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Rectocele???

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sarah37908
sarah37908

Hi sorry his post may sound abit silly but for those of you that have a rectocele , how did you first know you had one ? Or did they find it in surgery when you were having something else fixed? I have a grade 3 prolapsed bladder and 3 years ago the gynocologist said I had a slight rectocele but didn't do anything with it . When j was examined 3 weeks ago that gynocologist said I didn't have one ?? But when I get up in a morning I have a heaviness all down there and sometimes it feels like there is just constant pain for a few days , I really cNt explain it !! I'm guessing if they found I had one when they fix my bladder and it is bad they will fix that also there and then? I know this is something I should ask my consultant and I will next time I see her ... In so much pain with it this morning , thanks for reading

0 likes, 24 replies

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  • doris29
    doris29 sarah37908

    Posted

    Hi hun.

    I knew something was wrong when I had given birth in march.

    I drove to Devon in may (4 hours) and that's when I noticed something was really wrong

    When we came home I told my GP I was broken and he referred me to a gynaecologist.

    She confirmed that it was rectocele and asked me to wait 6 weeks to decide what I wanted to do.

    I had surgery 6 weeks ago and can now go toilet normal again.

    Surgery has been a breeze but I am very healthy and fit. Don't know if that helped recovery but I'm guessing so. I've not had tiredness like others have had.

    If you want to ask anything I'll help as much as I can without preaching to you x

    • bridget99388
      bridget99388 doris29

      Posted

      Hello I'm healthy and only 20 , I suffered from bad constipation and I've had no children I'm waiting to see a gyno. I know for a fact I have rectocele, a lot looser than normal , and always have to splint. I feel pressure when stood up too long etc. really want a op but scarred they won't offer me one as I'm young and don't know how to speak to anyone else other than a doctor as I'm so embArrist sad also got so much rent etc to pay I don't know if I could afford to be off work! Just looking for advice ,happy your op went well ,did they say anything about having baby's in the future x
    • Jan999
      Jan999 bridget99388

      Posted

      bridget Urogynaecologists are under no illusions how important prolapse surgery is to young women as well as middle aged and older women. Age is not a consideration any more because we know the results are good. Years ago when I first started working in gynaecology I would see ladies coming back onto the ward for further prolapse surgery because their last repair had lasted about 5 years but thankfully we've moved on and a repair undertaken by a Urogynaecologist will last much longer.......longer than 10 years. I know women who had surgery 12-14 years ago and they don't have problems. So the days of waiting are over. Nobody is going to tell you you're too young but if they do find a good surgeon.
    • doris29
      doris29 bridget99388

      Posted

      Age shouldn't matter hun. If you genuinely have a problem that needs fixing it should be fixed.

      They can't make you go through this pain because you're so young.

      The only issue is having babies but I'm not a doctor and am assuming it would be like giving birth to your first which you will be doing anyway.

      It's a tough one hun but you can't suffer.

      Hand on heart the operation wasn't that bad for me. I could have gone back to work after 4 weeks but that's just me, my body and my personal opinion. Everyone is different, everyone heals at different rates.

      Are you healthy? Do you eat well, take vitamins and exercise?

      If you do that will help the healing process

      Tell your GP you cannot continue to live like this and you need fixing.

      It did take me 8 months from GP to operation though, nothing is quick.

      Good luck sweetheart, I'm here if you need a chat. Sorry I thought you wasn't being serious before. My bad x

    • Jan999
      Jan999 bridget99388

      Posted

      To reply to your question about having a baby, I forgot to add that at the end of my last post. You would have to have a Caesarean section if you had prolapse surgery. It would probably have to be performed slightly early, around 37-38 weeks before the baby's head enters the birth canal.
    • doris29
      doris29 bridget99388

      Posted

      Sorry hun. Also missed the question you asked me about having babies

      I was asked if I wanted any more and that they would hold the operation off until after I'd finished having kids.

      She also said if I did fall pregnant after the operation I would need a c section.

      After my last labour I'd take a c section with open arms!! Xx

    • bridget99388
      bridget99388 doris29

      Posted

      Thankyou for your reply. Complications just worry me so much but I can't live like this ! It's knocked my confidence loads. I will let you know once I see the new doctor and get a refferal. I've just read so much on the internet saying they don't like to operate on young girls and also scarred about bills etc while I recover as hasn't got much family around. Yes i am healthy and I'm not over weight or anything. Never been out asleep or had any op before. I suppose things get worse before they get better. I'm glad your op went well xx
  • barbara_92
    barbara_92 sarah37908

    Posted

    Hi I had a bladder prolapse repair done 8th of December. Most of my problem was with my bladder, frequent trips to the loo, urgent need to go, bulging into vagina etc. I also had constipation and feeling the need to go but it seemed to get stuck with difficultly in pushing it out sometimes having to hook my thumb into the bulge in my uterus and helping to push push poo out so I can go. Gynae confirmed it but they said when they pushed bladder back during surgery the bowel rectified itself.
  • DorryC
    DorryC sarah37908

    Posted

    short version is that I read about pelvic floor issues and realized that I had been splinting for quite a while.  I also remembered that just after I had baby #2 9 years before this, there had been an external bulge once when going to the bathroom.  I had to push it back in and for a while I had to splint but when I recovered more from birth more, I didn't need to splint.  

    When I realized I had a rectocele, baby #3 was almost 3 and I was still splinting.  I went to my GP and said I had a rectocele.  She did a vaginal and rectal exam and had no trouble confirming it.

    fwiw, I had many pelvic exams in tthe (at least) 9 years when I had a large rectocele and no one spotted it.  Grrr.

  • Jan999
    Jan999 sarah37908

    Posted

    Sometimes sarah even the best Urogynaecologist can only "find" a rectocele when a patient is stood up. Mine initially was like that until it became much worse. The fact that you've got a feeling of heaviness and pain should be enough for a consultant to take it seriously 
  • tracey1909
    tracey1909 sarah37908

    Posted

    Hi Sarah,i was just like Barbara,i had problems emptying my bowel and needed to help it along. I also felt a heaviness pulling down and uncomfortable during intercourse. It took awhile for the specialists to confirm it was a rectocele,i thought i was going mad and they thought it was all in my head,but you know your own body and when something is not right. Sometimes its difficult for gyno to see the full picture,keep going back until they take you seriously. Good luck x
    • barbara_92
      barbara_92 tracey1909

      Posted

      I often wonder how they can tell we have our prolapse as surely they would see more if we were not lying on our back on the couch. Maybe they should be looking up from under us. 😲
    • Jan999
      Jan999 barbara_92

      Posted

      A lot of Urogynaecologists do check when you're standing up. 
    • tracey1909
      tracey1909 barbara_92

      Posted

      Yes Barbara,I have often seen Matron say that on here but i have never been examined standing. Ive seen it a couple of times on embarrassing bodies too,being examined lying on your back and on your side and also saw them doing an exray sitting down and pushing down but never seen them examine you when you are standing,but that would make more sense as most of us girls are always on our feet x
    • DorryC
      DorryC tracey1909

      Posted

      I was examined standing by my urogyn after she examined me laying down.  It wasn't for the rectocele, though.  She couldn't tell what was going on with my cervix when I was laying down so she had me stand up as well to see if I had a uterine prolapse as well as a rectocele.  
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