After nine months of pelvic floor physio and seeing different consultants to rule out other problems sadly I am no better with all of my symptoms from the rectocele and cystocele and will be going forward with the surgery in next few weeks. The surgery will be vaginal without any form of mesh as the uro-gynae advises against that given many have encountered problems with the mesh although I have heard some good stories too. I have been told surgery will be fairly robust and that I will need to rest for approx 6 weeks afterward.
I wanted to avoid surgery at all cost but simply cannot continue as I am as this is quite literally taking over my life with bladder/bowel issues, bloated tummy, pelvic pain ( left side) m nausea etc.... list is endless am just feeling awful in every sense. I think every woman deserves an award for going through all this as it is something you cannot explain to someone who has never suffered...
If anyone has recently undergone surgery for prolpase I would be most grateful if they had anything to share or any words of encouragement as I am quite literally petrified about the surgery beyond means. thank you much xx
Hello lorelli. I know how anxious you must be because I've been there and the symptoms you're having to contend with are obviously getting you down. It's 5 years since I had my operation having a cystocele and rectocele repair and I have not regretted it. Yes I had post op pain but that's manageable. You will need to rest and that is very important. Other ladies here who have had surgery more recently will give you advice.
thank you so much for getting back to my post. I am very much grateful. I am ready for some pain and discomfort after the op. I have previously had two ovarian surgeries ansd a tumour removed from my head so I keep telling myself I will have to deal with all this brings! If there is a light at the end of the tunnel then I have no choice. Your story gives me faith. I am so pleased you are better and a success story. thank you again
Hello, I had the rectocele op 2.5 weeks ago. Best thing I did x no problems and all the nasty symptoms of the prolapse went away overnight . I read lots of horrible stories and got myself in a right state! Try not to get yourself worked up about it too much, start taking fibre gel before the op as the first bm can be difficult and the meds they give you can cause constipation. Be prepared to spend the first week at home on the sofa and take it easy. Feel free to message me x
i am now coming up to 7 weeks post op for rectocele and cystocele repair. I too did all the exercises and had the ring also. I also had all the symptoms you mentioned.
I am glad i had the operation normal service has resumed although it has taken until now to start feeling more normal re tiredness, pains and a urine infection which is all normal! When i say pain nothing drastic just niggling stuff
Please do not be frightend as it not that bad i felt very little pain just uncomfortable. Please do all the the things they say ie resting no bending no lifting, no ironin and take medication to help with bowel movements.
Please look at previous comments form the lovely ladies on this site as at some point we have all asked the questions etc which has put our minds at ease and to know we are not alone.
Wishing you all best and i am sure you will be just fine.
Lorelli, I had a hysterectomy and anterior (bladder side of vagina) repair. It was BRILLIANT! As I've said recently on the group, that first morning after the op, my first walk to the loo - it was absolutely amazing! To not have that bulge as I walked - I can still remember the joy LOL! Mine didn't last a year, but that was because I have a connective tissue problem, but it was so worth having done and I firmly believe that surgery is the best option because this is the best way to get back to normality! Yes, you need to rest afterwards to give it all a chance to heal, but the time goes quickly and you'll be able to enjoy your life again after:-) Someone asked me if I was nervous about the op before I had it and my reply was no, why should I be nervous - I'm not doing it - I'll be asleep LOL! So don't worry - you'll be in good hands, it will be fine, and this is the beginning of the rest of your life! Look forward to that:-))))
thanks so much for replying to my post and for your re-assurance. I am so pleased you report something good after only 2.5 weeks. this gives me hope. Do you mind me asking what sort of symptoms you had before the op as mine are pretty intolerable and my bladder and bowel have both been affected in a very big way with recurrent UTIs and much pain and discomfort etc... I am praying my story will be as positive as yours. I will be sure to rest up. Hope you dont mind me asking you about your symptoms just that I have been suffering for so long that I am yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel xx
thanks so much for getting back to me I am pleased you report something positive and that your sugery worked well for you. I am in utter despair with all these horrid symptoms which are making my life on a day to day basis more o less impossible as I cannot be far from the toilet at any one time. I am worn out from it in all honesty and pray the rectocele/cystocele surgery will help aid atleast some of my symptoms so that I can resume some form of normality. I will be sure to follow your instructions re bowels and already take psyllium husk capsules twice a day to help the bowels move a little easier. I will also take it very easy afterwards but am very very anxious and I wish I wasnt. I think it is because it has taken me so very long to get an actual diagnosis and not be fobbed off telling me it is all in my mind... No woman on earth would make this kind of thing up as it is beyond debilitating. I will try to find some of the previous comments from others too but am not great with this site and not sure where to look. thanks so much xx
thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I am so pleased your experience was a good one and that you now feel better. I hope and pray I will have a similar story to tell following my surgery. I am extremely anxious about it all which doesnt help.
Hopefully the surgery will go some way to help me resume normality! I have forgotten what it is like to feel normal and live a normal life sadly and right now, cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel. I am now suffering terrible nausea too which the doctor thinks may be anxiety related. I have given up evaluating because all in in I just feel terrible thank you again xxx
Well at first I didn't realise I had any symptoms! I had been living with a prolapse for 15 years after the birth of my first child. I went on to have a further 2 very large babies (biggest 11lb 4oz ) I just thought that my bits were meant to look like that after a baby, the nurse never said anything during my smears. Then after the 3rd child I noticed the 'lump' was bigger and to completely empty my bowls had to brace my perineum . I started getting a dull dragging feeling and I was often bloated with shooting pains up my bottom. Turns out I had a large prolapse and although I had never any major tears during labour when they did sew me up they only did the top layer of my perineum. Obviously this meant there was no support in that area either making the prolapse worse . They repaired my perineum at the same time as the rectocele, for the first time in ages I don't feel my insides are falling out x
I'm 12 days now post-op from surgery for a prolapsed bladder. Today I'm very glad that I made that choice. The hardest part for me was the sickness right after surgery from the spinal /morphine . One thing it did do is ease the pain for the first 24 hours. I went home with a catheter and was able to have it removed 3 days later. The pain level for first several days was manageable with pain pills and today I only use ibuprofen as needed. My energy level is increasing and I see the doctor on Thursday and hoping for a good progress report. I do take it easy and rest
alot and don't do things that I've been instructed not to do. I know that my full recovery will take weeks, however I'm feeling very good about having the surgery so I can get on with my life without that ex prolapse bothering and hindering me.
Lorelli, I can imagine you being anxious, but what might help is to know that being anxious now won't actually make any difference in the long run - the outcome will still be as good for you. I hope I'm making sense here:-))) It's OK to be anxious but that's just short term, whereas looking at the bigger picture, the long term outcome is what's important:-))) There is a light at the end of the tunnel for you NOW:-)))) Focus on that:-)))) Take care:-)))
thank you for your kind words of encouragment... I know you are right but being a born worrier just like my dear father and having had an extensive and complex medical history with several surgeries etc... I tend to worry more than most and also I have suffered with this for so very long (am sure this has been undetected over a very lenghty period which is why it has gotten progressively worse) that I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel but I am trying somewhere inside to be positive and tell myself that this is all going to help I pray it does. thank you again xx
Your story is very much encouraging and I am pleased to hear you are doing well one day at a time. I am a little worried about the morphine and pain relief but will have to deal with that as and when.
They are going to keep me in the hosp for 2-3 days to check on me given my complex medical history. Fingers finrly crossed this will go some way to make things better.
They don't always give Morphine for pain relief. Nowadays there are so many drugs they can give to relieve pain. I know I wasn't given Morphine. This can be discussed when you have a pre op assessment or when you are admitted.
oh great that is good news. I will definitely discuss with them at the hospital as would rather not have morphine as it made me very sick after the tumour was removed from my head as I recall.
wow you have really been through it too. I am really pleased to hear it worked out for you and assisted with the problem. I havent had children so it is a little more rare that I have a grade !!! rectocele and smaller cystocele but had a rare illness in 1998 which they think has contributed to general muscle weakness which they think has affected the pelvic floor thus leaving me with this awful problem which is quite literally taking over my life. I have been through some pretty awful stuff but can honestly say that I have never felt as bad as this and cannot be far from the toilet so cannot conduct normal day to day activities. I have literally been in tears for best part of the last year and have seen more doctors than I believe most see in a liftetime infact if I recover and get some strength back I am seriously thinking of writing about all of this because I think it is so important for other people in such despair to hear and see it all from a patients point of view rather than just hearing it from their specialists point of view.
I am so pleased you feel stronger and hope it continues that way for you
thank you for your help and for listening.. I am beyond petrified re surgery xx
Morphine makes a lot of people sick unfortunately because it is very good at controlling pain but remember it's your body and you have choices. They will find something just as good for you. Take care and I hope it all goes smoothly for you.
Oh yes, I forgot to say I had my uterus removed at the same time!! Morphine / spinal was just an option they gave me to reduce the pain right after the surgery. I could not either tolerate it or maybe it wa the anesthesia. However today I'm better, and I even went out to do a little hours shopping yesterday. I have a wonderful, caring doctor who specializes in these woman's areas , so I'm blessed there as well.