Rectocele repair recovery (Page 1)

I had a rectocele, cystocele, and enterocele repair done and experienced the same sensations in the rectum. I also went back to my surgeon and was checked and told all was good. Because you are moving around more, there is a temporary increase in swelling and pressure sensation. It goes away (at least it did for me) in another couple of weeks.
Sherrie Palm, author
Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic

Gosh...I just had my rectocele repair with sling 5 days ago and I have not needed any pain meds other than the occasional ibuprofen/tylenol. I am experiencing some strong odor but have chalked that up to the sutures and tissue healing. I am able to walk, move, etc and feel pretty good...just tired. I was only in the hospital overnight and my Dr said I can drive as soon as I feel able. No exercise or intercourse for 6-8 weeks.
Am I missing something? Will I get worse before I get better? Went to a highly recommended urogynecologist. Could the Dr be the difference?

I need a highly recommended urogyn. Can you tell me who you saw?

The Dr I was using is moving out of state!

kc

I just had rectocele repair and sling March 9th. Google Dr. Lawrence Lin in Thousand Oaks, CA! He is amazing!!!! Worth the drive, flight, etc...whatever it takes to get there.

Sounds like things are going very well for you. I had a repair done about 10 days ago. I was told I could not drive for 2 weeks and need pain medication though I take a lot less once I go to bed. Ihave other chronic pain issues so i am not surprised I need pain relief. My urogynecologist told me some patients only need Motrin after 2 weeks so do not worry. Follow your doctors direction and I hope things continue as well for you, I am healing slower can walk but tire easily. I was told no bending or lifting and this is to prebent a tear. By the way I did not have a sling. How do you feel now 3 months later?
Sheila7281

I had a cystocele and rectocele repair done e 6 weeks ago.
Recovery was difficult ie struggling to have a bm resulting in an enamea and on Movicol for last 6 weeks. I did everyting doctors told me but expericenced a lot of pressure and very very tired. Stitches fell out at 5 weeks as doc said they would. But this week have felt a lot of pressure again and am convinced prolapse is back. Due back at doc in 2 days...maybe am just over doing it....Should I have been doing more Kegel exercises than I have? Will the pressure sensation eventually go away?

I am having this experience at 4 weeks, ir feels like I have a small walnut in the back of my vagina against the rectum. I am glad to know that it starts to feel better. I had a porcine graft and perineal repairs to go with the rectocele repair.
To the previous posts, does intimacy feel the same? everything seems so weird inside at 4 weeks.

You should not have intercourse for 6-8 weeks!

I am considering rectocele surgery and need to talk to women who can answer my questions. I am new user and not sure that I am using this service on the internet correctly. Hope I can get a reply. Thanks.

I would not do it.
Find a pelvic floor clinic.
I am a healthy, fit, busy 49 year old and this has ruined my life. I had rectocele only, with graft and I cannot get through a day (9 weeks post op) with out problems of pelvic pressure and tiny, but irritating urine leak - I NEVER HAD THESE before. My surgeon is great, so I think the surgery is just too overwhleming. GO to a uro-gynecologist if you do it. It completely soved the rectocele and cause 2 new problems.
J.M.C. Atlanta

Will comment to all three of these questions at once. # 1-As far as the intimacy aspect, I had to refrain from sex for 8 weeks because of the extent of my repairs. I am now 19 months out from my surgery and can tell you that there is an impact to sexual sensation. The area of peak sensation has actually changed location and it did have an impact on my ability to climax; I can climax but it is much harder to reach. There is no pain factor for me, just change in sensation. 4 weeks out is way too soon to have returned to "normal", you will need to give it more time. # 2-There is quite a bit of info available online now to fill in the blanks on pelvic organ prolapse surgery, I'd start by finding a good urogynecologist. There is quite a bit of basic material in my book as well, but finding the right physician is key. # 3-I am so sorry to hear that you are having these problems, perhaps you should seek the advice of a urogynecologist to see if you have any post surgical options. I am a HUGE advocate of urogynecologists, they are truly the experts to seek for this surgery. There are certainly excellent urologists, gastros, and surgical gynecologists, but since the repairs to the ligaments and tendons in this intricate area are so vital to these repairs, it is in women's best interest to seek the surgeon that specializes in these repairs-that would be urogynecologits.
Sherrie Palm author
Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic

Hi Sherrie. Where can I get a copy of your book please? I have just been diagnosed with a rectocele and am trying to determine which treatment course would be most effective for me. Thank you.

Ericasmom,

I doubt that Sherrie will answer you, as she has not posted since 2009. But, if you type the name of the book into Google, you will get her website. It has a lot of the information that is in the book, and you can order the book from there.

Good luck.

Did you still feel a little draggy in your vagina after 10 weeks? I feel weird pressure and just not normal and it is 9 weeks. There is pelvic pressure down there.
I think this surgery heals slowly, but eventually you feel better. I am doing kegels and eating a good diet and resting to amke sure I aid my healing. THe rectocele included 5 tears and I had to have a porcine graft.

Rectocele 2 weeks post op

Other than the ache in my tailbone, I have to say my healing is progressing well. My biggest fear is that this odor that first drove me to my surgeon when I was diagnosed will never go away. The smell post surgery is nauseating to me. Please tell me those of you who are 6 weeks plus...it eventually LEAVES!

i have pain in the bottom of my spine , rectum area and am 2 weeks post op. i still take painkillers regularly and movicol twice a day. i over did it today, by going for a walk and then carrying some shopping home. now i'm suffering for it

hi; i am 12 days post op and i am still feeling pretty rough..my surgeon did not discuss with me what exactly he had to do as far as fixing me but i am finding that i am still in quite a bit of discomfort. I cannot sit yet and i still have a lot of pressure when i stand and walk. I am also having quite a problem with constipation. it feels like my rectum is smaller and i can feel a lump inside just between my vagina and my rectum. Also i find I am getting a major discharge ..is this all normal?

I am having the same issues other than the discharge. I was not expecting this amount of pain. I pray for the day I feel better.

I see that your post was in 2009, so I'm wondering how you are doing now and how long it took for you to recover?

I had rectocele, cystocele, enterocele and bladder sling done 5 weeks ago. At 2 weeks out I started having more pain than right after surgery and unable to sit and hurt to stand very long so the gyn checked me. He said I was having muscle spasms where he had to stitch my muscles back together, but everything looked to be healing fine, no infections or anything. I have to work even harder than before surgery to keep from getting constipated. I still feel pressure in my rectum and tailbone area. Occasionally feel sharp twinges as well in rectum and opening of the vagina. I have not had much discharge but I am having a tiny annoying urine leak which hopefully will eventually go away.

At my 4 week the gyn said I could resume normal activities as much as I felt up to. He said to wait one more week for intercourse, probably because he had to remove a stitch that had not yet dissolved. I'm actually a little scared to even try because of the annoying little twinges of pain I am having at the opening of the vagina. The urologist was going to release me until I told him I have not been totally dry and because of severe low back pain. He double checked what I had done and said he heard many women take as much as 3 months to recoup so he wants me to come back in 3 months.

So is there anyone that can say the rectum pressure, pain and low back and tailbone pain will eventually go away? If so approximately how long will it take? I have been really good and following doctor post-op instructions and trying hard not to over do.

I see that your post was in 2009, so I'm wondering how you are doing now and how long it took for you to recover?

I had rectocele, cystocele, enterocele and bladder sling done 5 weeks ago. At 2 weeks out I started having more pain than right after surgery and unable to sit and hurt to stand very long so the gyn checked me. He said I was having muscle spasms where he had to stitch my muscles back together, but everything looked to be healing fine, no infections or anything. I have to work even harder than before surgery to keep from getting constipated. I still feel pressure in my rectum and tailbone area. Occasionally feel sharp twinges as well in rectum and opening of the vagina. I have not had much discharge but I am having a tiny annoying urine leak which hopefully will eventually go away.

At my 4 week the gyn said I could resume normal activities as much as I felt up to. He said to wait one more week for intercourse, probably because he had to remove a stitch that had not yet dissolved. I'm actually a little scared to even try because of the annoying little twinges of pain I am having at the opening of the vagina. The urologist was going to release me until I told him I have not been totally dry and because of severe low back pain. He double checked what I had done and said he heard many women take as much as 3 months to recoup so he wants me to come back in 3 months.

So is there anyone that can say the rectum pressure, pain and low back and tailbone pain will eventually go away? If so approximately how long will it take? I have been really good and following doctor post-op instructions and trying hard not to over do.

I am 67 years old, and I had a cystocele and a rectocele repair at the same time on March 26th, due to both being prolapsed. I had trouble emptying my bladder but not too much trouble with leakage--only urgency. The urologist did a bladder sling with the newer procedure using a type of skin, and the obgyn did the rest of the surgery. The obgyn doctor told me to take a stool softener with the active ingredient Docusate Sodium 100 mg., like Colace (I use the generic brand--so much cheaper). I take one before breakfast and one after dinner. I also take Citrucel fiber. I take about a tablespoon around noon. I also try to eat a high fiber diet including a fruit a nut cereal for breakfast like Great Grains with raisens, dates, and pecans, and with maybe a prune or two and sometimes other fruit. I also eat a granola bar for a snack or after a meal. (Fruits and veggies are always a good idea) This keeps my bowels moving well. You can adjust these amounts according to your system and how active you are. The doctor said you want to have a formed but soft stool with no diarrhea. Straining too hard can damage the stitches. I had quite a bit of pain at first from the stitches, but now the pain is only bad in the urethra area during urination. I also feel like there is a lump in my vagina.
After my sugery, I had a Foley catheter in for a week. After they took it out, I had trouble emptying my bladder, worse than before. I saw the obgyn doctor again on the 24th of April, and he said everything was healing well. I was afraid I may have caused some damage, because I have to "pump" to get urine all out. When the doctor checked my vagina, it did hurt with manual pressure. From that date, I still had two more weeks to heal. I will see my urologist again on the 7th of May and see what he thinks. Hopefully, the pain will subside with time.
After I came home from the hospital (in two days) my obgyn said to spend most of the time reclined, and preferably with the heart the same level as the incisions. It is difficult to do, since my low back always hurts (and has for years) when I lay flat. It is necessary for proper healing. Just increase your "up" time gradually but always rest when tired.
I used pads at first, and then I just used panty liners. I did have some odor during the time I bled from the repair, but now the drainage has almost completely stopped, and I don't notice any odor. I did take a shower twice a day to insure cleanliness and odor control. I only used the baby wash that they gave me at the hospital to clean that area, and I did not rub anything hard. I did use Dial but only around the outside of the area. The obgyn's nurse told me I could use the pads like "Tucks" to sooth the stitch area, but not too often. It did help with the pain from the stitches.
Good luck to everyone.

I am having radical back surgery on January 13, more complicated because of severe stenosis, no spinal fluid in the bottom half of my spine. I was scheduled to have rectocele/cystocele repair first. But shooting pain down my legs, and arms, require that I have the back surgery first. I really need this repair and am wondering how long I should wait to reschedule this. I read that many people have pain, or pressure, in the tail bone, which is severely painful now and part of my surgery.

Has anyone had a surgery like this before the repairs?

I am pretty scared as the back surgery gets nearer.

hI i had a rectocele repair done 3 weeks ago and i think if i had know it would be like this i would not have had it done. im still in a lot of pain and walking like a duck. i have now started to leak urine which didnt happen before the op. i feel like a big bulge in the back of vagina. i was only kept in hospital for 2 days and felt this wasnt long enough. i had to have family members staying with me as i could do nothing for myself. i can get around now and drive im so happy with that but i just cant wait for the day when i wake up and have no pain.?Am i ever going to get back to normal .also i get a smeel from the area.ann

I don't have a reply, just a question. I also had this procedure. I am now four weeks since the surgery and the pain is actually worse that right after the surgery. I also have a smelly discharge and also leak urine. Very annoying. Went to OB and she said I looked like I was healing just fine. When will the pain stop. I cannot sit or walk very far. I have a treadmill so I don't pee walking down the street. This is terrible. Will it get better? Please tell me yes.

Hello everyone, this is really scaring me. i am scheduled to have surgery in 1 month. the only reason why i''m doing it is because due to 2 intense labor pregnacies (big babies), i feel my vagina is wider. my urogynecologyst recommend it the procedure. Reading this i''m not so sure anymore. did anyone actually feel better sexually after the surgery?

I have never had this surgery....However, I would suggest you think twice before you have it done for a simple repair of a wider vagina...I feel this way, "if it ain't broken, then don't fix it"...You will never be the same...Great sex comes from the mind...Movements of sex between two people in intercourse can fashion a mountain of hot arousals...Work on your kegel exercises...Practice trying to grip his penis while he is inside of you....Work at it...Muscles can be tightened...Sex gets better and better as you age...Personally, I doubt that you will feel better sexually....But this is only my thought...Take care...

Caroline

I just saw a doctor today who said my rectocele is to blame for the constant dull aching pain in my vagina. Occasionally I have pain in my tailbone, too. Not sure if that''s related. She''s sending me to a specialist, so I guess I''ll learn more then. She told me surgery might be what I need. But reading all this...yikes! Was this a good option for any of you? I''m starting to think I may wait a long, long while before going that route, if it''s suggested, in part because my baby--my third child--is so young (and still bf). My older two really need me, too. I have no idea how I''d so this
So, was this a good thing for anyone?

I was just diagnosed with a rectocele, and I am being sent to a specialist. I am only 24. I have no idea how I got this. I had a baby 3 years ago, and it was via c section. Is this something I should consider fixing or just deal with it?

To CarolineEF..I'm sure you are trying to help, but until you have experienced this for yourself, you just don't understand. I have a rectocele, and also a stretched out vagina from 3 big babies. I have done thousands of Kegels..no help. No, muscles cannot always be tightened. I can try to "grip" with all my strength, but I can barely feel his penis inside me at all. My urogynecologist says there is nothing I, myself, can do about it.

To: thecrystalmom: I will Private Message you some exercises that just may help you with getting some hot vaginal feelings back...They have worked for many women...Good luck...

Caroline

Hi to all, I have a major rectocele and a really bad discharge that smells like curdled milk. I have a urogynecologist but am scared silly that the surgery will be worse than the rectocele as they will be doing it intra-abdominally with mesh. I feel my body will reject the mesh as it is foreign and I have always been prone to infections. I would love to hear success stories. Sally

I am scheduled for a rectocele repair on Wednesday 8/25 and now I'm ready to back out reading all these comments. I am 60 years old and a very active person. I am very scared and concerned. I'm also having a sling" done at the dame time. Thoughts anyone?
GMH

Did you go through with the rectocele repair? I was told I could have one if I choose. Now I'm not sure.
Thanks.