Anybody else struggling with recovery?
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi Ladies anybody else really struggling with recovery after there surgery? I had my operation on 12th december last year and am still struggling At the moment i`m still in agony most days with pain down below and can hardly sit down properly or if I stand to long it feels like everything will drop out .Also if I stand or walk or do anything hardly my stomach seem to inflate and becomes full of gas and really sore with trappped wind andI have to sit with a hot water bottle on my stomach to try and shift it. I`m trying to do a little more each day but it`s like a vicious circle as the more i do the worse I feel and once my stomach blows up I can hardly do anything walk/bend etc.Starting to really get me down now ...Have been to my doctor who was hopeless so have booked in with my consultant tomorrow as I had no follow up appointment....
1 like, 35 replies
Jan999 jue1mac
Posted
You don't say what surgery you had in December jue, that would help with any advice but you are seeing your consultant tomorrow (hope it was a urogynaecologist) which is good news and I'm sure that will put your mind at rest. In fairness to your own doctor, most of them have very little gynaecology experience never mind urogynaecology as it is very specialised. Let me know what operation you had x
jue1mac Jan999
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Jan999 jue1mac
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And your GP indicated it isn't major surgery 😡. Some patients do take longer to recover, we are all different. I worked out that you are 10 weeks post op which may seem a long time but it isn't when you're talking about a rectocele repair. It is a more difficult operation compared to a cystocele repair (bladder) and because the bowel is a large organ it is more painful. The sutures can take anything up to 16 weeks to dissolve and you have the extra sutures outside so I can understand why you are still in pain. Trapped wind can be common as well. You see your consultant tomorrow so see what he has to say. There is no way you are fit for work (I was off 13 weeks and went back on graduated return) and you need another 4 weeks off because once you are back to work as you know you are expected to just get on as before. See another GP if that's possible when you need another sick note and keep taking each day as it comes x
jue1mac Jan999
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Jan999 jue1mac
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jue you can't go back to work yet, it's just unsuitable for someone 10 weeks post op. You'll undo all the good work the surgeon has done. Another 4 weeks at least.
jue1mac Jan999
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Jan999 jue1mac
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Or just go back to your GP and tell him the consultant said you need more time off. I'm sure your consultant will agree though. There is a very good gynae/ urogynaecology module GP's can do. I think it should be mandatory x
jue1mac Jan999
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I totally agree matron. And yes I think he`ll see tomorrow i`m not fit for much let alone work just yet
jobobo jue1mac
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Sorry you aren't feeling any better. I had my surgery Jan 17th so a month behind you but I feel much the same. I think it is just a slow process. It's terrible you didn't have a follow up appt. I got mine at time of appt for 6 weeks later, so I go next week. No words of help yet but from what I hear on here it sounds normal. Someone with more experience on here will I'm sure put your mind at rest. Hope you feel better soon.
jue1mac jobobo
Posted
Thanks Jobobo yes I suppose we`re all different some people seem to be ok and backto work in weeks I feel like theres no light at the end of the tunnel lol. I don`t think it helped when I went to mydoctors and he was very off and said well if you need a few more days off work i`ll give you them but you should be ok by now people have major operations and there ok by now
Jan999 jobobo
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There's still a lot of patients not receiving post op checks and apparently consultants don't have to offer them. Years ago it was normal but not anymore and it only puts pressure on GP's in particular. It's something I'm looking into at the moment with a research urogynaecology nurse and I'm quite shocked at the difference between Health Trusts. You are one of the lucky ones jobobo x
Jan999 jue1mac
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If you've had a prolapse repair, you have had major surgery!!!
jue1mac Jan999
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I wasn`t down to have a post op check I went to my own doctor he told me I wasn`t down for a check so ended up ringing my consultants secretary who said yes you`ll have a follow op appointment at 6 weeks told her it had been 10 weeks and i`d had no letter she checked and said yes it says on your notes check up at 6 weeks then said oh no it`s got underneath no appointment necessary she didn`t know why so said she'd send one out which she has all within just over a week . I know could`nt believe how dismissive my own doctor was as though I was making it up he`s always been so good but has really put me off now will maybe find another
Jan999 jue1mac
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I think I'd be looking for another doctor as well. Some are just so inexperienced in gynaecology unfortunately x
jobobo jue1mac
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Hi Jue, sounds like you've been really messed around, poor thing. Hopefully you will have some reassurance when you see the consultant. My SIL had op last year and went to gp suspecting infection and despite her advising against the gp used speculum to examine her! Awful. I think you are right Matron they really have very little idea. Also joined seems to appreciate what a big op it is. Not even us! Hope you get a good result tomorrow. Let us know. I'm feeling much the same so will be nice to hear you are progressing well x
jue1mac jobobo
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Oh gosh your poor sil . I am dreading him wanting to examine me tomorrow and wanting to go near me with anything lol x