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7 weeks post AP an now have posterior prolapse

Posted , 5 users are following.

Zoki
Zoki

Hi ladies,

I am reasonably new to this forum, haven't shared much but have had comfort in reading your comments & apologise upfront as this is going to be long winded.

I had an anterior repair nearly 7 weeks ago & about 3 weeks ago started feeling much better when what seems overnight I started having trouble emptying my bowels & feeling "different" down there. Like the prolapse had come back. I contacted my surgeon & booked in to see him.

He advise me that the surgery to fix the anterior prolapse had gone well however he could see a rectocele buldge. He said it wasn't at the entrance to the vagina. I was then advise to continue to not lift anything more than 5kg for a few weeks & then nothing more than 15kg. I do recall he mentioning u had a rectocele at my initial consultation however he advised that did not need to be operated on. So frustrated that this could have been dealt with.

My symptoms have become worse in the past week. I feel like I am sitting in an egg. My AP always felt kind of soft where as this is quite hard.

My family & I went out for dinner for the first time since my surgery & within in hour I was ready to go home. I could feel "the egg" moving down. When I fit home I immediately headed to the bathroom. The urge was there but I had trouble voiding. I felt around & to my shock I could feel quite a firm buldge nearly at the entrance of my vagina.

I am totally devastated. I cried to my husband & my poor son over heard. He is 14 & ended up in tears.

Due to go back to work tomorrow & totally petrified.

Could the rectocele progressed this quickly?

Is there anything I could do to make it better?

The thought of another operation is making me sick.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated & once again apologies for the vent.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Imnotadoctor
    Imnotadoctor Zoki

    Posted

    This is almost exactly what had happened to me. I think having the anterior repair leaves more space for the rectocele to enlarge. I have put up with mine for 3 years since my anterior repair & it has definitely got worse. I really didn't want more surgery but it is a problem most days now so I think I will need a posterior repair.

    This forum has been really helpful in helping me decide what to do but until last week I hadn't met anyone else who had had it done. I was in hospital last week for a small operation (not related to this) & I was chatting to one of the nurses. She had A & P repair done about 10 years ago & said she felt like a "new woman" I wish I could have spent more time talking to her but she was very positive about it all.

    Pelvic floor exercises can help strengthen the area. Get good advice as your surgery was quite recent so you need to make sure you have properly recovered first. Good luck.

    • Zoki
      Zoki Imnotadoctor

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your words. Imnotadoctor. It's amazing how comforting it is knowing you are not alone.

      Did you posterior prolapse progess this soon after your anterior surgery?

      I wish I had found this forum before my operation. I feel like I went into it so blindly & thinking it was going to be an easy recovery.

      I have had every possible emotion from relief to total devastiion & sometimes on the one day lol

      Being able to ask questions or read about experiences has been a godsend.

      Hope you keep us updated on your progress xxx

    • Imnotadoctor
      Imnotadoctor Zoki

      Posted

      Before I had my AP I was told my back wall would need doing at some point but my consultant said it wasn't too bad but in any case he would not do both at the same time as it can make you "too tight down there". Now, since then I understand many women have had both done at same time.

      I started to notice a change about 3 months after the surgery I think. I have had lots of tests & have seen a colorectal consultant & specialist female physiotherapist. I have followed all the advice ie don't get constipated, correct position on the toilet (sounds mad but works!), pelvic floor exercises etc.

      Specialist female physiotherapists are hard to find, I saw mine privately but she was very helpful. It's early days for you, make sure you are fully recovered first. X

  • robyn94818
    robyn94818 Zoki

    Posted

    I can tick this experience also. My rectocoele wasn't repaired either as on the morning of surgery, right just before Urogynae entered theatre to prep, he came by my bed and that is when he said he probably won't repair the posterior prolapse as, "it can make you too tight" and because I didn't have symptoms yet. Well, I DID have symptoms, he just never asked if I did and what they were. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I'm pretty angry too. I'm not sure if my symptoms seem worse since around 8wk post anterior repair, or it is because anterior prolapse problem is gone, so posterior one is more acutely obvious as is only what is left now. I didn't find this forum until 4wks post anterior repair but do wonder if I would have had ANY surgery after reading some of the experiences!! But there are great outcomes also which I need to keep reminding myself. I had no idea about this whole total rest thing, until 4wks. I spent one day in bed only. Was kind of careful but nowhere near what I've since now read on here. And my Surgeon is the best in my Country of New Zealand.
    • Zoki
      Zoki robyn94818

      Posted

      Hey Robyn, I'm from Australia & usedone of the best surgeons in this field. You are so right it's anger above anything else that this could have been dealt with at the same time. I too had symptoms but was never asked & foolishly didn't even think to ask. Hindsight does have perfect vision.

      I too only discovered this forum 3 or 4 weeks in. All the ladies are lovely & offer great comforting advise.

      When did you have your surgery?

    • robyn94818
      robyn94818 Zoki

      Posted

      OMG we are so similar. I too am surprised that I didn't challenge the cancellation of repairing both prolapses! I guess I had plenty else going on in my head at the point of being ready to get taken into theatre. I wonder if our 2 Surgeons attended the same Conference where somehow they decided to not generally do both repairs at same time. Disappointing that it appears we have to get much worse first. I was paying privately too! I had anterior repair with TOT sling around 20th Oct. 2015. I never rested with feet up even once other than that one day in bed, for the whole 6wks prior to post-op check. Surgeon reckons I was all healed at 6wk check.
    • Zoki
      Zoki robyn94818

      Posted

      I had the sling too! Another common factor. You must be my long lost pelvic twin from across the ditch.

      I had my procedure on the 6th April & was back to work today. Nice to get back to a normal daily routine. I had 6 weeks off work & didn't know how I'd handle it. All went well despite a very busy day with most of it spent in my feet.

      Making a real effort to increase fibre in my diet to ensure I don't get constipated.

  • Hijadeonagro
    Hijadeonagro Zoki

    Posted

    Hi Zoki,

    It's great that you finally wrote about your worries here in the forum! I understand you very well...

    I'm from Spain, I had anterior repair 5 months ago and it happened almost the same as you, Imnotadoctor and Robyn, 2 months after surgery I noticed some problems with BM and the constant feeling of having something inside the rectum. I went to my gyn and he confirmed I have a rectocele, he told me not to worry, he would fix it with stitches, not mesh, he tranquilized me a lot. Now I have some problems with BM but I can manage them with stool softeners. Once a week I go to my physio and I do PF exercises daily. But Im sure that I will have the surgery (my gyn has scheduled it for June but I think I will postpone it until October because of my holidays' kid) I feel my anus area like fallen down, I don't know how to explain it, it´s not only the rectocele itself, it´s that when I have a BM I feel my anus area more down than it should be.

    The answers to your questions are clear for me. Could the rectocele progressed this quickly? Yes. You have the experience of three women here. In fact, in my case, it has been developed only in 2 months.

    Is there anything I could do to make it better? Yes. You can do PF exercises when your gyn gives permission to do it. They will help with sensations of bulge but the rectocele won´t disappear cos as my gyn told me we have a tendency towards prolapses, and sooner or later we will have to be operated, but the good news are that rectocele surgery is easy for them and it has good results.

    I understand your feelings very well, you had the surgery thinking that it was the end of your suffering with bladder prolapses and everything, and now you are shocked by the fast progress of the rectocele. Its normal to cry and feel depressed, in fact I cried a lot when I noticed it but now Im much better. A bit nervious about the surgery but I know that with the help of the ladies here it is going to be easier than the anterior repair. Hugs!! 😘

    • Zoki
      Zoki Hijadeonagro

      Posted

      Hi Hijadeonagro, Your words are so comforting and your positivity is uplifting. I was seeing a physio prior to surgery & think it's time to start it up again as well as the pelvic floor exercises.

      I hope you keep us updated on your progress.

      Sending you hugs xoxo

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