10 months after rectocele repair
Posted , 4 users are following.
It's been 10 months since my op and I still don't feel right. I have been backwards and forwards to my doctors with water infections and the feeling of the constant urge to urinate. I also feel like there is an air bubble trapped and have general discomfort down below. I have two small fatty lumps of scar tissue near the entrance to my vagina, which swell up every now and then. I have been examined on numerous occasions and told everything is normal. My doctor referred me to urology. I had my first appointment a month ago. He also examined me. He said I need to retrain my bladder and cut out fizzy drinks and caffeine. This has helped the urgency slightly except for near my period when it's worse. I had a cystoscopy on Monday (not the nicest procedure) and was told everything was normal. I am going for a physiotherapy appointment on Tuesday so I'm hoping they can tell me if there's anything wrong. I am sick of feeling like this. When I go to the toilet afterwards it feels like air bubbles coming out from somewhere. After awhile when walking it feels like I have some sort of air bubble trapped or there's something there. When I'm due for my period I can feel my cervix is down (not by touching it physically) when I'm walking about. I'm worried the bladder may be prolapsed, although a prolapse hasn't been detected. Either that or I've been stitched up too tight. As for intercourse I daren't even go there. Sorry if tmi but I'm miserable as sin.
0 likes, 11 replies
Jan999 emma65474
Posted
Hello emma. I'm wondering why your GP didn't refer you to a Urogynaecologist in view of the fact you've recently had a repair, did he give any reason? I would have thought that would be more sensible. Personally that's what I would be asking for.
emma65474 Jan999
Posted
Hi matron, I went for my 6 week check to the gynaecologist and was seen by a nurse who said everything was fine. I had a follow on appointment about two months later and was seen by a gynaecologist. He said everything was normal. My doctor had to use silver nitrate on my internal stitches and the gynaecologist said that it had helped. I expressed my symptoms at the time and he dismissed them and just said my body is adjusting to the operation I've had. When I saw the urologist on Monday he said my symptoms are a result of the operation I've had and that it may have simply irritated surrounding organs. I'm currently taking amitriptyline and I take lactolose to avoid straining. My doctor has said that I may have nerve damage. I was told at hospital I would be referred to physiotherapy. I never was. So my doctor referred me and my appointment is Tuesday. At least she will know what's what. I feel like I'm going in circles. Everyone tells me it's normal but it doesn't feel normal. I've currently got a water infection as a result of the cystoscopy so I'm in agony at present and with a period to top it off. Perhaps it's just nerve damage. I've been doing pelvic floor exercises regularly. Maybe I just need to relax
Jan999 emma65474
Posted
You have my sympathy, I had a cystoscopy many years ago and it's very painful.
You say things don't feel "normal" so as far as I'm concerned they aren't. You know your body better than anyone and if a patient says that to me then I know from experience that there's something wrong. I've had to say that to doctors many times and I'm always right! Hopefully your physio appointment will shed more light on things so ask her to write to your GP and consultant following her assessment (sometimes they only write after a block of appointments) then you'll hopefully be able to move forward. Give the Amitriptyline time to work as well xx
emma65474 Jan999
Posted
Thank you for your response. I'm hoping that too. Once I know what's what so to speak hopefully I can relax. I'm long past that point where I need to feel better. X
phyl_40063 emma65474
Posted
Hi Emma,
I had very mild prolapse for years that didn't really bother except occasional feeling of needing to pee alot, drank lots of cranberry to avoid cysticytist and around the time of my period, when I noticed a very uncomfortable feeling of fullness in the vag... passage and had heavy bleeds which looking back must have been caused by prolapse shifting about as would be light then very heavy flooding often after sitting for a while and then moving around would often have to change.
So think it was always worse around hormone change when period due.
Hope this helps.
Phyl x💖
emma65474 phyl_40063
Posted
Hi, thanks for your response. I definitely feel worse on or around my period. Before my rectocele repair I never really had any symptoms so I could of been living with it for years without knowing. It wasn't until it came right down that I found it uncomfortable. Since the operation however it seems to be taking a long time to get back to what I consider as normal. Everyone heals differently I suppose. I feel very unlucky x
robyn94818 emma65474
Posted
emma65474 robyn94818
Posted
As far as I'm aware it was done by a gynaecologist on the nhs. My gynaecologist was off sick so they found another doctor to cover his caseload. When she visited me on the ward she said this type of operation was her specialty. So she may have been. I had to wait 8 months. My prolapse was at a point where when I walked it would come right down and when I sat down I could feel it draw itself back up. It was awful. Never really had trouble going to the toilet, until it got bad. Now I don't feel anything moving as such just a feeling of air trapped and sometimes the need to urinate. Maybe my pelvic floor is still very weak. Despite doing pelvic floor exercises. I'm hoping the physiotherapist will shed some light tomorrow.
phyl_40063 emma65474
Posted
Hi Emma,
It can take months for deep tissues to heal after repair surgery and if your prolapse was extensive then your repair would have been extensive too and therefore recovery will take a little longer too.
When you think about how they actually repair things it's not suprising that it takes so long to get over it all.
I do hope you get some help/answers soon. I find when i finish my 2 shifts at work (Sunday/ Monday), I can't even do my pelvic floor exercises these days, it takes a day or two before I start to recover and eventually can begin to feel dome strength coming back.
It is starting to worry me now!
Phyl x?💖
emma65474 phyl_40063
Posted
Thanks for reply. I've been to see a lovely physiotherapist today. She gave me a thorough examination and said the prolapse is definitely gone. Nothing on the front wall either. She said that my pelvic floor is weak. Which is why I feel like an air bubble sometimes in there. She said after this type of operation your body has changed. I could have had my prolapse for some time and that I'd got used to how everything felt with the prolapse and now it just feels different. I am starting Pilates at the hospital and she is going to do some electrical stimulation. I'm 11 months on and I have been so careful, not lifting and doing too much but now it's time to build up some strength and gradually shift this weight I've put on. I've been so obsessed that my operation would fail. It was nice to see someone at the hospital to put things in perspective. To be honest the gynaecologist I saw after my op wasn't interested in anything I said. She also said when I get that heavy feeling it's down to the pelvic floor being a bit weak. It will get better gradually but it can take awhile. Take care x
phyl_40063 emma65474
Posted
Hi Emma,
So glad to hear you have been reassured by pysiotherapist, and that your prolapse is gone. You will have a strong pelvic floor in no time with help of physio.
My sister keeps reminding me that recovery time can take months and to remember not to be so impatient that it is worth taking proper time to recover as it's your health for the rest of your life.
I'm pretty sure that those of us who take longer to recover and not rush things have a much better chance of our repair being successful and will last much longer.
Anyway all sounds very positive and I'm sure you are going to do great by the sounds of things.
Keep up with the PF exercises,
Phyllis x???