Painful intercourse

Hello all, I am 11 weeks post-op after a TVH and rectocele repair, still have my ovaries. Before surgery sex was painful, but not everytime and once the deed was done the pain would be gone. I hoped that possibly after the surgery and my prolapse was corrected that I would be a new woman, so to speak and maybe enjoy sex. I knew the first time would be painful, but it's been about 4 weeks since we started back up and it still hurts extremely bad each time and then afterwards I am sore for days. I only tolerate it because of my husband. Today it was so bad I actually feel nauseous and am having pain in my left abdomenal area. I feel horrible because the whole time we're doing it I am either whining about the pain or hiding my face and trying not to cry out from the pain. Dh just says "It will take time, it needs to stretch, it will get better." Yeah easy for him to say. I believe all the problems are related to the rectocele repair, I think the Dr. may have tightened things up too much or something. That's the way it feels anyhow, like dh is trying to force something to stretch that has nowhere to stretch...........does that make sense? I guess I am posting because I'm hoping this is normal for this stage and someone will tell me that it will get better soon, I am at the point where if I know dh is going to be asking for sex I am dreading it all day long until it happens, then I am miserable from the pain for days later. Could it be scar tissue this early on?

Hi (((juliek75)))

I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with this issue. Even though our doctors release us for sex after a certain number of weeks, it can take months for sex to feel the way we expect it to after surgery. Your vaginal cuff is still healing, despite the fact that those tissues are considered healed enough for sex. Many women experience pain or numbness for quite some time after surgery. If you feel like you are too tight, this is a good discussion to have with your doctor. Some women have luck using dilators to gently stretch back out again. Also, If you do a search, you will see posts by others that have had similar experiences with this issue. Perhaps you will find some useful information by checking out those posts as well. All the best to you!

Hi Juliek75 -

I had painful intercourse (w/o rectocele) it was because I was tensing the muscles in anticipation of the pain. Since you had pain before and pain after you may have the same condition (vagnisimus sp?). What helped me was some dilation as mentioned and also my uro-gynecologist prescribed pelvic floor rehab.. I had biofeedback, internal and external massage and did exercises, for me it did the trick but of course it all depends on what is causing the pain.

Please talk to your doctor about it and see if s/he can recommend a pelvic floor physcial therapist. Make sure they are pelvic floor and not just any physical therapist.

Good luck and hugs.

G.

I am 13 week post op and I am hurting while having sex. I am hoping that it will get better but I do not know. I wish I knew what to do

It does take a little while to get things back to normal. I would think it will take even longer if you have had some kind of repairs. Hang in there. It does get better.