back to the consultant! not good news
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello,
?I had a rectocele repair in April and all was well. Then on week 3 then week 5 of recovery I felt it had failed. I was given reassurance that it was just the stitiches healing and so on. Went to my post-op check at 9 weeks still convinced that all was not well. Again was reassured. Didn't aske the questions I wanted to! Went back to the GP who felt there was another prolapse - not that the repair had failed. I agreed with this as it felt in a different place.
?So one long wait and had my appointment yesterday. The consultant agreed that the repair was good but htere is another prolapse higher up. Not sure why this means when I have a bm the major bulge is at the perineum. So he felt my muscle shelf was good and he can't really undertand why it's happened again.
?He is going to send me for a proctogram to see what really is going on. He feels that this may be a rectal prolapse with internal intussception. Apparently mending the rectocele will not do if it is due to the bowel not the vaginal wall. So I'm off to have a bm in public! whilst being xrayed!!! He felt then I may be referred onto the colo-rectal team rather than uro-gyn.
?Funny because when this all started and I was seeing Dr Google I felt that the symptoms I had fitted with rectal prolapse.
?So things are difficult
0 likes, 9 replies
Imnotadoctor trizwizz
Posted
Please don't worry about the test I've had it twice! It's not my favourite one but the staff at my hospital were brilliant & do everything they can to keep your dignity.
Good luck. X
trizwizz Imnotadoctor
Posted
To be honest I'm not really bothered by the test. I think once you've had babies all that modesty goes out of the window! And I'm not really worried. I did ask about the timescale and he said it could be two or three months which is a bit of a time. I have pelvic physio this Wednesday which won't harm and may help a bit.
phyl_40063 trizwizz
Posted
So sorry trizwizz to hear that all is not well, it's bad enough being in recovery from surgery without having to deal with something else.
I too am awaiting another referral as I am no -longer making further progress and if I dare to try make any new progress I feel like something higher up is pulling down and achy.
I feel I should be able to cope with far more now I'm just short of 7months. Feel like I have went back the way. I do my 2 days at work and spend the next 5 in recovery, household tasks severely neglected and despite watching what I eat struggling to prevent anyore weight gain.
Still have a 13 year old at home and really struggle to spend good quality time. Can't do the lengthy shopping trips, can't walk too far for too long, (use to be very fit and did lots of walking and cycling) swimming is good when I can get the chance, but on a budget now as still only coping with 2 days at work.
All so frustrating, on a positive note pretty sure my recent repairs are still intact. Dreading refer appointment as I do not want anymore surgery, I just want my life back. I loved my lifestyle before prolapse; I did lots of walking, cycling and swimming and could eat what I liked (although mainly healthy meals and could get away with snacking in evening ). Could also do as much overtime as I could get without any problems.
Don't think life will ever be the same.
Why do they push the fitness thing so much, maybe if I had not went to gym my very mild prolapse may not have gotten so bad, who knows!
Anyway I do hope that your test's go well and that maybe it will be something easily sorted.
Take care,
Phyl x
trizwizz phyl_40063
Posted
Hello there
?Yes I was feeling a bit better - I had recovered some of my energy and was able to do more. Just recently though all is not well. By the end of the day I can barely stand upright and I am mor ethan extraordinarily tired.
?I hhave just looked up the symptoms of enterocele and they do seem to fit what I have. It describes the pain as the same sort of feeling - says it's where the enterocele prolapse can pull on the ovaries and i would say that's what I feel. Along with the constant pressure on the bowel - the feeling of needing the loo but not. It is slightly different to the recotcele pressure - this is sort of more all encompassing rather than a specific site as the rectocele was. Also the slight extrusion at the anus - sort of like haemorrhoids but not quite.
?The strange thing is it does seem to be linked to constipation which I have not ever been a sufferer of - ever in any shape or form.
?I will say work is difficult and a struggle. Trouble is I don't know of any job that is easy! I have to be able to get up and down off the floor and carry bags of equipment. As well as mentally alert as I'm teaching toddlers and parents all day. i also have to be abl eto drive. Standing is a hige issue for me - not walking but standing is a problem.
?I just hope the appointment for the proctogram comes through reasonably quickly. Pelvic physio tomorrow which may give some more answers.
It's tricky finding a balance isn't it?
phyl_40063 trizwizz
Posted
You are so right trizwizz, it's all about finding a balance, but not easy.
I did manage to stick to just my 2 contract shifts. But really thought by now that I would be well on the way back to some normality as I have been ever so carefully and avoided heavy lifting/high impact exercises and rested plenty at least while at home.
You don't expect them to say it's safe to return to work when employers clearly are either unable or unwilling to give proper support.
I think that women definitely need a much better support network after these ops and a much longer recovery time.
Phyl x
Gnomebottom trizwizz
Posted
Hi trizzwizz, the proctogram is part of investigations done by a Colorectal team. Like 'Imnotadoctor'...I've had it done too. Its not very dignified but it isn't painful/uncomfortable which is a bonus. It clearly shows what's going on with the evacuation of the bowel so well worth having it done.
trizwizz Gnomebottom
Posted
Yes I'm not overly bothered by having the test. I'd rather have it done and then there is no doubt as to the problem and where it's coming from so to speak!
Imnotadoctor trizwizz
Posted
My rectocele bulge is low down but I actually need a rectoenterocele repair as the small bowel has prolapsed too.
There doesn't seem to be much info on this. Matron said she would ask Alan to find something to go on the information section but I haven't noticed anything yet. I wrote to my consultant asking what rectoenterocele repair actually involved and she said it was "medical terminology"! Honestly does she think I'm stupid? I think we should be told the truth as recovery can be very slow. My AR was nearly 3 years ago and I've not had the improvement I'd hoped for and know it needs doing again along with this rectoenterocele repair.
Maybe it's not as bad as you think (I hope so!) but when you next see your doctor write down everything you need to ask as it's so easy to forget when you get there.
In my opinion the main problem is that the 2 departments (gynae & bowels) don't talk to each other & you are left trying to sort out a very different situation.
Keep in touch. X
trizwizz Imnotadoctor
Posted
It was interesting when the consultant said the rectocele was higher up than the last one yet the bulge when I go to the loo is lower. Which leads me to conclude that perhaps it is the bowel that is prolapsed not the vaginal wall that is weak causing the rectocele bulge.
?I think it maybe as bad as I think! The last couple of weeks have been very difficult. I have had the usual draggy low feeling of the rectocele as previous but also added to it now what I would describe as a period type pain - more in the abdomen - and that heavy bloaty feeling as pre-period.
?It's difficult as befroe the op in April I was having regular monthly periods (I'm 53) with no sign of any menopausal symptoms. Immediately post op i was plunged into a major menopause - came out of nowhere. I had a very light sort of period at the beginning of July and that was all or since. So it's difficult to know if the bloaty feeling is period or not. I did think I was going to come on last week as I felt mid-cycle two weeks earlier. But no, back to hot flushes etc now.
?Work is increasingly difficult. Speaking of wich I'd better go and do some!