Help With Rear Pelvic Wall Prolapse and Rectocele

I had a tvh-cystocele on June 11th of 2008. Having constant rear pain, my gyne totally ignored those and went ahead and just fixed the front area.

I was sent to a uro-gynecologist last December and he wants me to wait as long as I can for surgery.

I am miserable and hurting and worried about slings they use for rectocele's. I know all about the recalls and wonder if anyone here has had this surgery done and how it was done.

Thanks so much for your help and glad to be back here posting and istening.

JJS
tvh-cystocele-June 11, 2008

Sorry to hear that you're still hurting. Rectoceles are not repaired using a sling. They can be repaired with standard colpporhaphy or mesh (synthetic or graft).
In standard colpporhaphy the rectocele is put back into place and vaginal tissue from the sides of the vagina are pulled together over it and stitched into place.
With a mesh repair, the rectocele is put back into place and mesh material either synthetic or graft is placed over it and stitched into place.
I have experienced both types of surgery. In my experience colpporhaphy was easier to recuperate from. Unfortunately my repair failed within weeks of the surgery. I went on to have a mesh repair and developed an inflammatory reaction to the mesh within 2 months. The pain was horrible and many different types of treatments were tried to both alleviate the pain and keep the repair intact. The mesh had nearly eroded through to the rectum. I finally ended up having to have the mesh removed. It wasn't long after that both rectocele and cystocele recurred. I now have chronic pelvic pain/rectal pain that my Gyn thinks may be from the erosion, the leftover mesh and all the scar tissue and there isn't anymore treatments that I can try.
I guess what you have to ask yourself is how is your quality of life now, living with a rectocele. With research, knowing the complication risks, do you think your quality of life can be improved. If you are one of the unfortunate women to develop complications, how will you be able to deal with that.
In hindsight if I had to do this all over again I would definitely have waited longer to have the surgery. I thought using a pessary was bothersome but now I wish I had used it longer instead of rushing off to the OR.
My advice... research, research, research! Learn about all your options and understand all the risks before you sign a consent for any type of repair.
Michelle

Sorry you're having a tough go of it; I've had 4 surgeries relating to cystocele, rectocele and enterocele. If I had known, before the 1st surgery, what I know now, I would've gone to the closest available super-specialist (my terminology!). The 3rd surgery was to correct the enterocele and to have a tvt/tot (urethral sling) placed as a precautionary measure. I don't have a problem with the sling but the rest of the surgery failed. That was an abdominal colpopexy--bad to recover from. My local doc referred me to a fantastic doc in a neighboring state. I'd never had such a thorough exam (yikes) and detailed explanation of options. I ended up having him do a surgery (vaginal extracorporeal repair) using the latest mesh. Had a follow-up last week, 10 weeks out, and it has worked, thus far.
Don't give up hope; I was about to do just that when I was directed to this doctor who assured me he would never tell me there was no hope for my situation. Fantastic guy. Feel free to ask me for his name and locale, if you'd like. I'd recommend him to anyone in our predicament.
Take care and don't despair! Like the gal said, RESEARCH! Finding reliable info online is very difficult but not impossible. Best info I've received through all of this was directly from the specialist. This guy told me all SORTS of things I hadn't heard from my previous gynecologists and certainly had not come across online, during the countless hours searching internet. Again, if you'd like his name, I'd be glad to share it.

WENDY: I have not been on in a few days, but thanks for your response. I do have an excellent Uro-Gynecologist that was highly recommended and am comfortable with him. I am just so scared of any mesh to repair what I have and you have, however; you have given me hope. He wants me to try to wait as long as I can and says that it is not Cancer, and an er right now, but Quality Of Life. I was worried that waiting too long might make it a worse recovery, comments, please. I too had spent countless hours on the internet when I was first diagnosed with the prolapsed bladder (cystocele) and uterine prolapse. My regular gyne did it and my regrets are that he knew and heard me complain for over two months, waiting for my June 11, 2008 procedure that " I had constant rear pain".....that is why I am so livid that I could have had this all done then and it was not done. He kept telling me that I was actually complaining and possibly imagining it. So I called the office of the uro-gyne last week and cancelled an appointment as I wanted to be checked again, it has been two month's since the last appointment, to see how much worse it has gotten. The physican assistant that I like and trust so much said ok to wait if I am not sure, as I am not, if I am ready now. Since I have so many other issues to deal with, severe joint, osteoarthritis pain, having had double hip replacements and now needing both knees replaced one day....I just can't do this yet unless it becomes worse. I have learned to "try", operative word here, to limit what I do, that helps, but it is not easy as I like to cook and shop and go to the library, etc., and do normal things. How long did you wait and how bad was yours and most importantly, How are you doing Now ? Thanks again,
JJS

I know, I said sling by mistake as my gyne even referred to it as that a while back. It is mesh, but actually is a sling to hold the rear wall that is flling up, along with the rectum. So, how are you doing now? I am certainly going to wait and find hope in Wendy who had it done and for now, is doing well.
JJS

Hi, JJS; Sorry I've not been online for a few days. Are you the one that left me a personal message? If so, I replied to that. If not, let me know and I'll reply!
For now, I'll say that I'm doing very well; Dr. said that I've healed better than he even anticipated. I'm drawing a blank on the exact procedure name that I last had, extracorporeal something or other? Can't find my notes! Anyway, it's just a term which means vaginal colpopexy (tacking-up...my terminology!) of the vagina to ligaments around the sacrum. The procedure fastened everything higher up than the previous surgeon did. Also, a new type of mesh was implanted. My post op checkup was about 10 weeks out from surgery date and so far, so good! This surgery was to correct an enterocele(bad) and rectocele (less bad). I've had mesh placement last year; that surgery was a failure, quicklike. This doctor uses different techniques and a new of type mesh, much lighter and more flexible in comparison to the other I've had "installed". Certainly, talk to your urogyn about the exact type of surgery he can offer and what kind of mesh he'd/she'd use. Ask about the "new" mesh. I'll give you my doctor's name, if you'd like, to pass on to your doctor. My doctor is involved in trials with this mesh.
I'll stop here, in the case that I've already written to you. Let me know!
Hang tough, girl! Hope your arthritis takes a hike and you can find some relief.
Wendy

rectocyle tvt and cyctocylein sept 06 they all failed im so depressed in pain doctors have me on pain meds and im waiting for them to look inside my bladder to see if the tvt has done any damage i had a bovine patch on my rectocyle that needs to come out one said another said it should just be repaired im in constant pain:im new here

So sorry you're so miserable! With each surgery I've had, there's been a time of healing that involved alot of pain. But with each, I've eventually healed to the point where I don't have chronic pain, so I can't relate to your situation, in that aspect. As for taking narcotic pain medication, I've taken it after each surgery. The last one, I took it longer than times before, maybe 4-5 weeks. As time went on, I found the medication to not be as effective and was actually causing me to feel quite down in the dumps. Have you tried taking only Tylenol and Motrin, instead of the prescriptions? I have prescription strength ibuprofen (Motrin), but my doctor said that over-the-counter ibuprofen can be taken in larger doses than is recommended on the bottles, just that they must be spaced out at longer intervals. You'll have to ask your pharmacist or doctor about that. I'm guessing you tried the Motrin/Tylenol route before the prescriptions.
Also, are any of your doctors urogynecologists? My suggestion is to find a urogynecologist who ONLY does corrective surgery. I messed around with my local gynecologists, who are all over the place with womens medicine, from maternal care to delivering babies to doing various surgeries. Thankfully, my gynecologist realized I was beyond her level of "expertise" and referred me to a specialist.
I've stated this before in other posts, but I'm going to say it again: If you think your doctor may not be that concerned with your problem because it's just a "quality of life" issue, go elsewhere! The doctor who did my last surgery realizes the limits these issues put on a woman's life and takes it very seriously. He's really dedicated his life's work to improving the quality of life for women. That's all. If you can find someone in your area that has been involved in new procedures, techniques, studies, and the like, check that person out! My local gynecologists aren't too concerned with learning the newest things, which I found out too late. I will continue to get "regular" care from my local gyn, but for anything else, I will be seeing the new guy.
Gosh, I hope you can get the help you need! I know how these problems can hamper your life. Mine all started with the birth of my daughter, more than 12 years ago. I realize I'll likely have more problems, probably for the rest of my life, but I know that there are doctors who can at least give me a reprieve---so I can have a normal life at least for a time!
I hope the best for you; don't you give up now! And don't be afraid to get more repairs; just find someone who takes your issues very seriously.
Wendy

yes they are uro surg special only its all they do but im having issues of being angry about being mad about the tvt and not being informed with my last surgery and also im alergic to every thing and i had a long talk with my last doct about the sling i want it out with these new people and there only want to take out the rectocyle bovine one out not the tvt so far fri im having were they look in the blatter then i guess we will know more but all my pain is down front and down my legs and some in mt back thanks so much for writing back my hb was very helpful yesterday hey how do ya get to use these little people jumping up and down well he on bed rest chillax

Hi; Hope you get some answers on the bladder issue. After my 3rd surgery (enterocele repair and tvt/tot sling) I had a pain on my frontside that ran from my pelvic/hip area down into the rest of my leg. Doc thought it was muscle or nerve injury from the positions you're put in during one of these surgeries. About 10 days after, I got checked for a bloodclot, which turned out ok. It did get better with time and funny thing is, it went totally away after the last surgery. Must be something about the horrid positions one is in while unconcious! Have any of your doctors thought you could have some nerve "pinched" or anything like that? Or perhaps scar tissue adhering?
As for the little jumping things, I don't know. I never use them!
Take care, best wishes.