Prolapse

Yes, I had it done about 6 years ago. My advice to you would be to choose your surgeon carefully, and ask your doctor which one they would send their mother to. Find a surgeon who won't use mesh, there have been lots of problems with it. Both mistakes I learnt afterwards!

The operation was straighforward, and I was in hospital for three nights. If I had been able to find a surgeon to do keyhole surgery, recovery would have been a lot quicker. You will come round with a drip up, and a catheter in, they will take those out within 24 hours. You should have had a pain block put in, and had morphine by the time you come round, so you won't feel much in the way of pain, and you will be given painkillers to take home with you.

You will also be given laxatives and have to have had your bowels open before they will let you leave. If you are super sensitive to these as I am, just take one and hide the other tablet!

The surgery is worth it, recovery is as for a hysterectomy, no driving for at least three weeks, no heavy lifting etc.

Only you can decide whether to go ahead, but I don't regret mine.

Thanks for this - very helpful. They dont use mesh in the UK any more, so this is not an option. Apparently the alternative (stitching) is not quite as effective but hopefully less risk of problems afterwards. I am glad yours worked for you - I will probably go ahead as the incontinence I am experiencing is awful...!

Have you had medication for the incontinence ?It can be very effective and delay or even prevent surgery

I had a bladder and part bowel repair in September. It came on very quickly and I had no incontinence or urinary symptoms, but I could feel something had dropped down. It was all stitched up and I was in hospital for 3 nights, but had to have a catheter at home for a week as I couldn’t wee. It took me 8 weeks to get my energy back, and I’m usually quite fit. The surgeon said she had seen some horrific sights trying to unpick mesh from ladies who had that sort of repair in the past. I took Lactulose to ease bowel movements. It can reoccur, so I am very wary of lifting anything really heavy, now.

Its not just a case of they do not use the mesh in the uk....its a travesty that should never have happened. It was never suitable for this type of operation and should never have been used. The original testing was totally inadequate.
I have a mild prolapse and luckily am sorted with the silicone pessary so do not have to think about surgery yet. However it was noticeable that one doctor (weirdly a female) I spoke to suggested I should consider some form of surgery!! Thankfully all the others I've seen view regular replacements of a non invasive pessary as a perfectly sensible approach.
I would just say that getting a bit fitter...as in core exercises do help as does not being too overweight. Also do make sure your diet is heavy on the vegetables at all time.....constipation and prolapse to not go together!

I had a hysterectomy with bladder and bowel repair for prolapse. I was in hospital for 2 nights. They let me home without having bowels opened, did not give me laxatives. There wasn't much pain. You must be careful about not lifting anything more than a mug of tea/coffee for the first week or so and no general housework for 6 weeks. It did take me a few months to regain my energy but it was well worth getting rid of the discomfort of the prolapse.

GraintyHelen , what medication is there?

Anyone have any experience of using a vaginal pessery for prolapse of bladder / bowl (cystocele/rectocele).... and if successful !

Oldage - Lots of people do use pessaries successfully. In my case the prolapse worsened to the extent that a pessary did not work.
Pessaries need to be changed every 6 months and my GP felt it was okay when you are still fit but she had elderly frail patients in nursing homes with pessaries and other patients with severe prolapse who were too frail for surgery. Hence, she advised me to have surgery.

Moira thanks for that, I am still fit ans healthy and just diagnosed with grade 2 cystocele and rectocele .....didn't know I had it until recently as no symptoms and wondering if the pessery stops it getting any worse. How was the surgery !!!

Moira, I believe there are various prolapse repair operations ....can I ask which you had please as doing my research on how successful they are !

Oldage - I'm not sure of the details of the surgery but it was successful. I do however have to take vaginal oestrogen for vaginal atrophy. I am incontinent when I don't use that for more than a few days. This was diagnosed when I first saw the urogynaecologist.
The Patient.info website has patient forums and it is useful to join the forum on prolapse.

Thank you again Moura will take a look

Could not having this repaired lead to having to have a colostomy? Does anyone know?

No idea. Wouldnt have thought so as think some people actually live with prolapse. Would be best to ask a medical professional about that I think.

Hi everyone, I’m 61 and 2 days post op for SSF prolapse surgery, feeling ok in myself but the pain in right buttock is horrendous, and am scared to death to eat in case I become constipated, have got plenty of painkillers and laxatives, just wondered if anyone had any tips or advice for what’s to come .thank you

Oldagesucks. I had the silicone pessary inserted for a double prolapse. Could not go to the toilet and after three days went back feeling lousy. Had it removed and was then treated for infection with antibiotics. Never never again. The pain inserting and removing was horrendous.

I have had a ring pessary for six years now. I have had occasional problems of infection and have had to remove it for a short period but have now reached the stage where the pessary will not stay in place, presumably because of atrophy. Things were better when I inserted oestrogen pessaries every month but I have had to stop this as a precaution because I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and it was the type that is oestrogen receptive. The pessary now slips out of position after a few hours and I am having to push it back but it is uncomfortable if I can’t do this and am unable to take the long walks I used to love. I am 76 but otherwise in good health and don’t want to have to sit down for increasingly long periods. I am going to talk to my GP and ask for a referral to discuss surgery but am cautious about the possible consequences.

Dottynan did you have the surgery when the pessary wan’t suitable?

I had a bowel prolapse 9 years ago and had it successfully repaired. I don’t think any surgeons are using mesh anymore so don’t worry about that but do double check. In my NHS trust it is only urogynaecologists who perform rectocele and cystocele repairs and not the gynaecologists. That’s important so ask the relevant questions at your appointment. Having said that I think it is mostly urogynaecologists performing the surgery due to NHS recommendations. As I said it’s 9 years since my surgery and I have a friend who needed a bowel and bladder repair around the same time. We have both had no problems and hopefully we won’t in the future

Jane 43. No I didn't. I live with it and my doctor made no further comment.