Permanent cure

My cystocele is mild but bothersome my theory is get it fixed now why Its still not falling out my vag lol . I have read the odd story of up to 25 years was just hoping there were women out there with no further problems x

How are you coping at work Grace, I had real problems impressing the need for light duties and Occupational Health was not supportive at all. They couldnt understand that it is not a permanent fix and that I would always have to be careful and not be on my feet too long. Thought I had finally sorted that and on Sunday they were asking again if I could swap from checkout on seat to standing at self scan; I had already been on my feet on hybrid for an hour so said I could cover for maybe another hour but not the whole shift. Supervisor not very happy but I'm not prepared to take a chance again. This is my 2nd repair, went back after 3 months and although they split my shift for first few weeks between seat at checkout and standing at self scan they very quickly had me doing whole shift on my feet despite voicing my concern that I would not be able to do do the whole shift on my feet. GP had to reinforce light duties second time but by that time I was having problems with nippy scar tissue so although my repair is stronger and much better this time I feel that in the long term I am still very restricted on length of time I can be on my feet (I am now 16 months post op from A&P repair). Expected by this time to be able to work on my feet for longer but as soon as I am over 2 hours I start getting sharp pains and nippy tissue around lower pelvic floor, and feel my pelvic floor getting heavy and as if swollen then I start getting problems with bladder pee stream goes to dribble and difficult to empty and other end seems to narrow too and can't completely empty; it then takes a day or two to right again.

It's strange as after my first repair was far more active with less problems yet still had mild prolapse which eventually failed after nearly 3 years, just after they trained me up on self scan so was due to being on my feet at work.

X

Hi Phyl,

That would be s really hard job to do, being on your feet that long. I remember my doctor asking me what type of work, and she made a comment that it good that I'm not a cashier. After that when I go to grocery store, I have noticed others that must had surgery, because they were say they couldn't pick something up,

I'm lucky that I work where I can sat when I need to. I just over do it sometimes, like with cleaning, not much of a sitter, but I do sat much more now then I every had before.

I wonder if you could get disability since you are so restricted? It is hard for people to understand unless they had a prolapse too. It seems like it's a forbidden subject. You can tell it makes people uncomfortable when you try to explain.

I do feel your pain, hope your work comes up with a better solution for you.

Thank you grace,

My work doesn't really have any light duties as such but can usually manage to work around heavy items at the checkout; by asking customers to leave heavy cases of beer, soft drinks in trolley and I can use hand scanner instead .

It has really been my own choice to stay where I am at the moment. I love my job and colleagues and customers are really lovely. At the end of the day who is going to employ a 57 year old who has already had 2 pelvic floor repairs so not easy looking for employment with light duties.

Would have been good to know I could retire at 60, but alas will have to struggle on till 66. I wouldn't even consider any disability, don't think it's worth the hassle to just be insulted and treated as if I am at it. There needs to be better guidelines for occupational health workers who do not necessarily have medical training or backgrounds and anyway we ladies all have different limitations and even some medics within gynecology are getting recovery rates wrong. They use the term 6-8 weeks unless complications. Yet age and pelvic floor strength don't seem to come under complications or repeat surgery.

I just dread that it could prolapse again before I retire and could be even weaker.

A lot of my elderly customers often have just had hip surgery and can't lift much. Others will manage to get heavy cases on the belt then get upset when you ask them to lift it back off.

I can always shout for help and another collegue can lift it off, but often wonder if they can lift it on why can't they then lift it back off. I do try to watch to prevent them putting anything heavy on the belt to start with.

Anyway glad to hear you have a job sitting it kind of makes it a little easier. I hope you get to get up and walk about a little every now and again.

I think if you can take as long as you can to recover and allow proper longterm healing the chance of success is so much higher.

Hope you continue to progress well,

Phyl x

Do you do pelvic floor exercises ?

I do the habit DVD by Tasha mulligan . Look on her website . It helps me with heaviness symptoms although I do still feel loose at times as my cystocele not repaired .

I often wonder as walls can be repaired why don't they do the full surgery to pull up the pelvic floor to address all issues .

I feel that leaving weakness unfixed leads to further surgery .

This is why I ask is there anyone permanently cured .

I think everything should be fixed in one go . Unfortunately for me here in uk my surgeon chose to only repair my perineum and rectocele . I wish my cystocele had been done and a full check on my main supporting muscles to see what could have been fixed x

Hi Mum, the Consultants don't like to do too many repairs at one go as they might all fail at once I think. Much better to make a good job of one or two and see how it goes I was told. I had a sacrospinous fixation and rectocele,perineum repair this time and was told 3-4 months for full recovery. I'm 4 weeks post op now and at the stage where things seem worse than before but as Matron says, everything is healing inside where we can't see so we should not despair as we all heal diferently. I'm having a few problems with urination, not able to hold on for long but was assured it will improve with time! Patience is not one of my virtues! lol  

Thanks Phyl, hope you do too. Thanks for all your honesty too.🦋

Grace

Hi Mum2girls,

Yes I do pelvic floor exercises usually a minimum if 15 of each: quick ones and longer hold ones. If and when I get time I try to do extra. I also try and get to swimming at least once a week.

I had hysterectomy and anterior repair 1st time then anterior failed. So A&P this time, it definitely feels properly fixed this time.

I remember one of the ladies saying she couldn't remember what normal should feel like and I felt very much like that even after 1st repair, but this time it really does feel almost what I remember normal to be and I believe it will last this time as long ad I am careful not to put any down pressure on the repair.

I don't really know why some surgeons don't repair both back and front walls at same time while others do.

I feel that they are really just tightening up the stretched loose walls and trimming away excess. But the walls will be stretched thinner and therefor weaker than before. Think that's why it's so important to rest properly after a repair and give the tissues a chance to heal, and change lifestyle so as not to be doing as before as will just reprolapse. Much of the weakness in older women is to do with ligaments failing once menopause begins, and once ligament damaged can be difficult to get full strength back.

Anyway physiotherapists trained in pelvic floor conditions are invaluable in giving advice and making sure we are doing pelvic floor exercises properly.

You are right though it is frustrating not having all problems fixed at same time and having to go through more surgery.

X

We're your repairs done with Mesh or stitches ? Sounds like you had a better surgeon this time if you feel the anterior wall is secure .

I wish my cystocele was repaired but at the same time I'm worried to have it done incase it doesn't fix the issue .

Was it done in uk ? X

Both times were vaginally repairs with stitches, 1st time repair was very extensive they did not realize how bad it was until they went in to repair it, it took from GP visit to surgery 9 months and could barely walk any distance.

2nd time anterior wall was not nearly as bad as 1st time and I was seen by GP, and referred and had surgery within 12 weeks and posterior wall was only a small repair.

Both times were done in Glasgow in training hospital. Had one of the top male surgeons first time round and the second time a much younger lady who was part of the first surgeons team.

I might be wrong but I strongly believe that success or failure in my case was down to many different reasons including being better aware of all the dose and don't second time around.

I think these surgeons are amazing and not necessarily anything to do with them. My 1st surgery a nurse pulled some of the stitching out when they took the pack out, I was too quick to get back on my feet when I shocks gave rested more in early weeks, accidently lifted tiddlers when they endangered themselves, and despite all that was back at work coping reasonably well over next few years until they put me on my feet for full shifts and then it gradually failed, then I done some much needed spring cleaning a cobourd I hadn't cleaned since surgery badly needed cleaned out.

At least this time I was more aware of need to be ever so careful, at least at home I can choose what I can and can't do.

They just don't impress the need to stay within limitations enough and Occupational Health haven't got a clue they are more interested in employers interests than employers concerns.

I'm sure if you reach the point at which you really need to have surgery done then you will not regret it, just having access to this forum that is so imformative makes a huge difference. I know that having access to the forum kept me on the right track during recovery and prevented me from overdoing things this time round.

Take care,

Phyl x

Sorry meant, 'should have rested' ' lifted toddlers'

And 'employees '.

Glad to hear of your sister's long term positive experience. Hope all goes well in the long term for yourself as I'm sure it will.

You are so right about trampoline, one of the things I was regularly doing before 1st prolapse, they do not sufficiently warn us on need to avoid if we think we may have a weak pelvic floor.

Take care,

Phyl x

As a girl I did loads of trampolining, even then, as a very fit athlete it made me wee! I then went to PE college, spent hours on the trampoline, taught trampolining and always demonstrated, prepared before the lesson! I do/did other sport too, lots of running, step classes, badminton, horse riding. All in an attempt to keep fit, my heart's OK, my blood pressure and pulse are low but I was wrecked! Fingers, and legs crossed for a positive result. A physio friend said we should be teaching girls about the importance of pelvic floor exercises in school. Rising obesity and unhealthy life styles are not helping, but I'm not overweight and consider myself to be a reasonably fit 58 year old. ??

Like you I have always tried to stay fit, mainly swimming, hill walking and cycling, although not nearly as much as you.

In the run up to menopause started going to gym regular, trampolening and skipping. I also done an Avon round on foot. It all went south went I took a job clearing tables in a Garden centre, we only had trays and not allowed to use trolleys within 3 months had a very severe prolapse. I didn't understand or realize what was happening at the time and stopped as soon as I realized but was too late by then.

I was sure my ligaments were stretching and as if snapping the nippy sharp pains were unbearable. Wish I knew then what I know now and I agree that younger women should be made aware to mind their pelvic floor.

Phyl x