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12 days post op
Hello all, today I'm 12 days post op from TOT and posterior repair surgery. I had POP surgery April 2014 and required additional surgery for urinary incontinence. Came home with a catheter for 48 hours, no lifting, squatting or bending over per hospital discharge instructions. The pain for the first week was worse than I expected. On day 10 post op, I fell, sort of doing the splits, and since then I'm scared to death I've torn something ! I called my urogyn Monday, informed them of the fall and nurse said to watch for excessive bleeding/intense pain, neither of which I have. However, I have what I call a bulge again and pain in my rectum. I'm scared I've torn stitches and not fond of the idea of another pelvic exam at this point. I'm praying this is normal and just due to swelling, but I feel like I'm sitting on a golf ball, if that makes sense. No problems urinating and no constipation. Just the pain from the vaginal posterior repair. Maybe I'm just worn out from all the surgeries and a little depressed? Sure would love someone to tell me all this is normal :) thanks in advance !
So happy to hear you are doing well in your healing! Keep up the great healing! Won't be long and you will have your life back and will feel so much better post op then you had felt pre-op...just have to get through the healing!
Great to hear how well you are doing. It looks like you are all set to heal really well so keep up the no lifting or exercise that is strenuous.
You are welcome and let us know how you are getting along.
You are welcome and let us know how you are getting along.
UKlady, you were exactly right! Today was my 5 week post op visit with my surgeon. Although it wasn't the most pleasant exam, the stress of thinking something went wrong just vanished when he told me everything was healing well, no popped stitches from my fall. I was so relieved! Another 5-6 weeks of taking it easy, no lifting or strenuous exercise. I've been taking short walks trying to regain some strength and energy. I can walk my treadmill on cold winter days. I have some stitches left, but they're dissolving.I'm so relieved ! Thank you ladies for your responses and encouraging words...I will survive :)
Good luck with your Urogyne appt. Many ladies say these follow up appts are not painful and also feel a lot happier to know how they are doing.
I hope this appt gives you comfort that your healing is going well and remember to take any questions with you as well.
If you need further 'healing timing' questions answered hopefully they will be able to tell you more then. It does seem that many Urogynes under estimate healing times but your Urogyne may be different.
Like ipurr2 says, it sounds like you are doing really well
I hope this appt gives you comfort that your healing is going well and remember to take any questions with you as well.
If you need further 'healing timing' questions answered hopefully they will be able to tell you more then. It does seem that many Urogynes under estimate healing times but your Urogyne may be different.
Like ipurr2 says, it sounds like you are doing really well
this all sound VERY normal...things will get better! Hang in there...it just takes time and it sounds like you are doing everything perfectly so keep it up and before you know it this will all be a distant memory and you will be out living your life! :)
3 weeks post op. The pain is less, still tire easily and still having to wear panty liners. Would think all spotting/bleeding would have subsided by now ? No lifting, trying not to squat or bend over. Sitting is not as painful, but if I overdo (walk around too much ) the pressure starts and then it hurts to sit. Resting has become my number one activity:)....Will be so glad when the healing is complete and I can get back to feeling normal again. Occasionally when I sit or stand it feels like a gush of fluid comes out. There's only a slight amount of pinkish blood, so I'm guessing it's urine also? I read somewhere that women could experience some incontinence due to remaining swelling? I sure hope that's true. I see my uro/gyn Dec 4th. I am not looking forward to this pelvic exam !
no a popped stitch should not mean additional surgery... if a stitch popped the tissues will still close so long as you give them a chance and it sounds like you have! If the bleeding has stopped then you are good! Just try to go slow and gentle during the healing period which is in my opinion 3 months...;)
I too have had abdominal repairs and vaginal repairs and the vaginal one's definitely showed more blood...but this is most likely because it's right there on the surface of our body...where the robotic is all inside...but I am sure there is bleeding at times we just don't see it...
Spasms after surgery are VERY normal ~ I like to put a heated rice pack on the spasming area to help the muscle relax...once you are ok'd to take a bath (which should at minimum be 6 weeks) doing an epsom salt bath will relax the muscles as well...also putting your legs in a position where the knees are higher then the hips forces the pelvic floor to relax...so you can lay on the couch with pillows under your or lie on the floor with your legs on the couch or you can do legs up the wall (yoga pose) all those will help calm the spasms..keep us in the know on how you are doing! It will keep changing a little each day, but you will get better and better and before you know it this will be a distant memory and you will be back to your life! ;)
I too have had abdominal repairs and vaginal repairs and the vaginal one's definitely showed more blood...but this is most likely because it's right there on the surface of our body...where the robotic is all inside...but I am sure there is bleeding at times we just don't see it...
Spasms after surgery are VERY normal ~ I like to put a heated rice pack on the spasming area to help the muscle relax...once you are ok'd to take a bath (which should at minimum be 6 weeks) doing an epsom salt bath will relax the muscles as well...also putting your legs in a position where the knees are higher then the hips forces the pelvic floor to relax...so you can lay on the couch with pillows under your or lie on the floor with your legs on the couch or you can do legs up the wall (yoga pose) all those will help calm the spasms..keep us in the know on how you are doing! It will keep changing a little each day, but you will get better and better and before you know it this will be a distant memory and you will be back to your life! ;)
Oh thank you ! I've rested all day, was really nice too. The bright red bleeding has stopped, back to the pinkish color. So IF I've popped a stitch, that doesn't necessarily mean additional surgery does it? This is so much more than I anticipated ! I don't remember the POP surgery being this bad, and it was abdominal (robotic ), this was vaginal surgery. Having a few, what I call, spasms in my bladder/rectum, but I'm thinking that's normal, just everything still waking up? Thanks again for your encouraging words :)
If you had vaginal repairs as you up your activities it is normal to have bleeding even at 2 weeks...I have had abdominal as well as vaginal repair the vaginal repairs definitely bled more and was always an indicator that I had over done....it happened each off and on for a month...basically so long as you are not soaking through a pad an hour it is most likely normal...I would suggest taking a day to just put your feet up and rest...Ice the area to bring down the swelling, heat any place that feels tight and grumpy as these will get you to a happier place in your body...The healing from surgeries is much longer then 2 weeks, usually longer then what your dr. says before you will be back to yourself...but as always...if in doubt tell your dr. you need to be checked. Take the day off to nap and watch some movies or read a book...give the area bleeding a chance to "re-seal" bright red blood is new blood...darker blood or rust colored blood is old blood...just an fyi...;) It may have been a stitch that let loose a little too soon and the wound hadn't fully sealed so it bled...so with it being bright red I would definitely rest, and if you are bleeding through a pad an hour call your dr. but it's most likely normal healing...
Thank you both for your responses. Today I'm 15 days post op. I've only had bleeding that required a panty liner. Today, we walked around Wal-Mart just to get out of the house. No pushing the shipping cart, no lifting, bending, etc. Hubby and I drove around a while. I was tired, but didn't seem like anymore than usual. Just woke up from a nap ( I nap easily ), went to the potty and low and behold, bright red blood with tiny clots! 2 weeks and 1 day post op ! Where the heck is this coming from ? ? I'm thinking residual blood (if there is such a thing) because I was up more and walking ? ? The discharge papers tell me to walk until ice reached a mile by the time I see my doctor on Dec 4th. Don't think that's gonna happen. Monitoring this situation closely ! Will keep you ladies updated. Have mercy...:(
Glad you have no constipation. It sounds like you are managing your healing well now. So sorry to hear you took a fall like that. I dont know why ladies are often not told how long it can take to heal. Many ladies take up to 12 weeks for the initial healing and gradually feel stronger after that as well.
Call your Urogyne if you are at all worried about your bulging feeling. When do you go back for a check up?
Let us know how you get on
Call your Urogyne if you are at all worried about your bulging feeling. When do you go back for a check up?
Let us know how you get on
It sounds like you are right on track with your healing and I am sure the fall set you back a week so just keep taking it easy..all you should be doing is taking gentle walks and napping...eating and staying hydrated...being waited on hand and foot...it is not near as easy a recovery as some dr.s tell us...I did not feel back to my self until about 9 months and then developed a new rectocele right where the mesh stopped because of the pelvic floor dysfunction...had that repaired...so unfortunately this journey is a bit challenging, but we just have to do our best and keep living as full and happy as we possibly can despite what our body is throwing at us...but for now...You need to just focus on healing well as we only get one chance to heal well and even that is no guarantee so make sure you take the time needed to heal your very best because YOU are worth whatever time it takes! Heal Well and try not to worry too much it sounds like you are right on track with the healing...
Thank you so much for your response ! I haven't applied ice, but have applied cool compresses ( which felt sooooo good ). My uro/gyn said the TOT was a possibility after my surgery for the Pelvic Organ Prolapse. If I understood him correctly, he said the mesh is placed only so far down into the vagina. And of course, my lower intestine (?) found the weakest point which resulted in the posterior repair. He made it sound like this was a snap ! Haha, no it's not, at least it hasn't been for me. I started taking Ibuprophen yesterday to help with swelling also. I'll be 2 weeks post op Friday, Nov 14th. I tire very easily and nap quite often. I'm still being careful, but you're correct, that fall scared me ! Thanks again for your response ! :)
That must have been beyond scary to take a splits fall...after surgery down there! I would try to just rest and get my feet elevated so my knees are aboce my hips as this will force the pelvic floor to relax. I would imagine it is swelling as that sounds like quite the fall...good that you have no bleeding! I would give it several days to a week with lots of resting and then perhaps if the "bulge" has not changed get the exam from your uro/gyn just to ease your mind one way or the other! I totally get the worn out from surgery...seems once we are on it there is no way off...hang in there and keep taking the best care of you as possible! Have you iced the area? as this would help the swelling to decrease more quickly...
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