twas the night before surgery...

Looks like hospitals are about the same everywhere. I was in a very nice one and hardly seen the nurses either . Good thing my grandkids and husband were there to advocate for me. I was so ready to go home and start my healing! I'm 7 weeks now and seen the doctor again today and everything looks good!! He's gonna start me on pelvic floor therapy in a few weeks to help with straightening my pelvic walls. Looking forward to that!! Hope them nurses get with it for you and hope you get to go home soon and begin your recovery one day at a time .

thanks! me to!

glad you on the road to recovery!

i had the physiotherapists here yesterday telling me to start my kegels again now!! it will help with swelling, ? then they walked me up and down stairs! which really took it out of me

I am sorry to hear about the aftercare.  Believe me when I tell you that I have a similar story to yours and this experience for me was the worst within the private health sector I have experienced in the last 20 year period.  Inadequate nursing and resource in place was the main issue with no form of continuity meaning each nurse comes in to say something different which I found very frustrating, took nurses 3 or 4 hours and 3 requests to bring me meds and movicol, they were meant to measure my fluid input and urine output and didnt... nobody even bothered to send a urine sample off in 5 days even though I was very sore and told them I thought I may have an infection and there is more.... the list of failings is endless.  I am absolutely apalled that this level of service could possibly be linked to private healthcare infact I was made to feel like I was a total pain of a patient for being in tears, worried and anxious with nobody to answer my questions. I had the first bill through from my insurer which was well into the thousands and even then there were incorrect charges which had been applied. I had to put my specs on to make sure I wasnt seeing things when I looked at the charges which had been applied...

I think blood in the urine in the beginning stages is fairly normal and routine as many others have written posts about that so wouldnt be too worried.  May be best to check with your consultant and I hope my dear that your consultant is easier to reach than mine was.

The aftercare for me has been null and void on every level.  This surgery in particular has requirement to have someone to put all your questions and worries to afterward which I havent had.

The anxiety this has all caused me is incomprehensible.

Wishing you well. Am sure once you get home you will feel much better anyway 

I'm shocked and so sorry to hear how neglecful they were!  Mine was done on the NHS in a hospital under 'special measures' but my treatment was very good!  They checked my urine before they let me go home to make sure there was no blood in it.  They didn't routinely give antibiotics though, but I did need them a few days later when a bladder infection developed.  I'm glad you'll be home soon though.  Enjoy yourself relaxing:-))))

How are you feeling in yourself now Lorelli?

Oh - up and down stairs - we live in a bungalow and I'm not sure I could have done up and down stairs at that point!  I suppose though, if you have stairs at home, they have to make sure you can do it.

and i have steeeeppp stairs so when i am up i wont be coming down to often lol

well consultant told me o had uti from my ore op checks so i was like surely should be treated immediately not wait till discharge! all so strange!

was asked this morning if my stitches have been take out???? lol madness

they did give me some gel injections for doen below if it's really sore up and down stairs that numbs me impressed with that

Who asked if the stitches had been taken out LOL!?  I wonder if they gave you an antibiotic injection when they did the op.  That would cover you for a couple of days, I THINK.  Well those stairs will certainly keep you fit:-)  The gel stuff sounds good.  I'm just wondering if that might help someone who is terrified of internal examinations?  What's it called?

am still quite poorly and remain uncomfortable with this catheter nearly five weeks on. it's a horrid feeling to have a catheter for so long and still have a soreness and cutting pain. have noticed what look to be a few of the stitches which have come through into the leg bag which I hope is a sign that there is also some healing taking place.

I feel very low with all of this and just wish all this would have been explained to me prior to surgery so that I could have semi prepared for it. as it stands if seems I am a bug of a patient to the unit for having these complications and I feel very upset

am back to see nurse in 9 days to have next twoc to see if any improvement with bladder. I am praying and also very frightened incase same thing happens and after a few small voids they let me go home without cathever anx the done hours later I cannot go anx have to rush to the hospitsl. right now I wish I would never have had this done. thank you kindly for your concern. this site has been 100 tones more helpful than my specialist of anyone I have spoken with post surgery

Oh, I hoped you were feeling so much better now, even though the catheter was still there (which must be frustrating - I appreciate that!).  I think it's so useful you telling people on this group about your experiences because, as you said, you had no idea and I don't think any of us who have had these ops had a clue that things could get so difficult after.  I'm so sad that the hospital have made you feel like a nuisance too - that is so so wrong.  I'm still very much hoping that once you've recovered you'll look back and although it was a HORRIBLE time for you, you'll be so pleased with the results.  Know that there are lots of us thinking of you and hoping and praying that you'll soon be feeling so much better, physically and emotionally.

thank you for your note and such kind words. I have been in tears again today. I just have to try and plod along but being this uncomfortable for all these weeks had taken its toll.

I really didn't want to scare other women ahead of their procedures because I know most sail through without such complications but wanted women to read my post and at least be able to ask their doctors about anything prior to surgery.

I could honestly write a novel regarding this surgery and the care which has been extended. I hope things will improve soon. I am holding onto what the lovely radiologist told me last week when j had the uro dynamics scan as she told me that what she saw on scan meant my bladder would come back and start working again. I hope she us right. thank you again. hope a positive post will be on its way soonest ..

I laughed at the stitches question. That would be interesting. Intravenous antibiotics covers you for 24 hours usually.

My bladder was lazy and didn't wanna void all the way after I had my 2 or 3 week check with doctor. I was so distraught when he told me I needed to self cath. I wanted just the bag catherater but he said Nile its self cath. They instructed me and sent me home with 2 weeks supply to cath every I believe 2-3 hours after I voided. I did reluctantly after I moaned a few days, and bingo after 10 days I started voiding more each time and in longer intervals and I got to stop.

My bladder was trained and now it's doing well after 7 weeks.

Hope so very much that yours start cooperating soon!!

pleased you were able to retrain your bladder with the self cath method. the reason self cath would have been difficult for me is that I have rare condition which makes my body produce much more fluid for which I am medicated which means I also go to the toilet more than most so the self cath method could have proven very difficult for me. I have a flip flow with my catheter so have the ability to close if off to store fluid in bladder to try and cause spasm to help get it back to working. if on the next twoc my bladder is still a problem they will need to fit another cath for few weeks over holidays then I may have to have suprapubic cath fitted through the abdomen which I pray I will not need. I despair I really do.

pleased you feel stronger now

Thanks for that information. Peace be with you!!

This too shall pass for you!! Keep your spirits up!!

thank you... fingers crossed for that

Do they normally give intravenous antibiotics routinely with these ops Matron? 

No they don't unless as they say "there's a clinical need". That could mean someone who has an underlying medical condition eg diabetes, heart condition or low immunity. 

oh hun wish you all the best and hope your bladder starts working soon for you!

mfingers crossed for you

Ah, thanks for the info.   I wondered about that:-)))

lol it was funny not funny if you know what i mean! it was the head nurse on duty this morning, then she was like oh sorry haven't read your notes, really??

im atleast home now, managed the stair just waiting for first bm!! lots of wind so don't think to far off!

Peppermint is good for wind .  I'd bought various products to deal with that aspect, to the point I spent a day debating which one to use and by then the worst of the wind pain had gone:-)))  So I never used any of them!  Hope yours goes soon, too.

the gel stuff is called instillagel? its surigines filled with stuff to numb everything lol

That looks interesting and I wonder if it could help a lot of other people who don't know about it!  Thanks for the info.  It's stuff like that on this group where people can find out about things to help that their doctor never tells them:-))))

On my ward if a nurse didn't know every patient I would not be happy. Times  however have changed.

they dont seem expensive £15 for 2 weeks well 14 of them assuming its one a day as needed!

my consultant prescribed them as i said i was scared about my stairs lol

I'd not heard of it before but I reckon it could be useful for anyone worried about a catheter being put in.  Am I right that it's not an injection but just a product 'aimed' with a syringe at the right area?

yes thats right, from what I read its aimed mainly at self cath people intrigued to know how long it lasts take 5 min to work but doesnt say how long it lasts

It sounds impressive!  Do let us know how they work:-)

ive just tried some gel stuff as in agony to say the least! tight burny feeling around bum and opening! so thought lets try gel can settle into a comfy spot everything hurts! just so uncomfy i know will pass but geeeessss not fun

also have this pressure which i know will go once first bm is outta the way but not happening yet just all wind and diff dont wanna force it!

only used a bit of it to see what its like at first, the cold of it was soothing on its own lol

How long since BM?

Thursday morning was last one ,

Hey just wanted to say well done for getting though it! How are you feeling? X

thank you!

honestly today feel terrible, in myself i feel fine but my poor foo foo feels more swollen and uncomfortable then ever! i have literally been in bed since getting home, i walk to toilet and sometimes go downstairs to sit and eat tea with everyone but ouch feels very uncomfortable infeel like i could sit on a cornetto and inwould be over the moon

What you're describing are typical post op symptoms mosnippy. I'm pleased you're resting because that is the most important thing you can do at this stage. Just do as little as you want and if you have pain don't be a martyr! Pain delays recovery, I've said that so many times. Take care.

oh good so glad its normal just posted the question in new discussion lol

i have my pain pill but doesnt take that full swollen uncomfortable feeling away

also it itches is that stitches healing?

Don't worry that's totally normal, I'm 4weeks post and still feel really swollen inside. Do as little for possible for as long as you can, it's a rare opportunity to do nothing!

Are you taking an anti inflammatory? Sometimes that helps the swelling