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How long before the bladder pressure eases?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Over_it
Over_it

When I was released after surgery, the surgeon told my husband to wake me every 2 hours to go to the loo to keep the pressure off the bladder. I am 5 1/2 weeks post-op and still wake up every couple hours to go to the loo...if I don't the pressure is so much, sometimes I can't go or it takes me forever to empty my bladder. If I don't drink much water in the evening, I can wait 3 hours. 

Does anyone else have this problem...is it because I'm still healing?

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • je20354
    je20354 Over_it

    Posted

    TrishaP,

    I'm 3 1/2 weeks post-op and also still get up every 3 hrs.  I've also tried refraining from drinking water after 8pm but find myself still getting up during the night.  The nurse says it's normal and to give it more time (2 months from op).  Good luck!

    • Over_it
      Over_it je20354

      Posted

      Thanks, good to know it's normal. Another light at the end of the tunnel, lol. I made the mistake of eating watermelon in the afternoon yesterday...definitely made for a sleepless night, couldn't even make the 2 hours before having to get up and it lasted until about 2am. 
    • Merlion
      Merlion Over_it

      Posted

      I also found that if I stuck to water all day, and no caffeine, fruit juice or fizzy, then the bladder was less irritated at night. Boring but it helped.
    • Over_it
      Over_it Merlion

      Posted

      Thanks for your response. Water is usually the only thing I drink, I occasionally have a small glass of tomato juice before bed (helps with BM's). Sounds like a couple more weeks healing and should get better 😃
  • julie22982
    julie22982 Over_it

    Posted

    Hi TrishaP I'm 3 weeks 4days post op im exactly the same as you getting up 4 an 5 times a night Ii too feel the pressure in my bladder im even doing pelvic floor exercises as i was told to do i find it hard to lay on my stomach most night I have to have my knees pulled up because I feel pressure inside . I'm glad I had the operation but I can't handle the leakage . I'm sure in time it will all settle down as it's still early days for us TrishaP.
  • Over_it
    Over_it

    Posted

    6 WEEK POST-OP

    Hello ladies!

    I had my 6 week post-op for anterior (bladder, cystocele) repair. My outpatient surgery was done vaginally, using my own tissue that supports the bladder. NO MESH or other materials used. The reason I had outpatient surgery was that I do not have health insurance and my doctor felt that I was in good enough shape and health that he was confident in performing my surgery at an outpatient surgical care center, 2 blocks from the hospital. The cost of everything was about 25% of what I had heard anterior repair surgery would be, so obviously that was a substantial saving to us.

    I had all of my questions written down so that I wouldn't forget any...my doctor was pleased with that and took the time before the exam to listen. He answered what he could before the exam and met me in his office after the exam to finish answering the questions and inform me of my progress. 

    I am telling you this so that you can be prepared at your appointments...if you ask the questions, they will answer them and you will get a lot more information regardless of where you are on your health journey. I did not ask many questions when I was diagnosed, I found most of my information on the Internet. At my 2 week post-op, I was completely unprepared and still had "med head" from the surgery, so basically didn't ask much. I was prepared this time.

    My cystocele was a strong stage 3, pushing on stage 4 with a lot of pain pressure and problems with completely emptying my bladder. After surgery at my 2 week checkup, he said that I have some "residual bladder drop". After asking questions today, I now know that means I still have a stage 1 cystocele. The bulge is in the bottom of the bladder vs the top, which is good. He said even after removing excess tissue, pulling the tissue tight and stitching it, it still stretches because it's obviously, not new tissue. 

    I have seen many comments about doing PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES soon after surgery. I asked him if I should have been doing them and he said " NO, NOT UNTIL YOU ARE COMPLETELY HEALED". So please check with your doctor before you start them. Maybe the decision is made on a case by case basis, or maybe the doctor's preference. I don't know, but I definitely don't want to go backwards or undo what surgery has done!

    He removed the few remaining stitches that had not dissolved ( for comforts sake😀), and gave me the okay for bending, lifting, and walking. He said that pain will stop me if it's too much. He also gave me the okay for intercourse...my husband is working in another state right now, so I won't see how that goes for 5 more weeks. The up side to that is I have 5 more weeks of healing before I try it out! lol

    I still have a lot of pressure in the groin area and problems eliminating if I don't go at the first urge. There is no infection 😀. He believes it's because I am not eliminating completely, so there is always pressure, so he gave me a prescription to use for one month to improve the emptying of the bladder. This should improve my comfort level tremendously! He still wants me up every 2 hours through the night to eliminate and keep the pressure off the bladder area while it continues to heal.

    Some days are really good and some not so good. On the not so good days or days I know I will be on my feet a lot, I still use Lynn's garment to give me that extra support so I don't feel strained. The garment was designed for those who cannot or do not want surgery, BUT it gives much needed support to those of us that have had surgery and are healing. How many of you walked around the first couple weeks holding yourself and being thankful no one was there to see it? I know I did and was so happy to discover a support garment so I could walk around and not feel like I was falling out anymore.

    Sorry if I rambled and gave too much information, but I know when I first came on this site, I wanted as much information as I could get. I am posting this on more than one discussion because different people on different discussions wanted an update.

    I have another appointment in 4 weeks and hopefully all is completely healed at that time.  Thanks for reading and I pray all goes well for all of you, whatever stage of your journey you are at!

    God bless!

    Trisha

     

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