Posterior repair for a rectocele

Hi Terri

St John's in Livingston. What about you? It's interesting that some hospitals have a follow up appointment as routine, and others don't. I am happy now to be going back at some point to see the surgeon, but would have been on my own if I hadn't had these problems. Have to say though, that the GP has been helpful and reassuring.

The big question is ... What's normal?

I think the sutures can take a while to come out, so I wouldn't worry about that. Personally I think the longer they're there, the more chance things have to knit together. Not sure about the dragging feeling. Perhaps one of these things that will go away as time passes? I get that a bit when I walk a short distance, so am taking it as a sign that this has to be built up very gradually. Moving around the house is ok. Certainly, some of the people who had their op a while ago have posted that things keep improving, which is encouraging.

Keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

Moira x

I talked to a local nurse who has years of experience.  She said the repair was not all that bad.  In our area, you stay in the hospital a couple of days and have the bedside morphine that you control for pain meds.  You have an aide when you go home for physical therapy and all kinds of nursing assistance.  This may depend on your insurance.  Mine is good.  I am scheduled probably the last of May.  Try not to listen to the people who want to scare you to death.  Go to the doctors and nurses for definitive information.  Good luck, and I am scared too.

I'm feeling blessed to have found an active thread to address my concerns. It is great reading everyone else's replies thus far. I'm am 37 years old. Dx with vaginal prolapse and rectocele after birth if first child 2.5 years ago. Had to wait until done having children for repair. So I have an almost 3 mos old lil girl and am now 5 days post op surgery. My surgery was partial hysterectomy, bladder suspension, rectocele repair and possibly something additional to hold vagina up. All surgeries completed through abdomen with exception of rectocele repair. Doc said he wouldn't be sure about need for rectocele repair until he opened me up. So that was the part of the surgery I'm most confused about.

One day post op they took my urinary catheter out and I was unable to void completely on my own. They put the catheter back in and at my 5 day appointment today the catheter was removed and I am able to pee on my own. Thank God!

my biggest worry is that I feel a tangle of strings in my vagina. I was told that is from my rectocele repair. No idea if it is intact, partially intact, feels like a jumbled up mess. I feel pulling type pain that comes from space between rectum and vagina. What is that?  How will rectocele repair affect sex??? Anyone else feel tangle of string in vagina after surgery? Feel like everything down there very tight? 

Here is my update, 5 weeks post op for posterior repair and tvt. I saw my GP yesterday for reassurance as:

·         Worried that I wasn’t matching milestones as listed in leaflet from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

·         Still have discomfort, heavy dragging sensation in lower abdomen when walking, so hardly walking at all, just round house and garden

·         Pelvic floor exercises cause discomfort

·         Still have muddy looking discharge

·         Fuzzy, light headed feeling if doing anything at all in house (have been so strict with myself about NO LIFTING or picking up from the floor). Bit fuzzy now just typing this.

·         Not going out and still having a sleep in the afternoon

She checked and huge relief that posterior repair is secure! TVT is working. Had to cough on the couch and NO LEAK!

There is a very mild prolapse from the anterior repair done 18 weeks ago, which failed. (I tripped over the bathroom scales on the 4th day and basically ruined the surgeon’s work.) The surgeon said to leave it as the posterior repair and tvt would also help support this one, and I wouldn’t even have noticed it now. The GP is referring me to the hospital gynae physio to make sure I’m doing the pelvic floor exercises properly, and she thinks this could be enough to take care of the slight anterior prolapse  remaining.

She said it was still early days and basically everything is as expected at this stage, considering what has been done. Also the haematoma and infection from a few weeks ago will have set me back a bit. I shouldn’t expect too much of myself, but continue to take it easy. I should start building up walking gradually, as it won’t do any harm. Ditto pelvic floor exercises.

I’m now feeling very reassured and have still to see the surgeon again for a 12 week check up (because of the haematoma and infection) so will have a chance to discuss anything else that may come up. I hope this is useful to anyone at this stage in their own recovery.

Update. I am 13 days post op from sacrocolpopexy, partial hysterectomy and rectocele repair. I have felt a slight vaginal bulge since Saturday. Thought I might have been on my feet too long that day I took it easy Sunday. Even worse by Wednesday morning and sutures inside my vagina felt different so I called doc. I spoke to one of the two surgeons that completed my surgery. The sutures that I feel are in the front of my vagina and feel like they are closer to the opening of my vagina than had been. The doc was confused by this saying sutures to front of my vagina were at the very top and should not be felt. Of course he is going to be out of town so I have to wait till next week to be seen. Freaking out. Anyone else experience this? I have pretty much convinced myself the vagina is already prolapsing.

I have had two repairs due to feeling bulge in vagina,both successful with only one problem,that after the second I couldn't pass water and had go home with a temporary catheter.sorted after four weeks.after a year I couldn't open bowels without pushing my finger inside my vagina as the poo seemed to not be able to find the way out! I kept getting this big bulge inside.i had a rectocelle repair which wasn't  painful,I went mome next day. I noticed I had a tear between the two holes,just small but tender to touch. A year on and it is still so tender.it has healed as far as I can see,but feels very sore when touching.i am 64.  Any ideas please? By the way,the first time I tried to open my bowels after the op,I thought I was dying,the pain was so bad I phoned the hospital and was told to get some lactlolose as this was common.it worked,but I think they need to let people know this can happen.

I had  a LAVH and Rectocele Repair for large prolapse. Initially for the first few weeks it was very sore and painful and trying to have a BM was difficult. I looked at a video on YOUTUBE on how to empty bowels following a Rectocele Repair and it was brilliant. Havent had a problem since going to the bathroom Thank God. I have unfortunately been left with Stress Incontinence (overactive bladder) which Is still being monitored by the surgeon and on tablets and keeping a bladder diary. I would recommend looking at the video. Its was so helpful. If you have a tear you should report back to your surgeon and have it checked out.

Dear Ladies

I am 70 this year and had  RECTOCELE & CYSTOCELE REPAIR - with a perineum tightening 8 months ago. I'd had the problem for about 5 yrs which was giving me more and more difficulties.I finally decided to get it sorted even though I was petrified. I had not long remarried and was having a renewal of a once dormant sex life so I dreaded the thought of that coming to an end! The operation went without a hitch and I was home the following day. The worst part was constipation for a few days afterwards so it's important to have food to help keep things moving. The recovery IS 'challenging' and it's very hard to take things easy if you are normally an active person. However, if you do as you're told it is all well worth it. I am delighted with the result. After 10 weeks we resumed a normal sex life - which was wonderful - I felt like a new woman. Anyone contemplating this procedure I would reccomend they read as much as they can beforehand. I also looked at a couple of ops shown on YouTube which was scary but useful. If anyone wants to ask more about my experience please don't hesitate to ask. It have no regrets and would advise anyone to go ahead and get it done as long as you know what it entails. 

I'm considering my surgical options to repair my rectocele; has anyone had keyhole repair, where the bowel is hitched back into place and pinned to the base of the spine?

I am now 6+ weeks post op. Nearly every week, several days a week I had questions, concerns. It is truly hard not to. Biggest scare at two weeks (made myself believe prolapse was back) was evaluated by one of my surgeons at my 3 week checkup and to my relief everything was fine.  Praise God!. I still feel like my abdomen is bruised if I'm too active during the day. Many if not all my stitches are still in my vagina, front and back. About a week ago I did a few hours worth easy garden work but the bending must have irritated all those sutures. Had to alternate between sitting on heating bag and considered a nice pack. I have my last followup before work release tomorrow. I believe everything will be fine.