Will a bladder sling help me?

I am 61. I had a TVH on January 14th. I never had a problem peeing myself before the surgery. I could go all day teaching and never go to the ladies room.

I was supposed to have the bladder sling when I had the surgery but the surgeon elected not to do it because I was having extensive A&P repairs as it was. She also thinks that the material used is being improved all the time. She says she can do the sling in her office under a local and it will not be a problem.

Yesterday while at the pool with my 6 year old grand daughter, I had to get out to go to the BR twice in 90 minutes. Luckily I made it both times but today, I just wet myself and I am mortified. She was so sweet and said, "everyone has accidents sometimes, grandma"-- that's okay if you are 6 but not if you are 61.

Help. Will a bladder sling help me or did I make a big mistake by having the hysterectomy. Things are not better for me in any way. I have not had sex since the surgery (Husband has some issues with ED because of medication and with the 12 weeks away from being intimate--- it has gotten worse and we don't even try any more--much to my sadness.) I did not bleed or have pain before. I have had a terrible UTI right after the surgery---ecoli --perhaps from the catheter and again I think I have another one. I never had a UTI before the hysterectomy. I am depressed over the results of the surgery.

Help. Please.

Kay

Hi Kay,

You should really have a conversation with your doc or at least find another one you feel confident in.

My problem is stress incontinence (can't sneeze or cough with out wetting myself) and my doc recommended a sling. I can't tell if you have stress incontinence by your description of what happened or if slings can be used for other types of incontinence. Best just have a conversation with your doc.

Good luck my dear!!!

I'm so sorry that you are having these problems downyocean. It is horrible. I just got a hysterectomy with A/P repairs and a sling. Bladders are really touchy after vaginal hysterectomies.

I think that it's a bit odd that your doctor didn't do a sling along with all of your other surgeries... why not do it all at the same time? I am no doctor, but I would suggest getting another opinion. I don't see why you would need to deal with this.

Urinary tract infections are awful. I was getting them all the time, which was one of the reasons for my surgery. I was getting them because my bladder had fallen and my urinary tract was bent at an unnatural angle inhibiting the flow. I am only two weeks out of surgery, but I already feel so much better. I think that the sling really helped me. I leaked all the time, and sometimes couldn't stop the flow either. I had to wear Poise pads all the time and I couldn't be active.

In any case, catch the UTIs ASAP, and save yourself a lot of grief. I always kept a pack of Uristat on hand.

Steffie, I am so excited that you are going to have this surgery done. I am only 30, and I felt really discouraged that I was having so many problems being so young. I am still healing, but even the day after surgery, I could already tell that everything had been put back into it's proper place, and I may just have a new lease on life.

Best of luck to the both of you.

Thanks for the responses. I go to my GP for a physical tomorrow and I will discuss all of these issues with him and see if he has a suggestion. I may then call the surgeon and ask if she will do the sling now.

Kay