Hysterectomy and Bladder Sling on March 23, 2010

Hello all!! I had a robotic hysterectomy and bladder sling on March 23, 2010. Everything went great and surprise, surprise, I went home with a Foley cath and they removed it yesterday morning (monday morning). The nurse that removed the cath told me that I may have to cath myself if my bladder does not work right away. Hmmm . . . had not heard much about that from the doctor. In the office it did work right away and I voided more that she added so she set me free. I was almost skipping out of the doctors office and thought I was surely on the road to recovery. I voided a couple of times that morning, or so I thought, I did not measure the amounts and should have. About 3:30-4:00 that afternoon I was taking a nap and my bladder starting urgently feeling like I had to go to the bathroom. Went in there and nothing happened and the spasms got worse and worse for 2 hours. I was practically rolling on the floor, my poor daughter trying to help me, calling the doctor and they called me in a prescription for something that made my urine turn orangish-brown. While my husband was going to get the prescription, I decided to try to cath myself and did that right in the middle of my bathroom floor. What a mess, but instant relief. I took the pills the doctor order and unless I cathed myself, did not get much that night. Today (Tuesday), I drank plenty water and hardly did anything. I cathed myself twice today, once in the morning and once about 3:30 in the afternoon. The doctors nurse said that I should only cath as a last resort, which I thought I was doing, so I have not cathed again. But here I am at 2:00 am and no going pottie, my bladder feels like it wants to work, but nothing comes out. The nurse says I have to give it time. But how do I know when I NEED to cath for health reasons and when I am over-doing it? I can't tell and dont want the urine to back up into my kidneys. What should I do?? I have already left a message for the doctor that I need to come in tomorrow, the urine that I do have coming out is cloudy now. No problems with the Hysterectomy or with bowel movements. Any ideas??? And thanks so much for any help you can give to me. God Bless all of you!!!

I'm so sorry you are having these problems...I also had a bladder sling done and that was my biggest fear....not the TVH. Luckily i didn't have to go home with the cath...but it does still feel different to pee. Only suggestions i know of would be to drink lots of water/cranberry juice even though you probably don't want to...are you on something for bladder spasms..did that med help at all? Have you tried using a squirt bottle of warm water on you while you are trying to go and are you taking your pain meds? I would think anything to "relax" you would help! Best of luck...hang in there...i'm sure this will soon pass.
Prayers and Hugs!

TerriSue and K1319
Had LAVH/BSO/cystocele/ant. repair and TVT sling on 3/22 I was so afraid of coming home w/ a cath or self-cathing. I am overweight and that just sounded HORRIBLE!!! So far so good. Urinated the next morning and out before 24 hours. BUT... urinating feels differently now. maybe having the huge cystocele "plugging" the way for so long began to feel normal. Now it feels "bubbly" when at the end of emptying. I do not have much pink discharge now and the liners aren't "wet" so hopefully I am not leaking. It is just still so scary...even tho' things have gone so well...so far. I just feel for you and the self-cathing....bending-mirror- my weight. GOSH....what we have to endure! Anatomy is DESTINY!!!

I am glad that your sling went well. I never even thought about having bladder problems with this surgery. Well I guess we live and learn. But you are right urinating does feel different, I have to "sneak" up on teh toilet to go and try not to think about it. I think they left the cath in too long and my baldder had a long recovery from that as well. But this week seems better and I hope you are better also. I am categorizing "self-Cathing" as a learning experience, I am getting pretty good at it, but dont want to have to keep doing it and hope it gets better soon. I go the the urologist today and this will be the first time I have seen him since the surgery. Thanks for your kind words and get well soon!!

BTW, I tried everything to get my bladder to work, laying in the bathtub, warm water, just everything I could think of, I guess my bladder was just not ready to work on its own. I think the cath left too much irritation. I was drinking too much water, so I cut back to only about (3) 12 oz glasses a day, but I am very disappointment in my bladder doctor, which I will have to see today for the first time since surgery, which my gynocologist thinks is awful that he never tried to help me through this bladder thing. I WILL change doctors when this is over. Have a great day!!

Thinking back...I was a little concerned that I did not choose to go to a uro-gynecologist. I didn't want to go to the teaching hospital. My sister worked for the female gyno I decided to go to -said she was the best and I could get it all done there. (I choose not to do the thing where the sling is attached to spinal column muscles-would have had to do that at a uro-gyno also) but I have been EXTREMELY pleased w/ my gyno. I had no pain what so ever and I did urinate the next morning after surgery. My gyno told me only 5-10% go home WITHOUT cath/self cathing and I said I'd just have to be hospitalized longer. I am not squeamish about body....just the thought of bending/using mirror/ being overweight...but it all worked out. In my 4th week and all still going very well....I think. I still feel bubbly at the ending of emptying bladder. Gyno said I could start back on Kegel's and see if it strengthened pelvic floor. I can do exercises and feel- no pain- but so far a little self-exploration resulted in things being very strange inside. Anyone experience unusual configuration inside? ANYTHING would be better than huge bulge of the cystocele and as long as I don't "leak" I guess I can't ask more than that, huh?