A&P Repair, urethra sling surgery coming up on 11-1 - I'm so scared...

Hey everyone! I am 32, this is my first post, and from reading (for way too long...) I can tell that this is just the group to ease some of my concerns...

Little history:
1st delivery: 2-11-95, vaginal, 10 pounds, 5 ounces, episitomy

2nd delivery: 9-27-96, vaginal, 12 pounds, 5 ounces (no joke...), level 4 tear through rectum, other complications

3rd delivery: 8-3-03, c-section, no major issues

I'm wondering what sort of pain is involved with the recovery from these procedures, how long I can expect to stay in the hospital, how long can I expect to keep the catheter, and will I ever be able to pick up my three year old again? My job is mostly a desk job, and my boss will be great about letting me do whatever I need to get better - is it unreasonable to expect that I can return to work in 2 weeks?

Thanks in advance!

Yup, it's unreasonable to expect to return to work in 2 weeks! Most drs recommend 4-6 weeks out of work. You will most likely need to use narcotic pain relievers for at least the first week which means you should not be driving. You will have restrictions. I couldn't drive for 2 weeks. I was told not to lift anything more than 5 pounds for 6 weeks, no laundry, housework or even loading the dishwasher. No tub baths, swimming or sex for 6 weeks.
After this surgery you may experience difficulty urinating. You may even need to be recatheterized to give your bladder a rest if you are retaining urine. I did not have a bladder sling so I can't help you with that aspect of your recovery but I am very familiar with prolapse recovery. In order to heal well you really need to rest and follow your Drs orders to the letter.
Good luck, keep me posted.
Michelle

Joybee, some people recover a bit faster than others and some take longer. Do you know if you are a fast healer or not? After your deliveries, did you heal quickly or did it take some time? How about after your c-section? Have you asked your doctor if s/he thinks if you will be able to return to your desk job after 2 weeks at home or not? This may be something you will have to wait and see how you feel at that time.

You DO have to be very careful on the lifting restrictions. I was told not to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for 12 weeks after my anterior repair and urethra sling (mine was a TOT) which were done concurrently with my hysterectomy. Some people are told by their doctors that they have lifetime lifting restrictions of "nothing more than 25 pounds" and things like that. My UroGYN did not tell me that but told me to use common sense. I was told after I healed, I could return to running but I had to be completely healed first. The best idea is to check with your doctor and see what s/he advises.

Before my surgery, it helped me most to focus on the things I was gaining such as being free from the awful stress incontinence when sneezing and running and laughing--I HATED that with a passion and even with the complications I've had afterwards (there were several; the main one being mesh erosion that just won't seem to go away), I've still been grateful to no longer have that leaking. I've also been grateful to not have that pressure of the prolapsed organs and lower backache that seemed to be always with me. Make sure you research all your options and if you have decided what's the best for you, then go with it.
Sending many ++++ thoughts to you........