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Anxious for surgery for cystocele and rectocele

Posted , 5 users are following.

dons81306
dons81306

Hi all, I'm new here but have to confess that I have stalked this page for months! There seems to be lots of support on here and I am so glad I have stumbled upon this site. 

I am due to have anterior and posterior repair next Wednesday and am feeling quite anxious about it, but really hoping it is going to help with my symptoms. 

I am 38 with 2 children (aged 14 and 11) and have had the prolapse far longer than I would care to admit to, but finally faced up courage to see a professional about it in April this year.

I am so uncomfortable all the time, I have a constant dragging heavy sensation in my vagina and pain in my pubic bone and coccyx. Is this normal for the type of prolapse I have? It kept me awake a lot last night and I am hoping I sleep well tonight ( a lot of the insomnia is due to anxiety about the prolapse the effects it's having on me, my husband our sex life and the upcoming surgery and recovery! No wonder I can't sleep!) 

Sorry I have rambled on a lot now! Thanks for taking time to read this :-) 

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Mum2girls
    Mum2girls dons81306

    Posted

    Hi I'm 35 with 2 kids . I had a posterior repair January 16 and it's been a succes. I have a cystocele and I'm looking for positive stories on that side lol.

    Your symptoms are like what I had / have . My posterior issues are resolved. 

    Keep us updated on your journey . 

    My biggest advice is do nothing for 2-3 weeks other than laying down and few short walks round house .

    Try not to bend and prep your vowels prior to surgery so first movement easy as you can't strain.

    I didn't push pull or lift anything heavy until 12 weeks as I researched and found the failed surgeries are from ladies not resting enough. Internal healing is longer than you think 

    Keep positive let your family look after you .

    Where you having op done ? X

    • dons81306
      dons81306 Mum2girls

      Posted

      Hi mum2girls, thanks for replying! 

      I don't know about you, but I couldn't help but thinking it was older ladies suffered with, not til I have done lots of research that I see it's women of all ages!

      The symptoms are awful, I could write a list of them but won't bore you with them haha! Did you find it painful  or were your symptoms alleviated quite quickly after the op? 

      Oh I will be resting, there is no way I am risking and damage to internal healing. I have at least 6 weeks off work afterwards and my family to help! So feel very lucky in that sense. 

      Thanks for tip of prepping for surgery, I don't seem to have gotten any advice/info about bowel movements etc for surgery. 

      I will be going to Nuffield hospital in Newcastle....9 sleeps can't believe I'm into single figures x 

    • Mum2girls
      Mum2girls dons81306

      Posted

      I took movicol sachets 1 x a day 3 days prior to surgery and for a week or so after . It's a stool softener .

      You don't need write that long list of symptoms I have them lol . 

      Took a good 12-14 weeks before I felt more normal well half normal as my surgeon didn't want to repair my cystocele as it's mild . Mild to her but uncomfortable to me . 

      Get plenty ibuprofen and paracetamol for post op . 

      Ibuprofen every 8 hours helps with swelling .

      I was sore for a while as my perineum was repaired with the posterior wall so Made sitting uncomfortable . 

      What grade are your prolapses do they come out of your body ? 

      My cystocele is just visible with a mirror if I go looking nothing hangs out just so uncomfortable .

      Are you having a tvt as well for stress invontinsnce ? X

    • dons81306
      dons81306 Mum2girls

      Posted

      I'll be making a trip to the chemist to stock up on everything I need! 

      My consultant didn't tell me a grade, they're not coming out but if you look both bulges are visible and block up the hole if you know what I mean. When I eventually plucked up courage to tell my husband I was going to doctors he said "you mean that pink spongy lumps, you've had them years!" I think I've just refused to believe it was happening (stupidly!) until my symptoms have been too much to cope with and the impact on our sex life (i.e. I avoid it at all costs out of embarrassment and lack of sensation)

       

      Just the anterior and posterior repair,  no TVt that I'm aware of.

      I can imagine you must have been really uncomfortable sitting after having those repairs. 

      How are you feeling in general now? Can you go to toilet for bowel movements and did sex return to normal or is your cystocele still causing you problems?  X

    • Mum2girls
      Mum2girls dons81306

      Posted

      Apart from my cystocele I feel fine . I poo everyday lol no problem or need to splint . 

      I worried at first as my hubby couldn't fit much in to begin with and was painful but with practice patience and lube I have no prob with sex . My cystocele never caused issue with sex anyway just uncomfortable walking and sitting etc x

    • dons81306
      dons81306 Mum2girls

      Posted

      So good to hear you're doing so well! It gives me hope!x

  • scortes
    scortes dons81306

    Posted

    Hi

    I had cystocele and rectocele surgery back in April. All the advice about the poo-softener is spot on. I got very anxious about that side of things because I generally get constipated. You have to trust that the softener will work and eventually you'll be able to go. I was also prescribed Senokot to help things on their way. I had an issue with pee-ing after, which is relatively unusual but not uncommon. If you can't wee straight-away, don't worry, it'll get back to normal. I went back to work after 2.5 weeks - early than most - but I was extremely careful and did no lifting and lots of resting at every available moment. It took about 10 weeks for me to feel completely normal "down there" again. I guess my problem was that I couldn't remember what normal looked/felt like because I'd had the prolapse for so long (mine were stage 2). Anyway, I now feel great and am looking forward to the prospect of some gentle running again. Best of luck with the op!

    • dons81306
      dons81306 scortes

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply, it's so great to hear your story and how it all went! 

      You're so brave for going back to work so soon, but it's great to hear you're well on the way to recovery smile

      I will definitely be looking at stool softness, it petrified me just the thought of it, as that is one of my main issues with my rectocele. 

      Good to hear you feel you're back to normal down there, I actually can't wait for that day to come!

      Best of luck with your return to running, I'm sure you'll take it easy and build it up gradually. Be interested to hear how that goes. I've not been able to exercise for over a year now and would love to eventually get back to it x 

  • Happynoon
    Happynoon dons81306

    Posted

    Hi 👋 

    I had REctocele repair on 3rd June this year ...I'm just starting to be able to do a bit more - I have convinced myself several times it has failed and then after having some slow days feel fab again..the key is to take it as slow as you can for as long a small possible. I still have days where things feel like they did before but (tmi) I struggled to go to the toilet both sides beforehand and now I can go with relative ease ... I used to do several trips to have a bowel movement (at least 5) I used to tear daily  and felt to urinate I had to push It out (again tmi 😂wink but now it's actually a flow again-amazing!! - good luck with it all x

    • Happynoon
      Happynoon

      Posted

      P.s I'm 35! And also didn't realise this could happen at a young age .., mine apperently caused by my 3rd degree tear 10years ago x

    • dons81306
      dons81306 Happynoon

      Posted

      Hi happynoon 👋🏻,

      Great to hear you're doing so well!! I love this forum because conversations you just can't hold with other people for fear of embarrassment etc you lot just get it! So thank you for the tmi, so good to know as a women in my mid...ok to late! 😂 30ms is totally not alone! 

      I definitely intend to take it slow from all the advice and posts I've read on here. 

      I can't wait to wee and poop properly 😂😂

      Thanks so much for sharing your prolapse story with me and giving me hope that things should improve after the surgery, I really appreciate it! X 

  • robyn94818
    robyn94818 dons81306

    Posted

    When I had my cystocoele and mesh for stress incontinence, my private Urogynaecologist said "NO more running FOREVER"!!! He said the bouncing along will cause further new prolapse. He said brisk walking is equally as good for you and way safer once you know you have a weak pelvic floor, which we all know once we get the prolapse diagnosis. 

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