Housework

Hello liz you are doing quite a bit considering you are only 2 weeks post op. I don't know whether you've see the Pinned Post on the Genitourinary home page but it's got lots of excellent advice and links to online information. Alan the moderator for this website put it together a few weeks ago and it is very useful. The ladies on this forum are very supportive and helpful as well. Please take things easy.

Thats amazing, well done, there will be ladies on this forum who will be be jealous

Thanks for you reply matron. I will have a read at that . I was in so much pain and discomfort pre-op that I feel so grateful to get my life back. I had terrible trouble going to the bathroom and used to be up 5-6 times a night so barely slept in a year. I could feel an immediate difference after the surgery and now sleep 10 hours a night all in the one go. I will definately take it easy. I'm on my own with my child and don't have any family or support and can see although I've felt physically well I really struggled emotionally for the first week. I will make a conscientious effort to do less and rest more though and thanks x

Maybe a bit more than I should be doing Carolyn and will maybe take it a bit easier but mainly due to previously being up every 2 hours at the bathroom during the night before the op I've had more sleep and rest in the past 2 1/2 weeks than I have in the last year. Also think I'm a bit younger than most having this surgery. I think you know your body and it will tell you if you are pushing it too far but I wouldn't encourage anyone to go against doctors advice. My doctor told me to gradually build up my activity level on a weekly basis, move around and take walks, don't lift anything heavier than half a kettle of water and drink loads of water and I've followed that to the letter.

Just a question regarding this matron. I was discussing with husband last night re.. doing things, strength etc. I know I overdid it earlier this week. The pain  not from the wound but from aching in the rest of my lower abdomen. Presumably from the other muscles tensing to stop strain on the ones that have been chopped about. But surely there is something to do with individuals. If you have been strong and active - not that you'd heal quicker but would the threshold for lifting - weights etc - be different to someone who was not?

Not sure if I've explained very well but I've always been physically strong  and able to lift but I have a friend who struggles to carry a 4 pint milk carton and certainly couldn't carry two - so would our lifting thresholds be different?

You are right the threshold will be different for different ladies. It can depend on your size and how fit you were before surgery but the other things you have to take into consideration are the type of surgery you have had and is it your first repair and the condition of the pelvic floor. That should be discussed with the surgeon preferably at the post op check if you have one. Anyone who has had an anterior and posterior repair needs to be cautious for longer and that is the case for any 2 repairs undertaken at one time. The same applies if it's not your first repair having said that if the first was anything over 10 years ago the risk of the new repair failing is much less because this surgery has moved on so much with the urogynaecology qualification.

You were right to recognise you'd overdone earlier in the week. The body is very good at telling us when to slow down.

That's interesting. When I first saw the consultant I am sure he said he would do the anterior & posterior at the same time (sort of one anaesthetic fits all!). I had all the urodynamic tests and stuff then when I went back he said he would do the repairs separately as he felt the success rate was better  if done separately than together. A friend had hers done separately. He felt that things could get worse or better after he'd done the posterior repair an dhe would rather wait and see. Glad I haven't had both done at the same time but in a way would rather have got it over and done with  though the recovery time does seem very long when both are done.

Yes i did over do it - spent one day in tears on the sofa - bit better now. The gp signed me off for the further two weeks he said "there's no point you sitting here in a weeks time wondering if you'l be fit  so take two weeks. Which mentally did help. 

 

Consultants are all different and have their own way of doing things. I had an anterior and posterior repair 5 years ago and I've had absolutely no problems apart from the initial pain and discomfort and I expect them to last a very long time. I had an excellent Urogynaecologist who I knew through work and chose him specifically because I knew just how good he was.

Wow, that's great that you are feeling so well.  I am 3.5 weeks post op (rectocele repair, very large) and I feel like I am doing really well but there is no way I could work full time now.  I am steadily increasing what I am doing but I don't think I am on my feet longer than 10 minutes (maybe less) at a time and I feel very tired after that.  I am laying, not sitting, and I think I would be uncomfortable sitting for longer than a couple of minutes.

I am steadily doing more and I think I will try walking outside soon, just a few hundred feet then turn around.  I can also get my own snacks, be with the kids while my husband works, and help them with small things like a quick snack.  My husband cooks and does any toddler lifting that is needed.  I stay home but it's been nice to have people visit to chat.  I am feeling MUCH better than I was the first week or two but I am still very tired and there is vaginal soreness if I don't take pain meds.  Definitely a long way to go until things are back to normal.  

At first just walking to the bathroom would exhaust me so I am definitely feeling better... but still a long way to go.  One of the things I am very thankful for is that reading this forum led me to have very different expectations about recovery.  I had almost no information from my doctor and never would have expected this.  I would have thought something was wrong with me if I hadn't seen so many other ladies go through the same thing.  I am so thankful for this community.  It has made all the difference to me.  Thank you, ladies, and best of luck to you Liz.  I am really glad you are having such an easy recovery.  I just wanted to add this so that other ladies didn't feel like there was something wrong with them for not being ready for work so early.

Hi Dorry I'm glad you are feeling well. I know I am very fortunate but I just wanted others who were still undecided about having the surgery that it doesn't always end in extreme pain or to try to encourage them to go for it as it makes a huge difference to your life afterwards. I am extremely fortunate I had one of the top specialist consultants in Scotland carry out my surgery in fact he spends a lot of time teaching prolapse repair surgery to other doctors. I had urodynamics testing and a scan of my womb and ovaries pre surgery. I had my surgery on the NHS this time and I was almost a month over the deadline given to doctors to carry out the surgery but I didn't complain and was happy to wait for this doctor. As I mentioned I had a bowel prolapse repair 6 years ago at the age of 39 I actually lived with this since I was 26 when my 10lb+ son was born but was too embarrassed to ask for help with it until I saw an episode of Embarrasing Bodies on tv when I saw something could be done. Again this surgery ran over the deadline and I was given the option to go private which I took. The repair was done vaginally and the doctor only sewed up the actual perenium afterwards not all the deep muscles underneath hence my need for further surgery as the tissue wasn't strong enough to hold and I ended up with complete prolapse of everything. Don't get me wrong I couldn't go out and walk 5 miles but I can do enough to get by and my body tells me if I've done too much. I just have a checkout job 2 days a week that's how I feel I could go back to my work but I certainly could go back to a full time job. The main thing is we are all different and have different pain threshold levels and different ages but you've got to try to help yourself. For the first time in 19 years I'm not wearing sanitary towels 24/7 in fact I'm not wearing them at all the few months of pain and discomfort has got to be worth that alone.

It would be very rare for anyone to suffer "extreme pain" and the thought of that could put ladies off having surgery. Obviously there's pain as there is will any surgery where a surgeon has to make an incision but with prolapse repair surgery there's discomfort with the obvious pain. Extreme pain requires a drug like Morphine or Pethidine, the pain and discomfort from any repair doesn't need anything as strong and Codeine or something simple such as an anti inflammatory will suffice.

from what I read on pubmed (I can give you the link if you like) sewing the muscles together can cause pain during sex and it is not recommended for sexually active women.   I just wanted to mention that in case someone reads that and is worried their doctor did something wrong by not doing that.

By using a Urogynaecologist (this is in the UK) who has obviously undertaken the extra training after he/she has the qualification following the extra training no woman should suffer pain during intercourse once they have healed. That's why I always recommend this surgery is performed by a Urogynaecologist and not a gynaecologist or urologist.

Without being graphic I was extremely loose before this surgery and had bad stress incontinence. My partner is fairly large but I could barely feel anything during penetrative sex and certainly never got any satisfaction from it but only through clitoral stimulation. I had to basically close my legs during sex for him to get satisfaction. My surgeon said repair of the muscle as well as perenium was definately needed for me but that's not saying it's the same for everyone.

Yes my surgeon was a urogynaegologist - specializes in repair work. I ended up with his second in command as it happend but after I had quizzed (semi-interrogated!) her - she had been trained by this consultant. I can say there was no pain just a little discomfort from the wound - the achy pain from the other muscles in my lower abdomen. Easily controlled with usual painkillers. 

She did say "no interference" - I think she meant sexual intercourse(!) for six weeks - we may try soon! It has now become known as "interference" in our house!

Good for you quizzing her. I wish more patients would do that after all it's our body they are operating on. In my experience the second in command (called a Senior Registrar/Specialist Registrar/Research Registar) has to work and operate as their boss does so the service you get is just as good otherwise they aren't allowed to operate on the consultants behalf. It's usually OK to try having intercourse any time after 6 weeks and I'm pleased your pain was only a discomfort is how it should be but does depend on a woman's pain threshold.

Ah, that makes much more sense.  Thanks for explaining Liz.

Thanks! My op was postponed for a week - I went for the pre-op and was told by the nurses "you know the surgen has changed as Mr is teaching  - you've got Miss" "Well no" says I "I couldn't know that as nobody told me." So I went to see Miss and just asked her if she was any good. So she told me!

Re. the pain - I think I'm pretty tough with pain but can be a complete drama queen when necessary!

Do you think it's best waiting until after the consultant has given the all clear, especially as I'm still bleeding a little

Do you mean for sex? If it's what you mean then yes I'd wait until you stop,any bleeding but consultants do like you to have tried before your post op if you can because it's a sign that the surgery has been successful.

Thanks matron, hopefully all going to plan then.