Still feel something in my Vagina - 8 weeks post op

I had a rectocele and enterocele repair, with mesh, 6 weeks ago. At my 4 wk check, everything was fine. Three days ago, I noticed a new bulge in my vagina. It is soft, and I can push it up and back, just like the original rectocele, only a little smaller. If I am sitting, I can actually see it with a mirror. I now have to push it up or slide my finger behind this bulge to feel the mesh.

Not sure what is going on, but it definitely feels like this should not be there. I have an appt with my doc tomorrow - I'm sure he is going to think I'm crazy, lol. I have behaved myself and adhered to recommended restrictions. I hope I am just being paranoid, and this is normal for this point in the healing curve. The thought of having to go thru this again makes me want to scream...

I will let you guys know what I learn tomorrow ...

Is it actually IN your vagina??? My thing I see is above it... good luck, and I think we all are paranoid!!!! I see my dr. on Wed. he will be able to tell me if I am imagining it... or normal... I have no clue... DON'T look there and hubby is out of town! ARGH!

You are both very early still in your recovery. Hopefully what you feel/see is just swelling. Let us know how you are doing!

:0) ty!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now 11 weeks post op and my bulge is getting bigger. I can push it up and looks just as big as it was before surgery. I have spent the last 2 days crying and cant imagine going through all that again (and putting my family through it). But i am very uncomfortable, probably more uncomfortable than before surgery No pain as such but uncomfortable.

I just want to feel myself again and not always worried and depressed and uncomfortable.

I don't think it could be swelling at this stage

Hi Reximus

Does your bulge feel uncomfortable or have you just noticed it on examination? I am going out of my mind with mine.

Sorry for going on about it everyone. Am trying to be more positive about it with my family as I'm sure they are sick of me talking about it. But I have to vent somewhere.

Sweetie it's okay to vent here. I am so sorry you're suffering.

NewMe,

Yup - the bulge I feel is INSIDE my vagina. It is soft and easily movable. I can push it farther up into my vagina, and toward the back like I could with the original rectocele. Since the surgery, all I could ever feel was the mesh - since I noticed this on Friday, I have to move the bulge out of the way before I can feel the mesh. It also has gotten a little lower than when I first noticed it. Now it is basically right at the edge of the vaginal opening.

Hi Isabella,

The new bulge doesn't really bother me per se, but I have had a lot of pressure in the rectal area since it appeared, which I had not really had previously. It is different from the discomfort/pain i had in my behind from where the mesh was anchored. Don't know if the 2 things are related or not.

I have been applying either Premarin cream or KY liquid every day since the surgery (recommended by someone who had already been thru this, to keep the tissues soft while healing) so I was very familiar with how things have felt since the repair. So I know this bulge has not been there all along - at least it had not descended far enough for me to feel it before then.

I see my doctor this afternoon, so I'm curious to see what he says about it. I don't know if he'll even be able to feel it while I'm lying down, so I am going to see if he can also check it while I'm sitting up or standing. When I'm sitting, you can actually see it with a mirror.

Have you noticed new rectal pressure since your bulge showed up? Does the bulge itself hurt? Can you push it back higher into your vagina or move it easily? Whatever mine is, it feels like it is coming from above the top of the mesh, and then just extends down thru the center of the vagina, all the way to the opening now. Im hoping it will turn out to be swelling or some normal healing issue - but it doesn't feel or behave like I would expect swelling to, you know?

I had my cystocele repaired on 2/24/2012 and still have odd feelings, twinges, swelling, etc. Worst thing that seems to aggravate my feelings of "something ain't right" are large BMs. Seems like large BMs irritate my vagina, and urethra even, and the rectum/anus too. I don't mean hard, dry, difficult to pass BMs just very large ones. I will feel like all my parts are going to fall out. Seeing GYN in three weeks for well-woman check-up. Things have healed just great, and trust me -- my doc checked me VERY thoroughly for scar tissue, hematomas, etc.

Lady Hopeful, you and I are in the same boat! I even laughingly told my GYN's nurser, "I have too much time to sit and obsess about my vagina." She laughed too, but expressed great sympathy. My friend who's a doctor said that God's design plan for women had some flaws -- too much stuff crammed into the pelvis without enough support. Basically, the more you think, the more you feel, and then you feel every little twinge, e ery swollen tissue, etc.

Hang in there!

Quick update ...

I saw my doc this afternoon, and I'm not just paranoid or crazy ..;-)

The good news is that the whole back wall where I had the surgery and the mesh placed looks great. Everything is healing beautifully, and doing exactly what it is supposed to.

The bad news is that now I have developed a grade 2 cystocele - so the problem is now with the front, or anterior wall of the vagina. I did not have this prior to surgery. I guess once in a while, when you take the pressure off one area, it it then transferred to a different area. The unusual stuff always happens to me, lol.

So we are going to watch it for a couple months while I finish healing from this surgery, and then re-evaluate things. He said they don't always get worse, but since I went from nothing to a grade 2 in 5 and a half weeks, I'm not going to hold my breath, lol. I see a urogynecologist at the beginning of August because I already have a problem with retention, so we'll see if this new development has any impact on that.

He could not feel this while I was lying on the exam table, which I had kind of anticipated. So I asked him to humor me, and examine me while I was standing up. I've been going to him for almost 20 years now, so bless his heart, he sat down on the floor while I stood up, even though I know he thought I was crazy, lol.

And then he could feel exactly what I had been talking about . .. :-). So if any of you are feeling something, and the doc does your exam while you are lying down and says everything is fine - try to get him/her to examine you ieither standing or sitting up. It can make a big difference.

Thank you all for all your help while I was trying to figure this out. I hope the rest of you will turn out to have nothing major going on .. :-) .