Questions about hysterectomy, cystocele and rectocele repair

Hi! First let me say that I've been lurking here for a while, and love the support that comes across the posts.

Here is my history: I have a 3 yr old, a 1.6 yr old, and a 4 mos old.
I didn't have a period between my 1st and 2nd. After my 2nd, when she was 8 mos old, I got my 1st period. To say it was painful is putting it mildly. My husband made me page the dr at 11pm because I was in so much pain. His response was "It sounds like a normal period to me". Yes, this is the same man that when I paged him while pregnant with my 3rd child thinking I was in preterm labor, he said "I guess you can come in and we can take a look". I ended up on bed rest and having my 3rd 3 weeks early.

After my 1st born, I noticed that my plumbing wasn't where it should be, but doc laughed me off and said give it time. It progressively got worse with each pregnancy.
After that call to the doc about my period, I got pregnant with my 3rd child, and didn't have any problems (obviously).
Fast forward to last month. My period was SO PAINFUL.
I have been in natural labor and in car accidents. The pain I had didn't even compare.
My symptoms are a heaviness, like all my insides fell out, and are sitting on the floor with just enough tissue to reach the floor. When I took a step it killed. When I sat, the pressure and pain was unbearable. To laugh hurt. I couldn't stand straight, or lay with my legs out. And from time to time, I would drop to my knees and almost pass out from the shooting, impaling myself on a burning picket fence up my bum feeling. Un-be-liev-able pain. Add to this that I cant leave the house because of the pain and the bleeding. I have to carry towels with me to sit down.
I can't wear a tampon, it gets pushed back out. I can't go pee without leaning forward, and can't have a BM without pushing with my fingers.
Back before I had my period, I made an appt with a pelvic floor specialist, and I can't get in til the middle of March.
After this period, I saw my OB, who said I needed a hysterectomy. I almost had a stroke. I'm thankful for the 3 children we have, and we are pretty sure we wont be having any more. I know that having the kids so close together, and the size (my 1st was 8.6) had something to do with all that's going on.
I just feel like my head is spinning. I can't go through another month like I had. I CAN'T. And yet, hysterectomy is so FINAL, kwim?
So my questions are, what should my questions with the specialist be, what is the recovery time for all 3 things, how long should I have scheduled help with the kids, and do you think that if the surgery is scheduled out a few months, that the doc will prescribe anything for the pain. What should I ask for, what has been helpful??
Sorry for the book, I am just feeling lost and depressed.
Thanks in advance.

ChesBay,

While I don't have any personal experience with your specific problems, I know that some of the members here do and hopefully they will post some of their thoughts as to what to ask. I am very sorry that you are being put off by your Dr. Maybe if you went through Urgent Care or ER, they would realize that you are in misery.

Good Luck...

Oh my goodnees. You must see another doctor.

I am 61 and had all of this done September last year.

As soon as I saw my bladder peeking through I was at the Doctors office.

The first one blew me off and said wait a couple of years. I walked out.

I found a wonderful Doctor who cannot understand why women are told to wait.

I came through everything with flying colors.

I was ready to walk the day of surgery. But was told to wait until the next morning.

Recovery was a breeze.

Do get it done.

Find a good surgeon who does the mesh slings in your area.

I got lucky in Ocala Florida.

If you have any questions e-mail me. Kathy

Also, everything was done through the vagina. No cutting.

I had 3 mesh slings put in and fibroid loaded uterus taken out. Tubes and cervix still there. Kathy

Thank you for the replies ladies. It's this forum that made me feel sane. After being told things are normal so many times, you start to believe it yourself, and start thinking maybe I'm making this up. It's crazy!
I made an appt with a 2nd specialist, and the woman who answered the phone was so nice, and got me in a cxld appt for tomorrow!! YAY!
I just feel like it's hard to describe exactly the pain that I feel, and am afraid that I will feel like I'm being told it can't be THAT bad. But IT IS.
I know I'll end up in the ER or urgent care this coming month. With 3 small kids, a trip to the ER isnt easy. I'm hoping that the Dr will be willing to give me something to at least dull the pain, but I'm not sure what to ask for.
I seriously wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy.
I'm going to keep my fingers crossed, and hope that this man understands, and is willing to help.
If not, then I guess I have Urgent Care, and the specialist appt in mid march to try again.
Thanks for letting me vent.
All options and advice is WELCOME.

You will be back to normal after get everything repaired and lifted.

I am so shocked that your Doc let you go through this for so long.

You are going to feel so much better after it is all done.

Blessings to you

I'm 49 and had all three at once, plus during the same operation had revisions to breast reconstruction and lipo. Sailed through it, save for about 48 hours of gas pains from having my tummy extended. But I knew that was temporary, and laying on my right side made it magically go away. Everything was done vaginally, save for the breast stuff, and I was out walking around town a couple of days later. Sadly, the doc didn't use any reinforcement, and I need to have the A&P repairs done again, just three months later. I had a really, really bad cough with a cold over Christmas, and I think that is why I've relapsed. Best wishes to you. I know this is frightening. I had to wait a year, and it was the most awful year of my life, because I was so afraid that I was going to be in excructiating pain for a long time---but that didn't happen at all! This time, I won't dread it so much. I do plan on asking for Alloderm rather than mesh.

I had a hysterectomy, rectocele and cystocele repair done. I didn't have pain like you but I did have all the other symptoms. Surgery was easy and at 3 wks out, I am doing great.

My only reservation for your situation is this. You cannot pick up your children for 12 weeks after all these repairs. I have a 3 year old and she is little miss independent, so for me, it's easy. But you have two really small ones that will need handling. Definitely discuss this with the dr.

For the women having the LASH (0varies/cervix in) , and the cystocele, did you have to have a catheter in for a long time? What was the pain like waking up?
I'm a stage 2= and after watching videos...I almost think the cystocele will be more painful than the hysterectomy?
I also now understand why...if I lift my butt cheek up, it feels better, it must be the bladder causing all this pelvic discomfort...and the enlarged uterus on top of it...