rectocele - 8 weeks post op

Hi to everyone.  I'm 9 weeks post op for bladder/bowel and perineum repair.  I've been through many different stages as you all must have done.  Yes BMs are always on your mind.  I got the all clear from my consultant on 20th Dec making me 7weeks 5 days post op.  Although i had stitches still he said i was 'good to go' and could resume hoovering, driving, working (the latter i don't have to worry about) and sex (too scared).  My husband still hoovering and i haven't driven the car yet.  Christmas day and Boxing day were busy and Boxing day especially.  I did some housework and cooked a big casserole, did lift this and that, but still had a lot of help from family.  However that night i did feel a bit like things had dropped a little and had a look, could see a slight bulge so back to big time resting.  Very worried by this so have made an appointment to see GP next week on 5th Jan.  I've read loads and have so much differing information as to what is heavy lifting etc.  One site said 5-7 kg which i estimate as being 15 pounds (i haven't lifted nowhere near this amount).  Feel a bit low especially that i did everything i was told to do and not to do and have suffered a lot of pain throughout also needing to keep catheter in for first 2 weeks.  I don't think you are given enough information by medical staff of the after op. Hoping i'm worrying too much and things are still settling.  I live in the UK and am 62.  Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.

 

Hi Maureen

hopefully no damage done I would go back to serious resting though. Feet up rest. The thing is when we think we are nearly back to normal we are tempted to overdo things. Hopefully your doctor will put your mind at rest. The varying operations we have had really are untalked about so good job we have this site to share information. I now know that a close friend of mine had hysterectomy and rectocele repair about four years ago I am feeling so bad now that I didn't offer to do more for her. However on the plus side from here on in when I know of anyone having these types of operations I will be providing excellent care :-)

Hi Ladies

It's good to know that we can all support each other and thank you so much for all your replies -  there is very little info out there once you've had your operation and  I shall certainly mention this to the Dr when I go for my check up mid January.   You've got to go through it to know how it feels, a bit like childbirth!

I can't wait for the day that I skip to the loo for a BM with a smile on my face, when the flatulence abates and I don't have to walk down a deserted isle in the supermarket to get rid of tapped wind!

Take it easy, get fit soon, and a Happy New Year to you all. 

Hi Gill, just had to reply to your post, it made me laugh soo much about the deserted isle. 

I have just joined this forum as for the last 5 years I have had slight rectal discharge and a feeling of my rectum dropping after a bm.  It can disappear for a few months then come back then disappear as quickly as in 10 mins.  But to make is disappear I have to sit down and squeeze my bum and I literally feel it pop back up.  Apparently when I was a young child I had a prolapsed rectum and my mum had to push it back up!!!!! 

I am preparing myself for what is to come if it becomes constant.  Hence me coming on here.  I haven't spoken to anyone except hubs about it (and got an ewwww from him lol) so had no idea so many of you had a problem like this - tended to think it's just me.  Can I ask the reason you had to have this op - what caused it?

All you ladies are inspiring and I feel better for knowing you.

Happy New Health New Year to you all.

G.

Hi Gwen

Lovely to hear from you and glad I made you smile.  You asked what had made me prolapse and I think that after my hysterectomy about 5  years ago to solve the problem of my prolapsed womb, the Dr said 'no more heavy work'.  Did I listen - no!  I'm always digging in the garden and helping my other half to lift stuff around.  About 6 months ago I got the sensation of something dropping in my vagina, which brought on the urge to pee.  When I examined myself it felt like a large soft boiled egg which I could push back but which kept coming back. I now realise that every time I needed a BM my rectum was protruding into my vagina.   I stuck it out for a few months, but by the time I went to the Dr's I was up about 12 times a night for a pee and was feeling very uncomfortable. 

I wish I hadn't waited so long to see the Dr and am terrified I might have to go through it all again, so am definitely not doing any heavy work/lifting/pulling or tugging ever again.  Some friends a lot older than me still do lots of heavy work, so maybe we're just the unlucky ones. 

Good luck whatever decision you make regarding surgery, and thanks to forums like this you arre forearmed with all the information you need to know and can prepare for it

Right I need to get back to lounging around and catching up on a bit of daytime tv as I've been pottering all morning and am getting a few twinges!

Good Luck.  Gill 

 

Hi Just to let you know that i have seen my GP this morning and explained that i felt things had dropped and taken a look.  However first thing in the mornings and on resting things are better.  My GP (a woman) does not believe i have caused damage from the Christmas period - cooking and some lifting and cleaning, although she advised me to continue to be mindful not lifting heavy objects.  She advised me to allow a further 6 weeks and if i still had any concerns to see her again.  GP explained that after the stitches dissolve it takes a long time to heal and could feel lumpy and bumpy - not to look or do self examination to give things time.  So am going to take her advice and wait to see how i am after the above period.  I also visited a friend today who i know had a hysterectomy some years ago to have follow up bowel and bladder repairs using mesh.  She said things are good but she does remember feeling quite lumpy and bumpy quite some time following op.  I hope this info is useful to others to know.  Kind regards to all.  

Hi Maureen

Good to know that things are OK and that the Christmas Festivities didn't cause any problems.  I was tempted to self examin the other day after feeling a few twinges but decided against it.  I hope when I see my surgeon next Tuesday that everything is OK.  It's strange the way you get odd sensations in different places, sometimes stitches seem to be pulling in one place then that stops and you get them seemingly pulling somewhere else.    Since the op I've been on a high fibre diet, lots of fruit veg, and cereals, but was still having problems with BM's.  I'm now taking a powder morning and night in water to ease them, and find I feel much better and not as scared to visit the loo.

Take it easy, I reckon another 6 weeks and we'll both feel a whole lot better.

Im told the anesthetic is probably the cause of the tiredness. Fortunately my husband had a vasectomy a few years back so I said one day when he said "you thinking of getting up?"

Let me explain how I feel........you probably had two stitches with your vasectomy I have over 100 stitches inside and out, im scared to move too fast, lift anything too heavy, do anything to jeopardise my recovery so.......if I want to stay in bed all day then I will-so please don't ask me again. When I feel like coming downstairs I will :-) that shut him up for a while. Men are just not used to seeing wives/mothers out of action. They get scared. My kids are 21 and 15 so I didn't have to look after them, in fact they have been really good and can now clean the house, iron, shop, cook as some days my husband had to travel for work. You will feel better each week so stay positive.

My problems pale into insignificance when I hear your story of how you're coping with all of this and three young kids on top of it all.    Because I'd had my hysterectomy  a few years ago I thought I knew what to expect, and worked like a dervish making sure everything was cleaned and lots of ready made stuff in the freezer for after my op as my husband can't cook (except egg & chips).  However, my husband, like lots of blokes was ill prepared for when I got home and I think also thought I should be up and about and doing stuff 2 weeks post op.   He's quite relieved I'm cooking again, but it's quite comical to watch him cope with even the simplest task regarding housework, and he still can't work the dishwasher. - he still working, and as an electrical engineer I would have thought he could get his head round this at least!

The best of luck to you with your recovery, no one not even our sisters or friends know what it's like unless they too have had the op.

Hi kiwi13

Although advice is 6-8 week recovery I believe that is until YOU can START to feel normal again.........actually you will probably need 3 months before THINGS start to feel normal again.

I am now 10 wk post op. I feel so much better and went back to work this week after 9 weeks off work. That said there are still changes taking place down below. I have an appointment with my surgeon at the end of the month that will be 3 months after op and I believe that is when everything should be more or less back to normal. I think we are all expecting too much too soon time is a good healer and we need to wait and see and not be so anxious along the way. Good luck with all those boys. Be prepared to let things go for a while and rest when you can.

The uneveness might be due to the stree of taking care of your sons. A little pul here and another there might cause some uneven swelling. Give it time. There were time that I looked and wished I hadn't! Do not do too much. Lay down the law with your husband. I did too much a few times and regretted it. I live alone so it is easier for me to decide to let the house work go and really give myself time to heal, But when I did things went much better and 9 weeks post op I feel completely healed. I am still not going to take any chances and do any heavy lifting.  But my day to day activities are back to normal. I agree with you about natural childbirth being easier than recovering from this surgery. I think that was the mistake I made, I thought it would be more like recovering from childbirth. When the Doc said 6 week recovery, I thought ok, like having a baby... And I did that 3 times. No Problem, right? Hahaha! That is when I found this forum... It is so nice to have other women who are going through the same thing to reassure each other. I think it was harder than any of us thought, but now I am so glad I had it done. Hang in there Kiwi!