Prolapse bowel surgery: What was your recovery like?

I’m sorry for your suffering.
I too have rectal prolapse and looking at surgery. What type of surgery did you have? Where? Thanks for your reply. I hope you are feeling better soon and on your way to recovery.

baz Thanks for the reply, I hope you are getting along better than I. Two years ago I went into surgery for an anterior and posterior rectocele. The anterior was fixed but when my doc went to the posterior my tissue would not hold any stitches. Therefore my rectal prolapse was not fixed. Since then I have been applying an estrogen cream three times a week to strengthen the wall so I can have it fixed. All was going well and the surgery was scheduled for April '22. on my follow-up visit which was on March 1, 2022.

Then on March 5th, I went 911 to the ER with Afib and was told I had CHF. There my journey started, surgery was canceled, and I did not return home until May 6th after rehab and then extended care for three weeks. In September, I had another echo and EKG to see if I could have surgery. A month later I received a message That I could have a cardiac surgery release. It gets better. I called to get an appointment to set up a surgery date. The earliest time is on Dec. 5th and he is booking for late Jan. '23. Cannot pick a date till I see him and by Dec., he will be booking in Feb. or maybe March.

Now I am waiting and the pain and pressure are not good. There are some good days when the prolapse stays where it should be and then days when it is out every time I go to stand up. Any fluid retention does not help at all. I am still trying to get my strength back but the total fatigue is taking a toll on me. I do not get much done around here and my home is a disaster zone since I was gone all those weeks. We go out for two meals a day because I can not stand long enough to fix, eat, and clean up after. I do good getting laundry, some dishes, and cleaning done. Besides, I wish I could drive rather than wait for someone else to take me. We live on the farm and have cows that are now Fall calving. The other (better) half does not have a lot of time to drive me around. The worst part of it all is he has 6 blocks that need open heart surgery. He is waiting for me to get fixed so I will be able to help him some.

Enough of me, the surgery I had was vaginal and had no incisions. I did not have one problem with recovery and was back in the garden and helping outside. I have never really been sick all my life till all this hit in March. I guess my body just went into total, total fatigue mode. If your only problem is with the prolapse and that is an easy fix or was for me. Once I get mine fixed then comes another RSR(right side). My rotator and bicep are both torn so not much ROM.
You get so old and everything seems to start falling apart. Now my heart which kind of stopped all my progress is back in sinus rhythm and ventricle pressure is in a normal range and no more CHF, no heart meds, and am just on Xarelto.

Let me know more about the problems you are having with your prolapse. How do you deal with and do you have any meds to help? How long have you been dealing with the problem? I hope you do not have to wait around to have it fixed. It sure puts a damper on enjoying life. Stay healthy and hope all goes well for you. KLH

I have a prolapse as well. I really don’t know if it is cystocele or rectocele since I haven't found a doctor in my area who will do anything for me. One told me that more than 50% of women my age (66) have some sort of prolapse as if that makes it okay to just leave it. I am uncomfortable, sometimes unable to urinate…and other times the urge to go is so imminent that I must hurry to the toilet or risk an accident. My urologist is sending me to a gynecologist for pessary fitting but I’m afraid that it will be too uncomfortable to deal with. The urologist said surgery to repair the prolapse would require an extensive recovery. I feel like I’m not being taken seriously but live in a smaller city with few options for medical treatment.
I would be interested to hear from any women who have some type of prolapse. How are you dealing with it if you’ve had surgical repair, how did it go?
Thanks.

In reply to you all. I have just realised that my problems are not so bad after all. Some of you seem in a really bad way.
I have Achalasia and my operation of the POEM procedure was unsuccessful. However I cannot find a lot to eat and, would you believe either custard or coke are the ones that calm my Oesophagus down. This was discovered when I was researching my condition on Mr Google and not from the doctors.
Anyhow I would like to wish you all well with your emotional state and well being and hope you find the right doctor for your condition.
I really realise as I have said that I am not as badly off as some of you. The waiting is the worst. I hope all goes well for each and every one of you.
I am not sure how I came to be on this site as I am from Australia and was researching my condition of Achalasia which is a swallowing condition.I really wish you all well and certainly home your condition improve sooner rather than later.
Take care and stay safe.
Denise Powell

How are you doing with your recovery for rectal prolapse surgery? I am going to have surgery sometime in January and I’m very concerned about not only the surgery but the recovery. My prolapse is now causing occasional fecal incontinence so it’s definitely time to take care of it.
I’m 70 years old and my doctor is recommending laparoscopic biologic graft ventral rectopexy with possible posterior dissection.
Is this the type of surgery you had? Thank you

@baz Have you scheduled your surgery, if so that is great? I also have incontinence, I have finally found that 2 tsp. of Miralax in a cup of tea every afternoon will work the next morning. But for me, it took 4 days for this to start working. This sure has helped. My surgery was vaginal and was very easy and recovery was great. Since this has worked my bladder is working better and not so pinched. Hope you find some relief before January. KLH

It is what I had for Rectal prolapse. I was one solid week in hosp. The bowel worked on the 7th day and I went home. It remains perfect daily with daily use of probiotic after 7 years.

Thank you. I’m so relieved to finally hear a success story. Did you have the same type of surgery? With the mesh? laparoscopic biologic graft ventral rectopexy?

I believe so. I don’t have the records and not sure about the graft, but my husbands thinks yes. I have never had another problem and went from a once or twice difficult BM a week to now one every day. Pro and pre biotics are daily . I do remember I had a severe kink in the intestines and they cut it out. I also have Ehlers Danlos and supposedly that is more common w us. My adult daughter also has issues and we are both very gluten sensitive which is very common in Ireland……I eat low histamine foods as well, which is very important anyway. I don’t drink or smoke or eat sugar or anything white that makes sugar. Dr says she only wishes everyone w this problem and surgery did the same.

Dear Terri - I I'm so happy to see your post, and was surprised by the fact that you have EDS, a connective tissue disorder, and still benefited from the surgery with no complications. I have EDS/HSD and always been told that people with connective tissue disorders are much more likely to suffer a complications from a pelvic prolapse correction. Can you tell us how you were counseled about that, and whether precautions were taken because of your condition?

I'm so thrilled for you that you've had nothing but success! I've been suffering from a large rectocele for several years but have been advised away from surgery because of EDS/HSD. I also have severe dietary constraints and crippling intestinal gas, but the prolapse is the hardest to manage. Sometimes I can't imagine how I manage this when I'm older (it takes a lot of physical strength to splint), but I'm afraid of making things worse. I'd love to hear more about your story. Cheers, - E