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Am I worrying unnecessarily?

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trizwizz
trizwizz

Thinking of changing my forum name to Moaning Minnie!

​Nearly 8 weeks post op rectocele repair. I've not always been convinced it's worked but have been reassured that it's all down to healing etc.

So to today, needed a bowel motion, went to the loo and was back on the same old cycle of needing to go, not being able to go, feeling bulgy etc. Felt vaginally and there was a definate bulge. Pressed and was able to go. I was regularly "splinting" before the op.

​Also before the op I was unable to pass urine and have a bowel motion together. Today was beck to having a bowel motion , wash hands then return to have a wee.

Should I be wrrying about this!

​If this posts twice apologies - it seems to have lost the first one - but maybe not!

1 like, 35 replies

35 Replies

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  • Laura3333
    Laura3333 trizwizz

    Posted

    Oh don't be worried, I'm nine weeks post op- Rectocele, and can't get my bowels sorted!

    I tried coming off laxatives, and just using lactulose, like you it didn't work, back on both again. it's tempting to go back to what you had to do before ( splinting) just to empty your bowel, but if you can get the right muscles going, pushing down instead of forwards, it will help.

    If you're pushing forward and splinting, you're risking bringing the Rectocele back by stretching your back wall.

    Not easy I know, I've had the runs and awful wind the last couple of days, but not had to strain.

    You'll get there in the end, it's like having to retrain yourself on how to push the right way. :-(

    • trizwizz
      trizwizz Laura3333

      Posted

      I've never had trouble with constipation - ever! I don't have a rpoblem going to the loo really. I don't think I do push forward - certainly haven't been up till now.
    • trizwizz
      trizwizz Laura3333

      Posted

      Thinks are calmer here indoors now so I've more time to reply!

      I wouldn't say that I've ever really had bowel trouble. The rectocele appeared - I had had no history of constipation or bowel troubles. I had no problem having either of my two children - 30 & 16 yrs ago - they both popped out with no problems.

      ​Going to the loo for a bowel motion has not been a problem - I just feel the need to go  - go into the loo and go - never had all that waiting and sitting/reading the paper etc. When I had the rectocele I was very careful never to get constipated  - ate carefully, plenty veg, fruit and water and continue to do so.

    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 trizwizz

      Posted

      I think I'm defining constipation as being unable to pass the motion.

      Before my op I went several times a day, on a high fibre diet, just couldn't push it out, it went forward into Rectocele instead, even though it was soft I had horrendous problems, trying to push and making piles and anal fissure worse.

      If your bulge is going after a bm, then coming back when you need to go again, I agree it's worrying.

      The bulge I can feel is there all the time and I'm sure is the wound repair that is still healing.

      Know what you mean about the knee pain, had both mine done, it's on a different level, but for me not as worrying as this, maybe because there is nothing to see with this surgery.

    • trizwizz
      trizwizz Laura3333

      Posted

      Ah - I see what you mean. Yes pre op I would typically feel the need to have abowel motion, go into the loo, nothing happen, stand up , leav ethe bathroom, feel the need ot go again and so on and on. I would have a bowel motion  more than once a day but woul dnever feel "emptied" if you knwo what I mean? It's very difficult to descibe isn't it? Immediately post op - for the first few weeks having a bowel motion did feel differnet. Almost could feel the difference - like everything was going straight down instead of round a corner!

      ​I knwo what you mean about waste going into the rectocele that you can feel it - it is exactly like that. This is what I felt like htis morning - just back to filling up a bulge instead of the toilet!

      ​There is also a bit of the lumpy bumpy swelling issues but really these feel minor - and to be honest have never been that bad. This is definitely different.

    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 trizwizz

      Posted

      Oh, hope it's nothing to worry about, matron says it's unlikely to have failed so early on.

      Just the thought of having to have this done again, wouldn't want to!

      I can  push now and everything goes where it should although I still don't feel empty all of the time.

      I had a Rectocele without knowing what it was for years, so going normally feels strange.

      Yes it is hard to explain, when I first tried to explain it to my husband, he couldn't understand it at all, had to show him a diagram.

      Do men get rectoceles? Probably not.

  • Jan999
    Jan999 trizwizz

    Posted

    Hello trizwizz you aren't a Moaning Minnie you are just concerned like most women after this type of surgery. It's because we suffer so much prior to the operation there's just too much to lose. It is extremely rare (and I emphasise extremely) for a repair to fail so soon so it's unlikely you have another prolapse. You may have read in other posts how recovery is slow and at times pain and discomfort gets worse as the weeks go by and I think that's happening to you. I know 8 weeks is a long time since your operation but believe me it isn't with prolapse repairs. I think you have some swelling that's giving you the impression you may have a prolapse so this weekend it's feet up, absolutely no lifting and do nothing. Then on Monday/Tuesday see how things are and report back x
    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 Jan999

      Posted

      It does seem a long time matron, seems like forever, and like you say it's a very long recovery time for this type of prolapse, I still feel out of sorts and as though I'm never going to get there. Sitting on the toilet with nothing happening and not daring to push is the most frightening feeling, just feels like a step backwards.

      At this rate I'll be on lactulose forever!

      Added to this, the last few days, shooting pains really high up, maybe deeper stitches dissolving now?

    • Jan999
      Jan999 Laura3333

      Posted

      I remember the pains higher up Laura and I put it down to the internal stitches. I don't want to sound all doom and gloom but a lot of Urogynaecologists will say that although you feel much better after about 3 months it's about 10-12 months before you fully recover from this operation. I don't mean you feel ill before then but there comes a time when you realise you feel like your old self again and I would agree with that. It definitely takes a lot out of you.
    • Laura3333
      Laura3333 Jan999

      Posted

      Got a bit to go yet then!

      My old self wasn't all that great, so hope it's better than thatsmile

    • Jan999
      Jan999 Laura3333

      Posted

      I hope so Laura, we all react to this surgery differently and recover at different rates as well so it's difficult to say how long a full recovery will take. I was fit and reasonably healthy before my repair but it hit me hard, recovery was painful and long but almost 6 years down the line everything is functioning normally and the way the surgery is performed now there's no reason why everyone should have a successful recovery.
    • trizwizz
      trizwizz Jan999

      Posted

      Sorry matron - my last reply didn't seem to upload.

      ​I didn't really have any pain post op - only took paracetamol and that was more than adequate. I was surprised at the lack of pain. I've had knee surgery which was horrendously painful.

      ​What I feel is not lumpy bumpy swelling but a definite bulge - as it was before the repair. This morning when I splinted I could feel the bulge go back into the rectum as before - not the bumps of fleshy swelling. Once I'd emptied my bowels the bulge was gone - as before th erepair after a bowel motion the rectocele shrank somewhat until the next load of waste came down - so to speak!!

      ​I've never been constipated and am careful with my diet - lots of fruit, veg and water etc. Never had to sit on the loo for ages etc

      ​I'm not in pain now.

    • trizwizz
      trizwizz

      Posted

      Sorry meant to add that I was prescribed lactulose and movicol to take for a fortnight post op - which was all fine. Never had to strain or be worried about going to the loo for a bowel motion even the day after the op.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 trizwizz

      Posted

      I understand now trizwizz so if the bulge isn't there now is a good sign. Are you having a post op check with your consultant? 
    • trizwizz
      trizwizz Jan999

      Posted

      Sorry do you mean it isn't a good sign? That the bulge is back but not after a bowel motion.  I should be having a post op check with the consultant. It should be at 6 weeks but I was tol dby the nurse at the pre-op it would be more likely to be 8 - 10 weeks. The appt hasn't come through yet tho. I ended up with his second in command due to the consultant being on training - delivering. His second is newly promoted to consultant level - I did quiz her as I'd not met her before and I was confodent in her. I'm not sure about the post op appt. I would presume it would be with the original consultant as it's his clinic.

      ​I do have an appt with my GP on Monday. We have the facility to book online appts for our GP na dthere was one free which I took almost just incase. My sick note ends tomorrow but I don't work on Mondays so I also part booked it with the thought that if I needed more time off then that appt woudl do as well. Still also having terrible menopause symptoms that came on from post op. So looks like it will be a long appt. It is also with the GP I try to see so I know him a bit better.

      ​All in all this has been an pretty dire experience.

    • Jan999
      Jan999 trizwizz

      Posted

      I thought it was a good sign sorry I didn't make it clear. Don't worry about the second in command performing your surgery because she will have done her urogynaecology training and will probably be more up to date than the consultant. She'll be in a position to apply for a consultants post but probably hasn't been able to find a vacancy. Hopefully your GP will be able to reassure you before your post op appointment but chase it up if you don't hear anything soon. 

      I know what you mean about the experience trizwizz, I've worked in gynae for a long time and I found it extremely hard. It made me realise just how important post op care is. I was shocked at so many things. I couldn't sit down for the pain I was the worst patient imaginable. My poor husband he deserved a knighthood. 

      Please try not to worry and rest!!!

    • trizwizz
      trizwizz Jan999

      Posted

      I think my last comment went to gobbledygook so having another go.

      Ah! The bulge dissipated somewhat after the bowel motion - much as it used to pre the op. Which is what causes me to be concerned - it is not – in my opinion just the lumpy bumpy bits of swelling - more defined.

      I didn't worry about the second doing the op - she has just been promoted to consultant and has trained under the man who I was supposed to have who does have a national reputation so I wasn't bothered by that at all.

      ​I really didn't have pain. Many people seem to have been unable to sit down or stand or walk  but I was ok. In fact it was hard not to do things because I didn't feel that bad.

      ​Post op care I would have to ask what is that exactly? Whilst I don't wish to go back 30 years to a two week stay in hospital - there isn't really any post op care as such - not for any type of surgery. You are given a leaflet and sent away. I'm reasonable intelligent and can Google with the best of them but for those who can't it's difficult. This is not because those who work are more uncaring it’s the myriad of demands that are unceasing. I work in education closely allied with health – I see a lot of sick children and we have similar problems in education

       

    • Jan999
      Jan999 trizwizz

      Posted

      I agree about the post op care trizwizz and that's why Alan the wonderful moderator on this website has put something on the Pinned Post from South Tees which is my area. That information I helped put together and at the moment I'm working to put together national post op advice for all the different types of prolapse surgery but it's taking more time than I'd hoped because I'm moving house next month so have other priorities. I have tried to answer everyone's questions when they've cropped up but I am appalled at the lack of information given to ladies on discharge because we always make sure everyone on discharge is under no illusion just how long recovery can take. You can always message me and ask anything you want if you don't want to post a question. 
    • trizwizz
      trizwizz Jan999

      Posted

      Ah so it was you! The South Tees info was the best I read online!!! The most comprehensive too.

      ​I remember when I had knee surgery the consultant gave me a sick note for two weeks - I was off for 16! I did ask my Gp if the consultant lived in LaLa land.

      ​I think with this the consultant asked what I did for work and said "you won't be doing that in a hurry" I was told to rest. I think perhaps more specific details on what rest is may help!

      ​I'm generally happy to post a question - after talking rectums, vaginas, sex and bowel motions it seems nothing is sacred and a posted question may help others. Thank you for the offer though - I may take you up on it if something comes along. I will see what the GP says on Monday - need to get these hot flushes sorted out too. Also due back at work on Tuesday which fills me with dread

    • Jan999
      Jan999 trizwizz

      Posted

      You can't go back to work on Tuesday, it's too early. You need to ask for another sicknote x
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