post op check up - incredible pain afterwards- Normal?

Women's health
1

Hi everyone and thank you all for your great support. I had my i

1st post op examine today. Spec insisted on checkiing despite me advsiing him how sore I still was down there , He advised that I had a very distrught perinieum before my op which was the worst he had ever seen. The rectocelle was worst than he thought but that had now been fixed by the surgery. Becasue of the large amount of scar tissue and very thin skin in the perineum area he needed to do an internal and that was very painful and the spec advised that I wasn't healing as he would like in that area and it was possibly due to the pre op perineum damage which was much worst once they got me to sleep than he had noted previously. Only some of the scar tissue was able to be removed and hence what was left  the old scar is still giving me trouble. I was gutted after all that and sex will stil be painful. He had a good rumage around internaly and put me back on oestrogen cream and advise no sex for 8-10 weeks and only after I could endure a dilo or kegal aid comfortably by myself and then only with plenty of lub. To be honest I am really down and scarred of the thought of sex and even trying with a dilo etc, But the main reason for this post is that after the internal examine i am in constant pain in that area and more particularly my bottom which is throbbing and painful and feels so sorejust like it did when I first came on, so back on icepacks and painkillers. Is this normal? Surely he can't have pulled some sticthes or something. Anyone else have this after their check up and if so how quickly until the throbbing  pain stopped. I had to return to work after the examine and sit on my bottom (desk job) for rest of day. Back at work now and any advise so welcome. The panadol isn't actually relieving the pain and it is really aching. Taking some neurphen plus and going to bed. Hopefully it will settle. Trying to stay positive but hard. Spec said if I had been older if he would have removed all scar tissue and just sewn me up but thought I was too young to give up on sex- bless him. I was aske dif I would be involved in some research he was doing to find out birthing experiences of his patients and if that related to the prolapses and severity of the prolapses and damaged periineum. My answers further confimred what his papers are showing and that was that vaginal births with forceps delivery had greater prolapses and more damaged perinuem than cut and tears alone and it was significantly more. He hopes to present his findings once he has done more surveys and hopes that forceps will be not used ever again. Thought you might be interested in that Matron. Sorry everyone for long post .

2

Oh bless you hun.I'm sorry I can't advice ad I got my anterior repair

In 2 wks.all I can say is chin up and sending you healing hugs.matron

Will reply I'm sure. She always does.😘😘😘lots of love hun.xxx

3

Oh you poor thing. To have come so far and been through all that.

I'm nervous now for my own 6 week check on thurs.

try to rest and lots of ice packs. I did find that they helped.

Best wishes

4

Hi Tilley

It must be so difficult for you at the moment, but what I want to say is that you speaking out about your forceps and the possible lasting damage it has caused will help to change the way women are treated in the delivery room. I am sorry for you pain and agony, but it is women like you who tell their story that will help to make it better for the next generation of new mothers. I am sorry you are in pain, I am sure the exam caused the discomfort - heat pads and hot water bottles can bring relief. Watch the pain killers thay can cause constipation and this exacerbates the problem.

I would also like to mention that we deal with lots of Physio dealing with pelvic pain, and scar tissue is a big source of pain, many physios are investigating myofascial release massage (massaging the knots that form in muscles which become the painful bit). Many women who have a 'tight' pelvic floor, vulvodynia etc get releif from this. One to bear in  mind when you are over the discomfort of this last examination and on the road to recovery, you can do myofascial release massage yourself too, but best always to have an exam with a womens physiotherapist to determine where and how. 

Hope this helps, thinking of you.

5

That is very interesting Tilley with regards to the research findings. I had a tear which happened just as they cut me when I delivered my 1st. All I can really remember of that was it seemed to take forever to heal, it was very lumpy and just a big ball is stitches. can't even remember when I was able to have penetrative sex!

But anyhow did go on to have another 4 birth's before having a slight prolapse, but never really caused any problems, then after my 6th child prolapse probably 1st degree, but still manages it with help of pelvic floor exercises.

Didn't become big problem until going through the change, must have been around 52years old , and prolapse by this time pulling front walls down , never had any problems at the Back wall at this point. But post op after hysterectomy and anterior repair, day 3/4 had problems with BM had not been given anything to help this along. Everything was really pulled up tight and felt like I was pushing against the posterior wall, I'm sure that's when I started to have problems at back, although over time it did sort itself I'm sure it left that wall weak always felt really thin.

This time they said the front wall coming down again was causing problems at the back!

Anyhow that would seem to agree with the research!

Hope things improve for you over the next few days, dreading my appt... next week with GP, hope she just has a look and not attempt an internal.

Take care,

Phyl xx

6

The menopause has a lot to answer for. I never noticed anything until a few years

Ago.but hadn't been an issue to me until 2 years Ago.the lack of estrogen

That feeds our tissues and muscles isdnt there. Hence the weakness now.

Ice never been so mentally obsessed with my fanjo 😂😂😂😂😂😘

7

Awww sounds awful Tilley.  How far post op are you?  I do not have a post op check.  I contacted GP and asked for one but said do not need one unless I have any problems etc.  I am 6 weeks 1 day today and will wait a few more weeks to see how I am doing.  I think just for reassurance to myself and with advice I have had on this site I will insist I have one.  Must be awful being at work feeling like that, hope the pain eases off soon xx

8

Completely agree with you there Welsh girl, but the whole menopause and the aftermath it leaves behind has such a devistating effect on our lifestyles and even limits choices we can make. When i was younger My mother use to always warn me when I was spring cleaning not to be shifting furniture about, would never get anything done waiting for help. We think when we are young that we can do anything, wish I had listened in my early pregnancies and kept up with the pelvic floor exercises, tended to do them for a while and then would forget. When you are fine you don't think you need to do them.

They should really make us aware of the long term effects of child birth, while still young enough to avoid a lot of the damage. I would never have had as many as 6 if I had been made aware of possible long term effects.

Our grand mothers and mothers just didn't talk about such things, hence we don't really realize what's ahead tills it's too late.

I suppose it's all nature's way of telling us that we have done our bit and time to move on. I dread to think what my walls are like inside I believe that the after birth leaves the walls pitted and then I must have scat tissue from hysterectomy, 2 anterior repairs, 1 posterior repair, and repair from tear/cut in childbirth.

Must be like the aftermath of world war one.

Wish I had taken time to enjoy life more when I was still young, always juggling childcare with work, studies and household tasks. Spent years going camping for holidays while paying as much extra into my morgage as I could!

Have at least payed that off, one less thing to worry about, had hoped to make major savings into pension fund and maybe have few decent holidays in there too, but looks like I will never manage to go back to full time work.

You would think by now especially if we are to all work till mid/ late 60s, that enough research has been done to allow them to genetically grow new ligaments and dose us with the right hormones in order to get a few more years work out of us all!

Sorry sound really bitter, probably my own fault.

Look after yourself, lots of healing hugs,

Phyl xx☺

9

You are so right Phyllis, when I h my 2thery never really mentioned

Pelvic for,ink when I researched I realised what I had and what I could

Of done to prevent its as bit late now but at least I cash prevent more

Surgeries in the future hopefully. Rest easy.xx

10

Sounds so painful Tilley.

I am sure you are right about the damage forcep deliveries do.

My first child was in distress after several hours of labour, and I had an emergency forceps delivery, with no time for anaesthetic.

It made a real mess of my perineum, and although it's a lot of years ago, I have never been right since. I have a posterior Rectocele repair coming up this Friday, I've had problems for more years than I care to remember.

I'm absolutely positive the forceps caused this, although it saved my child's life.

Hope you are soon feeling more pain free, it's got to be the exam that's caused all the soreness and pain. XxXx

 

11

Good luck for your op hun.keep Mr posted and hugs to you.

Got mine 18th.hugs to you.😘😘😘

12

Thankyou

Will let you know how it goes, have been told maybe in hospital only two days.

13

Are in for anterior? I'm only in for 1night hun.xx

14

No, posterior, also laparoscopy for ovarian cyst, maybe that's why.

Not looking forward to the car journey home!😳

15

Make sure you have some comfy cushions love.I will be .hugs love.💕💕💕

16

Hi Ellen, sorry not mine intention to make you nervous, I am sure all will be just great at your check up. Just seeking some reassurance. Yes used icepacks already are good. All the best 

17

Thanks for reply. Never had anyone mention the myofascial release massage before. It could have helped in the past 30 years of discomfort. Going to give it a go. Only taking neurophen at night to get some sleep, Think I will wait til pain subsides first. Your post very reassuring thanks x

18

Thanks for reply , stil in pain today especailly if on my bottom more than 30 minutes or I stand too long but will post updates. Good Luck next week XX

 

19

I am almost 7 weeks post op. My spec asked to see me at 6-8 weeks but as I had to go back to work i made the appointment for 6. He also wants to see me again in another 3 months. Really surprised they didnt encourage a  check up, Good Luck. Pain stil there today but didn't go to work so had afternoon sleep. Still hurts when I sit or stand for too long and I was doing so well no pain before examination. Thanks for kind words, thinkk rest is the best answer xx

20

Thanks Carole, I know it is the  exam that has caused the pain and soreness and guess with internal to be expected just didn't expect it to be aching and painful so many hours later. Still bad today but resting & using icepacks etc. thanks for reply and keep smiling.If pain stil here Friday going to call my spec hopefully won't need to. xx