you in advance and sorry if I've put anyone off their dinner 😂

You end up tighter. Part of the surgery is to cut the vagina, and take out the slack, and stitch it up again. The bladder is bulging because your vaginal walls have lost their tone and strength. They have been over-stretched. The surgery will remove the slack and tighten it all up.

(I've had this done.)

Thank you for your reply. I think Ive just been fixated on the fact that my bladder is taking up so much space in the vagina, once it's back to where it should be, there'll be more space silly I know.
Thank you for the reassurance. How was your recovery? Not looking forward to this procedure one bit.

I need to have this done also, but with a rectal reconstruction as well (I have very weak tissues due to a genetic condition) so I'm also wondering about recovery etc.
OP I'm sure it will be fine, and an improvement on your current situation. Good luck.

Born again virgin op!!
After her hysterectomy my dm was ecstatic to me one she claimed!

QueenoftheNights

What was your recovery and duration of recovery like?

When are you having done Op?

NHS wait time about 9 moths for this procedure

I've been waiting 4 bloody years for this.
Long story.....
Originally meant to have surgery at Xmas but was cancelled due to bed shortage.

I'm really crapping myself about it now....

I had this op 25 years ago,

I had a lot of work done there. Not just bladder but back wall and uterus too.

It's the same recovery as a hysterectomy. There is usually an ongoing prolapse support thread here - have a look.

Basically you have to do not a lot for 6 weeks- no driving, lifting or heavy shopping or housework and take care afterwards forever.

I don't think I'm gonna like the answer to this but here goes....

I've got a holiday booked with my 5 year old (lone parent) 7 weeks post surgery. Can I risk it? I booked it before I had the surgery date

Depends how fit and healthy you are to some extent.

I’m 37 and very fit. Doc said I should need no more than 2 weeks off work and be back to exercising in 6 weeks and absolutely all normal activities resumed within 10 weeks

So i reckon you’ll be fine

Thank you, I really hope so! I'm in good shape and no other health problems so fingers crossed!
I do traditionally heal quite quickly too, I managed to repair a completely severed nerve in super quick time after my birth so fingers crossed I'll heal quickly this time. Thank you xxx

It''s got nothing to do with being fit and healthy. it's how much repair work is done.

I was given written instructions on recovery by the surgeon.
I didn't have just a bladder repair i also had my uterus hitched up. A simple bladder prolapse may need less time but even so, the tissues have to heal and any undue weight or strain will undo all the stitching internally and the repair.

What sort of holiday is it that you are going on? Is there a flight involved? You shouldn't lift anything heavier than 6kg after the operation. To be honest, if you could, I would try to postpone the holiday for another few weeks just to take the pressure off yourself.

So they say 6 weeks afterwards, but I was still not great after 6 weeks in terms of my flexibility and ability to bend down. If you pick up heavy weights like a suitcase then the stitches will be compromised. Even with cabin baggage size there is lifting and carrying of the bag up the plane steps etc. Or a lot of carrying of your son or lifting him or vigorous swimming, hill climbing, etc.

If you can't postpone and try to take it easy, but a good patient recovery from this operation is very important for your quality of life for many years.

It''s got nothing to do with being fit and healthy

Of course it does!

The healthier and fitter you are, recovery is very much much more likely to be swifter and easier.

Ask any doctor. Any medic. Indeed anyone with even a whiff of a medical background.

I'm sorry but that's not right. What do you mean by 'fit and healthy'?

I was super healthy but still got prolapse of my uterus, bladder and, partially , rectum. They didn't stand up to a super-quick first delivery. The recovery rate was the same regardless.
-no lifting of anything heavier than a cup of tea ( def not a full kettle)

• no driving for 6 weeks

-no lifting of anything over 1 stone ( ever) -no jogging, or high impact exercise ( ever)

The only thing that would make recovery harder is if someone was overweight because the weight would put a strain on the pelvic organs.

But being able to run, do aerobics or anything else that you consider 'healthy' won't make any difference at all. The stitching in internal. It takes time to heal even though it's not visible. The only time it may take longer to heal is if someone is post menopause when the tissues have lost some of their tone due to loss of estrogen.

Ask any doctor. Any medic. Indeed anyone with even a whiff of a medical background.

You are?

Caribbeanyesplease

Read Sadie9 and her post- it's saying the same thing.

If you are having a very minor procedure, you will feel fine in 2 weeks. But that doesn't mean your tissues are strong again and being 'fit' won't make any difference. It's not like major heart surgery where fitness could be an issue with recovery from a long GA or where the patient has a compromised cardio vascular system already. This is microsurgery, putting very fine stitches in place to hold everything right. To prevent failure of the op, it's really important to take care during the early weeks.

I'll have to think carefully about this holiday then. Such a shame as I was really looking forward to it, but long term recovery is obviously paramount on all this.

I'm going to ask a very shallow question now.... Apologies in advance...

I've been left with all sorts of weirdness down there after episiotomy and 3rd degree tear, skin tags etc. Will this surgery affect the appearance from the outside? As in make it look any worse? Not sure I can deal with anymore oddness down there. It gets me down enough as it is.
Sorry, I do realise how shallow this sounds.

I'm bumping because I'm really stressing about this now. Worried no one will want to come near me if ends up looking worse down there

Queen I think we are talking at cross purposes

I’m not saying that a being fit etc will stop a prolapse

I’m saying being fit and healthy will help with recovery from a fairly substantial operation.

My consultant told me. And my uncle (another doctors) concurred that those people who exercise regularly and are generally fit and healthy recover from operations fee quicker than those that aren’t.

Oh absolutely important to be careful after he operation

But Mr Slack (what a name for a specialist in this procedure!). Google him. Point blank told me that because I’m so fit I shouldn’t worry about the standard 12 week no exercise tile and that he would envisage me being back to work I’m two weeks, gentle exercise within 6 weeks and full exercise regime certainly within 12

It won't look any worse down there afterwards...however you can be a swollen down there for a few weeks afterwards. So don't look down straight after! I had lumpy bits sticking out that I thought would stay but they all shrank down and went away.
Not sure if they can 'fix' anything that's there already, or if that is a job for another day.