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What should I expect during recovery from cystocele and rectocele surgery?

Posted , 79 users are following.

Mrytle
Mrytle

I've facing surgery in a week and have reservations.  Would like to know how others have recovered.  

4 likes, 192 replies

192 Replies

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  • DLionMomma
    DLionMomma Mrytle

    Posted

    Hi i am 47 in a few wks and

    learned i am due summer 2018 to have rectocele repair surgery.

    I am grateful for a group like this as i am pretty nervous and apprehensive.

    I was described as a stage 3 by the surgeon. What does that mean?

    Im in Canada and i deferred the surgery offered in February so i can save money for revovery time. I run my own daycare and will have to close down both for recovery and just because who would wait 2 months for me to reopen? Not 6 families who need care. So sad. 10 years and no benefits, no medical e.i., etc

    • Redhead1960
      Redhead1960 DLionMomma

      Posted

      Hi Dlionmomma, so sorry about your daycare business. Hope you can start again when you are recovered. Meanwhile, stage 3 prolapse means the prolapses is between 1 to 2 cm outside the entrance to the vagina. The scale is 0, no prolapse, up to stage 4 total inversion of the vagina. Hope this helps.
  • KatB123
    KatB123 Mrytle

    Posted

    My poor mother just had this operation done (Rectocele and Cystocele Repairs) and she is experiencing WAY more pain than she was told/ expected. Her surgery was done monday morning and it is now thursday and she is not any better. She has extreme pain and major bruising around her butt hole. Her butt is her main source of pain. She is taking her pain meds but walking for her even just from living room to bedroom is a 10/10 on the pain scale for her. Can anyone shed some light on if this is normal? She has NOT had a bowel movement yet and she is scared to death it is going to hurt extremely bad. What has the time frame of recovery been  for other who have had this procedure done? When might she start to feel better where walking is lower on the pain scale? And just a side note, she is not whimpy when it comes to pain so I know it must be bad. 

    Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

    • Redhead1960
      Redhead1960 KatB123

      Posted

      hi KatB, hope you Mum is now starting to feel better. It is a painful procedure and she will likely need full pain relief for the first couple of weeks but it does gradually get better. Your mum should take stool softeners to help with bowel movement, again it is quite normal not to go for several days post surgery. The body seems to shut down but also taking pain medication especially codeine leads to constipation. Laxatives can be used if she gets too uncomfortable. It is great that you can be there to support her. Even when it is less painful, she should not lift or carry any weights, not sit or stand for any length of time and will likely get very tired. I am almost 6 weeks post op and although not in pain have not yet regained my normal energy levels. There is lots of good info on this site. Good luck to your mum and a shout out to you for supporting your mum through this. 
    • KatB123
      KatB123 Redhead1960

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply @redhead1960 How long until you were able to get out of the house? It’ll be a week tomorrow and she can go from the bedroom to the living room and bathroom. That’s about it. She’s starting to get stir crazy sitting in this house. She is definitely getting better but man... it’s slow healing it seems like. Also, she finally had a bowel movement and catheter is out. We are making process so there is some positivity! 
    • Redhead1960
      Redhead1960 KatB123

      Posted

      Hi KatB123, I think most people are pretty much housebound for the first 2 to 3 weeks post op. I did manage short car journeys from about 2 weeks post op and short walks (about 5 to 10 minutes) to a friends house from 3 weeks. Car journeys were uncomfortable and are still not great now if more than about 20 minutes. I wager that come week 3 she will be able to walk a little outside but will probably welcome an arm to lean on, I know even now I worry about slipping on the icy path but it is mainly a confidence thing....and this is someone who pre op and pre prolapse would walk for miles in all terrains and all weathers just for the love of being outside and the exertion. Whilst she is resting indoors she is helping her body heal, hopefully she can have visitors and I kept myself busy with admin and reading etc as I started to feel more comfortable. 
    • Giggles59
      Giggles59 KatB123

      Posted

      I am a month post op and feeling much better.  Bowel movements?  It's a whole new ball game as I had a hysterectomy, rectocele, enterocele, and several other things.  For the first few days I stayed at a friends house and my friend waited on me.  I'm so glad I took up her offer as I live by myself.  I was able to walk to the end of their fairly long driveway and enjoy the early November weather which was sunny and warm.  There's been a few days when all I've done is walk around inside my little house.  My instructions were to walk 4 times a day, every day.  I have walked to the sidewalk a few times a day and around my block a few times since surgery.  I went once without anyone with me and almost called someone to come get me as I was feeling tired.  For perspective, I was walking 1-3 miles a day before surgery.  It's slow going but I'm sure if your mother is up to it that it would help her a lot to get outside even for only a few minutes.  It is definitely a very slow recovery time.  I'm glad that I actually have a good 9 weeks off work.  Week 9 is previously scheduled vacation time.   I see my doctor at week 8. I cannot return to work until he releases me to do so. 

    • suzie61
      suzie61 Redhead1960

      Posted

      Hi, I am in day 10 of vaginal Rectocele repair. I have had little pain, though been quite constipated. I am taking Metamucil, eating lots of fibre, drinking heaps of water and also had to take micro lax to help relieve constipation. A little bit of relief, though not 10 days worth. I had bleeding for a couple of days, but today after bending down to pick up my clothes off the floor had a heavy bleed and now a med-light bleed. I am in a panic is this normal? TIA
  • chudleigh
    chudleigh Mrytle

    Posted

    sorry t jump on this thread but I'm desperate ... I have been diagnosed with rectocele and cystocele and been told it could be a year before surgery ( I'm near Melbourne ) I am in niggly pain all the time , which gets VERY intense by night time . I hardly slept last night, I do have a slight bulge coming out of my vagina . how can I get the doc to bump me up the list ? I cannot continue for a year like this. Feeling exhausted and sad . 

     

    • Redhead1960
      Redhead1960 chudleigh

      Posted

      Hi chudleigh, I am not sure how the waiting lists work in Australia, but to help your condition in the meantime, have you or could you try pelvic floor exercises......ideally with the support of a women's health physio. There are also various apps and kit available to help. For sure it is not a cure, but can help relieve the pressure. Perhaps you may be suitable for a uterine ring pessary? I had a grade 2 Rectocele and Cystocele and had one fitted whilst I waited for surgery and it made a big difference for me. Other than that, I found persistence with making sure the doctor understood the adverse impact the prolapse was having on my quality of life despite all my best efforts with pelvic floor exercise etc. Good luck.

  • RobinLe
    RobinLe Mrytle

    Posted

    HI All,

    I had an internal rectal prolapse repaired and pelvic floor repair done almost 4 weeks ago. They went through my abdomen and removed 18” of colon plus hitched the organs up and stapled in place. Recovery started off rough as I had internal bleeding and didn’t wake from anesthesia for two days. I had constipation the first week and had to use an enema, but now with stool softeners that’s better though not normal.

    I’m concerned because my rectum and perineum feel swollen. I hope I haven’t done damage. Is some pain there normal?

    I do have a rectocele that’s not fixed because surgeon does that in a separate surgery three months later. He made it sound like a far easier surgery but after reading here I’m not so sure.

    Would appreciate any thoughts on swelling and pain down there after this type of surgery.

    Thanks, Robin

  • elena13889
    elena13889 Mrytle

    Posted

    I had my surgery 4 month ago, rectocele, cystocele,  sling around the bladder and a mesh attached to the scarum.  After a 5 hour surgery they send me homenaje the same day . My recovery was  very slow.   After 4 month, I still feel a lot of pulling and discomfort. Any of you has experience the discomfort or light pain?  I am about to contact my doctor again.  Thanks 
  • shellyjo
    shellyjo Mrytle

    Posted

    I had rectocele cystcele surgery w/o mesh 2 weeks ago. The 1st week was rough but now I'm feeling pretty good. I am really sore near my tailbone, which from reading people's posts, is normal. I'm also having a lot of pressure and heaviness in my right side. It feels like there's a ball in there. It is my greatest problem right now. I'm probably overdoing it. I'm not a very good patient. I have a hard time sitting around. Has anyone else experienced this? TIA

  • sheepystar77
    sheepystar77 Mrytle

    Posted

    Hi I am waiting for surgery on a grade 1 cystocele and grade 2 rectocele. I live in UK and was due to go in to hospital 4th Jan but op was cancelled due to the winter pressures on NHS. I have had a pop for 3 years, first recommendation was to see physio, pelvic floor exercises which I did 3 times a day everyday. But my prolapse got worse. I'm 54 and I guess menopause plays a part in weakening the pelvic floor. I saw the consultant and they fitted me with 4 different types of pessary, each one fell out or moved to an uncomfortable position within hours. Last July consultant suggested repair op as only other option, with possible hysterectomy. Since my op was cancelled I found this website.

    I had not been told much info about recovery. Handed a leaflet that said something like 6 weeks to recover, drive, sex etc. But reading the posts on here has opened my eyes, I didn't realise.

    My prolapse isn't painful, just at times uncomfortable, I have no issues with bowels or bladder. Although at first I felt pressure on my bladder. 

    Like you Mrytle I would like to know about recovery. I am fit and active and can't bear the thought of not being able to do much for weeks/ months. I have a physical job which gets real busy.

    I am now wondering whether to give the surgery a miss, and just get on with life albeit sometimes feeling uncomfortable.

    • patti47255
      patti47255 sheepystar77

      Posted

      Hi I thought I should respond. I am 48, very active, and had the pelvic floor surgery to remove my uterus and repair my bladder, and vagina prolapse. I thought I would be back to work in 2-3 weeks, it is now 5 weeks and I dont see how I am going back to work. This has been horrible. I finally went for a 20 minute walk at 4 weeks and the next day I was bleeding and in so much pain. I literally have been doing nothing since my surgery but resting so you would think at 4 weeks I would be able to go for a short walk- NOT the case. I am getting really depressed, the recovery has been beyond anything I could have expected. My advice is that if you arent having problems then start doing kegel exercises and dont have the surgery unless you ABSOLUTELY need it.

      Good luck smile

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