Still in pain 4wks post-op for rectocele repair

It could be the stitches pulling, lots of ladies say they feel really uncomfortable around week 5-ish. Do you have a post op check booked? If not, see if you can arrange one. Take painkillers if necessary. Good luck. 

Four weeks is still really early Janet. The swelling and stitches start to loosen off a bit and drop down. That's the bulge you can feel, it's a really hard operation to recover from, don't want to panic you but it can take a year to be anywhere near normal. The op usually has stitches right down the back of your vagina into the perineum, and the soreness and dragging sensation is awful. It took me months to start to feel better.

The more rest you have at this stage the less likely you are for the repair to fail. Rest lots, drink lots, take something like movicol, laxido etc to keep bowels moving without straining. No lifting, squatting, stretching for a while yet.

 

Hi Janet. I'm 4 weeks post op too for anterior & posterior prolapse repairs, plus perineum reconstruction. I can't exactly say I'm still in pain-more discomfort really, made worse by my back "going" last week which I feel was probably exacerbated by so much sitting about & in such an uncomfortable position.  My hubby says I'm sitting like a banana! This is to keep my undercarriage off the chair as it's been so sore. I also sit on a coccyx cushion which helps. I'm still taking 3 lots of Ibuprofen a day. Going to the loo is a nightmare which I dread. I take Lactulose 3 times a day which helps a bit, I'm terrified of straining.At least passing water isn't quite so painful now.I'm still resting a lot, to be honest I still don't feel like doing much. I dreaded going out in the car (which I didn't do till day 26) but actually it wasn't too bad, though I wouldn't want to go far. I've found this forum invaluable - the lovely ladies give so much good advice. I know we all heal at different rates & that we've all had very personalised ops, but it's such a comfort to know that others understand what we're going through. Good luck & I hope you soon feel much better. Carol x

Everyone is right about it taking along time to recover. I had my op at the end of November and still feel that I have not fully recovered and I know that sometime in the future I will need further surgery for a cystocele which I am dreading. I had rectocele done and sacro stitch and had already had a hysterectomy. I can remember at four weeks post op that Laxido sachets helped me a lot and I had problems with retaining urine which was sorted after using a hormone gel although is still a problem now and again. My biggest problem is the tiredness and I have not really got used to feeling very different down there! Just think some women pay thousands for plastic surgery to tighten it all up. I certainly would not do it from choice! That dragging feeling you mentioned used to ease when I lay flatter and is almost like a message to tell you to rest and take a break so Good luck with your recovery and I agree it is very useful to have this link with others who are going through it

Lasies, with toilet issues, try a foot stool! I feel so much better using one. 

Im week 6 post rectocele repair, perenium repair and urethra repair. From the awkward sitting and from roughness on operating table my pelvis  was also twisted so I've had to have Physio to get it sorted.

PHysio said resting is important for wounds to heal, but inactivity can also be damaging for your fitness and muscles and make u more tired. Highly recommend seeing a pelvic floor specialist Physio to get some exercises to help you recover faster. 

That was meant to say ladies not lasies! 

You're doing fine and your recovery is pretty text book. You are just getting that bit of grief we all get at the 4-5wk mark when all the internal stitches tighten. You will still have quite a lot of swelling too. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep doing what you're doing and soon you can feel much better and be able to look back & feel proud you made it!!! But do take painrelief. Nurofen/Panadol combination 6hrly is really good. Start off with a dose as soon as you wake in morning, hopefully an hour before you first get up. Then take again 6hrs later & these 2 doses should get you to when you're usually more comfortable in a day. Maybe take a dose on way to bed so that they are helping for 1st thing in morning. Do this for 3 days and it might be enough. I'm assuming you can take these meds ok & can get them or already have them. The combination in my country is called Nuromol. It's over the counter meds.