Hi I am 6 Wks post rectalcele, I also had a big hematoma which had to be drained a week after surgery.I still have alot of pressure when I sit down and have been bleeding lightly since.How long does it take to heal? I am only 35 yrs old and I've had to go back to work which involved lifting kids but that can't be helped as I need to keep the income coming in. 
Feeling a little depressed about it.I want to get back to the gym and be able to sleep with husband again ,but im to scared about the pain. How long did it take for people recover and has as anyone had problems after heamatoma draining?
Hi Nznana,
At six weeks it's normal to be still sore, you will have been cut and stitched at the back of your vagina, right down to your perineum, and sitting and standing will still hurt, plus with the haematoma, it's extra for your body to heal up.
Please be careful at work, don't lift children, it's too much for your new repair to cope with.
You don't want to be going back for a second repair.
At this stage, and for the next few months, you shouldn't be lifting anything heavy, and it's early to go back to work.
I realise needs must sometimes, this is major durgery, and it can take up to a year for the tissues all to heal. You'll still have stitches in the deeper layers. It isn't wise to be thinking of the gym for a few weeks, and even then you need to be careful what you do there.
At six weeks, you can try gentle sex with your hudband, using lots of lube and taking it slowly.
If it's painful, leave it for a bit longer and try again.
At six weeks I couldn't even consider sex!
*major surgery
You poor thing, take it easy! I'm 3 weeks post op for an A&P repair, going back to work in the new year and I too work with children in a busy school nursery. I had same op in May but it failed. I didn't go back to work until September but did the odd day just going in to visit the children etc. I can conclude that I was absolutely shattered just doing a couple of hours and in a lot of discomfort.
i went back to the gym in the September but just on the bikes and running machine (walking).
i did have sex around 7/8 weeks but my husband said he could feel the stitches and it hurt him! This could be the fact that my op failed and there was a stitched prolapse hanging down!
take care x
Hello Nznana. A rectocele repair is the most complicated repair and definitely the most painful and gives the most discomfort. It is major surgery but to read some of the posts on this forum it appears that not only GP's but also some urogynaecologists minimise the effects of the operation. There's some good information on the Genitourinary home page if you haven't already seen it, it's under Useful Resources and it's the South Tees information (that I've been involved with) and that gives you some idea of timescales. However we are all different and recover at different times so it's not written in tablets of stone. Healing takes time and your sutures can take anything up to 14 weeks to dissolve. Sometimes you see them but not always, I didn't. It's a shame you have to return to work but fully understand that you need to but please be careful and try and get colleagues to lift the heavier children. Sex around 6-8 weeks is often the time urogynaecologists advise you should try but that's up to you and you don't want to be in pain. I know lubricants are often mentioned but speaking to a urogynaecologist recently he said that if the sutures haven't dissolved then it's no advised anymore because it can cause the sutures to become "soggy" and cause infection. If you're having a post op appointment with your surgeon then he'll be able to advise you on that. It's going to be around the 12 weeks you'll be able to go to the gym but steady light exercises only to begin with. There is light at the end of this tunnel and you're doing really well but it's important to look after yourself and rest as much as you can after work. Feet up and early to bed. Regarding your haematoma, this should have drained by now and light bleeding is likely because of it. If the blood is brown then you know that's old blood draining away however if you start to bleed heavily and with bright red clots then you must see a doctor. Try not to worry and if you're in pain, take some pain relief, don't be a martyr.
Hi Matron,
Thinking about sex whilst stitches are still in place, if lubricants can cause soggy stitches and may lead to infection, is it wise to have sex without a barrier method--condom, makes you wonder.
I think if you're worried you should wait, but there again it wasn't my priority.
I don't think sex is anyone's priority after this surgery. I was always under the impression that it was ok to use a lubricant and this is the first time I've heard this mentioned so it definitely needs looking into further. We have to remember that all doctors have their own ways and will sometimes give different advice. This only came up when one of the Research Nurses had been doing some research for her Masters Degree and I happened to be there when the question was asked. Your question about a condom is interesting and something I'll follow up.
If all consultants saw ladies postoperatively then it could be discussed fully but in the mean time I'll Email the urogynaecologists and nurses I know and ask them their thoughts on this and get back to you.
It doesn't affect me now, it's nearly eight months since I had my op, just curiosity really, things change so rapidly in medicine.
You're right Laura things do change and it's hard keeping up sometimes but you have brought up,a very good point x
🙂
Thanks 
Thanks everyone.