Had Surgery, now what?

[susanbee48]

I have had my surgery a week ago. Everything went fine, except they had to take my uterus out thru my stomach because it wouldnt come out the other way; and while he was in there he done all the pop procedure, I believe the belch.  I started having to wear a pad  six days after because I would discharge out of nowhere.  Its a bloody discharge and from my urine.  I peed on my self twice and didnt realize it, both times I was setting straight up and in a hard chair.  I came home from the hospital and started chilling no fever that i can tell just cold to the bones and couldnt get warm.  A few days of that and now Im burning up.  I still have my ovaries.  I honestly cant tell when I have to pee.  I go when my stomach burns more and i feel more pain. I called my dr. and the nurse told me that my bladder would have spasms and even belch like from where air was in it. I wasnt ready for peeing on my self and blood in a discharge of it.  I was prepared for the other way of surgery.  I even bought your book, to get prepared lol.  
The kids get onto me for walking but it helps with the pain, so far on day forward of doing and next day back.   I want to pick things up and do something, was stir crazy at day 5.  The seventh I sit with a sick aunt.  I cant see me being sane at 6 weeks.lol  So when do you think I can start doing, or maybe even go walking instead of back and forth in the house.
susan

[sherrieP]

It sounds like things are leveling off at a natural pace, that's great! Those first few weeks (especially the 1st one) can be pretty rough, you'll notice changes daily. If the hot is hot flashes, well, you know how that goes-part of the chick path. The vaginal discharge will be pronounced right after surgery, then lighten up, then may get more pronounced again as you start to do more stuff, then level off again. If I remember correctly, it lasted about a month b/4 I didn't need to use any pads at all.

I'm glad you are taking it easy with the laundry, use a wagon to get things from one end of the house to the other. The swelling will continue to recede over the 1st month-realistically 6-12 weeks is normal heal curve. As your body continues to heal and get back in balance, you will notice improvement every day!

[susanbee48]

Went back to the dr after a week.  I had surgery August16.  Dr. checked my urine to make sure no problems in there.  He said everything is fine.  He told me I can do what I wanted but no lifting what so ever.  I asked about the cold and hot spells, he told me that the body reacts in different ways to whats happening to it.   This was a very extensive surgery and that its normal to hear this.  I get real cold spells when I get on my period.  The burning up I should have explained was what I felt like to be ahot flash.  I feel fine, for the most part.  I wonder how long do I have to look forward to the vaginal discharge? I was worried about the other and forgot to ask the dr.lol
In the morning I feel like superwoman and by afternoon I feel like I have been exposed to kryptonite.lol  My problem is I feel too fine, for this surgery.  I have done laundry so far, by taking some pieces at a time.  I am remembering not to lift anything over 5 lbs, but I have found that right now lifting a 64 oz bottle of juice is about it.lol  Traveling in the car for 15 minutes wears me out, my drs office is a two hour drive.  My mom took me to the store because I wanted to get out.  My small of my back was killing me in 5 minutes of pushing the cart.  
On another note, the swelling of my bike innertube of a belly has went down tremendously and has let the pressure off of my bladder.  I havent peed on my self anymore, knock on wood.lol  I am feeling the urges to go now.  

[sherrieP]

Going in through abdomen would no eliminate using mesh, it can  be inserted either vaginally or abdominally-what makes the difference when it is used is physician preference on treatment choice and how bad the damage is inside. I assumed you had fever because you did say burning up. This is a rough procedure you have gone through, much was repaired-I would think you'd be on narcotic pain meds for a week or so. The chill/shaking might have been body response if you did not take pain meds. This is actually not a good thing, you don't want to tear any stitching done inside. There is a loss of sensation from cutting nerves and quite a bit of discharge following a procedure like this as well as much bruising. Consider that normal.Often catherters are left in for a week after surgery so maybe because yours was removed so soon, you ended up with leakage/inability to feel urge-it takes a while for your body to adjust after being cathed as well as after a procdure like this.

Did your dr release you to  move around yet? Please follow your drs orders, you need to pace yourself at a certain level to let the repair heal properly. How long ago was your procedure?

[susanbee48]

I stayed in the hospital 2 days and catherter came out second day.  I havent had any fevers either.  I just remembered that part.  I was laying back down and thought you needed this
Thank you susan

[susanbee48]

Pop repaired for bladder, rectum, intestine, and uterus removed.  No mesh was used because they removed it thru my stomach.  Belch process, where they tack it up.  I used a urogyn do the procedure.  Did not do drs background, did not know how.  I stayed in bed and on chairs, couches.  Only time discharge to begin with was sitting straight up.  I stay layed back with pressure off of my stomach.  I havent had to have a pain pill since last night.   Should I call about the discharge again, because they seemed to acknowledge that would happen.  I did not tell them about the blood though because that didnt show up until the second time.

[sherrieP]

Please send more details of your procedure Susan, what all types of POP were repaired, did they use mesh or not, was is it urogyn who did your procedure or ob/gyn. Overnight stay in hospital? Go home with catheter? Blood discharge is normal but should not be from urethra-should be from vagina. Have you been checked for UTI? The fever/chills sounds like infection as does blood from urethra. It  is normal to have loss of sensation post surgery, they cut through nerves to access repair, but you honestly should have been on the couch for the week following procedure, but after that you should be able to start doing some moving around-no lifting, no vacuuming, no aggressive movements. You are still healing and it is vital that you lay low during heal curve to heal properly as hard as that is (I understand, giving up exercise for 12 weeks about killed me.....). Once you send more info I can give more suggestions but need to get some specifics first. Did you check you dr's background prior to surgery?