Rectocele Surgery Causing a Cystocele

I have been observing this site for a while now and have been hesitant to post. I am 47 and have had 3 births, all with episiotomies, and one of them weighing in at 10 Lbs 1 oz. In January I had surgery for a rectocele and within 6 weeks of the surgery a cystocele developed. I have not been back to the doctor for diagnosis, but at this point I have come to realize I know my body better than a doctor. Looking back, I had lived with a rectocele for many years without realizing what it was until last year when it “popped”. To get some exercise, I started to ride a bike that someone gave to my husband. I remember after riding my butt (the episiotomy area) would sting. I passed it off as being whimpie and out of shape and continued to ride this mountain bike even thought it didn’t fit my build. Until one day, while riding I hit a patch of sand that took every bit of strength I could muster and before I got home I new something wasn’t right. No matter what I did it continued to get worse. The first doctor told me that I needed a hysterectomy along with a rectocele and cystocele repair. My stunned look prompted him to put his hands on my knees and tell me, “I’m not telling you you have cancer. This can be fixed with surgery”. When I asked about a pessary he wouldn’t hear of it. So, I went to a different doctor who told me I had a rectocele and she could fix it with surgery. She didn’t mention anything about a hysterectomy or a cystocele. I was so relieved at the time that I signed up for surgery and was only going to be off work a few weeks. The surgery did eliminate the sharp pains I would experience during intercourse but, it did not improve my bowel function and because of the surgery I live in constant fear of becoming constipated. This leads me to believe my rectocele had nothing to do with my bowel function.

The cystocele was responding well with diet and posture. The frequent bladder urges stopped and the bulge was hardly noticeable. Last week I started going to a chiropractor and the cystocele is now much larger. Has any one else experienced this? Are there certain adjustments that should be avoided? I went due to low back pain (from an extended car trip) that has since subsided. Should I go back?

Also, is bowling an activity to stay away from?

I do feel a sense of relief to actually post and will appreciate your wonderful responses.

Nettles