3 days post rectocele and perineal repair

Oh, your post brings back memories!  So sorry to read about the pain and worry you are going through.  I hope things improve daily.  Re the inability to 'poo'.  I had this after a hysterectomy.  It took 6 days before I could 'go' and this involved (sorry about this!) manually assisting the poo to exit and sitting on a bidet with soothing warm water running over my lower back.  Somehow this worked but only after several days of torment!  I had diarrhoea leakage before that, probably on days 4 and 5, which was not diarrhoea really, just watery stuff exiting around the solid motion that was blocking the way.  I was also unable to eat, like you I just had a mouthful of soup and some water, that was it.  

I think you are doing lol the right things.  Try to keep moving, walking around a bit, etc, that will help.  Drink a lot and keep up the senokot etc.  It will happen eventually.  Ask medical advice as well, of course.   Good luck!

Yes, it's awful, I was the same. Try some sachets of movicol, miralax. Take two or three in water, should get rid of the blockage. Also try glycerin suppositories, helps things slide out.

Don't be worried if you have a bit of bleeding the first time.

If you are still worried, ring the ward you were on, or your GP.

Hi Linz

Are you taking pain relief with codeine in? If you are try paracetamol as it will not constipate you as much. Have you tried any natural remedys such as liquorice? Also I find pears unpeeled are good. Don't wait too long before you see your GP if you do t go as you will strain on your stitches. You are probably very anxious about moving your bowels as well. We all felt like that post op. Hope it resolves

Hello Linz. If you go to the Genitourinary Prolapse home page you will find some helpful information under the heading Useful Resources particularly the South Tees information. The important thing is not to be in pain at this stage. If you're taking Codeine take it with Paracetamol as well because it is now known to work well when combined. Don't just take Paracetamol that won't help on it's own, pain hinders recovery so don't let it get to the point when you're in a great deal of pain. This is major surgery so treat it as such. Codeine doesn't always constipate everyone, I can cope with it and I take it regularly for osteoarthritis, it's a side effect. The main thing along with pain relief is rest completely for the first 2 weeks and don't lift anything heavier than a kettle with enough water to make a cup of tea. Take care.

Hey there. I feel your pain huni.

I'm 7 1/2 weeks post op of a rectocele repair. I had an awful time the first 3 days after my op. I could not open my Bowles what so ever, the pain & pressure was unbearable. I was re admitted to hospital because of this, where they stopped my codiene immediately & I had to rely solely on paracetamol, which isn't as bad as it sounds. I was given 2 enimas, lactalose & laxido, and after 24 hours I finally went, and not to be so crude, it was a mind blowing relief😌

I've been taking fybogel for years & combined with the lactalose has worked well for me.

Please don't suffer in silence, if your pain gets too bad ring the ward, I did & they were brilliant.

Hope you get some relief soon, sending hugs x

I remember being really scared to damage something, too.  Someone here here recommended using glycerin suppositories and for me they were a lifesaver.  They let me go to the bathroom without straining (in addition to the stool softeners).

i wasn't ready to go off narcotic pain meds that early and it is really important to manage your pain, so I just had to work hard to keep thing s easy to pass and then use the suppositories so that I had an urge to go and could go without straining.  I had a rectocele repair, fwiw.

Hi linz, I am 6 weeks post op today for the same procedure and I was 5 days before I pooped, I just took the lactalose and waited, what I mean is I just thought I am not even going to try when it's ready it will come, and 5 days later I thought this is it held stitches and just let it come, you will be fine, rest is key but I walked round the house every hour which movement helps bowels. I did nothing but make a drink for 2 weeks, still only doing bits now no hoovering, washing,shopping etc hubby insists, had my check up Monday and all well, stitches still in place inside but healing well he said, and take it slowly now for 3 months. Hope this helps.

Hi Linz,

I am 9 weeks post op for repairs that included rectocele and perineum.  I was always very regular and home 3 days and still unable to have bm.  I worried, then it started to come but was stuck.  I was horrified of busting stiches and damaging repair. The fear made me tense and worsened things.  Like another replier mentioned, I too, had to use my fingers to help it out.  It was humiliating for some reason and I was so nervous about damage that I went to surgeon's office the following day.  They took quick look and assured me all was fine.

I continued with narcotics for almost 2 weeks and it never happened again.  I think it's the heavy duty anesthesia and/or IV meds in hospital that make first bm so difficult.  I found Miralax combined with stool softeners to be most helpful, better than senokot.  I took a few softeners daily: morning, noo and night right after fiasco and did end up with stool that was too loose, but i didn't care. 

You will likely have lonely times ahead, I know I did.  Keep reading and posting here.  It definitely helps.  I found books on tape to be helpful too.  I joined "Audible" and just downloaded onto my phone.  Hard to read a book when you can't sit properly, so listening was great.  It can take your mind off unpleasant situation you'll be in for a while.

Thank you everyone for your posts, it's really helpful to know you are not alone. After posting here I phoned the hospital and got the answer I left a message but the pain was so intense that I did end up having a poke around up there. It must have loosened things a bit, as eventually I was able to pass a sizeable stool! I was so relieved! 😌

Since then I think all the laxatives have caught up and I've gone the other way but as debrar pointed out, I can cope with that!

Thank you everyone, hope you are all recovering well xxx

I'm 6 weeks out of rectocele and enterocele repair and my dr said to take miralax am an pm until off pain meds  and if needed milk of magnesia. I've had no problems and now I'm down to only 1 capful daily of miralax. Prunes, nuts, pumpkin seeds, popcorn also helps.