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Problems one year post rectocele repair.

Posted , 5 users are following.

Raesue
Raesue

Have started having random small bowel "accidents" again.  Still have much pain with intercourse.  Purchased a medical-grade set of "inserts" to stretch the vagina, but haven't consistently used them - hurts.  Perineum very tight, painful on intercourse.  Had mesh implanted when he did the rectocele repair.  Very discouraged.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks.

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • chris00938
    chris00938 Raesue

    Posted

    I'm so sorry to read this Raesue.  How long ago was your op?  I hope things improve for you soon!
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Raesue

      Posted

      I'm lost on that really, to be honest.  I hope someone else can come up with something useful though.  I'd ask a GP if no-one else knows anything.  Perhaps you could get a phone appointment with a GP fairly quickly, to relieve the anxiety?
  • Unicorn53
    Unicorn53 Raesue

    Posted

    I'm exactly the same as you Raesue,was hoping the rectocele repair would do away with the "accidents" but it's still a case of when I need to go,it's right now,no waiting around.Same with intercourse,still a  struggle. No fun is it?

    I totally understand what you are going through. I am 13 months post op and to make matters worse now have a cystocele.Was fitted with a ring pessary but it fell out,they gave me a bigger one but that came out too and can't have anything bigger fitted as vagina so narrow from rectocele repair,so looks like another op which they have told me will make the intercourse problems even worse,so not sure whether to go ahead or learn to live with it. Sending you a hug x

    • chris00938
      chris00938 Unicorn53

      Posted

      Froglet, who did you see to have a prolapse pessary fitted?  Was it a local GP or a gynie specialist?  I had a ring pessary for some years before prolapse surgery and a hysterectomy at the same time, and then the prolapse surgery failed so I went back for a prolapse support.  The ring was no good for me then because of the previous surgery but they did successfully fit a shelf pessary, and I gather these, or the Gellhorn, are most likely to be successful for women who have had surgery.  They tried the Gellhorn first but that wouldn't work, so I was VERY happy when the shelf did:-)
    • Raesue
      Raesue Unicorn53

      Posted

      I'm so sorry, "Frogle73".  You're right - it's no fun.  Had actually hoped that no one would have had the same experiences.  Since the surgery I've also had major problems with urinary leakage.  I'm sure the surgery was the cause because I was having just minor leakage previous to that (coughing, sneezing, etc).  I have not seen a doctor about it.  With your experiences I'm not sure that I want to.  We'll see if anyone else responds.  Maybe we can be encouraged...?
    • Unicorn53
      Unicorn53 chris00938

      Posted

      The urogynaecologist fitted the first ring pessary Chris,it had fallen out by the following morning.Had another one fitted but that failed too.They won't fit a shelf or Gellgorn as I'm still sexually active and there is no way with these 
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Unicorn53

      Posted

      Ah yes, of course, you're right about the shelf and Gellhorn Froglet.    There are some that you can remove at night though, like the cube.  Would that not work for you though?  Did they give you any options at all for prolapse pessaries that you can remove when you want to?  When we went for my appointment we had a chat with the gynie and my husband said that he'd prefer me to be sorted and not be able to have penetrative sex than put up with discomfort every day for the sake of penetration, so I felt lucky in that respect.  It was an easy choice for me because I hated the feeling of the bulge there and because I have a connective tissue disease the chances of another operation working weren't good.
    • Unicorn53
      Unicorn53 chris00938

      Posted

      Yes they said I should  able to remove the ring pessary to have a BM or sex but as both sizes fell down I don't know what the alternative is,until I go  back to see the urogyn end of January.My hubby said exactly the same as yours,he'd rather I was ok but we've only been married 4 years and he's 10 years younger than me and I certainly don't want to end our love life just yet   
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Unicorn53

      Posted

      I'm a bit puzzled about the BM - not heard about that.  But I'd say the ring didn't fit anyway if it dropped out - they weren't big enough.  But having said that, mine was the right size but I wouldn't fancy taking it in and out myself.  I can understand your feelings about sex and your husband sounds very sweet:-)  It might be worth you asking about something like the cube, that you can take in and out yourself more easily, from what I understand:-)
    • Unicorn53
      Unicorn53 chris00938

      Posted

      BM was what finally pushed both of them out and I couldn't push either one back in,the 2nd one I had was 62cm,the largest I could have apparently.Will ask surgeon at next appointment what the options are for me,cystocele doesn't bother me too much just now,so can live with that.My main issue was with rectocele which I assumed caused my bowel incontinence but since having had that repaired,am still not really any better in that department,so am rather thinking I wished I hadn't bothered as it's just caused more problems,oh well,that's life.Thanks for your response,much appreciated

       

  • Hr4suns
    Hr4suns Raesue

    Posted

    Just curious, did you have bowel accidents after the surgery? If so, how long did it last. I've been doing it for a week and am freaked out by it. I hope you get your other questions answered!
    • Raesue
      Raesue Hr4suns

      Posted

      Sorry for this delayed response.  My bowel accidents didn't start until several months after surgery. It's random.  Most of the time I think I've only passed gas. It's worse if my stomach is upset and I'm  having diarreah.

      I have not been to see the surgeon but I had my yearly gyno appt last week and he didn't notice anything unusual.  

      Have you had any relief?

  • Raesue
    Raesue

    Posted

    Follow up, months later...  Still have a lot of pain with intercourse.  I'm thinking the surgeon made me too tight, plus where he attached the mesh (to correct the rectocele) there must be a lot of scar tissue -. on penetration it feels like the edge of the screen (imagine an edge of the screen on a screen door) is scraping me, especially on the left side.  If I plan ahead I use a numbing creme but am concerned about using too much that will affect my husband.  Also can't be too spontaneous with the creme.  This has ruined my sex life.

    I talked to my gyno last week about it and he wants me to go back to see the/a surgeon.  Although what I'm experiencing now is extremely painful, the surgery was so unbelievably painful that I can't imagine more surgery.  I don't know what options there are.

    (For those of you facing rectocele surgery with mesh, not to worry - there have been many successful surgeries reported on this forum.)

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