Just over 22 months post-op for A&P repairs.

[nh_user_928615]

Hi all,

Hope those of you who have recently had surgery are making progress in your recovery and that those of you waiting for surgery will not have too long to wait.

I am just over 22 months post-op for my 2nd lot of surgery; A&P repairs this time.

My Anterior repair is still holding strong and although 99.9% of the time my bladder is strong I still wear a thin pad as very occasionally I for whatever reason may not have emptied my bladder properly and on walking to fast or taking a wide stride I can still get a little leakage. I still do my Pelvic floor Exercises 3 times a day: 15xshort and 15xlo. I also at end of pee pull everything up tight do a little walk/ or circular motion and sit back down to empty properly which most of the time is sufficient to avoid any incontinence.

Posterior repair has not went so well, I initially had a kink in the wall where waste was collecting and getting trapped, then as soon a pressure applied would leak slightly, nightmare trying to wipe clean or when any down pressure on pelvic floor would just leak again.

In immediate weeks and months after surgery it seemed that all was working well except that nippy feeling at back end where stitching ends at perineum.

Anyway returned to work at around 12 weeks post-op, shift split between sitting at checkout and standing at self scan; all went well until the were pushing me to do whole shift on my feet and kept telling me that they had no-one to take over from self scan despite being told I didn't think I could ever do whole shift on my feet again.

Anyway ended up going home in tears after that happened a few times so complained and went back to GP for re-referred to clinic.

GP prescribed estriol (which I found out about on here) for nippy scar tissue. Consultant at clinic said I was a bit red and sore looking up at the vault but that was to be expected and said the dragging feeling I was getting after being on my feet too long was nothing to do with repair and was back problem.

I have never had back problems and even though I am now on seats at checkout (broken seats and seats without wheels or proper support) I very luckily still do not gave back problems.

Anyway vault is now fine, but do still have scar tissue problem around entrance of vagina at back end and just inside at front end on both sides where tissue has been drawn tight and is very very thin. Sex ig great as long as I use enough lubrication on scar tissue areas, but hubby complains if I use too much.

I try to swim once a week about 14 lengths and I try to get out most non working days for a walk anywhere from 45 mind to an hour and a half. If I do much more I suffer later and still get the dragging feeling along with lower back pelvic pain like insides are sagging and that nippy scar tissue flares up.

When in the house I still do housework in small chunks and rest in between which seems to help in avoiding the dragging pain.

Last week tackling my living room and having a go with my new lightweight hover; well lightweight may be but suction was so good could almost say it was like resistance training. Anyway that wasn't the problem; could figure the tools so thought I'd just lift it onto low lying sofa (under the cushions badly needed hoovering) I thought ' this is fine nice and light used both hands bent knees' was OK first couple of times 3rd time felt heavier then as I lifted it down the pain was awful. Can't understand why something so light weight can cause a near prolapse. After a day or two of worrying and a few days of feeling like things not quite right I now feel like although no long term damage done it is going to take a while before I completely recover.

While the back repair is still in intact and don't think it is as strong as it should be and that no at the perineum is still there I understand that their are lots of nerve ending in the pelvic floor and that adds to the pleasure that we get from Sexual relation but it also means that repairs can leave us with damaged nerves too.

I still very occasionally have slight leakage and problems attempting to wipe clean when not emptying properly at back end which I am learning from this forum I might just be able to control through watching what I eat so will adjust my diet through trial and error.

I really don't know how long thus posterior repair will last and I suppose I can put up with the inconvenience of this problem at least as long as it doesn't become a problem at work, but it sure can be a problem in relationship and you avoid sex when worried about leakage. I just don't think it's worth going through another surgery at the moment but feel 'why just put up with things' . I suppose when it becomes more than an inconvenience then it's time to consider options.

I was very active before my first surgery, but menopause has been my downfall and the start of these prolapses so no more gym, no more running, and severely curtailed my active lifestyle, I gave been forced into early more sedate lifestyle which I hate. I have attempted cycling but each time have had to curtail it.

I hope this helps to give a little longterm insight into post-op life after prolapse repair. Consultant advice both times has been no ore down pressure otherwise repairs will fail.

Difficult to completely avoid especially in the work place and even at home can be caught out unexpectedly as I was with lightweight hover; when our suspension system in our pelvic floor fails they only really fix it temporarily so always have to be careful.

Please everyone take care,

Wishing you all a successful longterm recovery.

Phyl x

[nh_user_934838]

Hi Phyl,

After following your posts for the last 3 years or so I know you have done everything possible to make your repairs last.  It’s sad to hear you are still having problems and I know how disappointing this is.  You have done really well and your walking and swimming put a lot of us to shame!  I think sometimes we have to accept a ‘new normal’ and adapt.  Not great I know and at 54 I was hoping to be more active than I currently am, I hope this will improve in time. It just goes to show once you have a weak pelvic floor you must be careful forever.  It’s frustrating sometimes having to ask for help with housework etc but your health is so much more important.

Take care and don’t do too much! 

💐 x

[nh_user_928615]

Thank you Imnotadoctor , I think that my first prolapse was so extensive that I never really had a chance of a complete recovery to a full and active lifestyle; maybe if had been better informed prior to surgery and post-op the first time round then my first surgery may have been more successful. Who knows, but anyway that is why I have kept a regular update on this forum to inform and encourage those who like me had little information to be careful and hopefully have a better chance of success than I had. I do strongly believe that if you can ensure the best chance of success with you're first repair it should last much longer. My experience with local GPS and hospital consultants being that they tell you only what they have to. Everything I found out was through Google and unfortunately did not find this site until after my 2nd repair.

I still can't understand they go to the expense of this surgery yet fail to properly inform patients of importance if rest and building up slowly to normal activity. By the time I saw my physiotherapist months after my first repaid I had already re-prolapsed.

Everyone should automatically have specialist physio support before an after prolapse surgery.

Anyway I suppose it all comes down to finance and availability and things are not going well these days in the NHS. When the economy goes down women's issues always take back seat unfortunately.

Anyway I hope our generation has the sense to better inform our own daughters as prevention is definitely better than cure.

Take care,

Phyl x

[nh_user_450664]

Hi Phyl. Sorry to hear you're still having problems. With regard to your new hoover, does it have a tool kit? I bought one for the same reason as you, my old one was too heavy. I don't try to lift it but do use the upholstery and other tools supplied with it. I'm still having problems but at 74 I thought maybe it was inevitable!    I had an oophorectomy/cystectomy done by keyhole method the previous year in 2016 which seemed to go well at the time. However, after the pelvic floor, posterior and vaginal vault repairs last May, I have now developed hernias in my abdomen. I think the cuts must have weakened my ab muscles and lack of exercise probably weakened them more during my 4-6 months recovery period! I'm now waiting to be referred for general surgery as it's no longer a gynae job!  It's no light decision to make having these type of op's at any age so I think we have to consider our life style as we reach menopause age, all this is mostly due to lack of oestrogen at this time I believe. The 'powers that be', (government) do not understand these problems and neither do our employers  it seems.   I think we need to start a campaign to enlighten the employers and the government if they want us to continue working until we're 67+ in future. I'm lucky in that I retired before all these new rules came in but was having prolapse problems from 40 onwards when I had my first op, a hysterectomy and cystocele repair. If I had known then what I've learned on this forum, I would never have gone back to working in jobs which meant lifting, squatting, bending and being on my feet for hours on end! I was pretty fit then, walking, cycling and swimming even before all the keep fit gurus started telling us how to "keep fit"!  We have to listen to our bodies and act on it before it's too late and certainly. I've advised my daughters, now in their fifties to be careful what they do in life from now on. I hope you soon start to feel better Phyl, I know you have other probs too which must make you feel anxious at this time. Take care, Poll. xxx

[nh_user_928615]

Thank you Pollyanna for your reply. I can't begin to imagine how you use feel still going through all these repairs years later and now having to deal with hernias you must be gutted and so fed up. This is the problem with resting and not being able to get back to normal fitness levels as you say our muscles weaken. So frustrating.

I do hope they get this all sorted for you sooner rather than later will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Take care,

Phyl x💕

[nh_user_1107052]

Wow, you have had a time. At least you are hanging in there and doing the best you can. Prayers & God Bless