Hyst with posterior and anterior repair

Hi ladies,

Bunco - don't get too discouraged. My Dr. told me it may take up to 8 weeks for the bladder to recover and get back to normal.

Leesa9731 - You go girl! My DH has never complained or said a word, but you should have seen the smile on his face as the Dr was describing the expected outcome of the AP repair. I'm hoping for a very pleasant improvement for both of us. We have 4 beautiful children, but all over 9 lbs at birth. I've dealt with the stress incontinence for well over 15 years and a mild prolapse for the same length of time. During the past year the prolapse extended significantly and had to be addressed. I'm really looking forward to see what it's like to be "normal" again once the swelling goes down.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend - Happy 4th for those of you in the US!

C

Hi ladies,
I hope everyone is feeling great. I have had a tough weekend but I am finally able to pee some on my own. It has taken 3 weeks but maybe I'm slowly getting there.

This is wishing everyone a speedy recovery.

Congratulations Bunco!! That must be such a relief. Does it feel like it's coming through a porous rock or perhaps a very dense sponge, with many obstacles to negotiate before it finally trickles out? Or is it finding its way more surely?

On the other side of our repairs, I can now claim 3 BMs on consecutive days without significant pain.

Take care.
Jx

Judna,
It does seem different when I go almost like I am doing the complete opposite of what I use to do. It is like I have to squeeze to pee instead of squeezing to sop. It has been so long though maybe I just forgot. I am still having to self cath but I have been keeping a log so that I can see the process. That helps.

I had no trouble with BM's glad to see that things are going well for you!!

Hi Bunco - Thanks I can claim 4 BMs now and starting to feel normal in that department.
Squeezing to start peeing doesn't sound good, but I understand if it is with a catheter. I had a few intermittent catheterisations in the first week before my bladder had worked out the new anatomical arrangements. Your post sounds like you are feeling positive. Hope todays log shows steady progress Take care of yourself.
Jx

I must admit that I noticed a difference right away. I used to have to use the bathroom all the time. Now I don't. One thing I notice though is that I don't always have a definite urge. It is more of a sensation and I think hmm I have to go the bathroom. Unfortunately for me, my Dr. is not going to let me lift anymore than 15 pounds. He doesn't want me to mess up my surgery.

I also have more vague sensations re bladder fullness. It is still early days so perhaps we will both have some improvement with healing.
Do you know why you have the 15 lb limit? Is that longterm?

I have a follow-up appointment on Monday at which I'll get that advice. Feeling reasonably positive about this as mesh was not needed for my repairs. Dr said he was able to dissect out enough tissue worth stitching together to avoid introduction of mesh.

Jx

OMG, I can't even imagine it right now. I also looked and it does look different. I couldn't even admit a finger if I wanted to right now. I hope it loosens up a bit more than that before my 6 to 8 weeks of pelvic rest is up! I have a hard ridge of sutured tissue that comes to the outside just a little bit (the posterior repair) and I think it extends all the way up inside. Boy, I hope that thing calms down and goes away. I'm sure it all too soon and swollen at this point to make any determination. At this point I'm just glad I can pee now without a catheter. I didn't even have an anterior repair much less a bladder sling - nothing on my bladder - and I could not pee for 4 days and had to wear a catheter. I must have a sensitive bladder for sure.

Judna- Dr. said that I have a really weak pelvic floor and if I didn't adhere to the weight limit I could undo all that he did. He said that I had great results this time, but he couldn't guarantee that I would have the same results if they had to do it again. So, yes it is forever I guess. I had to have the mesh and also cow or cadaver fascia for the rear repair. It is going to be hard to stick with the weight limit, but I don't want to have to have this done again.