When to start pelvic floor exercises after surgery?

PS...my posterior repair is still in great shape after 30 years and no mesh was used! SUCCESS STORY! 

After a cystocele (anterior prolapsed bladder repair) I mostly slept the first two days after because I was on pain meds that made me sleepy. After that I started to feel better every day. Walking is fine and sitting is fine too. Just know that doing either for a long period of time will get you uncomfortable (even laying down). The key is to get enough rest, but I think if you are not doped up on meds you could definitely do some computer work from home. Probably just need to make sure to rest when you feel uncomfortable or eventually not resting enough will turn into pain and discomfort (at least from my experience). You are lucky if you work at home because for me standing and doing my hair and makeup would wipe me out. I had to take breaks from the pressure I would feel so it seemed to take a long time to shower and get myself presentable and out of the house. Good luck!

I'm 10 weeks post op, posterior repair with mesh. I found a foam ring cushion invaluable and still need to use it on harder chairs now. I was able to do a little bit of computer work at home after 3 weeks (but don't lift your laptop). Before that I was either too tired or would get too sore if I sat in the same position too long. A reclining chair with cushions felt the best. Don't worry about the op. i had some good days and some not so good but managed most of the pain with Ibuprofen & Paracetemol.

6  WEEKS POST-OP

Hello Ladies!

I had my 6 week post-op for anterior (bladder, cystocele) repair. My outpatient surgery was done vaginally, using my own tissue that supports the bladder. NO MESH or other materials used. The reason I had outpatient surgery was that I do not have health insurance and my doctor felt that I was in good enough shape and health that he was confident in performing my surgery at an outpatient surgical care center, 2 blocks from the hospital. The cost of everything was about 25% of what I had heard anterior repair surgery would be, so obviously that was a substantial saving to us.

I had all of my questions written down so that I wouldn't forget any...my doctor was pleased with that and took the time before the exam to listen. He answered what he could before the exam and met me in his office after the exam to finish answering the questions and inform me of my progress. 

I am telling you this so that you can be prepared at your appointments...if you ask the questions, they will answer them and you will get a lot more information regardless of where you are on your health journey. I did not ask many questions when I was diagnosed, I found most of my information on the Internet. At my 2 week post-op, I was completely unprepared and still had "med head" from the surgery, so basically didn't ask much. I was prepared this time.

My cystocele was a strong stage 3, pushing on stage 4 with a lot of pain pressure and problems with completely emptying my bladder. After surgery at my 2 week checkup, he said that I have some "residual bladder drop". After asking questions today, I now know that means I still have a stage 1 cystocele. The bulge is in the bottom of the bladder vs the top, which is good. He said even after removing excess tissue, pulling the tissue tight and stitching it, it still stretches because it's obviously, not new tissue. 

I have seen many comments about doing PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES soon after surgery. I asked him if I should have been doing them and he said " NO, NOT UNTIL YOU ARE COMPLETELY HEALED". So please check with your doctor before you start them. Maybe the decision is made on a case by case basis, or maybe the doctor's preference. I don't know, but I definitely don't want to go backwards or undo what surgery has done!

He removed the few remaining stitches that had not dissolved ( for comforts sake😀), and gave me the okay for bending, lifting, and walking. He said that pain will stop me if it's too much. He also gave me the okay for intercourse...my husband is working in another state right now, so I won't see how that goes for 5 more weeks. The up side to that is I have 5 more weeks of healing before I try it out! lol

I still have a lot of pressure in the groin area and problems eliminating if I don't go at the first urge. There is no infection 😀. He believes it's because I am not eliminating completely, so there is always pressure, so he gave me a prescription to use for one month to improve the emptying of the bladder. This should improve my comfort level tremendously! He still wants me up every 2 hours through the night to eliminate and keep the pressure off the bladder area while it continues to heal.

Some days are really good and some not so good. On the not so good days or days I know I will be on my feet a lot, I still use Lynn's garment to give me that extra support so I don't feel strained. The garment was designed for those who cannot or do not want surgery, BUT it gives much needed support to those of us that have had surgery and are healing. How many of you walked around the first couple weeks holding yourself and being thankful no one was there to see it? I know I did and was so happy to discover a support garment so I could walk around and not feel like I was falling out anymore.

Sorry if I rambled and gave too much information, but I know when I first came on this site, I wanted as much information as I could get. I am posting this on more than one discussion because different people on different discussions wanted an update.

I have another appointment in 4 weeks and hopefully all is completely healed at that time.  Thanks for reading and I pray all goes well for all of you, whatever stage of your journey you are at!

God bless!

Trisha

 

Hi Rita2602, Do them now - any exercise will help to improve circulation whch will help to improve your surgical outcomes by speeding up your recovery. After the surgery you can usually start to exerice after about 6 weeks, or following the advice of your surgeon. Whatever you do rememebr to rest, rest, rest. Don't rush it. You will see here where women want to do more than they should and they pay the price of pain or beeding, so take it really steady, but also make sure that your recovery weeks are not spent eating. You need to get strong, but with your pelvic floor repair you need to make sure you lose weight (if you are a few pounds or kgs over) as this weight has a direct affect on your pelvic floor vby adding more strain to it. Eactly what it does not need.

Good luck, take it steady, your body needs time to adjust!.

Hi Rita. I'm booked for the Samson July 20. Are you also having a vaginal hysterectomy ?

I had my surgery on 31st July 2017.  It was an anterior and posterior vaginal repair with bladder prolapse.  I had to stop working on sick leave three weeks before as I was in too much pain and couldn't sit in car or walk properly.  This is my 4th week home from surgery.  I was advised to start the pelvic floor exercises as directed by a physio at the hospital as soon as I could.  I have started to have back pain after sitting or standing for half a day.  Not sure what is going to happen at work as I am a direct care worker and work in peoples homes during the day and also respite at night.  By 4.30 am in agony with pain in back and legs.  Going to the surgeon/gyno who did the op for the second visit.  He was happy with the first and have been told that I cannot lift more then 10 to 15 kg.  My work might be in jeopardy to a certain degree but if I don't follow his instructions it might happen again.  I don't do gardening anymore, have a gardener and I also don't clean my house either, have a good friend that comes to clean my house.  Not sure what will happen, going today to see what he means by transitioning to work and then to my doctor for a referral to a pelvic floor specialist who will show me how to cope with my job.  I am 64 and was diagnosed in 2015.  After a day in the sun on a row boat I fronted emergency in my area on February 2017.  I paid for it myself as I didn't want to wait a year or I would surely had have to go on benefits and I didn't want that to happen.  Yes I was tired, very tired and I was depressed and crying for the first two weeks.  Hope you take care of yourself and do things very slowly.