anyone had posterior repair/ rectocele repair

[flourybaps]

Hi, got to have surgery at the end of the month, rectocele repair and posterior repair. Have done a search in the archives but found very little about this prob.......

surely I cant be the only person with this problem? Anyone out there? Just wanted to know a little about the recovery. I have an 8 month old dd to look after so im a bit concerened as my Dr said avoid lifting, well thats easier said than done!

Elauns I agree completely with Jackie62 and hope that by now you have sought medical advice. My surgeon said he had to go through a number of possible complications before the op and one was the possibility of nipping the bowel- I wonder if something like that has happened in your situation- I hope you are ok and they get it sorted. Keep us posted.
Thanks for the info re you tube- I'll check it out- may help me to 'rest more.'
Has anyone else got any excess skin/scar tissue just in the area of the vagina opening- am anxious about resuming intimacy with my husband and painful sex due to rubbing in the area- due to see my consultant next wk for 6 wk post op check- hope something can be done about it.....

Hypergland-sorry just read your post- my blood loss red at first then more brownish lasted about 3 weeks then a week and a half later I got my period- lucky me!!!

Hi Jackie62, Hyperglad & Bondboys007, thanks for your advice, i've been quite ill which is why i've not repsonded sooner...
I went to UCC on the advice of nhs direct the following morning. They sent me straight to hospital which is what I should've done straight away! Once in hospital i ended up losing a lot more blood at regular intervals and after each time felt more dreadful, weak and dizzy, I discussed this and showed the nurses but they seemed so nonchalant about the whole thing I still thought i was being melodramatic. At one stage I lost so much blood i passed out in the toilets and woke up in a pool of blood, I am sporting quite a nasty shiner for it. Only then did they arrange for me to go to theatre to get checked out, the bleeding had stopped after that. The surgeon said that he thinks it was due to an infection which caused a large haemorrhage and started me on a course of anitbiotics. I got out of hospital on thursday and as far as the rectocele goes i think i'm recovering good, i'm having to go back to the dr's because of severe dizziness perhaps due to the blood loss, they said my hbg was very low a 9.4 but didn't give me anything for it - even though the nurses said i should probably get iron tablets... Or it could even be hitting my head.

If I could give anyone advice after my experience it would be; don't be afraid to seek medical advice who cares if they think you're neurotic - I had no symptoms of an infection and my consultant said he'd never known anyone who had my procedure to have the 'occurence' i had (whether thats true??) but it was the most frightening thing to happen and i'm still suffering the side effects!

Hi MegGriffin, Seeing my consultant privately is a no-no so i guess i'm just going to have to be patient.I have a rectocele/cystocele and uterine prolapse, i don't know what grades. Like you i have no urinary incontinence, my main problem is with passing a BM, i have been "helping" it out for to many years to think about. I also have zero sensation during intercourse. When i had physio i was told that you don't get any pain related to a prolapse but i suffer with a heavy dragging sensation which is uncomfortable to say the least.Anyway, roll on the 4th May, when hopefully i will get some answers to my questions and hopefully a date for my op!
Please keep me up to date with your situation, did i read in one of the posts that you had asked to be put on the cancellation list? Good luck and i hope you get your surgery soon.

Hi catchme.
I did ask to go on the cancellation list but they told me they don't have one as the cancellations are always used up by patients with urgent needs, eg, cancer.

I unfortunately have no more news and I wait (im)patiently, checking the post everyday in hope of date.
I intend to post about my experience as it unfolds as I have found it really helpful reading everyone elses. Keep us posted also

elauns, thank goodness you are okay!! I was really worried especially when you hadn't responded. Look after yourself and rest!!Are you feeling better now? I'd love to say I would pop around and make you a cup of tea...It sounds dreadful and where are the nurses when you need them?
I have had a lifetime of dreadful experiences (since I was 13) and sometimes wonder why people are in the medical profession at all as some of them are so uninterested. I have very recently come to the same conclusion as you: ask and expect a decent answer.I phoned my consultant's secretary today and found that my file is sitting on a shelf for some reason, 6 weeks after the last test... no idea why...Here I was expecting some sort of progress!I never learn! Anyway the new (very dishy sounding young male secretary) was very kind and sweet and promised to sort the problem out and put the file where it was supposed to go!Here's hoping...

Just a quick update - had my 3 month post op appt yesterday, which was a bit of a non-event! I explained how the lack of information had affected me (found most on here or in the RCOG leaflet that I'd found for myself - highly recommended 'Recovering Well after Pelvic Floor Surgery' or something like that - and that I'd have liked to have been warned about having the pack and catheter in for 2 days rather than one. No examination, reg just asked me whether we'd managed intercourse and was it ok (yes, and yes) and were my bowels ok (more or less!) and left it at that! Thankfully GP had examined me last week when I went about some spotting, and she thought everything looked OK.

Sorry that some of you are having a bad time or a long wait (I waited 8 weeks from GP to consultant, then 2 and a half months to op, so almost exactly 18 weeks... very suspicious!)

Is the 18 weeks something to do with the longest waiting time allowed? If so then I am way outside that! Still waiting and in quite a lot of pain this week, I've been taking paracetomol again regularly which I don't like to do. And gardening is definitely not a good Idea!

I think there was an 18 week wait for treatment target, but I'm not sure if it still stands... I really hope you don't have to wait much longer. I wasn't in pain but even so it felt like a long wait.

I have been told mine should be no later than 17th May which will be the 18 week deadline.

Jackie62, I'm feeling much better thanks, though still having dizzy spells, the doctor said depending on how badly I knocked my head when I passed out it could last for several weeks. I learned my lesson regards taking it easy though - I'm determined not to do too much until atleast 4 weeks postop, I don't want to have to live through another trip to the hospital so soon. Hope all goes well with you when you finally get someone to look at you properlyt and keep pushing so your file doesn't end up on that shelf again, I swear they forgot about people sometimes! Good luck and take care!

Hi girls,
I haven't posted for a while. Well, finally got rid of infection and feeling MUCH better . I went for my 6 week check up only to find I'd turned up a day late . I didn't realise this op caused early dementia . Any way booked in for check up next week so will let you know. OH and I have had a bit of a fiddle and all seems to be in working order and no pain . We can feel what seems to be the knot of a stitch and I'm puckered, very wierd! I thought stitches would've dissolved by now? I still get a bruise type feeling rectally when I need the loo but on the whole, I'm really pleased . How is everyone else doing?

kazimodo - the last knot in my stitches came away at almost exactly 6 weeks post op. Glad that things are working well, though, and hope your check up is good (and more worth the hassle than mine was)!

ET63-Did you see any of your stitches come out/break away? I haven't seen any of mine

Hi all, I saw my GP 2 weeks ago and was referred to a consultant who I saw the day before yesterday. I have to have a posterior repair. The waiting list is apparently 10 to 12 weeks.

I came home and googled it as I didn't have a clue what it really meant, and this forum came up. I have found more info out thanks to people's posts here than I did at the hospital, so thanks for that, however I must admit to being a little more nervous now, as I thought it was going to be "just a couple of stitches". I know realise it's a bigger deal than that.

Anyway thanks for all the info and advice posted here, it's made me much more aware of what's ahead of me.

Hello everyone! Thought I'd post another 'positive' update! I was at the hospital the other day for a completely unrelated thing and popped into the colorectal department to see if anybody had prgressed with my file. I asked the receptionist if I could speak to James(my consultant's lovely sounding new secretary).You would have thought I was asking for £100,000 with a gun! Talk about unfriendly and unhelpful Eventually she reluctantly dialled the internal number and I spoke to him. He said he had not seen the consultant and was still waiting to talk to him about my file sitting on the shelf for 6 weeks and he promised to get back to me. That was a week ago and nothing...At this rate I am going to go to the Patient Liaison Department as I have heard that they do amazing things with waiting times and stuff. It is getting beyond a joke as I am bleeding and in pain a lot of the time and I have been waiting for ages! Still just about managing to work but I am not going to be able to keep going for much longer. I have been making tentative plans to do more teaching and less running about and most people would be on light duties by now... I now have 4 days off but have to remind myself that gardening is out of the question after last time!! Boy did I pay the price for a bit of digging!

Hi Ladies. I've come to the conclusion that my rectocele isn't 'bad enough' to push it with the GP.

Just came on here because I don't know where else to post what I'm feeling.
TMI coming up....!
I've just come on and things are getting me dowm. I afraid to use tampons because if I get a build up of poo (sorry) I'm worried it will get pushed out or leak. Using towels, I don't feel as clean as I used to.
On top of that I have a really 'heavy' feeling and back ache.

I could never say this in real life, but if I'd known things would be like this, I'd never had had my daughter, much as I love her.

My body feels wrecked and I'm only 34 - 35 at the weekend. Maybe its birthday blues kicking in :(

Excuse my last post. Was feeling really down last night.

Hi Yorkiepud, do you mind me asking where you live? I'm in Buckinghamshire and i have an appointment to see my consultant on the 4th May, i saw my GP who sent a referral to the hospital at the end of October, that's a 6 month wait just to see the consultant. I have had some physio during that time but i was told that it may not make any difference... and it hasn't.The consultants secretary has told me that the waiting time for surgery will be another 16 weeks after seeing the consultant.It's a long time to wait but i have no choice but to do just that.I have asked to be put on the cancellation list but i'm not holding my breath!Glad you've found this forum, i've learnt sooo much about my condition/surgery/recovery.Keep us up to date and Good Luck with your surgery.

Mrs Bonkers. Its horrid isn't it? I have to do things that I wouldn't want to share with my family or friends and I know what you mean about the tampons. Thank goodness for this site where you can tell people (who you don't know) what is going on and find out if anyone out there is having the same issues. I think the answer is that there are loads of people with these sort of problems and its good to share the anxieties.
I have just had to say 'no' to a friend's hen party as it means going away for the weekend and I need to be near a loo, with lubricant, a wash basin and a towel so that I can sort myself out after. I can't risk being in an unknown house and not able to 'go' without other people knowing how long it takes and that I have to push everything back up.

Perhaps a good idea is pelvic floor exercises then the possibility of anything coming out without your 'permission' is lessened. I have been holding on for dear life for 20 years!
I don't know what else to say really, its depressing but I know that if I were to have the choice between three gorgeous children and the problems I am going through at the moment, or being chidless I would choose the children every time.
I think it's important to run the problem by your doctor as there may be something quite simple that they can do for you and you would regret not going earlier.
As for the pain, that is difficult too. I try and stay busy so I don't dwell on it too much, but sometimes only a paracetamol will do! Pear cider has proved to be a great painkiller too!
Happy Birthday and I hope you are feeling better! X

Jackie62 thanks.
I read some of the posts on here and realise how lucky I am really. I don't have any pain. Its just inconvienient and sometimes a bit uncomfortable.
Have had a physio check out my pelvic floor and she said it was in pretty good shape and that I am doing my exercises correctly.
I can sneeze and cough without losing a drop :)

Can you imagine if you could actually be quite crass when explaining to a doctor....

Doc: Hi, what's the problem?
Me: Well, when I want to have a poo I have to put my hand so its half supporting me from the outside and half in my vagina pushing the lumpy bits. That invariably means I piss over myself.

I know some of you have much worse problems, but boy does it feel good to share.

Mrs Bonkers. were you surprised at how hot your urine is?
I have found that if I form my hands into a fist and press just under my tummy button and pulsate whilst leaning forward then this normally encourages things to move along a bit!

Good luck with it. You sound a bit more cheerful?
Have you been following 'Embarassing Bodies'? there was poor man on there with infected 'fistulas' or channels of infection in his bottom and he was in a bad way. when I feel down I think of him and realise how lucky I am!

Hi Everyone,
Going in for a rectocele repair on 28th. Been reading some of your posts and its nice to know im not alone. Will probably spend from now till the op reading from beginning to end of these posts!. I have quite a severe rectocele which is protruding out the vagina. Its causing me so much trouble trying to have a Bm, am really really hoping this op will help. Really dont care what it looks like down there and if it was just cosmetic I wouldnt bother with surgery, but its the problems with the bms that is causing me so much trouble. Im having to push the bulge back inside and backwards to get any kind of relief and even then It doesnt always work, I also get wind trapped in the bulge. All sounds so dignified!
Did those of you who had problems like this find it improved after surgery. Thanks all x

Alexandra46- Hi, I had rectocele surgery at the end of January and my wind and BM's are much better. I also don't have to push anything back inside. I still use lactulose so that I don't strain and it's wonderful to feel normal . Best thing I ever did.

I have a query - I had rectocele, endometrial ablation and mirena coil fitted, which most of you already know. I had a bad infection (felt abdominal) which took 2 lots and 2 courses of antibiotics to fix. I've felt much better but getting same symptoms back again. TMI coming up . Discoloured discharge (not loads) and very bad smell with slightly uncomfortable abdominal pain. I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar problems and if so what happened. Also any ideas what's going on? I've wondered if it might be the coil? Seeing the consultant on thursday, should I wait till then or see the GP? Thanks for listening to my rant.

Hi kazimodo. I have not had my op yet so I can't comment specifically, but I would not leave it till Thursday in case it's an infection. I would go and see GP and see if you need antibiotics. You could get quite ill if you leave it. Good luck.