hysterectomy/rectocele surgery complication - 2nd surgery?

Hi! I am new to this web site. I should probably talk to the manager of this website first to see how to approach talking about a private issue post surgery and see if anyone else has gone through a second surgery for the same complications. I had a hysterectomy/ rectocele surgery and now face a second surgery. Thanks for all your help. Is there a different message board for rectocele surgery?

The post-op message board is the right place to ask this question. I know that many women here have had this complication after their initial surgery. Hopefully, someone will come along and be able to answer all of your questions quickly. Take care. I am truly sorry that you are facing more surgery. S~Moonchime

Hi,
You might also want to read the "The Road Less Traveled" message thread on this site. I've seen the word in some of their thread titles. Also try doing a search (in upper right hand corner of the site) for the word, "rectocele."

Wishing you the best.

Hi Solarsally, welcome! You're in the right place. I had a hysterectomy and cystocele and rectocele repair last year. Within 2-4 weeks post-op my prolapse surgery failed and I have just recently had my second repair. Tell me what's going on and how I can be of help to you. Please feel free to either post here so others may know how they can help or PM me anytime.
Michelle

Hi solarsally and welcome! I've moved your post over here to the Road Less Traveled board, which is a forum for ladies who are more than six months post hysterectomy and having complications, usually requiring additional surgery. I'm sorry you fall into this group but am glad you're joining us.

There are several ladies here who have had surgery to correct a rectocele after their hysterectomies. I had mine fixed at the same time as my hyst. It was done vaginally, and I had some minor discomfort for about two months from the incision in the perineum, but nothing unbearable.

Please feel free to post your questions about the surgery, recovery, etc. here.

s,
-Linda

Hi!
I have a pre-op appt next week for rectocele and cystocele surgery. I had a TAH 4 years ago and started having difficulties with rectocele about a year ago. I am not thrilled and am concerned about recovery time. My Dr said one month, but after reading some of these posts, it seems like longer. I am busy writing down all of my questions for the Dr. I am wondering if people have had good successes with the surgery. I see some have had to have it done again. Even though I am not having big cystocele symptoms, I'd like to get it taken care of at the same time, rather than sometime down the road. I'll be looking at the responses you get. Thanks for posting!
Jenny

Hi... I had a rectocele repair 15 weeks ago, feb 20th. It has been very succesful is so far as it has improved the horrible symptoms I was having and I am very pleased to have had it done.There was no alternative for me but surgery.
Recovery from the operation itself took me 6 weeks. I had 6 weeks of lifting restrictions and was not allowed to drive. It was very uncomfortable at times, but manageable and it did get better. For the first 4 weeks, I couldn't sit down properly..had to recline! My surgeon reckons on 10 - 12 weeks before you are back to your 'normal' activities.
I have a weak pelvic floor, which is why I have had to have 3 repair ops, not because of failed surgery. I have to kegel for life and avoid really heavy lifting for ever, to give my pelvic flor the best chance.
There are many of us here on The Road less travelled...do a search on rectoceles and you will find us!!! Good luck.

Welcome to the right board! I just had rectocele pair surgery 5 weeks ago and had my hyst about 3 year ago. Please feel free to PM me with questions or post here. Sorry about your issues, please know many of us have had to deal with on-going issues, so you are not alone. There are lots of wonderful ladies who have taken the time to help me through the rough times and I'm sure you'll get your questions answered through these boards.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by candyapplelady Hi Solarsally, welcome! You're in the right place. I had a hysterectomy and cystocele and rectocele repair last year. Within 2-4 weeks post-op my prolapse surgery failed and I have just recently had my second repair. Tell me what's going on and how I can be of help to you. Please feel free to either post here so others may know how they can help or PM me anytime. Michelle

Dear Candyapplelady,
Thanks for writing back. I may need to go to a different site for sex problems after surgery. It has been 1 & 1/2 years since my initial surgery. I have had to use dilators to help open my vagina and get rid of the scar tissue. I have been to my erogynocologist to complain of bleeding from my uretra after having sex. It feels just like a urinary tract infection but it is not. I was told to continue expanding my vagina and it will get larger over time. My husband is way bigger than my new opening and I have used various dilators to increase the size of the opening. Intercourse is pushing against my urethra and this squeeze makes my urethra bleed.
I have been reluctant to use a hormonal cream as their are a multitude of very bad side effects, but now that I will be approaching another surgery to graft more skin at the back of my vagina opening , I am willing to try it to see if it makes a difference. ( I am told to only put it at the vafina opening 2 times a week. My husband and I cannot have intercourse unless I use the dilator first. After a year and a half, I would think it should be able to be more spontaneous to have sex with my husband, and I still bleed from my urethra about 1/2 the time on the day after we have intercourse. My new surgery has only a 75% success rate, but I guess I have no other alternative, if I want to continue a normal sex life with my husband and have a healthy urehra that does not bleed.
I was told to measure my husband's penis circumferance several weeks after I had my first surgery because he was having trouble getting in. I purchased a dilator close to the right circumferance size.
At last week's doctor visit, I was told the back of my vagina is not expanding due to the rectocele surgery that was done in that area. My frustration is that I wish they would have ask me my husband's circumference size before my first surgery, instead of relying on one size fits all. The doctor said my problem has nothing to do with the vagina opening but to the tissue structure that is at the back of the vagina to hold up a mesh screen, and since this muscular tissue cannot stretch, It makes for a very tight squeeze.
Has anyone else experienced this problem after hysterectomy/rectocele surgery? Did anyone have the second surgery to correct this problem?
Thanks for all your support. Solarsally

	Quote:
Originally Posted by solarsally I have been reluctant to use a hormonal cream as their are a multitude of very bad side effects, ...

(((Sally))), can you tell us what side effects you are worried about? The vaginal estrogen creams are extremely low dose creams that, to my knowledge, do not cause side effects unless one is sensitive to one of the ingredients in the base, which does happen for some women (propylene glycol).

Also... how do you know the bleeding is coming specifically from the urethra and not from the vaginal walls around that area?

Either way, using vaginal estrogen for a while should be able to reverse the damage, which sounds like it's vaginal and urethral atrophy caused by lack of estrogen. As the vaginal walls get healthier, with time, the dilator(s) should be able to start to stretch the vagina so that penetration becomes easier. If I were in your situation, I would wait and give the estrogen and dilator a chance to work before rushing into yet another surgery and recovery, after which you will still need to use the vaginal estrogen and dilator anyway.

s,
-Linda