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Day 8 of recovery from posterior prolapse repair

Posted , 26 users are following.

LesleyW
LesleyW

Well after seeing my GP on day 6 and being given antibiotics for a urine infection and also treatment for thrush things are settling down a bit. Still very uncomfortable sitting on my bottom, easier lying in my side. The last 2days I've been getting out in the car for short quick trip to shops, not driving...doing stairs and walking OK but VERY tired still and dragging feeling if I stand for too long but on the whole everything working OK down below with my squatty potty and Keger app- many thanks to this forum. Positive about future. 

1 like, 69 replies

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  • Gardener_Jo
    Gardener_Jo LesleyW

    Posted

    Hi

    i am enjoying some gentle walks and they seem to help keeping me regular. Also plenty of fruit and high fiber, I do live in fear of becoming constipated, as straining really hurts. I invested in a squatty potty, this little stool (no pun intended)raises my knees above my hips and has really helped to reduce the strain. I am amazed by how  much this has helped and am advising everyone to look at them. I had no idea that the way most of us sit on the loo was an incorrect position and puts extra strain on our pelvic muscles and can cause hemeroids, tears and prolapses. At the age of 54 I finally find this out! Why does no one tell us these things? 

    Jo

     

    • LesleyW
      LesleyW Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Hi Jo

      I too have bought a squattypotty, as advised by Maura and yes, it does work. Apart from my poo :-) problems on day 3 ( side effect of all the pain killing meds) I have been fine. Lots of fruit and a strong fresh coffee every morning and I am now regular as clockwork...the fresh coffee works wonders - instant just doesn't do the trick. 

      Been out today, to supermarket and lunch. - boy do I feel it now...straight back to bed. I don't seem to really be improving at all, just as tired and as much dragging pain as a week ago...ho hum. My recovery sheet said I could do light housework by now.

    • debi53024
      debi53024 LesleyW

      Posted

      Hi jo

      dont listen to what the recovery sheets say.  Your body will let you know when you are doing too much..  The dragging feeling will ease off but will be worse when you do too much.  There is light at the end of the tunnel.

    • LesleyW
      LesleyW debi53024

      Posted

      I'm sure that's it l. Too much too soon.. thanks fir your reply. 
    • debi53024
      debi53024 LesleyW

      Posted

      No worries Lesley.  I really struggled after my op and had nobody to bounce off and that is why I joined the forum.  It helped me so much.

      you will feel pretty rubbish at minute but I can assure you it does get better...............honestly.  Rest is everything though and I didn't listen at the time but if you can rest up as much as possible it will help tremendously.

      any questions just getting touch.

    • Gardener_Jo
      Gardener_Jo debi53024

      Posted

      Thanks Debi, I did too much last week and suffered. I decided to do some sewing, bizzarly I embarked on making a double bed spread, and lining it. How stupid was that, my hudband came home and weighed it, and was so cross that I had even thought it was a good idea, it has been packed away where I can't get at it! I have been very good for the last 5 days and am now feeling far better. My. Consultant was very happy with the way the op went and did warn me that really there were only 3things that he felt could go wrong, the most significant being me doing too much! The other was a infection or rejection of the mesh. So far so good regarding 2 & 3. I am really going to be far more careful.
  • LadyPink
    LadyPink LesleyW

    Posted

    Hi Lesley

    I have a posting from you this morning and I'm confused as I'm not sure if it's an old message or a new one? You are talking about your discomfort that feels like a 'nappy rash' and you've tried treatment for thrush and antibiotics etc. If this is a new message from you, I am really sorry to hear it and am wondering if your stitches are being rejected by your body as happened to me. My consultant said she'd only ever seen it twice before seeing me and added, if in the future I should need any further gynaecological surgery I should tell them in advance that my vaginal tissue reacts to disposable stitches. If things continue, I should mention it to your consultant/doctor. Eventually the skin around my stitches began to break down and caused 'granulation' which is when I had to have the silver nitrate treatment. That soon solved the problem and all was well. Hope all goes well very soon - these things come to try us!

    LadyPink

    • LesleyW
      LesleyW LadyPink

      Posted

      Hi Ladypink, I have started using the local anaestheitc steroid cream that GP prescribed again as yhat takes the stinging pain down. I have also started using my oestogen cream again as maybe I am a bit dry... if things dont improve I will see my GP again. I am baffled as my surgeon saw me last week and didnt seem concerned,  but he is a 'no nonsense' man! And I felt he thought I was worrying over nothing but the sore stinging is not nothing. 
    • Gardener_Jo
      Gardener_Jo LesleyW

      Posted

      Hi Lesley,

      I know I am guilty of trying to be a 'good patient' and not making a fuss, but knowing in my heart of hearts I should. I am sure you should go back and get things cleared up as soon as you can, there is no reason to suffer.

      as I say, I'm not good at this, but am beginning to get far bolder!

      good luck, Jo 

    • LesleyW
      LesleyW Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Im sure you're right. Il try to get an appointment tmrw....
    • Gardener_Jo
      Gardener_Jo LesleyW

      Posted

      I have taken my own advice and seen my rectal consultant as I have been in quite a lot of pain this week,I did manage to have a telephone appointment with my GP earlier as I had the feeling that the pain seemed to be in the dectum, and I was worried that The tear I had repaired before the rectocele had returned. My rectal surgeon had warned me after the initial  op that this may happen. My GP told me that the pain was probably related to the rectocele repair, and not to worry, but in my heart I knew this was not the case. Fortunately I got a cancellation this morning with the rectal surgeon, privately, and he has told me the fissure is back and that although this could be repaired again, he would simply be treating the symptom, rather than the cause. He mentioned the prolapse could be pouching and causing me to tear, even though I am not in any way consitpated. He is referring me for a defecating protogram in order to assess where the problem is, and has mentioned I may need another op to pull up the prolapse. Does anyone have knowledge of these procedures?
    • LesleyW
      LesleyW Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Oh no Jo, so sorry for you. I hope it all goes well.

      I also took yours and Ladypinks advice and saw my GP today. Managed

      To get my regular GP instead of locum thank God. She told me to stop

      using all creams and just cool salt water bath and prescribed

      anti-histamine tablets as I was very swollen and inflamed but stitches

      looked ok.

      Feeling less sore so fingers crossed...

    • debi53024
      debi53024 Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Oh crickey Jo that's a complete nightmare.  You must feel like you are back at square one.  As you say you know your own body and you obviously knew that something wasn't right.  I hope that you at least start to feel a bit better soon. Debi
    • Gardener_Jo
      Gardener_Jo debi53024

      Posted

      Thanks debi and Lesley for your good wishes. It is gutting to think I may have to have another op, but I do so want all this cleared up. We are really very lucky to have the miracle of advanced western medicine to help us on our way.

      iam glad Lesley got seen today - and didn't have to spend the weekend suffering. 

      Speedy recovery wishes winging their way to you all.

      jo.

    • polly31782
      polly31782 Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Oh dear I really feel for you Jo and you too Lesley my symptons seem trivial compared to what you too are going through. I really hope you both will get sorted out soon. God bless Polly x
    • LesleyW
      LesleyW Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Hope you get sorted soon Jo. Keep us up to date with your progress. Thanks too Debi

      Lesley

    • LadyPink
      LadyPink Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Hello Jo, Been away from this forum for a couple of days so catching up with  everyone's news. Really sorry to hear of your predicament and that you've got to have another op. The positive side is that at least you 'have got to the BOTTOM' of things - sorry for the pun! You now know that something is going to be done and despite all the moaning that goes on we DO have a pretty good medical service here. Good luck and let's hope you get sorted very, very soon. Best wishes to you. LadyPink
    • LadyPink
      LadyPink LesleyW

      Posted

      Hi Lesley, Have been away for a couple of days so playing catch up with everyone's news. Really pleased to read you've been to see your GP and that's she's taken you off your various cream(s). So, she's given you antihistamine ....which are used to treat allergic reactions usuall...so it COULD be that your body also, doesn't like your stitches after all even though everything is healing? Hope everything down below is feeling a little 'calmer' now and that you are feeling positive about your recovery. Good luck and look after yourself. Best wishes, LadyPink
    • Gardener_Jo
      Gardener_Jo LadyPink

      Posted

      Yes,I agree,  LadyPink,  we have fantastic medical services here and long may they continue. I did book privately for the consultant's appointment yesterday, I felt it was worth jumping through some hoops to get to the crux of the problem. Having waited so long for my initial diagnosis, things got worse and I wonder if I had been seen earlier things might  not have deteriorated and maybe I would not have had to had such drastic surgery, I really feel it is a shame to need to do it,  but  understand the pressure on the NHS. Anyway, I am now on a list to be refered and am staying very positive, plus taking the pain killers. 

      Thanks again LadyPink.

    • LadyPink
      LadyPink Gardener_Jo

      Posted

      Well done Jo - good for you. I don't blame you in the slightest for seeing someone privately. I would have done the same. Keep us posted won't you - your friends here on this forum are thinking of you. Best wishes LadyPink
    • Gardener_Jo
      Gardener_Jo LadyPink

      Posted

      Thanks for your support, I am so grateful for all the positive comments, I no longer feel isolated and feel far more in control.
    • LesleyW
      LesleyW polly31782

      Posted

      Thought I would update everyone on my progress. I am now jabout 4 and a half weeks post op and just returned from 3 day break away with hubby in Torquay. I did as my GP advised and stopped using all creams and just took anti histamine tablets and took salt water baths. I found the salt water baths were drying all my skin too much so resorted to making a home made bidet with a big mixing bowl! After 3 days there was not much improvement in my stinging, raw, soreness and out of desperation I started googling and found somewhere that oestrogen cream is sometimes used to aid healing in vaginal surgery - so as i still have lots of this in my medication drawer I thought why not?

      I carried on with the anti histamine tablets  and salt water bidet and also took my husbands advice and tried 'germolene'. for aound genital area together with the oestrogen inside. I started to notice an improvement after a few days. 12 days on and I am feeling so much better. Almost back to normal. No dragging pain or stinging, raw, soreness. Just notice a few niggly pains in my lower tum when I walk too much or do too much. I must say I really feel almost normal now and have to rein  myself in. We did walk for 2 hours around Torbay which was beautiful - it's tempting to overdo it. So I am resting a bit now.

      Bonus is my poo problems are fine now and I don't have to get up every hour during the night to wee just about 2-3 times...Haven't tried the sex thing yet - too early days yet, but i'm hoping...

      Hoping this will reassure everyone that there is hope at the end of the tunnel.

    • Gardener_Jo
      Gardener_Jo LesleyW

      Posted

      Glad to hear of your progress Lesley. It's lovely to be able to enjoy some time out and about, I know it makes such a difference just having a different view for a while. Keep up the good work, a gentle walk is all you should be aiming for. 

      I am now feeling far better interms of the rectocele repair, and even managed a little tentative petting this morning. It's still only just over 6 weeks since the op, so I don't want to try too much, but it was lovely to feel the closeness with my ever patient hubby that we had both been missing. 

      Still having rectal pain, but that is another matter. Hopefully that will be sorted out soon. 

      Take care and all the best for your recovery.

      Jo 

    • polly31782
      polly31782 LesleyW

      Posted

      So glad to hear you are making good progress Lesley. I am 6 weeks post op and am fine except I still 'leak' before I can reach the Loo do you find this? Like Lady Pink I have a Bidet Bowl I got it from Betterwear and it fits on the Loo very handy I must say and very soothing  (no salt though) just warm water it works a treat. Polly

       

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