rectocele recurring after surgery almost 6 months ago!

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Hi everyone I'm very new to this cite and really don't know where to go on here or even to talk to about my problem. Or what other Doctor to see. I have had a hysterectomy when I was 38 years old. Within the last 6 months have had surgery for a cycele and rectocele surgery. The bulge for the rectocele is back and so is the pressure and everything that goes with it. I don't know what to do now. The surgery was awful and very painful! I'm really scared. I don't want to have to do all of this all over again. If anyone can tell me anything about what to do please help me out. Thanks!

Hi Sadie

I can hear that you are very distressed about the return of your POPs. That is quite understandable. I would say that all women who have hysterectomy pray like mad that it will not return, especially after paying with all that suffering for being rid of prolapse. I am guessing that you also feel betrayed, angry and helpless, and quite paralysed.

Part of 'not knowing what to do first' is shock. Re-prolapse was probably completely unexpected, but sadly it is very common. You may not have been told this before your operation. Informed consent is a very rubbery term.

I have taken the liberty of moving your initial post from the Pelvic Health Forum to this Hysterectomy Forum. We have many Members who have had hysterectomy. This is where their stories live, not because we don't want them posting in the other Forums but because women who have had hysterectomy now have their pelvic organs supported by different structures than they were previously, and are now unable to utilise the freedom of movement of the pelvic organs to reposition them. They need to think their way around a changed pelvic architecture and utilise the other techniques.

It is important for you to know exactly how the surgeon resuspended your vaginal vault and how he repaired any rectocele or cystocele. Then you will begin to understand the new configuration of your pelvic organs and figure out how you can use what you have to reposition and maintain positioning of your bladder and rectocele.

All the Wholewoman techniques are good for any woman with POP but the posture that is the key to Wholewoman POP management is more difficult for women who have had hysterectomy because of the structural changes that are done during hysterectomy. You may or may not find it helpful , and it may take a long time to get improvement through postural changes. We just don't know how long and how much better.

Pessaries of different sorts are sometimes helpful. Attention to diet is essential. Not squashing your lower belly with tight clothes is also important. The way you use your body to keep pressure off your pelvic floor is also important, ie maintaining your lumbar curve and probably keeping your centre of gravity in front of your hip joints when lifting, even if you are unable to relax your belly out or if your organs are pinned to the back of your body now. Support garments like the V2 Support belt might also be helpful, even if only used sometimes.

I doubt that you will find better techniques and therapies for managing POP anywhere else. Only Mr Google will tell you that. Always put "hysterectomy'' into your search term because of the differences I have mentioned. Hystersisters is another Forum where you will find women who have had hysterectomy. We know that they have extensive POP forums.

If you haven't already, use the Search box at left to run a search of these Forums for 'hysterectomy' and see what other women have found. Also search 'pessary', 'pessaries', 'hysterectomy posture'.

Please continue to post here and gain what you can from these women's experiences and from these Forums.

Louise

I am sorry you are still suffering. I also had surgery for a rectocele several years ago which did not cure the bulge. I just found this site a year ago and wish I had not had the surgery as it does not tend to be successful and often pulls other bits down. So I would just like to advise you not to have any more surgery for the rectocele and would like to say relax and not be frightened that you will have to go through it again. Take Louise' s advice, she is always so helpful, and be sure to stay in wholewoman posture, and do not lift heavy things at the moment. I hope you start to feel better soon.
rainbow