TVT Operations....How many of you have found this successful?

I am 52.I have been taking medication for a while.I found it helped at the beginning.I would imagine though the medication he is talking about would be more effective.Hopefully they will help.Its a shame the op didnt help.I am going to cancel mine after all the negative reviews .

Hi Sandra, I have just discoverd a thing called 'Contiform'. I have ordered it and I will let you all know how I get on. I was in hospital at 7 am this morning saying 'no thank you"...it was brave facing him and not doing it on the phone!! But this little device supports the bladder. Have a google! if it does what it says, then there is hope, non-surgically speaking for alot of us. I was low today thinking of the pelvic journey I have to undertake to try and restore my self but this little thing looks really helpful. Combined with pelvic floor and Elise machine (or Kengal-whichever you get)- lets give it a try!! Then if all else fails, core classes, Kengal and this, you can re-consider the op if you want to. Im optimistic though!! Xxx

Hi there everyone. I have tried Contiform (which were no good for me, wouldn't stay put) and various other synthetic tampons with very limited success: spending in all about £200 experimenting.  At first I thought they surely ought to be the answer - but they are very expensive and also you have to boil them after every use - and they do get smelly !  I have also regularly used various Kegel8/Athena electric stimulators virtually daily for ten years. When my GP examined me she was able to tell me that my pelvic floor muscles are in very good shape - but still my leaking is progressively worsening. I am very fit, not overweight at all. The new "always" pads are a improvement but I am now changing them twice a day. After much thought I am going ahead with my TVT op in three weeks time. My consultant made an extra appointment to discuss my worries: he is confident that if there are any problems he can remove the tape. He believes that a lot of the problems suffered by people can be put down to various bad "kits" that are being marketed to doctors.

Given the financial state of the NHS at the moment I feel lucky to be offered this op, especially with this particular surgeon.

I would also ask anyone considering cancelling an operation to please let the hospital know in advance. Then they can offer the available time to someone else. People are waiting for all sorts of gynealogical operations, not just TVT's. Some people are in great pain and discomfort. 

Nicky that's all very informative and you made your decision that's right for you. Sometimes the enormity of it doesn't hit home ' in advance'- emotions are not at the behest of human conditions and times. I had to be in the space to confirm my decision and had another procedure as well to discuss with the surgeon. I cast no judgement on a woman pulling out last minute. It's her body and her choice. Of course its best to try and cancel in advance, but that is not always possible and our compassion for the individual concerned should prevail! I wish you every success and healing with your op. Xx

Wishing you every luck with the gadgets and exercise regime Kitty, maybe it will work for you. You can be sure I will be very very nervous getting the op done..fingers crossed ! By the way I have found vaginal HRT to have really helped: I was so fragile down there that the synthetic tampons caused me to bleed on removal no matter how careful I was with them. On the advice of my GP I now use "Vagifem" which is brilliant. Am sure that it has also lessened the leaking a little, everything seems tightened up. So for a less severe case it might do the trick. My surgeon is also a big fan of it. 

Oh thanks Nicky-Ill investigate Vagifem. My fingers crossed for you too xxx

sounds like you should go to your GP to rule out an infection as you are feeling so bad

Thanks for reply. I have just come back from the hospital and seen the consultant who performed surgery. Basically although I thought I was going to the toilet ok I wasn't. He put a catheter in to empty my bladder and I had nearly 1.5 litres of urine. A bladder can comfortably store 400ml. 

This explains why my tummy was so bloated and sore.

i have now had to come home with a catheter in place and have to go back to hospital next Friday. I have to switch tap every 3 - 4 hours to empty bladder through the catheter and basically re-educate my bladder to empty every 3-4 hours. 

The consultant said the op itself was a success and was very sorry about my predicament. He has never had this happen before and assures me that he will sort me out ok.

happy that there seems to be an end in sight but really upset that I am now sitting here feeling very uncomfortable.

My recovery time will now be at least a further 2 - 3 weeks.

Hi Christine   

I hope you heal well and that it was a success. I think I am not the majority with the surgery not working. It's been 2 months and I am still leaking like before. I was able to see this 5 days after my surgery.  Keep us posted and I'm wishing you the best 😊

Oh Christine, hold on in there. if he says he can fix it then it can be fixed. I think recovery time is under estimated. Dont worry about the time, just give your self and your body the time it needs. This web site comunity feel for you. Wishing you every success when yo heal. Xxx

Thank you. Feeling pretty sorry for myself and all the negative comments on here are really scary.

But as my husband says, it could be worse!  X

I.5 litres !!! good lord, no wonder you were feeling terrible. Hope you feel better soon. x

Hi Nicky, sorry to just jump into your conversation, hope you don't mind, but I've been reading through all the comments trying to find some positivity. Looking at the dates I think you may have had your surgery now, and I was wondering how it's gone? I had my op 4 weeks ago, but mine was the tot not tvt.

Hi Anne

Am scheduled for just over a week's time.

How are you feeling after your op?

Hi Nicky I am now almost 5 weeks post op, and it does seem to hhave worked with regards to leakage. I will say, it's taking longer than I expected to get back to normal and must admit every twinge worries me, as I have read so many bad experiences! I had a few initial problems with a slight infection, easily treated with antibiotics, and a heavy achy feeling in the groin, similar to the dragging sensation you sometimes get when your on your period. This lasted for some weeks but is improving greatly now. I hope your op goes well, I will say that I don't know anyone myself, but have ' friends of friends' that have had this op and have been successful, and this is what I held onto. Well that, and the fact that I just didn't feel able to live with the condition for the rest of my life! Let me know how you get on. My one piece of advice is to make sure you don't get constipated, as the nurses have probably told you! I have been taking laxatives every day since the op, and they have been my godsend! If you want to ask anything please feel free x

I had my op just over 4 weeks ago. Had the catheter out about 10days ago but was still unable to pass water naturally. Got sent home with catheters which I have to do myself as and when. Since last Sunday I have been having trickles varying from about 20ml to 100 ml so still have to use catheter to empty completely. Saw consultant last week and my options are to continue as I am in the hope that the natural passing of water will increase, or have the tape cut. The consultant can't guarantee that if tape is cut the incontinence will be cured. If I go down this route i only have another week maximum to decide.

i have no idea what to do ....

Hi Christine, it's such a worry isn't it? I think we are all very much ' in the same boat' when it comes to feeling pretty scared! We're you passing larger amounts of water initially after the op, or was it always just like trickles? I have been fine with my waterworks up until a few days ago, when I am constantly feeling like I need to go to the toilet, but when I I get there I'm not passing much at all. However I do feel a bit 'stingy' so it may be a touch of cystitis. I will be going to the doctors tomorrow to get it checked. I do hope your flow increases and you wont have to have the tape cut. Have you been alright other than this? x

Directly after the op I felt like I wanted to go all the time and I was backwards and forwards to the loo every hour or so. Also leaked badly. It was after a week of this I went back to consultant to find that I hadn't been passing urine properly at all. My bladder had stretched and he emptied 1;5 litres

i have just been really fed up as I thought it would be a "miracle" cure, and I'd don't know whether to continue like this or have tape cut Thursday. Also had a few tummy pains, like period pains.

Oh dear you must have been in agony! Is there nothing else that could be done to encourage the flow? I know what you mean about expecting a miracle cure, I thought I would be back at work by now, when you read about the op, it sounds like it's minor surgery with a very quick recovery time, but I think the reality is that can take much longer, depending on three problems that can arise, minor or major. Try to keep your spirits up though, hopefully things will rectify themselves and all will work out OK, fingers crossed x

If it's not working I would get it out!!

Hi Christine. I just wandered how things were going for you? I hope you are feeling a bit better

Hi Nicky, I was just wondering how you are doing after your operation? Well, I hope!

I got cancelled by the hospital 5.30pm the night before! Was sort of relieved as have so much to do pre Christmas, and was feeling very very apprehensive. So am back on the waiting list. In the meantime I am trying to do millions of pelvic floor exercises and am using a kegel8 twice a day. Just in case I can cure myself after all. By the way, I can highly recommend s topical hrt called Vagifem for post menopausal ladies. It has definitely helped the leaking a little. Thanks for asking, Anne, and have a good Christmas

Hi. Thanks for asking. I couldn't go in last week as I had a cough/cold. Am making progress, albeit very slowly. Am going naturally now but as I am not emptying completely I still have to self catheterise. I have got that down to 3 or 4 times a day now but still not brilliant. Signed off til 10 Jan which will have been just over 2 months off work. On the plus side I didn't leak at all whilst coughing and sneezing!  My consultant says I am about 2 weeks behind recovery wise. 

I have to go back and see him in the NY.

i would say to anyone considering this procedure check what aftercare you should get before being discharged and don't expect everything to be ok immediately.

Hi Christine, I'm glad to hear that things have improved a little for you. I completely agree that the aftercare and also expectations of a quick recovery can be very underestimated, and I would tell anyone the same, to allow yourself plenty of time to recover. I am now 7 weeks post op, and Im only just starting to feel back to normal! I am not returning to work until after Christmas, and I can honestly say that I have needed this time to get over it! I also have had a cold, and have to agree that it is very nice not to leak with every cough or sneeze . I hope you continue to progress well, even if it takes a bit longer, as long as things are going in the right direction!

Hope you have a good Christmas, take care,

Anne

Hi Nicky, you may well be right to be relieved about the cancellation, as the last thing you need whilst trying to recover, is the pressure of Christmas preparations! It would be brilliant if the exercises suddenly worked for you, there's always that chance But if not hopefully you will get another appointment soon, and at least in the new year things aren't usually so busy. I don't know if you have read my conversation with Christine, but I will say to you don't put pressure on yourself to rush your recovery. It takes time, and I think that you need to expect this. I had a lot of unnecessary worry because I thought something was wrong as there seemed to be no improvement day by day. But now that I've finally 'turned the corner' I can see that a lot of things were just part of the recovery process. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any advice as to what to expect in the early days post op, and it would have been nice to find someone who had perhaps had similar worries, but had got through them, and turned out ok! I hope you have a good Christmas and good luck with the exercises

Let me know how you get on, take care

Anne