80% failure rates for vaginal wall surgery?
Posted , 11 users are following.
i read an article in the Lancet today, December 2016 (given to me by a consultant ) suggesting 80% women having vaginal wall surgery in the UK have a recurrence of symptoms within 2 years. in other words the vast majority of women, 8 out of 10, are no better off. (traditional and mesh repairs)
last week i saw a surgeon who said 8/10 operations are successful....how can both these figures be true when they contradict each other, totally?
Having already had failed prolapse surgery i feel pessimistic. i don't know whether it's worth trying again, especially with such confusing odds or just learn to live with the discomfort. i fear the possibility of being left with pain. Can anyone suggest why such different odds are offered?
1 like, 36 replies
phyl_40063 Rosabee
Posted
Hi Rosabee,
I have had hysterectomy with anterior repair then 3 years later had anterior repaired again due to fail along with posterior repair.
I think that many different factors come into play with regard to success or fail of repair.
Personally, I have had a different experience with both recovery; but based on my personnel experience I feel that we do not get enough time to recuperate properly and information on discharge does not impress strongly enough that pelvic floor repair is major surgery and as such we need to rest completely for the first few weeks then take it very slowly and gradually build activity back up over the next few months. They also need to strongly impress the need to always be careful not to put any down pressure on the pelvic floor which includes the length of time we spend on our feet as well as no heavy lifting which can also mean lighter loads. We have to find our own capabilities.
I think the 80% includes those whof may still have symptoms or partial mild reprolapse but not full collapse of repair.
I have found it difficult protecting my repair at work and strongly believe that if I had been retired I would have been able to be more protective of repair able to determine what I can and can't do.
Recovery is really about learning about what we can do without doing damage to the repair. I do believe though that many younger women may have much better recovery rates as their ligaments and tissues will still be subject to higher hormone levels and be much stronger.
Phyl
Rosabee phyl_40063
Posted
Thank you Phyl. Yes I agree with everything you have written. I think swimming a mile and taking up canoeing 11 weeks after a hysterectomy and sacrocolpopexy was probably not an "achievement " as I felt at the time but a mistake. I was told to rest for 6 weeks and take it easy for another 6. Then I could resume my previous activity except badminton, 6 months. I never made it back to badminton. I also think straining with constipation is a major contributor. Unfortunately my tissue and ligaments are not in good shape either. Like you I have a job which involves standing, carrying and lifting, lots of stairs, so it's a constant strain on the pelvic floor. I can't see myself going for more surgery.
phyl_40063 Rosabee
Posted
I don't know where they get the idea that we can resume normal activities after 8 or 12 weeks, clearly the pelvic floor must be weak in the first Place for prolapse to occur and if it weakens more with every repair then who are they trying to kid. It may be that younger women are able to return to normal activity after 3 month but they clearly are not making allowances for older women who have depleted hormone levels!
I would like to be able to enjoy my much shortened retirement years, but looks like they are going to work me till my insides walls are so thin and stretched to point where they will not be able to do an more repairs. That's the thanks we women get for not only working all our life's but also spending them as main carer at home keeping the rest of the work force healthy.
That's my rant for today!
Take care,
Phyl x💖
Ellie1943 phyl_40063
Posted
Here here Phyl! I'm going in Monday for my 3rd repair, (fingers and everything else crossed it's not cancelled again!) I blame succesive governments (all of them), for this failure of the NHS which my generation brought into being! Lack of funding for the MOST important service our country had after the W W 2. Stop spending on other countries wars and politics and spend it on US the people who really run the country, 'The Work Force'!
My rant until I come back on the forum after my op. 
Poll xxx
phyl_40063 Ellie1943
Posted
Glad to hear your finally going for surgery Pollyanna, good luck, hope all goes well and I'm sure your in good hands.
Let us all know how you get on.
Take care,
Phyl x💖
Ellie1943 phyl_40063
Posted
Doolou1966 Ellie1943
Posted
phyl_40063 Ellie1943
Posted
You must be missing your dog Pollyanna I assume she will be in kennels for a few weeks😕. You are going to miss each other.
I hope your recovery goes well and you are reunited soon💖
Phyl x
Ellie1943 phyl_40063
Posted
Yes, I am missing him already, he's in kennels for a couple, maybe three weeks, see how it goes. He's old now,14 so not bothered about long walkies these days, just ambles around. (Bit like me!) Didn't sleep too well last night, hope it's better tonight but suppose I'll catch up tomorrow. lol xxx Back soon!
phyl_40063 Ellie1943
Posted
Phyl x
Kegel8Stephanie Rosabee
Posted
Hi Rosabee,
The stats I work to are these http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Prolapse-of-the-uterus/Pages/treatmentoptions.aspx - showing the latest treatment options for prolpase.
I think the biggest message I would want to send to all the women who use/visit/comment on this forum is the aspect of 'self care'. I cannot stress highly enough that this term 'self care' as used in the NHS guidelines, MUST extend beyond the operation. Women are reprolpasing out of ignorance, thinking the procedure has 'fixed' the problem. As one Physio said the other day. 'If you keep doing what you've always done, then the same thing will happen again'. So, if you do not modify how you do things with your body, the weakness (prolapse) will reoccur, (correct your posture, watch your weight, lift carefully, dont smoke, low impact exercise, avoid constipation etc, do pelvic floor muscle exercises)
Sadly so many women are not taught how to live following surgery. Figures can be interpreted in all manner of ways, either way these figures ARE SHOCKING. There is an epidemic of women with prolpase. A recent report from Brazil concluded ALL women aged 50 showed signs of POP. We don't check for prolpase.
The pivital fact is that YOU have to put the effort in too and surgery should never be undertaken lightly.Good luck Rosabee, you are clearly doing your research. Please remember no surgery strengthens a weak pelvic floor!!
S
Ellie1943 Kegel8Stephanie
Posted
Hi Steph, I totally agree with you. I was not given any info on what I could or could not do after my first surgery, hysterectomy and anterior repair in 1984! Consequently, I went back to doing heavy work in nursing and residential homes and in a dept store once. All very heavy on the pelvic floor. In 2002 I had another prolapse, posterior, rectocele repair, still no info! I'm now due to go in for a SSF for vag vault prolapse and another posterior repair. So, 33 years of prolapse. I'm now retired so hoping I'll have more success as a lady of leisure, (so to speak! lol)
Ladies, do take care and listen to Steph and Matron, they know from their own experience too as well as professionally. TAKE CARE! 
Rosabee Kegel8Stephanie
Posted
Thanks Steph. I haven't been very successful with pelvic floor exercises. Apparently I have 2/5 strength? One reason I can't retain any pessary. I also think that because of this factor any repair is less likely to succeed and if I don't strain I can't empty my bowel. I can't sit forward as physio demonstrated as i can't get it round the bulge.
Rosabee Ellie1943
Posted
DorryC Rosabee
Posted
I consider the op successful as everything is much better so I am in your surgeons 8 out of 10. I still have some symptoms so I am in the papers 8 out of 10. Does that help?
Rosabee DorryC
Posted
Thanks DorryC. One thing I have learned from all the very helpful comments is that we are all different. I think at the moment I feel I know what I am living with and coping with. I have been told it can't get any worse. I am not ready to take a risk with surgery that may not work and could leave me with pain (SSF)