anterior/posterior surgery 17 days ago!!!

Women's health
1

Further to my earlier lenghty post I had my anterior/posterior surgery 17 days ago.  I have had a rough time of it to say the least.

After surgery pain in the bottom was intense and so I opted to take the morphine as I would not have been able to get through the night without it.  Following morning vaginal pack came out which was nothing atall.  They took catheter out following morning but I was not able to go to the toilet and had intense pain and pressure in the bladder and vaginal area so they had to put the catheter back in. I also struggled with bowel movemebt after surgery and hadnt been for two days before surgery so ended up not having a bowel movement for 4 days and when I did it was painful.  The main worry is that even though you have taken the stool softener (movicol) that you are still pushing and will do some damage but without too much trouble I did go and that relieved just a little bit of the pressure.  My main problem has been the bladder which is still not working and has left me extremely anxious.  I also have a rare condition called diabetes insipidus which means I produce much more fluid that others and so the pressure with having a catheter in all this time has been pretty intolerable.  Whilst in hospital I was extremely sore and they kept putting catheters in (around 5 in total as they needed to put two in/out ones in just to drain the bladder to get me out of my pain) and by the time they put the 5th in it took 2 nurses and close to 30 mins to insert the catheter and the pain was horrendous for me.  I was sure I had developed an infection as had some bleeding too and a strange odour but none of the nurses thought it upon themselves to submit a urine sample to check for infection. Bowel movements are approx every two days and I still need to take movicol and psyllium husk to help ease that along. they discharged me after 4 days and once I had had a bowel movement but I was in much discomfort and pain with the catheter which left me with a constant pressure/burning and cutting pain which felt as if it was where the tube fed in through the vagina.  Two days later I was bleeding and wasnt sure if this was early onset of my period or a haematoma so kept an eye on that but bleeding did calm down and then went watery so can only assume this was my period.  I went a week after to see nurse to have catheter removed and even she upon examining me could not understand why I was bleeding and took a swab and urine sample albeit no infection was found.  I tried for almost 3 hours to go it alone but bladder was still not working and so in all the pain I was in, a further catheter had to be fitted for a week.  They have also asked me to use the flip flow valve for hourly periods or 3 hourly periods in order to store up some of the pressure of urine in bladder to hopefully show some spasm to get my bladder working again. I will return later on for them to remove the catheter and see once again if my bladder can work alone.  I am extremely anxious with all of this and thus far am unable to see any form of benefit from it in all honesty but I guess that is due to having had an uncomfortable catherer in place for 17 days. 

I have never felt so low.

I never in a million years had prepared for the pain and discomfort associated to all of this and can only hope that in time I will look back with something more positive.

I think  having read other stories I have had a particularly bad experience as my hospital care was not what I had hoped for either and that is another story entirely as none of the nurses even offered to help me shower whilst in hospital for four days which I was pretty apalled at.

if anyone has endured such problems with their bladder after surgery and had repeated catheters I would be very grateful for them to share their story and likewise if anyone has questions to ask me please feel free.

Fingers crossed my bladder will start working soonest.... I am praying for that

UPDATE

went to have catheter removed yesterday and after 4.5 hours managed to go myself a little bit (voided only 80ml) so had to sit around for a further 1.5 hours and went again myself (voided 100ml) again only a small amount but they scanned me said there was no residue left in my bladder that all should be ok and let me home without the catheter,

2.5 hours later I had extreme urge to go and couldnt go. the pain was something I cannot describe and I am not sure how I even made it through.  Ended up having to rush to the hospital in the early hours to have catheter put in to drain all the fluid inside (which was the large amount of fluid I had drunk earlier in the day to see if I was able to go without the catheter) and as soon as the catheter was put in I felt relief and 650ml voided into the bag immediately explaining the intense pain I was in not being able to go myself with such a large volume in my bladder.

Came home with catheter and now may have to go back into hospital to have a different type of catheter fitted through the abdomen in order to train my bladder and see if I go it alone or use the catheter if I need to.

Am still quite sore today mainly because of the unbearable pain I was in last night until the fluid was able to be drained out and also had an upset tummy three times so bottom also bruised and sore plus I have started bleeding again (fresh red blood) moderate flow.

I am in utter despair with what I can only describe thus far as a nightmare.

If anyone has experienced something similar I would be grateful for any advice as right now I cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel.. 

with my thanks

2

oh hun i am so sorry to read about your ordeal! i dont have any experience or advise for you (awaitongmy op in 13 days)

just wanted to send you virtual hug as wow what an ordeal i hope it all sorts itself out soon for you!

3

Lorelli, SO SO sorry you've had such a horrible time.  I know there are others on here who have had similar problems, so I hope they'll reply and encourage you that there will be an end to this before long.  I hope you feel better very quickly!

4

thank you for getting back to me.   This has been a complete nightmare for me thus far and I really hope things can improve soon.  I had no clue whatsoever how bad this would be and upon speaking with other ladies in my consultants practice they all say the same, that they are living a daily nightmare.  fingers crossed for better times ahead xx

5

thank you my dear...  I wanted to put up a note incase anyone had experienced something similar and had any advice to give...  Right now I am on a very low ebb to say the least and have hardly been able to get out of bed or off the sofa since surgery.  Things have been much more difficult than I had anticipated.,

Whoever calls these surgeries "nothing much" or "minor" needs to walk a few steps in a patients shoes before providing such comments as this is a seriously difficult thing for any woman to get through...

6

That's a bit worrying that the others are having the same experience Lorelli.  I don't know what to make of that.  It doesn't seem 'the norm' of people's experiences on here!  But yes, I certainly hope you're feeling much better soon!

7

Oh my goodness lorelli , I have spent the last 3 weeks feeling very sorry for myself after posterior / anterior repair. the pressure on my bladder is horrendous. today been to Dr to be told I have blood and pus in my urine. and given a different antibiotic , but compared to wot ur going through my problems are nothing. I really feel for u, u must be beside urself. I do hope we both have a good outcome but at this moment in time I sincerely regret having this op done. X

8

Sorry you have been suffering too.  Ironically one of my main sypmtoms before the rectocele and cystocele was located was bladder frequency and pressure but now that I have had the catheter in for nearly 3 weeks I still feel much pressure and discomfort in the area so until the catheter comes out and I feel semi normal again I cannot really tell if the surgery has provided any form of relief with any of my symptoms to be honest.  Sorry re your infection.  which antibiotics did they give you?

I waited a long time before having the surgery as I was pretty petrified and like you right now I can only tell you that I wish I had never had the operation.

Last night when my bladder was at capacity and I could not go to the toilet without the catheter I was in such great and overwhelming pain that I am honestly not sure how I got through.

I dont think many ladies come forward about their experiences and having spoken to three different ladies yesterday all suffering the same or similar to us I can tell you that they too are in absolute despair with all this.

I am going back to the hospital on Sunday LORD help me. 

I can only hope there will be a light at the end of the tunnel for both us us.

Hope your infection will clear for you soon.  Are you feeling okay other than the infection and do you still have any other symptoms?

xxx

9

I dont think all the ladies feel comfortable to come forward about their experiences too be honest and I thought long and hard about posting my experience on this forum but felt that I owed it to other women to be honest and tell them of my experience in the hope it would aid them in some way or atleast get them to ask their specialist all they need to ahead of time.

The ladies I spoke with yesterday were in as much of a state as I and one had been suffering for a lengthy period.

Whatever people say this is "major" surgery which really takes it toll on a womans body.  Thank you for your kind wishes. 

I am trying to look for the light at the end of the tunnel but so far it is nowhere close   xx

10

Really hope all goes well for u on Sunday let us know wot happens. Like u my bladder was so uncomfortable before the op always peeing, I dispair of ever feeling normal again. But let's try and keep each others spirits up. Warmest regards jan. ☺

11

It is important for women to hear the other side of things, you're right.  I breezed through my hysterectomy and repair and imagined most did the same.  But yes, it is major surgery and that shouldn't be forgotten.  I did have a bladder infection after mine but the surgeon warned me I might and when I felt off colour we called the doctor and antibiotics sorted it, but that was the only problem I had.  It sounds as though I was very lucky.  I do hope that light appears to get brighter and brighter soon, at the end of that tunnel.

12

fingers firmly crossed that we will both have some better news soonest xx

13

thanks so much...  Pleased you came out without too many difficulties and hope you feel much better now.

I could not in a million years have imagine the pain associated with this and more than anything want women to be able to read the good and the bad when it comes to this so they are prepared.  There was alot I was not warned about sadly.  Fingers crossed the light will get closer

14

I will be wishing u well on Sunday let's hope u will soon be catheter free. And normality returned. X

15

I will keep on praying.  Thank you xxx

16

Oh you poor girls. Don't forget there are also so many that have very successful operations too. Being a Registered Nurse myself (& 6wks post-op anterior with TOT sling) I do wonder about the experience in doing these repairs of the Dr's operating. How many have they actually done. Public system or private? Top urogynaecology Specialist versus somebody learning how to do it etc. Hope you two girls get better real soon and do end up with positive results.

17

Robyn you've just said what I've thought too.  My heart goes out to these ladies who have had such a rough time of it, but at the same time if I didn't have the connective tissue problem that I've got, I'd jump at the chance of another repair because for me it was a breeze.  Yes, I got a bladder infection afterwards, but had been prewarned by the surgeon that it could happen, especially with the hysterectomy as well, but a course of antibiotics sorted that out and even the anaesthetic didn't make me feel tired afterwards.  I'd read that I'd want to sleep during the day for a while, but I didn't and felt mentally normal and not drained at all, although I did rest as ordered.  But it was in front of the tv or with a book or something.  But I actually felt so good so quickly.  Of course, some of it may have been that I knew the cancer had been taken out, so that would have given me a huge boost.  But my feelings, even though there are risks of problems afterwards, are that sugery is still the number one choice and a prolapse pessary is the second choice, that still offers a very good life with minimum problems, but penetrative sex is the biggest issue with that (with some being OK to carry on with penetrative sex, and some being able to be taken out for it and so on), and I think having choices is a big thing here.

18

sorry taken a while to come back to post but sadly this nightmare continues for me...

was readmitted to hospital for them to remove the catheter again and felt ok for around 4or5 hours without the cath and then by 9pm had a desperate urge to go to the toilet and coukd not go. I was absolutely doubled over in pain agsin so they had to put catheter in which relieved me of my extreme pain more o less immediately. I stayed I hospitdl for a few days and the plan was for them to fit a suprapubic catheter through the abdomen under general anaesthetic but they wanted me to go for uro dynamic testing first

19

so I had the uro dynamic test which showed bladder was well supported did have sensation and after about 11 minutes I was able to go alone but with very very small voids. radiologist was wonderful and told me this was good news and that this meant my bladder would definitely start working again by that itime may take big of time.

consultant then told me she would rather not fit the suprapubic cath and try and wait yo see if bladder could improve first and do I was sent home with same regular catheter for a further 3 weeks until I gave the next twoc with the nurse which will take place over 7 hours. I am trying to cope with catheter but having had this for 4 weeks now it is difficult xnd I still have soreness and a cutting pain where tube feeds in and may also have a thrush infection as was given short course of trimethroprim after uro dynamics test which can sometimes cause thrush. also still have pressure feeling that I need to go all the find with catheter in but am told this is normal. I am finding all of this extremely hard and am in tears much of the time. can only hope things may improve. not to be able to go yo the toilet is very frightening and causes much anxiety. if anyone has any advice would appreciate them sharing. will hope my next post is a log more positive xx

20

Lorelli, I am SO SO sorry to hear this horrendous time is still going on for you!  I can imagine the stress and anxiety it's causing.  I wish I could suggest something to help you - all I can offer is sympathy and it seems so little.  But I am thinking of you and SO hoping that you'll be able to put this behind you before too long.