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What I can and cant do 2 weeks after anterior repair

Posted , 6 users are following.

welshgirl67
welshgirl67

Hello Ladies.. I have an upcoming anterior repair booked for April. I have recently realised I will have to have at least 6 weeks off to heal. My job is a sales assistsant in a ladies boutique. My husband is off with me for the first 2 weeks.My question is what can I do after this time. Will i be able to walk around, walk upstairs, make a cuppa, or even go for a run in the car (not driving i know) I understand how recovery is the key to this surgery being a success and I certainly dont want it to fail.My husband is brilliant at home so i have no worries about him doing the chores at home while i rest up. Any other advice would be wonderful from you ladies who have been through it. Positive stories welcome lol. I have a wonderful surgeon who i completely feel will do a fantastic job.

Thank You and hope to hear so positve feedback.xx

0 likes, 42 replies

42 Replies

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  • doris29
    doris29 welshgirl67

    Posted

    Hi hun.

    Everyone is different and it does depend on how fit and healthy you are before surgery

    I had surgery 10 days ago and I feel fine. The only thing I can't do is drive. I've been able to do light cooking and cleaning. We even took the kids sea life Centre yesterday.

    I've had no pain, just been a little sore/uncomfortable. Like just after giving birth.

    I will add that I am strong so have good upper body strength.

    I was so scared before this op but I'm so glad I had it done.

    Make sure to get some laxido and start it 5 days before op so you are cleared out. Don't have it the day of op but start it again the day after. Also do you pelvic floor exercises as soon as you can without pain.

    Rest as much as possible and do not over do anything whilst on painkillers as when they wear off you'll get a wake up call.

    Be sensible, listen to your body.

    Good luck x

    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 doris29

      Posted

      Thanks Vicky, Iam very healthy, slim, dont smoke drink or eat crap foods. I am only 8 stone 6, cant beleve i have this. I didnt realise I had to clean out bowels? is that what i need to do them for anteior repair?

      thank you for your advice.XX

    • Jan999
      Jan999 welshgirl67

      Posted

      You don't have to clean out your bowels such as having an enema, you just need to have your bowels opened regularly.
    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 Jan999

      Posted

      oh ok lol. thats sounds sensible i guess so you dont push your wounds. Thank You MATRON, your so sincere in your replies.. thanks for being there and all the other ladies who love this site.xx
    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 doris29

      Posted

      Did you have a urogyna vcky to do your surgery? It must be wonderful to have it all done. Im so blessed to have found my urogyna surgeon from southampton. He is the top one leading out of southampton general. makes me feel a whole lot better. I am scared to death of that tube and packing. oh no th thought.x
    • doris29
      doris29 welshgirl67

      Posted

      Hi hun. I had a gynaecologist at Rutland memorial hospital. She is amazing.

      The packing is nothing. I was so worried about that, I thought it would be like a fat tampon but it was like bandage. We did have a laugh when the nurse was pulling it out, it was like a magic trick haha. It seriously is so long. No pain though. And the catheter is nothing.

      I was so scared hun. Just relax and know you're in good hands. Listen to your body and rest as much as possible.

      Keep us posted x

    • chris00938
      chris00938 doris29

      Posted

      I didn't get any packing at all LOL!  And I didn't even realise there WAS a catheter until they said they'd come to remove it (although they'd told me there would be one but I mean I couldn't feel it)  and it didn't hurt at all.  It's an amazing device - apparently they put it in while you're under anaesthetic and then blow up a balloon that holds it in place, and then just take the air out to pull it out.   The most amazing bit was that first trip to the loo when I got out of bed, feeling that the prolapse wasn't there!:-))))  I felt as though I could have danced my way there LOL!   Mine did later fail, but it was predisposed to do that because of a connective tissue disorder, but even though I had a hysterectomy at the same time, the whole experience wasn't bad at all.
    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 doris29

      Posted

      oh sorry for all the spelling mistakes, keyboard is shot lol.xx
  • Jan999
    Jan999 welshgirl67

    Posted

    Still rest, rest and more rest. Potter around the house or in the garden if the weather is ok but nothing more. Still no lifting until 4 weeks then you can start gradually lifting more weight. Listen to your body. If you feel tired don't push yourself, just rest. 
    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 Jan999

      Posted

      Thankyou Matron, all good advice. I ddnt realise  had o take laxatives?

      I dont take over the counter meds only natural rems.xx

    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 Jan999

      Posted

      What exercises are ok to day afterwards matron? I mean when all is healed and i want to keep pelvic floor strong? xx
    • doris29
      doris29 welshgirl67

      Posted

      You're my kind of girl! Natural all the way. But seriously, get some laxido.

    • Jan999
      Jan999 welshgirl67

      Posted

      You can virtually do any exercise. After 18 months I went to Zumba but I've had to stop now because I have osteoarthritis in my knees but yoga and Pilates are fine.
    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 Jan999

      Posted

      except high impact like running? is that right matron
    • Jan999
      Jan999 welshgirl67

      Posted

      High impact running is probably not a good idea but I do know of a Urogynaecologist that does say it's ok but none of the others do. 
    • doris29
      doris29 Jan999

      Posted

      Get weight training matron. Builds good bones x
    • Jan999
      Jan999 doris29

      Posted

      I would if the osteoarthritis wasn't in my shoulders as well. I do have some of those dumb bells (not sure if that's what they are called) and I use them occasionally but they aren't too heavy. The OA in my shoulders is a lot worse than my knees.
    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 doris29

      Posted

      id be afraid to do weight training vicky after prolapse repair. is it ok to do then? confused now.x
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Jan999

      Posted

      I THINK I've read somewhere that weight training might not be advisable, but I'm not sure.  Anyone know?
    • chris00938
      chris00938 doris29

      Posted

      Ah I just asked about that.  I had a feeling I'd read somewhere that weight training wasn't a good idea but I'm really not sure?
    • Jan999
      Jan999 chris00938

      Posted

      Depends on the weights you use but yes having been a gym member in the past and knowing how heavy weights are it's best left alone.
    • chris00938
      chris00938

      Posted

      Just remembered - you shouldn't do sit ups or anything that puts strain on the abdomen after prolapse surgery.  I don't know if that means while it's healing though or permanently.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Jan999

      Posted

      Right - say no more.  My husband was thinking of buying some weights, so if he does, I'll not go near them then LOL!  I noticed there is a fair bit of advice on the net about exercising (or avoiding certain exercises)  with a prolapse, but I don't know if the same advice applies if you've had a prolapse and it's been repaired?  I'm rather assuming (maybe wrongly?) that if you've had a prolapse repaired you are vulnerable to a prolapse happening again if you don't take some care?  It seems that anything that puts pressure on upper abdominals puts pressure on the abdomen too and stresses the prolapse?
    • Jan999
      Jan999 chris00938

      Posted

      In the ideal world every woman should be able to get back to normal following prolapse surgery. Some do and never have any problems, others are not so lucky. It's a bit of a lottery really.
    • welshgirl67
      welshgirl67 Jan999

      Posted

      yes it is, i agreee matron. I guess it depends on the surgeon, the person and just pure luck. i got everything crossed for mine.xx
    • doris29
      doris29 welshgirl67

      Posted

      I'll let you know. I'm barred from the gym until 12-13 weeks after surgery. Will defo keep you updated.

      I will start back at the bottom and build my strength again slowly like after having my son. I was weight training up to 37 weeks pregnant x

    • robyn94818
      robyn94818 doris29

      Posted

      Don't agree if she is only having anterior repair and already has normal bowel function already. I seriously doubt it's needed and not recommended by Urogynae. You won't get "bunged up" if you're not usually inclined to that as if you eat proper balanced diet with plenty fruit & veg then you will have no reason to be constipated. I didn't expect to just continue going normally and that is exactly how it was.
    • doris29
      doris29 welshgirl67

      Posted

      Me too. Grammar will help us right now!

      I'm guessing she is saying you don't need the laxido. That's her opinion

      I'd rather be safe than sorry but that's my opinion x

    • robyn94818
      robyn94818

      Posted

      Oops, that above should read "I didn't expect to NOT just continue going normally..........................."
    • chris00938
      chris00938 robyn94818

      Posted

      Just putting my twopennyworth in - a proper balanced diet with plenty of fruit and veg won't work for everyone and doesn't for me.  I eat 7 or 8 portions of  fruit and veg daily but take Movical twice a day because of constipation that I've had since a child and my granddaughter is the same regarding constipation, so not everyone is sorted out by loads of fruit and fibre BUT, having said that, if your bowel habits are normal and you can 'go' before the op, without help, I don't think I'd be inclined to use anything before but I would afterwards because I remember my surgeon telling me that often you miss a day or two after the op because if the bowel is touched at all with an operation then it goes into a brief state of paralysis, so that's when you're going to find motions harden and just at the point where you don't want it to be more difficult to go, it might be, because the moisture has come out of them to an extent.  Hope that might make sense?
    • doris29
      doris29 chris00938

      Posted

      I had laxido from Sunday to Wednesday. Had op Thursday then started laxido Saturday again. I now take one every three days just to make sure it's soft. When my stitches are healed I will stop taking it. I eat well too.
    • doris29
      doris29

      Posted

      Opinions are like ass holes. Everyone has one and some stink!

      Each to their own. If my opinion helps someone then good but I'm also just saying what I did. Not forcing anyone to do it x

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