Prolapse bowel surgery: What was your recovery like?

Hi Erin…! I am so sorry it’s January and just answering you! My bad!….as to Surgery, I’ve had over 40 in my life and glad for every one of them. Sometimes it’s the doctors who don’t know enough to “risk ‘ surgery. Not informed or comfortable. I am very pro active and go and get each one that I want. Including that one!….go get yourself fixed by a doctor who gets us and who is not afraid . I got that run around from a young doctor once and just went to a more experienced one. There is appropriate risk for each of us that renders us a quality of life that we are happy about and each one of us need to decide. I do my research on doctors and then add in my instincts when I meet them . I am interviewing them and if they are not informed on EDS then I’m out of there. When I had lenses put in my eyes, they brought in two of the best in Fl. I never had any problems so that will help the next person and now I see 20/20. I looked down at my elderly mothers 10 toes that were all hammered and thought….ahhh no thanks! As he had terrible balance because of them. Looked at my own and went in and had all 10 done in 4 surgeries as they had already started to curl. As I got knees and hips replaced I was so glad later for my perfect balance. Project ahead and if you see a need , don’t wait until you are in pain or dislocation to get the correct surgeries done. There is only more of the same ahead for us. Also, I can’t say enough about Oxalate overload eating and what a huge problem that is for we who suffer inflammation! Stay away from high oxalate foods, high histamine foods and high lectin foods, as well as gluten. We are overly sensitive to all of that and swell easily. And yes!! There is a lot of food still to choose from . You will be rid of the gas of all the things you can’t digest easily. Dr Becky Campbell on line will help you sort out all the lists of food that I’m mentioning, and Dr. Beth O’Hara……and many others who suffer the same but forged a better way. Campbell has her own vitamins that I used to get well called Optimal Reset. there are so many vitamins that she organized them into a valuable thing for others. I also have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and very possibly you do too. I’d check that out. 40% of EDS folks have some form of it. That could be a huge culprit for your agony. I would love to hear from you and that you are finding a way!….God Bless……Terri

@colleenyoung, @baz Good Afternoon, After waiting for a cardiac release to see my Obgyn about my surgery which was canceled for April 15, 2022, I got an appt. for Dec. 5th (waited two months for this), and now I get to wait again for the surgery now booked for April 13, 2023. My fingers are crossed that nothing gets in the way.

So for now, I get to live with the pain, pressure, fluid retention, and not staying in sometimes for a day or two. Then on top of all that the vagus nerve decides to join in and causes more pressure, lower BP, and wobbly legs. April is a long way off and I have been dealing with my RP for over two years now. In the beginning, I just had surgery to lift my bladder up and to have a rectal anterior and posterior rectocele. The bladder was fixed and the anterior rectocele also but my tissue was too thin for stitches to complete the posterior. I have been building up my tissue wall with medication and hope now the posterior rectocele (April 13) can be completed and my prolapse fixed for good. With the surgery, I spent the night in the hospital and went home the next day. The day of the surgery, the staff told me see you later and the next thing I knew, I was in recovery. I had no pain at all and no incision, done through the vag. I just had to rest and no lifting for a few weeks. For me, this was easy.

As for my weight loss, it started in Feb. 2022. During that time I was also giving myself Tymlos injections each night (which has a black box warning). For months going forward, I have no idea what was the cause of all that happened next. I started losing weight (106 down to 93) in about three weeks. By the first week of March, my body was in total fatigue, with wobbly legs. I could not get much done. On March 5, 2022, I went 911 to the ER (stop Tymlos 2/15). My journey started that day, I returned home on May 5, 2022. My weight coming home was 98 and my ICD codes for CHF and Afib. I was just fine up till then and planning my garden for Spring 2022. I have been trying to gain weight with a goal of 108. Everything today is for losing weight not gaining. Now it is 2023, I am weighing between 104 - 106. Then maybe back to 103 for a day or two. My BP runs on the low side, so some days I do not get much done. I have a tablet through Mercy Virtual and a team of a PA, an RD, and a PT, available 24/7 by phone.

I have rambled on long enough so if I can answer any questions, please send me a reply. This is a new year with new situations that we will have to face. I am so glad there is a Mayo Connect where we can ask questions and find answers from a wonderful group of caring people. Take care and stay healthy. KLH

I am scheduled for rectal prolapse surgery on February 23 if I can get my cardiac clearance. I’m hoping that my A-Fib doesn’t become a factor in getting it.
I’m so happy to see a response on this thread since I haven’t heard from anybody who has had this diagnosis or surgery. I was thinking I was the only one out here…
I am nervous because of my heart condition and the seriousness of the operation. I would just like to know how other people did and what their recovery was like.
Thanks again for your input. Please keep me informed of your progress.

I wonder if you had the same surgery that I am scheduled for. I’m having “Laparoscopic biologic graft ventral rectopexy with possible posterior dissection”. Quite a mouthful. Apparently they take the receding intestines and pull them up and attach them to a ligament in my back. It’s not through the vagina it’s laparoscopic through my stomach.
Was your procedure anything like this?

February 23 if I can get cardiac clearance.

I am not feeling well today. 10th day on nitroflutoin. Excruciating upper abdominal pain and rt flank pain. But UTI and kidney infection were quite severe. Had to finish the medicine. I too do suffer with prolapse, severe bladdere incontinence. I refuse to have bladder surgery , because the mesh that surgeons use adheres to the organs and causes, life threatining complications and no cure to correct. Also had total hysterctomy 25 years ago. It sucks getting old. Going for acupuncture in a few days. NO MORE MEDS.
Vegetarian diet.
Good Luck to you.

Thanks for replying.
I was told I would be in the hospital one or two days only. Why were you in for seven days? Where did you have your surgery?
I’m scheduled to have my surgery next month at Stanford in Palo Alto California.

Thanks for your reply. I’m sorry you have such pain.
Where do I find information about the mesh they will be using?
I never heard that it’s an issue and I want to check it out. Sounds scary.

I hope your next surgery gives you relief from RP.
Where are you having the surgery?

"60 Minutes" did a story in 2018 on pharmaceutical manufacturer "Boston Scientific" surgical mesh used in gynecological surgeries and other organs that shift.
Recently a family member just under went a 10 hour surgery to repair a huge hernia in a male patient suffering with colon cancer, removal of a portion of his colon, perforation occurred, colostomy bag put in, developed huge stoma, wound care pump surgery, just had the hernia repair surgery, after returning home a week later, developed hematoma under stapled incision. To make a long story short, patient requested surgeon to not use a mesh that would have adhered to the organs, assured the patient a different kind of mesh would be used. Please ask alot of questions about what surgical products will be used and the risks causing more pain, suffering and injury.
I will never have bladder repair surgery after hearing over 100,000 women suffered physical damage from using this mesh.
I get so upset speaking about this. I guess suffering with a prolapsed bladder and a bad kidney infection, sphincter of oddi disfunction, pancreatitis and horrible abdominal cramping, taking a break from physicians right now.
Good luck to.
Take care