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Bleeding started nearly two weeks after anterior/ posterior repair

Posted , 10 users are following.

jane75792
jane75792

I had the above repair on the 14th jan and two weeks later I've started to bleed. From last Monday I saw blood on the pad instead of the pale brownish normal discharge. Since then it starts and stops and has clots in it, and goes through the pad at its worst. When I bend down to pick something up or get up from resting it starts. The GP didn't seemed concerned and it seemed to have stopped when I saw her but it started again later in the day.  I'm worried though. Can anyone tell me if this is normal? 

1 like, 83 replies

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  • jane75792
    jane75792

    Posted

    I'm actually in hospital now as the bleeding became very heavy with large clots. I'm staying in with a fresh pack in and see if it stops. Otherwise I'll be off to theatre in the am sad
    • Omic
      Omic jane75792

      Posted

      I hope you're ok. Glad you are in getting seen to. Hopefully the pack stops it for you. X
  • moira34394
    moira34394 jane75792

    Posted

    Hi Jane, it may be a period, but when I had bleeding and clots as you describe 2 weeks post my op I phoned the GP who sent me back to the ward to be checked. They did an ultrasound and it turned out to be a haematoma (pool of blood caused by a nick during the op) It wasn't too large, so I was told to come back 4 days later to see if it had drained by itself. It had, so end of story. It was another thing to worry about at the time, but wasn't a big deal in retrospect.

    PS Don't bend down to pick things up. That will strain your repair like lifting and stretching can do.

  • LadyPink
    LadyPink jane75792

    Posted

    Hi Jane, 

    I had the same operation as you 16 months ago. I'm a great believer in gut feelings and let's face it bleeding like you have described doesn't sound right. I wonder though, did your GP examine you and the stitches? On rare occasions the bleeding is caused when your body reacts to the dissovable stitches, as happened to me. Of course you might have just a slight infection or maybe you have been doing too much and popped some stitches. I hope you haven't been doing too much, by the way? I guess you know all about resting and not lifting etc they do tell you that for a reason you know? At 2/3 weeks I started getting spots of blood and a smelly brownish discharge. I went to see my lady GP who gave me a internal and said things looked a bit red and with 'slight signs of granulation around the stitches'. (Look up 'granulation of a wound' on Google). She sent me back to see my (lady) consultant who gave me antibiotics to begin with. These didn't work and then it was explained that on rare occasions some people reject the material of the dissolvable stitches which sometimes causes inflammation and bleeding. The following week I returned to the gynae outpatients clinic and had the wounds cauterised using a Silver Nitrate pencil. This does sting, I'll be honest; it felt like cigarette burns but although it was uncomfortable it was bearable. Within days I felt so much better. No blood, no discharge and all was good. After that there were no more problems and over a year late I can't believe how fantastic everything has turned out for me. If you're not happy and bleeding continues call your hospital consultant's secretary and she'll make you an appointment to return to the hospital. At least they will sort it out for you quickly.  Let us know how you get on. LadyPink

    • jane75792
      jane75792 LadyPink

      Posted

      Hi, thanks for reply. I came out of hospital yesterday as the bleeding stopped after the pack had been in for 2days. I was told it was probably due to infection or a clot forming behind the posterior repair causing bleeding to come through.  When I had the op three weeks ago I bled after the pack was removed and the doctor was going to use silver nitrate, but she couldn't find the source of the bleeding despite a painful examination with a speculum. So another pack was put in and it settled down. I saw my GP when it started to bleed on and off 2 weeks later but she said it all looked red and swollen still and didn't want to disturb any stitches by examination. Now I'm on 2 types of antibiotics and iron tablets as my blood count was low after the bleed. Bp was low too due to everything going on. I hope I make as good a recovery as you, so glad it worked out and sorted the problem. 
    • Rhona62
      Rhona62 LadyPink

      Posted

      Hi,

      I am two weeks post op from rectocele repair and rectal plication. I still have my stitches although I was told they would dissolve in 7-10 days. How long did it take until your stitches went? I think I have been a little surprised at how tired I still feel and still haven't been out of the house. I thought recovery would be 6 weeks but the doctor told me it could be nearer 12 weeks. What are your thoughts on this? Also I still feel rather stingy down below, is this usual? Maybe I'm just expecting too much too soon as my brain tells me I want to do things but my body seems to say otherwise.  Rhona

    • LadyPink
      LadyPink Rhona62

      Posted

      Hi Rhona, Yes, you are expecting far too much too soon. You will feel tired for up to 4 weeks or more so you should be resting all the time if you want a good result. Listen to your doctor too, he or she is absolutely right, it is going to take about 12 weeks until you begin to feel you're on the mend again - certainly not six! In the meantime, can I suggest you read as many past postings on this Forum as you can which will give you an idea of what to expect. It would seem you haven't done much research on this. LadyPink
    • moira34394
      moira34394 Rhona62

      Posted

      Hi Rhona

      Not to be depressing, but the more you rest now, the better your repair will hold. Stingy down below and exhaustion are normal. To be honest I would say 6 months for full recovery, although most people would get back to non-physical jobs after 12 weeks.

    • Rhona62
      Rhona62 LadyPink

      Posted

      Hi,

      Thanks for your reply. I will certainly take a look at past postings. I've only just discovered this site but find it really helpful already. I will definately take note about the resting. I went on a short trip out today and feel absolutely exhausted. Rhona62

    • Rhona62
      Rhona62 moira34394

      Posted

      Hi,Thanks so much for the advice. I went out for a short time today for the first time and feel absolutely exhausted. I will certainly now listen to my body, I haven't moved off the sofa since I got home.

      Rhona62

  • LadyPink
    LadyPink jane75792

    Posted

    Hello Jane,

    I'm so pleased to hear the hospital have sorted things out for you at last. Those speculum exams are a bit uncomfortable aren't they?

    I really hope you go from strength to strength from now on and that you will be fighting fit and raring to go in no time.

    Just take it easy for the next few weeks and you'll soon be feeling great. Well done and best wishes. LadyPink

  • jane75792
    jane75792

    Posted

    Thanks for all of your replies and sorry I haven't responded until now. All is sorted now and the bleeding has stopped. I did phone the ward and was able to go straight in where I was looked after well. The advice on here about not bending down is good as I'm sure this is what made it worse for me. I didn't realise it was a no-no. It's good to read of your similar experiences, such a helpful forum. 
    • Jan999
      Jan999 jane75792

      Posted

      That's good news jane. Take care and you are right this forum and others on this website are a god send. Take care.
  • chey317
    chey317 jane75792

    Posted

    Jane, I had an episiatomy when I gave birth to my son 5 years ago that never healed properly and I ended up with a very open and loose vagina. Did the anterior and posterior repair tighten things up? If so how much? Sorry to be so to the point but I don't know anybody who has had this problem or the procedure that you had. My doctor said the ideal vagina is about 2 fingers and mine is at least a 4 finger vagina. (sorry for TMI)
    • tlee
      tlee chey317

      Posted

      Hi Chey, posterior and anterior repairs aren't done to restore the vagina to its ideal or original size, they are done because the bladder and/or rectum are prolapsing into the vagina causing painful intercourse, difficult, painful or impossible (without assistance) emptying of bowels, incontinence, etc.  There is a procedure that is done primarily to reduce vaginal size but I don't know the name of it or if the recovery is the same as what most of us are experiencing.  Are you experiencing any of the other symptoms I have described?
    • jane75792
      jane75792 chey317

      Posted

      Hi, the surgeon asked me whether I had an active sex life and if so she could tighten it up down there during the procedure. Im still healing so I don't know how effective it is. I'm much older than you, at sixty six years old, so I'm not too bothered anyway! So it seems it can be done, have a talk with your doctor about it. 
    • LadyPink
      LadyPink jane75792

      Posted

      Hi Jane, I was 69 when I had this procedure done - that was 16 months ago. I was/and still am very much sexually active. My lady surgeon said she only did the operation for me at my age because I was still 'firing on all cylinders'! HaHa. I hadn't long remarried again. The anterior and posterior prolapses were repaired very successfully as was the tightening of the perineum. Sex afterwards was brilliant. LadyPink
    • jane75792
      jane75792 LadyPink

      Posted

      That's good news for Chey 317, LadyPink, glad it's worked well for you. My cylinders haven't fired for years, but that's another story! 
    • chey317
      chey317 jane75792

      Posted

      That is definitely good news! she said she could tighten it but that it would only be in the front, but that the rest would kind of follow the front which I wasn't too sure of.
    • chey317
      chey317 tlee

      Posted

      I almost always have to assist with the bowel movements and OMG if I laugh or sneeze I have pee to my knees. I try to go pee even when I don't feel like I have to especially if I have a cold because I pee when I sneeze/cough/laugh. my boyfriend thinks it's funny to tickle me until I pee and it makes me so mad. I am very loose and open so I have no pain during sex or ever in my vagina. I feel like my perinel muscle/tissue is doing a disappearing act. I can feel my bowels from inside my vagina but it doesn't like go leaning into my vagina very much. That or I am so loose there is plenty of room left over when it does. My doctor said I am having posterior repair, recocele, prolapse, perineoplasty. things like that. I have  so many issues I am unsure how to say what I am having all in one sentence.
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