2 weeks post op cystocele and rectocele surgery
Posted , 5 users are following.
Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since I had surgery for a cystocele, rectocele, and vaginal vault repair. I'm still having a lot of pain and am getting concerned that I won't heal quickly enough. The surgery ended up being more involved than originally anticipated. The surgeon went in laparascopically to repair the vaginal vault and to also see if he could find the source of my lower left abdominal pain. I had a total hysterectomy 18 years ago when I was just 29 years old. I still have my right ovary. When he got in there he found my colon had twisted and had grown attached to my bladder. He was able to correct it and untwisted my colon. He also said that he had never seen the amount of adhesions that I had and cut most of them out. He went in vaginally to repair the cystocele and rectocele. He also performed labiaplasty because my labia had torn when my 2nd son was born and was just hanging down. Oh, and I should mention that when he was looking inside my bladder he found a growth that he thought could be bladder cancer. He performed a biopsy and thankfully it came back benign. Anyway, I thought I would be up and moving and well on my way to recovery by this time. We are moving to Alaska at the end of March and there is still so much to do but I can hardly stand up for more than 10 minutes before the deep aching and feeling of pressure makes me immediately have to sit down. I'm also still having to sit on the donut they gave me in the hospital. Another thing is the stiches, I guess the outer ones from the labiaplasty. It feels like I'm sitting on barbed wire. Finally, the worst part is when I lay down at night. As soon as I lay down my bladder just starts throbbing. It feels like I have to pee but when I get up the sensation goes away. Is all of this normal? When am I going to be able to do what I was able to do before the prolapse? I was walking 8 miles per day before the prolapse. Now I can hardly walk for more than a few minutes. I'm also still having to take prescription pain medication. Please let me hear from others out there who are going through the same thing or who have gone through it. How was your recovery?
1 like, 10 replies
Jan999 loutland
Posted
Hello loutland. You have had major surgery and as you're only 2 weeks post op you are at the very beginning of your recovery. On the Genitourinary Prolapse Holme page there is a Pinned Post and if you click on that you will find some well researched information especially the South Tees information. I wouldn't expect you to be walking around yet, the first 2 weeks are complete rest then you gradually build up you exercise but very slowly. Pain can be a big thing at the moment and in the next few weeks that could get worse as your sutures start to pull as you heal. Recovery can take up to 14 weeks. Don't start lifting yet, nothing heavier than a kettle with enough water to make a cup of coffee. It will be around 6 weeks before you will start to feel like your pre operation self, you can't rush this.
loutland Jan999
Posted
How do you think I will cope bring 6 weeks post-op driving 5,000 miles to Alaska? We are taking 4 weeks to make the trip so we can rest along the way but I'm still very concerned about sitting for that long.
Jan999 loutland
Posted
You will probably still find sitting for long periods uncomfortable but you should be safe to drive. In the U.K. the recommendation is no driving until at least 6 weeks as before then it would be too painful to do an emergency stop. You could be feeling well enough by then, I wouldn't have been but everyone is different.
steph16921 loutland
Posted
DorryC loutland
Posted
I felt very tired at 2 weeks and I didn't have nearly as much done as you did. I had a large rectocele that was repaired with biological mesh. That takes 12 weeks for your body to fully absorb and heal. It took me about 14 weeks to feel like the surgery wasn't limiting me, though it took longer to regain previous strength.
sitting hurts for me bc of back pain so I can't really answer about the drive, but it does seem like a lot. If you can lay down in the car or even recline really far that might help. Getting ready for the move sounds hardest, though. There can be so much to do and really you can't do much of anything exccept lay on the couch and answer questions about what stays and what goes.
tam26 loutland
Posted
Hello loutland, I'm 7 weeks post op and am getting a bit stonger every week.Week 2 was the worst for me, the stitches were pulling so badly I could hardly move without experiencing pain like I had thorns stuck in me. This forum has so much information to help you through, all the advice that I found here has been a great help. I seem to remember reading that sitting on a doghnut cushion was not a good idea, it puts to much pressure on the pelvic area and is not good for the repair. I am about the same age as you and normally go to gym 3 times a week, I had to stop a few months before the op, it was to uncomfortable for me and I haven't been back yet but I have been walking, building up the length slowly. By week 2 I was taking non prescription pain killers and reduced the intake drastically by week 3.Take care and do rest, it's the only way to heal properly, you must be patient. Good luck and be well.
loutland tam26
Posted
Another thing that is very concerning to me is this severe bladder pain when lying down. It was so severe tonight that I had to just get up. It was 3 am and I woke myself up moaning. I took a pain pill about 3:30 and it's now 6 am and it's still hurting. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow but I'm worried that my bladder may have been injured during surgery. Why else would it be so painful 2 weeks after surgery?
tam26 loutland
Posted
loutland tam26
Posted
I saw my doctor this morning. I have blood in my urine but he didn't seem too concerned about it. He found a large lump inside surrounding some of the stitches that he said was probably the reason I felt like I was sitting on barbed wire. As far as the bladder pain goes, he said I was having some "impressive" bladder spasms so he gave me some UTA capsules to help with the pain and spasms. Other than that he said that he's not surprised that I'm feeling as bad as I am. He reminded me that he did 7 different procedures on me all at one time and that all I needed to be doing right now is resting. I guess I'm just getting impatient with everything that needs to be done before our move.
tam26 loutland
Posted
You have to rest no option, at least you know what's going on and the bladder pain will hopefully pass quickly with the pills and it's not serious which is a relief. Sitting on barbed wire was exactly how I felt, don't worry it does go away. Take it easy and everything will come together in time :-)