Now I Have More Questions than Answers

I finally had my appointment with the Uro/Gyn for a cystoscopy to check for a urethral diverticulum. The good news is I do not have a urethral diverticulum. The ping pong ball sized anterior wall mass I have is redundant vaginal tissue that is protruding from the vagina. (I have my very own testicle) The Uro/Gyn said that if it is really bothering me that much I can have it removed.
I asked what caused me to have urinary frequency 4 weeks post-op. He doesn't know but "take Detrol LA and maybe that will help but it takes up to 6 weeks to start working". Thanks but I have frequency now (going 1-2 times an hour) that I need to deal with.
I asked why I have spotting for 2 hours after straining with a BM. He says everything is healed so I should not have any bleeding but try some Premarin cream. (I've been using it for 6 weeks now, hasn't helped yet.)
I asked why sex is so painful that DH has been unable to completely enter. I have 3 spots that hurt, the "mass" at the entrance to the vagina hurts and gets irritated with penetration, the right side has an area that causes burning pain and a little further in there is a sore spot that stops me dead in my tracks. He said my vagina is not shorter or narrower. The sore spot is at the end of the mesh and he says it is not eroded so he doesn't know why it hurts, "but the surgery I did is holding up really well". So I asked, "does that mean I'm just supposed to bite my lip and bear it?" He said, "try Premarin cream it will help and it will also help to shrink that vaginal tissue."
Seems like Premarin cream is his answer for everything. If this cream can shrink tissue the size of a ping pong ball then I'm going to start smearing it all over my belly so that can shrink too!
When we discussed removing the redundant vaginal tissue he told me it could probably be
"snipped" in the office, then in the next breath he told me my Gyn can do it but he would probably want to do it in the OR and I should give him a call.
When I discussed this with my Gyn over the phone he said there would be no "snipping in my office". He has seen this area and says it is too big to be done outpatient in the office. So now I have an appointment next week to see my Gyn so he can evaluate this again.
I think I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. The hysterectomy and first prolapse repair left me with permanent right sided abdominal pain, the second prolapse repair left me with over active bladder and pain that prevents me from having sex. I can't even begin to imagine what can happen if I have this mass removed. So what do I do?
Michelle

Michelle,

I'm sooo sorry you are going through this. I can't offer you any advice other than you might improve the situation if you have the mass removed. Perhaps it's causing extra pressure and pain in an already sensitive area.

You're in my prayers.

Linda

Hugs Michelle,
I'm sorry your appointment didn't go well, I think we have that problem lately. I still think you are early in your recovery, so some of the internal pain may still go away. The ping pong ball - no way is that going to go away, I can't believe they ignored that during surgery. You must be so frustrated. As you know I have been dealing with frequency for the past 5 years and frustrating isn't the word. Then Friday I started feeling like I had to go all the time, no break at all so yesterday I went to my reg. doctor and I don't have an infection - sigh. Now he put me on 7 days of antibiotics anyway, I am to take pyradium (AZO) 3 times a day and tylenol for pain. The back of my legs is sore from sitting on the toilet so much. This is just crazy, my dh and I had a huge fight last night because he wanted to go do something fun and I felt so bad I just couldn't go -(he appologized this morning). Hang in there and don't give up we have to get better.
Hugs again. Happy 4th!

Michelle,
i am sorry that this happened. I went for another opinion, and foundout that I have a rectocele, my original doc did not tell me. you may still be early. i had my surgery on 13th or March. i wasn't released for 10 weeks. i have heard of women using dialator to help stretch the vagina. Do you think it is the mesh that hurts? Do you have any pain and pressure down there, or is it just with intercorse?
I know what you mean about each surgery leaving its MARK on you. I am afraid to have any more, but I dont want to live like this.

And bowlingirl, i know how you feel. people look at me like I am crazy. or just get over it. If they really only knew. And meanwhile, we are doing our daily things with pain. If I could go back, but we must go on and keep trying. I will keep going to doctors until I ahve exhausted all other opinions, then maybe pain mangement. But my urgency got better with my last surgery. one thing I think is better.

You are so funny. I have been over here crying and laughing about what you said about putting the premarin cream on your belly. Hey, if it shrinks a huge pingball sized area, then maybe we will have a cure for fat bellies. LOL HEEHEE I had a doctor ask me if I could just live with my buldge??? I had a cystcele, and rectocele and my bladder was hanging out. I said, NO! I wanted to ask him if he could live with his intestines hanging out of his butt. It just seems to me that these doctors just get tired of us and want us to go away doesn't it? UGH If I were you I would get a 2nd opinion. That is what I am going to do myself. I need a cure, not a fix that isn't even going to hold for a year. GRRR Well, good luck, Tracy

Tinker, thanks for checking in on my thread. I'm really not sure if it is the mesh that hurts. The mesh extends from the rectocele up towards the cystocele. There are a few spots that hurt. The worst is that ping pong ball sized piece of tissue that is hanging out of the top of my vagina and there is no mesh in that spot. The other spot is way up inside where the end of the mesh is near where the cystocele was repaired. That spot hurts during sex. I don't think I need a dilator because DH fits ok, it's the abrasion of that tissue and that spot that DH hits that makes me hold my breath. I do have pain, pressure and swelling when I am on my feet too long. I have an appointment with my Gyn tomorrow so he can evaluate that area since the Uro/Gyn passed me back to my Gyn. I don't mind because I adore my Gyn and I know he will do whatever it takes so that I can feel better.

Hi Tracy! I have to keep my sense of humor because after all I've had going since my D & C in 2004 if I didn't laugh I'd probably be institutionalized!! You should have seen the look on my Uro/Gyn's face when he asked why I was seeing him and I told him I had my very own testicle. And yes I think he would definitely take this more seriously if this ping pong ball was attached to the end of HIS penis!
Michelle

Michelle, Did they tell you exactly what this is? i mean I woulc not like that either, especially after all you have been through. With the mesh it just might take a little longer to feel comfortable. Gosh i hope they can help you. good luck
Sue

Michelle,
My A&P repair is next week and I am very nervous reading your thread, cause my gyne who did my hyst also, is very concerned with over correcting my cystocele he said that what happened to you could happen to me if he overcorrects by the slightest inch and I could face incontinence all over again and have to have my sling repositioned if tht happened. I know what you mean by some pain with intercourse, ever since my hyst whenever DH and I have time to even do anything ha ha ha way up high where my cervix was removed if he even touches that part it hurts so bad, even sometimes it just hurts for no reason. After my hyst I did have granulation there and it had to be cauterized twice with silver nitrate, guess I have to just live with the fact that it's always going to hurt there. He also said if I get any granulation from the A&P that also might get sensitive. Seems we are just destined to have more problems from problems huh? If I can help anymore I would be willing. Good Luck. I am pretty nervous about the pain from this surgery coming up.

Kelley

Hi Kelley. Please don't be nervous. I seem to have a history, if I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all. There are so many who have had such great outcomes with this surgery and are happy they went through it. I don't have any regrets. What complications I have had, thankfully, have not been life threatening. And I am fortunate to have a great Gyn who is helping me work out all these kinks. When is your surgery and what exactly will be done?
Michelle

Michelle,

My surgery is wednesday the 12th and I am having cystocele and rectocele, he is treating the rectocele aggressively. He said a front and back wall incision and a large episiotomy. I think he said they use a synthetic material to attch the bladder and rectum? Hope all works out with you. How much pain am I gonna have?

Kelley