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Prolapse surgery coming up... unsure about add-on procedure

Posted , 6 users are following.

DorryC
DorryC

I have a rectocele and I am getting it repaired next month.  When I saw the surgeon she said I also had some stress incontinence based on the urodynamics study that she did.  I know I do, but it isn't bad.  Sometimes a drop when I sneeze but it's not awful.  She said it might get worse after the rectocele repair and suggested a mid-urethral sling.  It is made of a synthetic mesh.

Any suggestions on resources for information about this procedure?  Right now I don't feel like the symptoms are bad enough to risk side effects but I don't have enough information to decide.

Any personal experience?

Thanks, ladies!

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • tilley49386
    tilley49386 DorryC

    Posted

    Hi Dorry , that's tough one! On one hand if your specialist is right and she could be as my bladder control is worst since my rectocelle but then they stretch it to open you up its' hardly surprising is it. I had great success with physio with my bladder control before my rectocelle which started off as a Cystocelle - long story but didn't need cystocelle at this stage because I had regained 85% control and told my spec I was happy to try again. Sorry got side tracked  so if she is right and you need mesh with a cystocelle then most would advise to have the Cystocelle done at the same time as the rectocelle. But if you don't need it then well then you don't need it. Get a second opinion or ask your spec to explain further. I think the cystocelle can be done through keyhole surgery , hopefully one of ladies who has both or gone back for cystocelle after rectocelle can enlighten you. either way good luck. Just curious as rectocelle patient almost 4 weeks post op and been told off for over doing it, just when and why did your prolapse fail? after all it must have failed for it to be reversed. All the best
    • DorryC
      DorryC tilley49386

      Posted

      Hi Tilley, thanks for the kind thoughts.  I'm sorry to hear you are having bladder troubles after your rectocele surgery.  That must be really frustrating and I hope it is temporary.

      I think my first message must have been unclear so I wanted to clarify a few things.

      1) I have a rectocele.  I do not have any other kind of prolapse.

      2) This is my first surgery for my rectocele. 

      3) The surgery she is suggesting be added does NOT support the bladder.  It supports the urethra to help with stress incontenence

      I know a lot of people get repairs to fix a cystocele and a rectocele at the same time but this is a bit different.  Less serious but more confusing because it isn't so cut and dry smile

    • tilley49386
      tilley49386 DorryC

      Posted

      Hi Dorry , ok I get it nwo. Think you need to get 2nd opinion and ask keyhole surgery or not. I do know recovery is a bit longer lady i shared my room with had a vault lift with a mesh repair and I heard her specialist tell her she would have to have the catheter in for 2 weeks and walk around with a bag as they couldn't allow the bladder to fill until the mesh reapired area had repaired enough to hold the weight of the full bladder , before then the mesh reapir could not take the weight. I would definately make another appointment and go armed with a list of questions. I did and it was worth evry cents of the $200 fee. Good luck
    • DorryC
      DorryC tilley49386

      Posted

      yeah, it was a bit weird as I was asked to sign the consent the day I was told about the procedure.  There wasn't time to read and think and ask lots of questions.  I think I may need to read up and ask for a follow-up, even if it is out of pocket.

      The surgery she is suggesting does not support the bladder so the recovery part isn't a concern.  It only holds up the urethra.  Tiny tube, not big water balloon smile

      I will read up on keyhole surgery.  I don't know what that is.  Thanks, and good luck to you.

  • Rosiepix
    Rosiepix DorryC

    Posted

    Hi Dorry

    I have read up a little on the mesh they use and I requested that I wasn't given it. When I spoke to my surgeon he said as it can have adverse reactions in the body he will only use it as a last resort if all else fails. I don't know if it's the same mesh that is used in patients with breast reconstruction but I know someone that has had awful problems after this being used on her. There is a large group wanting this stuff banned. I don't mean to scare you but I'd question why this is being used .

    Kind regards and good luck

    Rosie

    X

    • DorryC
      DorryC Rosiepix

      Posted

      I have heard some concerns about mesh and I think that is what is making me worry a bit.  If I really needed something fixed and native tissue wasn't strong enough, I think I would just do it and hope there were no issues.... but this surgery seems to be in case I have big incontenence problems, not because I have them and more conservative measures have failed.  Hmmm...

       

  • debi53024
    debi53024 DorryC

    Posted

    Hi there,

    I had an anterior repair with TVT surgery which is a urethra sling procedure. This has cured my incontinence 100%. Although my bladder prolapse came back after 8 months.

    Hope this helps.

    Debi

  • ellen74736
    ellen74736 DorryC

    Posted

    Hi. I'm 3 weeks post op for tot and rectocele repair. Tot is the tape on the urether for stress incontenence. I've had no side effects so far except reduced flow but surgeon said this will improve. Wouldn't see any reason not to get this done at same time as other repair. All the work is done inside with just two tiny stitches in my groin. Hope this helps
  • tilley49386
    tilley49386 DorryC

    Posted

    Hi Dorry , I think it may be keyhole as another lady as posted.
  • robyn94818
    robyn94818 DorryC

    Posted

    Seems some confusion here. I had TOT sling about 4mths ago now. NO adverse effects. My Urogynae said none of them use the mesh in question that caused problems. There is around 1% risks of adverse reactions with anything put into your body! I thought stress incontinence was caused by the bladder prolapsing and they now put the urethral sling half way up the urethra (on outside) as that works just as good as placing it up nearer the neck of bladder. It all sounds like one and the same thing to me. Plus I don't think many Urogyneaecologists do anything but cutting inside vaginal wall to place sling into place, which is put in with introducer via nick near groin. I had a nick both sides, plus the surgical incision inside vagina. I understand this is what most do. They can't place the sling in using only the groin nick. You just can't see the internal surgical incision. It is there. I'm cured and I'm sure if you read up on adverse happenings on every type of surgery ever performed, then nobody would get anything done. The mesh that caused problems a while ago was withdrawn from sale to surgeons by the manufacturer/supplier. I had stress incontinence with enough symptoms to get it repaired and mine was only a Grade 1. 

     

  • DorryC
    DorryC

    Posted

    Robyn - That's great to hear your procedure went so well.  My doctor was also confident about the type of mesh used.  The main risks were a chance of vaginal erosion but she said that could be fixed.

    That said, I don't think I am going to have that done right now. I haven't had any significant incontenence since I was recovering from birth and I don't think my symptoms are bad enough to justify any surgical procedure.  I don't have a cystocele so they won't be shifting things around near the bladder.  Hopefully that makes it less likely that things will get worse.

    I am getting the rectocele surgery as planned and I'm really looking forward to getting things fixed.  I know the recovery will be rough, but I'm really optimistic that it will help a lot.

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