Just got my surgery date any tips to help during recovery?
Posted , 3 users are following.
So i just got my surgery date this morning for the 29th July as a last minute slot became available.
I'm having a Ventral mesh rectopexy to repair a rectocele and intussusception.
I wondered if anybody who had been through this surgery or similar surgery had any advice on anything that helped them during the recovery process.
I'm am now shielding until my op so wanted to make use of this time by putting things into place that might make things a little easier for me after surgery.
Many thanks
Rachael
0 likes, 5 replies
Marina_Dee RachRoux
Posted
Hallo. The one thing you must remember is that you are going to feel tired after this sort of surgery and you should rest with your feet up for most of the first week...just doing very basic things. You should make sure that your partner knows that this is not a minor procedure and that you will need a lot of help with everyday things for several weeks. No penetrative sex for at least 4 weeks and possibly longer. Ask family and friends to help you and if you have small children then no picking them up or lifting anything heavy.
Get as much shopping, and washing/ironing done as possible beforehand,especially things like tissues, and personal items. A good lip balm is useful. Make sure you also have plenty of Ibuprofen although you will probably be given some painkillers when you leave hospital
Above all ,dont think you are Wonder Woman and have to carry on as normal. This is your time to be a lady of leisure. Read all those books you always wanted to. Indulge in all those TV programmes you never had the time to watch.
Good Luck Rachael, hope it all goes well.
RachRoux Marina_Dee
Posted
Hi Marina thank you for your reply.
I live alone but will have help for the first couple of days after the surgery so I can get to and from the bathroom.
Will do a shopping list and get some of the things you said so I'm prepared.
Thanks a lot
Rachael
Bottyissues RachRoux
Posted
How did the surgery go? have a feeling
this may be in my future for
intussusception ....
RachRoux Bottyissues
Posted
Hello,
Surgery went well.
Struggled afterwards to go to the toilet without laxatives but that's pretty normal as your bowels take a while to start working again after surgery. At first i had diarrhoea for a week and thought id made a terrible mistake then it settled so just bare with it as your bowels do need time to adjust.
Now things are more healed I can actually have a regular bowel movement which I could never do before the repair.
I'm definitely not as constipated as I was before and I'm only now taking the laxatives as and when I need them.
Only down side to the surgery and this is just my experience is struggling with chronic back pain from where the mesh was attached to my sacrum. It's a very strange sensation feels like a deep pulling on my back which was severe initially and is expected at first but should settle after a few weeks. Mine is less severe than it was but has not yet settled so I'm waiting for an appointment with my surgeon to see what is going on.
If you do need this surgery, recovery is pretty quick you just need to remember to take your laxatives and don't lift things. 😊
Bottyissues RachRoux
Posted
Thanks for replying and good to hear. I am having all the tests at the moment but already knew i had grade 2/3 intussusception ans partial mucosal prolapse 5 years ago. consultant reckons its grade 4 now. Can't think pelvic floor exercises will help this.
scaring myself looking at all the surgical procedures tbh but not sure i could live with this. No issues will emptying but have constant feeling of something about to fall put of my
bum. And very sensitive.
Also now having some issues weeing... always feel there is still a drop to come out and bladder feels sensitive. On one of the tests the consultant said urethral is quite mobile (not too bad) but that could explain urinary issues. also feels a bit more heavy there. did you have any of these issues?