Recovering from Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery

Posted by Jackie Bautista @dominicana, Dec 28, 2018

I am 2 weeks post-op/recovering from pelvic organ prolapse/hysterectomy surgery. Having difficulty finding products for urine incontinence that's NOT disposable underwear as I've never worn panties prior to my surgery.

Can anyone recommend anything like an adhesive patch or liner that adheres to skin? NOTE - it's difficult cleaning wound/suture area using pads due to cotton sticking. So that's another reason I'm inquiring.

Wish manufacturers had more options for women like myself who don't wear underwear but seeking temp incontinence relief/support while recovering.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Women's Health Support Group.

It's amazing there are so few answers to the issues around pelvic prolapse. Surely with all the advances in medicine this one needs better answers.

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I have incontinence issues so I use pads all the time and have a little experience looking for products. Before having incontinence, i too preferred to go without panties. Im sorry to tell you i haven't found any feminine products that can be used without panties other than disposable undergarments. I'll do another search online to see if anything new pops up but for now, I'm afraid the news is discouraging

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I just remembered! You can use a sanitary pad and belt. It's old fashioned but I checked and they are available online. I checked with a Google search.

I hope this helps!

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@dracena

It's amazing there are so few answers to the issues around pelvic prolapse. Surely with all the advances in medicine this one needs better answers.

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Yes I agree. I've been using my experience to educate all of my gym buddies and employees in the warehouse who constantly lift boxes. I've never heard of pelvic organ prolapse until it happened to me. I feel that the information should at least be svston the gynecologist office. Had I not seen my primary care doctor for bladder issues, it would've taken longer to get to the root of the problem.

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@konniehoover

I have incontinence issues so I use pads all the time and have a little experience looking for products. Before having incontinence, i too preferred to go without panties. Im sorry to tell you i haven't found any feminine products that can be used without panties other than disposable undergarments. I'll do another search online to see if anything new pops up but for now, I'm afraid the news is discouraging

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Thanks for replying. After countless hours of online searching, I FINALLY found something called a Fitness pad which covers the urethra. Here's the site - https://havefiness.com
I'm definitely going to try this out. (as soon as I'm fully released by my doc since I'm still pretty early post-op and still have discharge) sorry about the TMI

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@dracena

It's amazing there are so few answers to the issues around pelvic prolapse. Surely with all the advances in medicine this one needs better answers.

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It took 17 months, 2 cat scans, 2 MRIs, colonoscopy and my GP sending me to 12 healthcare professionals before a OBGYN said I likely had a prolapse based on my symptoms, the same symptoms I'd given everyone I saw. He tried a pressary after I did 3 months of pelvic floor therapy and could no long squeeze due to the ever falling prolapse. I went to what I thought was a OBGYN who told me I definitely did not have a prolapse. I'd wait months to appointments until I found a doctor that examined me both lying down and standing up. Had Vagina atrophy and Vagina prolapsing. Tried the Mona Lisa Touch which was suggested but after two treatments when I mentioned I was worse and not better I was told the treatments wouldn't help my ever more painful prolapse! I wish the Mayo Clinic had a branch near Reno. I am waiting for a surgery appointment and it's been two weeks. Also found that the reason no tests or exams showed a prolapse was I was lying down! I had fleetingly wondered if that could be the problem but thought surly doctors would know that! Truly unbelievable lack of female doctors with knowledge where I live in NV. No one should have to wait 4 1/2 months to see a doctor and then only been examined by a doctors assistant. If I had a heart issue or cancer I would have been seen immediately and been on a path to better health after a few appointments. Likely this will be the two year mark before I actually have the surgery. Can't get a second option because only one doctor has the necessary qualifications needed, unbelievable. I would go to the Mayo Clinic but sitting is a killer and flying is out of the question since the prolapse presses on my rectum and everything else.

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@tucker1127

It took 17 months, 2 cat scans, 2 MRIs, colonoscopy and my GP sending me to 12 healthcare professionals before a OBGYN said I likely had a prolapse based on my symptoms, the same symptoms I'd given everyone I saw. He tried a pressary after I did 3 months of pelvic floor therapy and could no long squeeze due to the ever falling prolapse. I went to what I thought was a OBGYN who told me I definitely did not have a prolapse. I'd wait months to appointments until I found a doctor that examined me both lying down and standing up. Had Vagina atrophy and Vagina prolapsing. Tried the Mona Lisa Touch which was suggested but after two treatments when I mentioned I was worse and not better I was told the treatments wouldn't help my ever more painful prolapse! I wish the Mayo Clinic had a branch near Reno. I am waiting for a surgery appointment and it's been two weeks. Also found that the reason no tests or exams showed a prolapse was I was lying down! I had fleetingly wondered if that could be the problem but thought surly doctors would know that! Truly unbelievable lack of female doctors with knowledge where I live in NV. No one should have to wait 4 1/2 months to see a doctor and then only been examined by a doctors assistant. If I had a heart issue or cancer I would have been seen immediately and been on a path to better health after a few appointments. Likely this will be the two year mark before I actually have the surgery. Can't get a second option because only one doctor has the necessary qualifications needed, unbelievable. I would go to the Mayo Clinic but sitting is a killer and flying is out of the question since the prolapse presses on my rectum and everything else.

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Hi @tucker1127, I had a LeFort Colpocleisis for uterine/bladder/vaginal prolapse on May 4, 2023. I just had my 3-month post-op visit with my surgeon, and my major issue has been a pesky UTI from mid-June til 10 days ago. But I'm now on low-dose antibiotic and vaginal estrogen cream for 3 months, and then we'll reevaluate. Anyway, except for some predictable urgency (related to actual bladder fullness), I feel 90% restored to my pre-prolapse condition. I was encouraged to seek a "urogynecologist" after I'd had a few UTIs that were treated in an Immediate Care clinic (at the time, I didn't have a Primary Care Doctor). So I searched in my area and Insurance network and found one with a very good bio. I hope there is a qualified (and female) urogynecologist in/near the Reno area. Run, do not walk, to such a doctor if you find one! And the reason I had a "LeFort" procedure (90% vaginal closing after putting things back into their proper place) is because I'm in my 70s and single. I wish you a speedy recovery from the CORRECT procedure, but DO look for a qualified urogynecologist! AND . . . ask for (and do) Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy! Post-op, the therapist does internal massage to stretch and smooth out post-op scar tissue and teaches exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles to help keep things in place and assist with control issues. PFPT is as important as the surgery. Good luck, Hugs!

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There are panties called nicks or kicks i think.
They are anout 30 per pair
They are meant to help with incontinence

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It is now over two years that my prolapsed bladder was repaired. I am fully normal in that department, and have no leakage anymore. I have vaginal stenosis, and need to apply estrogen cream 2 to 3 times a weak to keep the stenosis at bay, but I can olive with this. I could get vaginal surgery, to repair the stenosis, but I do not see any reason to have this surgery done, because I am not sexually active anymore.
I am so glad that I had my bladder prolapse repaired.

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@ayleswc914

Hi @tucker1127, I had a LeFort Colpocleisis for uterine/bladder/vaginal prolapse on May 4, 2023. I just had my 3-month post-op visit with my surgeon, and my major issue has been a pesky UTI from mid-June til 10 days ago. But I'm now on low-dose antibiotic and vaginal estrogen cream for 3 months, and then we'll reevaluate. Anyway, except for some predictable urgency (related to actual bladder fullness), I feel 90% restored to my pre-prolapse condition. I was encouraged to seek a "urogynecologist" after I'd had a few UTIs that were treated in an Immediate Care clinic (at the time, I didn't have a Primary Care Doctor). So I searched in my area and Insurance network and found one with a very good bio. I hope there is a qualified (and female) urogynecologist in/near the Reno area. Run, do not walk, to such a doctor if you find one! And the reason I had a "LeFort" procedure (90% vaginal closing after putting things back into their proper place) is because I'm in my 70s and single. I wish you a speedy recovery from the CORRECT procedure, but DO look for a qualified urogynecologist! AND . . . ask for (and do) Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy! Post-op, the therapist does internal massage to stretch and smooth out post-op scar tissue and teaches exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles to help keep things in place and assist with control issues. PFPT is as important as the surgery. Good luck, Hugs!

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Its taken me many months to get in to see the doctor with the highest medical training and think she is wonderful but because she is so highly rated now I'm waiting for her scheduler to get back to me with a surgery date . I'm afraid it will be next year if my experience so far is any indication. I've tried a pessary, I was too small for the size I needed - it was like a miracle for 24 hours then it was just part of the problem because my OBGYN said it hadn't fallen and all was fine, May not have fallen out but shifted enough to fell fallen and gave no support. I did pelvic floor therapy until I couldn't because of the prolapse and the doctor I saw said my muscle tone was excellent so never needed that. I'm 78 so like you I'm okay with having the operation to shorten my vagina from 4" to 1". Sitting is horrible and painful and the prolapse feels like it falls further on a daily basis but no sense of urgency on the part of the medical profession. I am very happy for you that you have 90% success with your procedure that must mean your town has more good doctors than mine has. I have a consigliere doctor but learned there was zero follow thru on their part - it was up to me to advocate for myself. I do vaginal creme every night now per instructions. Might be that my CA doctor never told me I needed to use the creme at all for 20 years so have the atrophy as a likely result. Hugs to you and glad you're having a happy ending to an awful problem.

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