1 year post op for A&P surgery.
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi everyone,
Hope you are all well and continuing to recover! I am now one year post op and despite set back at work with scar tissue repairs are holding strong. I can walk for up to 3 hours although still need a half hour break in middle, buy no lower back pelvic floor pain or dragging down feeling anymore.
Discovered that it's not so much how far or his long I walk but the speed of the pace I walk. If I walk to quickly I must be overstretching tissue at repair site; I don't usually realize at the time, it's when I sit down then get back up I get really agonising pain. I assume it's damaged ligaments that are stiffening up. Sometimes get tingling with slight pain along front line of pelvis (around upper hair line). If I persevere with moving around it slackens of again. So feel like I am finally getting there.
Swelling all gone and everything in place, really appreciate having it done again. Saw my GP yesterday she is referring me to physio for my neck and shoulder which is giving me problems due to repetitive strain at work so will no have to ask them to split my Monday shift between self scan and checkouts. Feel like a nuisance again but will have to rest my right arm. Also a bit apprehensive about it as I don't want to be left too long on my feet.
Doctor said to mention that consultant suggested I had back problems unrelated to pelvic floor repair to physio once I have appointment and mention about scar tissue too.
So consultant hadn't actually forwarded letter to my GP suggesting I had back problem and needed physio referal, so that bist was a complete waste of time, that's twice that consultant bust has been unsatisfactory. She missed the posterior prolapse at initial hospital referal and never informed my GP of her findings in second post ol visit.
Anyway now looking forward to physio, hopefully they will be able to help initially with my shoulder but also help shade some light on consultants diagnosis of back problem which I still don't agree with and don't think my GP thinks that either.
Looking back I am definitely getting much better, have felt a difference in just the past month. Getting normal feeling around outer lip area and feeling very comfortable.
Please take care and look after yourself, do not overdo things you have you whole life ahead of you and recovery is only really a short time in comparison. Get to know your own limitation's and stick within them as you don't want to have to go through this surgery unnecessarily.
For those still waiting on surgery I Hooe you get your date soon.
Phyl x?💕
5 likes, 26 replies
gaynor45570 phyl_40063
Posted
Hi Phyl,
Thank you so much for your comments. It is so good to hear from those of you who are further down the line of recovery. Probably the most important information on here is to take time and to not listen to those people who say 6 weeks for a complete recovery. So far I've had no complications or infections but I am taking it very slowly all the same. I'm walking a short distance two or three times a day, but otherwise doing very little. Thank you again for all your helpful comments and I hope you get your neck and shoulder sorted soon. X
phyl_40063 gaynor45570
Posted
Thank you gaynor,
So glad you are being careful, it will pay off in the long run.
Happy healing
Phyl x💕
jobobo phyl_40063
Posted
phyl_40063 jobobo
Posted
Thank you jobobo,
Hope you are well and taking care,
Healing hugs 💕
Phyl x
Hijadeonagro phyl_40063
Posted
Hi Phyl! I'm so happy for you! I have not written here for a while (busy with return to work) but I always try to be updated about your post surgery progress and I read your messages quite often.
Hope your shoulder gets better soon!!!
Hugs honey!!!! 🌺
phyl_40063 Hijadeonagro
Posted
Shoulder always worse after Monday shift, but gets better as the week goes on!
Hope you are keeping well and coping at work.
Phyl x☺
Mossup phyl_40063
Posted
it is good to hear you are walking again, I have a fast pace for short legs so will need to adjust this whenever I feel ready to try longer walks in the summer.
Your job sounds like a hard one, it really is shocking that works places and occupational health are so often not supportive. One of the factors that helped me to decide on having the op was that I am no longer working on wards (spend most of day sat down) and no more slide sheets and hoists, which I do think was contributory.
Thank you for your update, beginning to sink in what a long road ahead we have on this recovery, I naively believed the 6-12 weeks recovery suggested by my Drs.
phyl_40063 Mossup
Posted
Hi mossup,
Glad to hear you are reassured by my experience.
I love walking but do tend to go at a quick pace so have to keep slowing down. I do better when I go shopping with my older sisters as they are much slower and gave coffee breaks as well as lunch breaks and it all makes a difference.
Looking back wish I had taken another 3 months of work without pay and given myself time to build up longer walks. I think that I would have been able to go back to work without having the scar tissue problem and cope with overtime. Think it is so important to build up slowly rather than be flung in at work and have no control over what is happening.
Those in authority forget that women still do the majority of care in the house and have to go home to work at home too.
I think 6 -12 weeks for major abdominal/pelvic surgery is all very well when you are still young but for older women going through the change and women with young children it just isn't realistic.
I had my abccessed appendix out
at 16, had a drain in too, it took 6 weeks, then back to college, and when giving birth to my first child at 18/19 , they cut me just as I ripped so had a right lumpy, nobbly mess of stitching along perineum, but again healed very quickly and I did a lot of walking; my son never slept much at all and would often be awake from one feed to the next in the early weeks, always windy and mother in law spoilt him. Define try don't heal anywhere near as quick these days.
That's great you will be on lighter duties when you do go back to work, that will make a big difference. You will have to get up and walk about for a while once an hour if needed.
I think pelvic floor repairs take so long because when we are on our feet the pelvic floor has to support and take the weight of all the pelvic organs, therefor that is why we have to be careful to not to put too much down pressure on the wounds while they are still healing.
You will get there eventually and you will hopefully get lots of warm sunny weather in the weeks and months ahead in which to recover.
Take care,
Phyl x?💕
Mossup phyl_40063
Posted
Really looking forward to warmer days, we are still getting snow flurries here ??🌨??
I am officially perimenopausal and start hrt tomorrow, I used overstin cream prior to the first op and inbetween and can start using this again on Friday. I hope that this will help with my healing and give me some protection from relapse. I totally agree that age affects recovery, I seemed to really snap back after my sections when I was younger
.
My problems started during my pregnancy with my son, I had severe polyhydramnios from 20 weeks on and went into early labour at 36 weeks. I was enormous and had been mistaken on sight for a twin pregnancy a couple of times at the antenatal clinic
.
My labour lasted over 48 hrs but was fully dilated after after the first 12 and had over three hours of active pushing, but we were back to back and my sons head was not engaged at any point. I ended up having a crash section when my sons heart rate dropped to 58 bpm. Looking back the whole thing was horrific I was in hospital for two weeks with a poorly me and son. My midwife 2yrs later cried when we went through my notes for my sons birth, following my daughters textbook perfect elcs.
I totally agree with you that we don't consider the impact of this and heaviness of 'women's' work on this area. My son was a happy baby who didn't require much picking up once able to sit independently but daughter was the opposite. I carried her in a sling and backpack for the first two years whilst pushing a pram (worked as a childminder before nurse training) and was walking an average of 8 miles a day like this during the week.
I don't regret having my procedure but I am a little apprehensive about the recovery. My job is mostly sitting apart from when I collect patients from the waiting areas. My biggest concern is taking smears, I discussed this with the consultant who has worked in the uk and knows that we do these on a bed. She thinks by the end of April I should be good for this and to just make sure that I bring the bed up to my waist height to reduce any pelvic pressure.
Luckily my walking buddies are like your sisters and always asking me to slow down lol, failing that I may have to hobble myself!! Is it flat or hilly where you walk Phyl? Where we are is undulating and wondering if that will have an impact too!
For the next 5 weeks I intend to follow my rest and recovery instructions to the letter! Phyl did you have physio as well?
hope your Sunday has been a good one xx
phyl_40063 Mossup
Posted
Sunday shift at work this morning, been a good shift, thanks.
Sorry to hear your labour was not so good with your son; my worst labour was with my 5th child, went on longer than previous ones, came out black, they were unaware that cord was round his neck, what a fright, they took him straight to nursery. Couldn't understand why labour was taking so long as usually pretty quick and knew something wasn't right.
That's good you have an understanding consultant, should make a big difference.
Went for physio before my first repair, with result also saw her very quickly after initial recovery period; thus was really good as she could monitor how my pelvic floor was progressing and guided me on the do's and don't's with regard too low impact exercise.
But haven't seen her this time at all, but then advise will be the same.
Was told hill walking would be better for me, but don't have anyone to go with that would go at my slow pace. So tend to stick to family walks in local country parks, canal tow paths or if on my own try and stick to public roadways.
You will find out what is best for you as you progress.
Take care,
Phyl x?💕
Melons08746 phyl_40063
Posted
Pleased to hear you are doing well, I saw the consultant last month they are happy with the repairs but obviously they can't see behind the walls, I found out there not a urogynocologist ,they just show a interest but they are almost sure I've got a entrocele, I have my proctogram nxt mth (finally after a mix up with which hospital did them)I've been given a open appointment with the gynaecologist as unfortunately as my Dr informed me that if I have to have surgery with the colorectal surgeon that sometimes you have to have surgery to correct your vagina, work is a struggle and every day off is spent resting and laughing with the Dr I said hopefully I will be sorted by 2019 😂😂😂