Recovery time for rectocele posteria repair with mesh?
Posted , 50 users are following.
Hi, finding so much reassurance from this site, it is so good to know that we are all going through the same or similar things.
I was wondering if anyone has may ideas of the time for recovery. I was told by my consultant it would be 3-6 months to fully recover due to the extent of the weakness in the posteria vagina wall
I had the op 4 weeks ago, but am still in pain if I do too much, and am feeling so frustrated at being so limited I what I can and can't do.
Any advice would be very welcome
jo
0 likes, 78 replies
Gnomebottom Gardener_Jo
Posted
Hello...like many others, I'm glad to have found this forum.
I'm 3 weeks into recovery after a posterior & anterior repair....no mesh involved.
Cystocele wasn't too bad but rectocele was pretty far gone.
Had felt dog rough for months before the op.
Came home after 2 days with a catheter...got a UTI which then did a Grand Tour of my nether regions infecting everyting else.
All cleared up now...bladder doing good....bowel 'interesting'?
Loaded up with the 'softeners' and all else.
Different 'sensation/signals' about when you need a BM to what I remember pre rectocele.
There was info given about the immediate post-op situation but after that I seem to have fallen into a 'black hole',
I haven't been able to find anything out about what is near 'normal' for this phase until now.
I feel like I'm trying to get the balance right between 'pottering' about a bit and then chillin' out.
However...after my 'potter time'...max an hour or so...I have to go swoon on my fainting couch....for the rest of the day?!?
My pelvic region/lower back is kicking up a storm!
Is an hour on your feet in one go too much - I feel OK at the time but getting a bit 'draggy' in the pelvic/lower back region by the end of it?
Thanks for any advice x
VOWeaver Gnomebottom
Posted
First, I must qualify any of my responses with the following:
I am 63 years old, live in the US and have had all my care in the US, and my experiences may or may not be applicable to you.
That said...My surgical repair was very similar to yours, and it decimated me. Keep in mind, you have mad major, major intrusion in your body, and the body does not like change! As you have experienced, it gets VERY p*ssed off! The nerves for the entire pelvic area have been insulted, and I discovered that you essentially need to learn how to do all your eliminations again.
The best advice my doctor gave me was "Take it EASY!" Make sure you have enough effective pain control, and ask for more if you need it. Don't be shy!
The most surprising thing I discovered is that the rectocele repair is the most difficult part of recovery. All of that tissue is very vascular, and you have lots and lots and LOTS of swelling. To me, it felt like I had a pineapple shoved up my rear end! And I had that damned pineapple there for about eight weeks!
It wasn't until I found THIS board and talked to these wonderful people that I understood the pineapple sensation is NORMAL.
This is YOUR time. Don't over-extend yourself. You'll know when it's time to start trying to do more.
But you'll do just fine.
~VOW
Gnomebottom VOWeaver
Posted
Hi VOWeaver, thanks so much for your feedback....decimated is such a good word - sums it all up so well. "Take it easy/take your time" really is the only way to go. I agree withthe rectocele repair being the toughest - my bladder is feeling in pretty good shape now but then the cystocele wasn't too bad.I had a hysterectomy when I was 40and I remember that took a while to recover from. Some 23 years further down the line sure makes a difference to your recovery! I really feel for these gals who are having to have this surgery as a much younger age and are under pressure to get back to work/see to their kids. I suppose getting older/being retired does have its upside?!? Glad you are now doing well and thanks for the support.
candystar71 Gardener_Jo
Posted
Hi All,
I am writing on behalf of my Mother who doesn't have access to the internet. She had her bladder lift and rectocele 5 and 1/2 weeks ago and is really frustrated, so I am hoping someone could give me some guidance that I can relay to her. My Mom will be 74 at the end of November, this being her 2nd rectocele, her recovery has been really slow.
She is complaining of her bottom feeling like a hot cigar. A lot of discharge and when she has been on her feet for a bit a lot of lower stomach discomfort.
I believe the surgeon used mesh and my understanding is there was a bladder lift, rectocele and 1 other procedure. 2 procedures were from above - much like her hysterectomy, the cut runs pretty much from 1 hip to the other and the 3rd was from below, assuming the rectocele.
I am trying to reassure my Mom that recovery is different with everyone and these things take time. Could anyone give me a list of what is "normal" and to be expected. She has also lost quite a bit of weight...but battled with nausea up until recently, so was eating very little.
She is a very young 74 year old, which is I think, why she is battling so much with this longer recovery time.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!
Gnomebottom candystar71
Posted
Hi Candystar...*waves 'Hi' to your Mom too x*
I'm into Week 10 of recovery.
I'm 63...and until this week I felt like I was 93
Firstly...if your Mom feels like she's got a 'hot cigar/discharge' situation going on 'down there'...it sounds like she could have an infection/thrush?
You need to get that checked out ASAP as its bound to make her feel even more lousy than she does already.
This is a real killer...but...for me, the only thing that has really helped me to get this far - after a few complications - is to rest, rest and then rest some more.
The aching in the pelvis etc. is telling you to rest every time.
Its frustrating, you feel like a semi-invalid, you have to find things to occupy your mind that don't involve moving about much - thank you Internet...you have been a saviour - but you have got to take it very easy.
I didn't think I was doing 'anything' much....but my Nurse Specialist at the hospital told me otherwise.
Get up and move around...but keep it short and sweet...do little spells at a time...10-15 minutes at your Mom's stage.
As soon as you feel that low ache in the pelvic girdle....knock it on the head and get off those feet.
I have been SO good...its been10 pretty rough weeks - which included catheterisation, urine infections. thrush from the antibiotics for said infection...then my bladder stitches getting over-friendly with my bowel stitiches and deciding to pal up and make a cobweb which had to be cut through
...very appropriately at Halloween
Now...at last...at 10 weeks, I feel that I've started to turn a corner and I'm beginning to come together towards getting back to being the pre-rectocele/cystocele me,
My sister-in-law had the same operation a few years and got it SO wrong - she wasn't able to get enough rest.
The operation failed within a few months.
They don't think a second operation would work too well now either.
My poor Sis is now doubly incontintent....she's only 60.
It has made me so very conscious about taking it so,so steady so that this is a success first time round.
All the very best wishes to your Mom...let's hope she can snuggle up for the winter and get healing xx
rfrisque Gardener_Jo
Posted
I am 51 years old and have had 5 children vaginally. I had my uterus removed and a bladder Burch procedure both through an abdominal incision 10 years ago. My recovery from that was wonderful and I had very little pain. I am 17 days post op of bladder sling, rectocele repair, cystocele repair, and perineal repair. I was in the hospital for 4 days.
Surgery went smoothly and without complications. The vaginal packing and catheter were removed the next day. I had a significant amount of pain. I had an extreme fullness/pressure sensation in my bottom. I stopped the pain medication after 2 days because I knew it caused constipation and that greatly concerned me. I was on Ibuprofen for probably a week after returning home and I gradually weaned off of it.
I had 2 very difficult days in the hospital. I hadn't had a bowel movement for 4 days and I was very nervous about the first one. I was on stool softeners and I drank prune juice. I finally had my first BM on the 3rd day in the hospital. When I went to gently push to begin the bowel movement my body took over and pushed/strained intensly and completely out of my control. If you have given birth, it was like when you first start to push the baby out and your body takes over. I was clinging to the safety bar next to the toilet and broke out in a sweat. It felt like all of my stitches were ripping out. I was terrified that I had just undid all of my repairs. It happened 3 more times over the next 24 hours, getting slightly better each time. The doctor said that he has never had a patient have that happen (good news for any of you with an upcoming surgery) and that my muscles must be "angry" from the tightening up with the sutures. He said he didn't think I caused any problems since I was not spotting bright red blood, but to do my best not to push or strain anymore. Since I got home I have continued a regimen of a stool softener 2 times daily, a glass of Citrucel in the morning, and a glass of prune juice daily. I have been having regular daily uneventful BM's since.
The first week home I was sore and tired. My perineal repair was painful and uncomfortable. My repair is like an episiotomy, except the doctor also sutured the muscles together in my perineum underneath the exterior repair. The muscles had split from childbirth. I was so uncomfortable that I stumbled on this site searching for recovery stories to help me have an idea of what to expect. I was disheartened to see that so many people have had difficult recoveries to say the least. I thought for sure I would be one of them. Now 17 days post op I am pleasantly surprised.
It took 2 weeks for my episiotomy stitches to dissolve. That was a huge help. Prior to my surgery I was not considered a fit person. I am 5' 4" and weighed 190 pounds. I had started walking to improve my fitness for a month before surgery. I was taking a 5+ mile walk 4 days a week. Day 14 post op I had stopped all Ibuprofen and tried my first walk since I was feeling better. I walked 1.7 miles, at a snail's pace mind you. It felt good and I just had some pressure/mild discomfort afterwards. The next day I walked 2.65 miles with the same result. Yesterday I had my follow up post op appointment with my doctor. He did and external and internal exam. I was nervous about that, but he was gentle and it didn't hurt. He said that I am healing really well and that my issues in the hospital did not damage anything, thankfully!! Also, I am down 5 pounds. Bonus!! Today, day 17, I did my usual 5+ mile walk. I took it very slow. It took me just over 2 hours and my normal average was 90 minutes. I feel great.
I do still have some pressure/discomfort at the end of the day. It is taking some getting used to my new cues and signals of when I need to have a bowel movement as it feels very similar to the pressure. All of my internal vaginal stitches from the cystocele and rectocele repairs and my sutures from my bladder sling and the sutures to lift the top of my vagina don't seem to be causing me any pain. The sutures in the muscles in my perineal repair are the most uncomfortable at this point. The scar feels very thick and hard. Hopefully some of this is swelling that hasn't gone down. The doctor said that this will get better.
I am nervous about when my husband and I can resume sexual activity. I am praying that it won't hurt and it goes well. Outside of that I am feeling really good. I just wanted to share my experience since most of it is positive and hopefully it will encourage others. I pray that I haven't given anyone false expectations though. It is such a fine line.
I go back for my next follow-up visit in 5 weeks. I think the doctor will give me the go ahead to resume sexual activity at that time. I will update my post when that happens to let you know if I had any problems. I am also opoen to any advice any of you have for me and my future recovery.
God bless your day.
m54321 rfrisque
Posted
Hi rfrisque,
I had a vaginal hysterectomy of my uterus, a bladder sling, a rectocele repair, cyctocele repair, and a perennial repair. I am now 7 months post op and experienced many of the same troubles you had. I was released from the hospital one day post-op. My body fought my first bm on the fifth day. I too compared it to child birth. Nothing prepared me for that. It lasted for 14 hours before my first bm was able to pass. Yes, it did get easier with the guidance of a great nutritionist. I took stool softeners and drank tea with senna in it at night, warm prune juice.
Although my surgeon was not very helpful,my physical therapist was my saving grace. She explained the same thing you heard, that my body was fighting back to protect itself from any more trauma. Eventually it did get better.
She helped to ease my frustrations by explaining that I really couldn't expect full recovery for 6 months to a year. That helped to put things in perspective for me and to be more patient with myself. She was absolutely right. Although I continued to have more good days, the bad ones were still there. I had to be careful to not push myself too hard and to rest if I overdid it. I began running again but included intervals of walking. I finally tried sexual activity after four months. It was painful at first but lots of lubricant and a very patient husband made each time a little better. I wish I could say that sex is pain free but each time it gets a little better. My physical therapist encouraged me to not give up. Avoiding sex would just build more scar tissue. She also showed me how to massage the scar tissue from the perennial repair. It's a slow process but it does get better! She also had me doing kiegels daily.
At six months almost to the day, my recovery really took a turn for many more good days. I'm running again, working full time without feeling dragged down at the end of the day. Sex is still difficult at times but lots of lube helps! BMs are regular and I have a clean bill of health. The surgeries were successful.
I apologize if this was a bit wordy, but I recall the helplessness (and fear) I felt those first few months. All the best to you in your recovery. It does get better. Remember to be kind to yourself and patient and seek help if you need it.
GmamaLaura Gardener_Jo
Posted
Kazzobie Gardener_Jo
Posted
Hi I'm 12 days post rectocele and sacrocopoplexy, I've got a feeling of a bulge and really concerned, is this normal, appreciate advice. Xx
debra8388 Gardener_Jo
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frances_18205 Gardener_Jo
Posted