5 weeks post op discharge advice please.

Thanks so much for your reply Phyl-it's very reassuring-one less thing to worry about.That information by South Tees is very helpful.I have been doing the exercises since the op as instructed by the physio dept.Thank you again.x

Thanks for your reply Sherry.I went to my Slimming Club this morning for an hour & a half & now I'm shattered again & having to rest!! It really is gutty.You feel you can do things but then your body says hey hang on,no you can't!! I shall be so pleased to get back to normal.Take care.x

Hi Sherry, I'm 5wks post op & like Carol have probably overdone things & am now suffering! Please tell me it gets better!!! I cannot believe how much pain I'm feeling. I keep thinking this time next week & next week arrives & there's no improvement! When will it all end? Does anyone else feel in pain a have this awful dragging heavy feeling? I also still feel like there's a bulge there! 

So sorry you're still in pain Janet. We're neck & neck timewise so it proves we all heal at different rates as obviously we've all had different ops. I can't say I'm actually in pain, more discomfort & "strange" unexplained feelings. I'm just getting so frustrated at how exhausted I am all the time, the slightest bit of exertion & I'm completely whacked & need to rest. Can't wait to feel normal. I measure my progress in weeks rather than days & on the whole I can see some improvement.  Good luck,take care & keep resting. Carol xx 

I know what you mean about about a strange feeling...it's difficult to explain isn't it? Do you have this feeling of heaviness as if something's falling out?

Hi Janet,

It can be up to 4 months before things start to feel almost normal. If you have had pelvic floor repairs you must have had a week pelvic floor and therefor will always have to take care as it will never be as strong as pre-prolapse.

These ops are not guaranteed for life and can last up to ten years or more if very careful not to put any down pressure on your pelvic floor.

The wounds heal and stitches start to fall out around 4-6 weeks but can take longer depending on extent of repair and type of material used for stitches. The deeper tissues can take even longer to heal.

I fail to understand why they say 6-8 weeks as you will find that is not the case with many of the women on here. Younger women will heal better and quicker than older women and for those of us who have started menopause our ligaments are weakened and no amount of repairs are going to change that.

On the plus though the repairs can give us some of our life back so we are able to function reasonably well - continue working in low impact jobs, take care of our family and household within reason, have a normal sexual relationship with partners. Just avoid any heavy high impact activity.

As long as you rest plenty in early weeks and start very slowly to begin with light low impact bits and pieces around the house and very gradually do a little more every day listening to your body until you reach 3 month. Never ever do any gardening, lifting anything heavy, or spend too long on your feet. I thing by 6 weeks you shouldn't be doing more than 2x 20in walks per day if you can manage even that. Don't lift anything more than a litre if water by then either.

Most of it is about listening to your body and resting as much as possible.

I was told to never garden or lift toddlers, and no heavy or high impact work ever.

I am over 18 months post op and while my anterior repair feels strong and holding up, my posterior repair feels weak and I have problems with scar tissue around the vaginally opening and just inside front vaginally passage which started giving me problems a little while after returning to work and they started to put me on my feet again do I regret returning do early and looking back wish I'd took 6on the our to sense proper healing as you have know power over employers.

Anyway thus was my second repair surgery and if this goes I don't see his they can tighten things up again eight causing unbearable pain to those areas already pulled tight with problem scar tissue.

Please ladies be very careful and protective of you're repairs you want them to last and not have to go for repair surgery again if it can be avoided. It's the rest of your life and resting for a few months is nothing compared to the rest of your life.

Take care ladies,

Phyl x💖

Thank you Phyl for your reassurance. You've obviously been through it all & glad you're on the better side of it now! I just expected to be feeling better & stronger with each week that passes. It is a very slow healing process! Thanks for spending time on replying to me/us. Janet x

Hi Phyl

Have you seen anyone about the scar tissue? 

I have the same problem I think - the ball of knotted stitches has gone into a hard lump size of a pea right in the entrance and it's driving me mad!!

I have appt with consultant in November so hoping they can do something about it! X

Ps apart from this annoying bobble I'm doing ok 14 weeks post op ! 

Hi Happy noon,

Yes I saw my GP and she prescribed estriol topical cream which you get with applicator to insert every night for 2 weeks then twice a week for 3 months and then whenever required thereafter.

It has thickened up the internal walls and given me some relief, but still have to watch I'm not overdoing being on my feet too long as the constant stretching between legs causes inflammation and nippyness. It's the same swimming have got to limit the kick and stretch when doing breaststroke.

Feels like it has been drawn too tight, anyway GP said to specifically target the troublesome areas of scar tissue with the cream. They use to say to stop using the cream for a month after using for 3 months; I done this over 6 to 9 months and was much better so I thought I would get away with not needing it at all but after 3 months scar tissue was really bad again so restarted again.

Hope this helps,

Phyl x

Hi

I'm now nearly 5 months post op and in last last couple of weeks have hardly felt that dragging, heavy feeling at all. I went away for the weekend and could walk for hours without pain - there may have been alcohol involved too

I still have to be careful standing still for long periods, but other than that its all good. Hang in there

It's good to hear positive encouraging outcomes julib, I know many of the ladies will appreciate your message.

Phyl x

Hi Janet, Carolmaria and all, this forum is really helpful - I can relate to every experience all of you ladies are experiencing.  I am 7 weeks post op from a sling and a grade 2 rectocele repair.  And am I happy that that is behind me.  I'm not experiencing pain per se, but definitely the much described heaviness, pressure and pressure in the perineal area.  Just when I think it feels better, bam, the "heaviness" is back.  I also continue to struggle with my bowels, trying so hard to refrain from straining, etc.  I have no more bleeding, and don't think at this stage post op that is normal if any of you might be experiencing this.  I think what I am hearing from this lovely group of ladies is to listen to your body, give yourself a break and take a nap every day!

Hi Sherry (& anyone else who may find this helpful). So glad you're on the right side of this experience, hopefully things can only improve. I read this analogy on POPS on Facebook (Association of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support) & I think it's very appropriate to us all. 

People who were addicted to alcohol don't refer to themselves as "former" alcoholics. Instead they call themselves "recovering alcoholics".They do this as a reminder for what they can never do again - namely drink alcohol.And to remind themselves what they must continue to do forever - which is to go to AA meetings.

Maybe those who have had successful surgery (however you define success) should call themselves "recovering POPers". This is to remind ourselves of the things we cannot do again, like lift excessive weights, as well as actions we should do forever, like pelvic floor exercises & bringing PF awareness to our daily activities.

Not that we need reminding, but strangely this far from perfect analogy may help us all to cope a little better. 

Good luck for your continued recovery. Carol xx

I think you are spot on there Carolmaria, as our recovery progresses and things get as near normal as can be, some days we feel feel so good can almost do anything again.

I will never again shift anything really heavy or attempt to lift anything heavy, but sometimes feel so restricted when it comes to my walking.

I live in the middle of the country in a small village and I don't drive, buses are once an hour accept early morning and late afternoon for workers.

Only working 10 hours a week I have very little spare for bus trips so if I desperately need out for a while I often have to walk or cycle and nearest towns are at least 2-3 miles away.

I have tried building up my cycling but had to abandon that think it's too much. Only other way to try and keep fitness levels up is swimming and even that requires some walking to and from bus stops.

Hubby had been taking me but not always up to it just now as on medication just now.

So very frustrating, sometimes feel I really need a break from house and the family too, use to disappear into garden but restricted there too now.

But definitely need reminders no and again not to push ourselves too much. Wish employers had better advice.

Phyl x

I'm so sorry to read how restricted life is for you Phyl, I too live in a village with very limited public transport & dread the day that I may have to give up driving. I haven't driven yet though,  being nearly 6 weeks post triple prolapse repairs. I still don't feel well enough, nor confident enough to drive. If you are in England, is there any possibilty that you have a volunteer transport service in your area? We have a few near us in Kent who take people to any sort of venue,  not only medical related,  eg, shopping, visiting, social etc. It may be worth looking into. CABs may have info.

I have a 90 year old Mum who I now can't push (ever I'm told by my surgeon) in her wheelchair, nor lift it into the car,  so she's now condemned to a life indoors. This restriction by my POP doesn't only affect me! I put the op off once because of looking after her, but in the end had to give in. I did everything I could to keep her independent at home, but am now having to investigate permanent residential care for her.  All very sad.

Do hope life soon improves for you. Best wishes,  Carol xx  

Thank you carol, hoping once hubby better and not needing medication that things will pick up. I didn't realize how dependent I was on him until he was struggling himself.

Last week had to make my way to work and back on public transport taking me 2 hours each way for a 5 hour shift. It was really to much. Finding that even though I'm sitting at checkout the constant pushing medium weigh items through endlessly for hours is taking its toll, and it doesn't help when the seat is not supportive. Have complained about seat onore than one occasion but still nothing done. (Replacement seats were bought but unfortunately no wheels and seats seem to lean downward, it's a killer on your back and always overstretching.

My mother use to get out twice a week to a luncheon club they had a mini bus that would pick her up and drop her off. Hope you get something sorted.

Phyl x