Lucky?

I put off this surgery for 28 years. I'm 62, and very active. I had a full hysterectomy, vaginal suspension and rectocele surgery on Dec. 4. All done robotically.

I too dreaded the surgery after reading many of these posts. I live in the US in NE Indiana.

I had a basically pain free surgery. Had my first BM the second I walked in the door from the overnight in the hospital. No issues. I had a little discomfort, but not what I expected. I had cramping the second night and took one pain pill for the whole ordeal. I couldn't believe it. 😬

Everyone has a different pain tolerance. I was so lucky and don't regret it at all!

I was driving at day 12, seriously lost weight at first, but have been able to maintain my weight and back to sex at 9 wks. I suggest 2-3 stool softeners a day up to 2 mos. then gradually decrease those.

Good luck! Don't let all these posts scare you. Realize many of those without issues will not seek this site. Relax!

Thank you Pam.  It's so good to hear positive stories.   Yes the internet posts really scare me.  It's the same with laser eye surgery - all you read are horror stories - but I've had that and it was fine!  So I will think positively.

I've put this off for 14 years because I can put up with it.  Apart from my inability to run and a little back ache, I can get by with the pessary in place.  But I realise long term I need to have surgery.

what made you finally decide to go ahead?

I also was a runner, and it started bothering me when I ran. I could feel it, not to mention it bothered my bowels too! Gross! I could see it with a mirror and touch it. Even my boyfriend asked what it was. Embarrassing 😉

I had both grandmothers on each side with it, both had to have surgeries in their 70's to repair it. I have 4 daughters and the two that had vaginal births, both have it now. It just runs in the family.

I'm 62, my deductible was paid, so I went for it. I wanted to do it while I was still healthy and had a little muscle tone left.

I do not regret it. A weights been lifted.

I also had foot surgery two weeks before the female surgery, so my winter was jam packed. I sat around watching every Hallmark movie there was at Xmas. They're all the same. I would have driven sooner, but I followed Drs orders.

Just relax, enjoy the down time. Make your family wait on you hand and foot. After all, isn't that what you've done for them for years?

Hi Claire, having these concerns is only natural especailly after reading some of the what must appear and did appar to me to be horror stories on the web. But the question I asked myself at the time was basically what other forum users have answered your question with. just how many people who haven't sort out help haven't posted on this forum, have had the surgery and come through it ok. Decided that depended on where they lived, if they had surgery privately (epspcially in Australia or America) as that way you can pick your specialist and make sure it is a Urogyno not just a Gyno. To that end I tried asking my hospital they said they didn't give out suceess figures , that didn't sound good but added reasons not all medical alot patient not following recovery advice and doing too much. I had so many doubts I too almost cancelled my operation. My prolapse wasn't life threatening and I had put up with the uncomfort and pain for so long, I too talked myself out of it. The wonderful Matron and others forum uses advised that despite what they had been through 2 to 6 months and they were great. Only one person posted she was still having trouble after 15 months and all said it was so much better than before. Their support and comments about medics advising unrealistic recovery times which I too was given. Lead me to go and pay for another consultation with my Urogyno I was going to tell him my doubts and discuss the recovery times and other issues I had and maybe cancel the op depending on his answers. 

It was worth every cent of the $200 - 20 minute consult. He was honest and showed me his stats so to speak he was proud of his results and how he was helping us. His success rate was 97% and he added 2.7% of the failures were caused by ladies not following the recovery rules as he put it. mainly lifting too early or going back to work too soon. Rest is the recovery and he recommended graduated return to work after 6 weeks , just morning so I could have a nap in the afternoon. He did go on to say that because I had complications my chances of sucess would be a liitle less but he was still confident it would be no worst. I had very scarred thin skin in my perineum which the prolapse sat on and made it stretch , I could push the prolapse back but it hurt as it strectched the skin and it was so uncomfortable and painful at times. He was referring to my perineum repair and not the prolapse and I expected that it had already been repaired about 5 times over the past 30years since it was cut badly with my first child.I asked him other questions about concerns I had ( I went in with list and handed it to him so I wouldn't forget anything or get embarassed) he was great and put me so much at ease. I didn't cancel the operation but I did delay it a month so I could put a plan together to help me make sure I got at least some of rest I would need to ensure my op would be a s sucess as i could make it. In that month I ensured I got help and really cleaned the house. Work wise I cleared my work load by working a little of my own time each day to ensure it was up to date before I had the op. I prepaid bills and showed fellow employes how to they could help by asking if they would do the jobs that would wait for 8 weeks. I posted the min recovery times on the fridge and reinforced them to hubby in the weeks leading up to the op. If I had other questions or concerns I got answers from Matron and others on this post. I am 3 weeks  post op now and the prep time was worth it as I still get so exhausted without any warning and don't have to stress too much about work or housework etc. Sorry for loing post I do tend to get lost in them. My advice seek and find the answers you need from your spec and rejoice with the ladies that have had successful ops which I think must be very high and learn from the posts on this forum, they help you not to fear what might happen not that it will be too painful or uncomfortable or that the recovery time will be long etc but more importantly that if you are unfortunate to experience these you know you are not the first and a quick email and the you will get a help. As for your todays concerned bloating is unavoidable they fill you with air for the op, someone advice getting de gas tablets and they work a treat for me. I did find I was gaining weight as I was very active before the operation. But then realsied I was snacking on rubbish so got hubby to bring me healthy treats and snack on frozen fruit , grapes are great and odd piece of frozen dark chocolate and I have actually lost a little. As for fear of return to sex, I too was worried about that but my gyno made me laugh he suggested at about 6 weeks I start back doing my kegal exercises which worked a treat on my baldder problems before the op and avoided cysotcele surgery but that I also try and use a dilo you will be less likely to tense up as you will feel the discomfort and pain and can gradually build up so I would know when ok for me to engage in sex again and it should be a pleasure not a punishment. Hope this all helps. Once I get to six weeks and start to follow his advice will let you know how it goes. Good luck 

Hi Pam, loved hearing your positive story too. Iam 3 weeks post op and although quite alot of discomfort , stinging and night ache not really pain which I take pain killers for I am optismistic for a sucess story of my own. I have just one question was your operation through keyhole surgery , just wondering as you mentioned robotically. Was any of vaginally? If key hole think that would explain a lot. Thanks for sharing. Agree with your comments about scarry posts and know my spec told me his sucess rate was 97% so that just goes to show how more are suceessful than fail.

Thanks

 

Tilley

Yes, keyhole surgery for the hysterectomy. Nothing vaginally except the rectocele surgery of course. They also did a vaginal suspension but I'm not quite sure how they did that one. I have 5 small incisions in my abdomen for my hysterectomy. They probably bothered me a bit more than anything. Just a bit tender, but no pain.

I'm 14 weeks post op. Back to normal for quite a while now. Started walking at 8 weeks. I'm up to 5 miles now. Sex is pretty good but still a bit tender at first. Yes, I purchased a 1" dildo and it helped. Don't need it anymore but helped to ease my fear at first. Buy online. 😁

I have a bit of bladder leakage, but they warned me about that before surgery. They can't use mesh on me because I have POLYMYALGIA Rhumatica. An autoimmune disease that forces me to be on 5 mg of Prednizone for inflammation. Prednizone makes my tissues thin and weak and mesh would have eroded. So I'm in physical therapy now for that. Lots of kegels and vaginal probe with electrical charges I can't feel, in office of course.

I have a high pain tolerance, probably because I mentally prepare myself. So when it comes I expect the worse and am pleasantly surprised.

Thanks for reply Pam , graet you have recovered so well. I am starting to see that it appears the ladies who have had a lot of vaginally delivered surgery especaill rectocelle or perineum seem to be the ones who have had a difficult time of it. I am not doing too badly compared to others so consider myself lucky also but it is early weeks yet and time will hopefully deliver me a huge sucess story which I will gladly share. For now bit teary and uncomforatble but it will pass. Sadly I feel pain,  lucky you no wonder you recovered and did so marvellously. Cant wait to get my strength back and feel normal again. Have physio booked already for 8 weeks as still no spec appt. Take care x