I am 62 years old and have had stage 3 cystocele (bladder prolapse) for over 10 years and it has not bothered me much until the last year. I had a bout of bleeding due to some rubbing but it finally quit and I got checked out for uterine cancer (which I did not have). I think the bleeding was brought on by rubbing from a pessary that I finally tried due to urologist's urging. Recently was told that my prolapse is now stage 4. Went to a urogynecologist who is highly recommended and he said the best procedure for me is sacrocolpopexy. I was a bit surprised that he wanted to do a hysterectomy and so questioned him quite extensively. He described it as a "once and done" procedure saying it would allow me to have a better quality of life and I wouldn't have to think about it anymore. Since my mom is 96 and never had a hysterectomy I guess I thought this might be overkill. In order to get out of his high-pressure office I scheduled a follow-up. I just felt like he was way too anxious to get me into surgery. When I cancelled my follow-up with him I was questioned aggressively by the receptionist and received multiple follow-up phone calls trying to get me to come in and discuss "my surgery." My gynecologist thought he might be a bit aggressive in what he had recommended and so she sent me to another urogynechologist in town who is highly regarded. I liked him much better and after examination he recommended the sacrocolpopexy as well. He said he did not think that a simple anterior ligament repair would hold because my ligaments are so weak. He said the sacrocolpopexy done robotically with hysterectomy is the state of the art procedure for my situation at this time. He was very willing to explain things and answer all of my questions and was not as pushy as the first urogynecologist I went to. He even said if I wanted to, I might come and work with his nurse on another pessary fitting to see if I had better luck. He even told me that he could see from my examination that my previous bleeding was likely coming from a small area at the base of my cervix that looked to have healed recently. He said it could have been caused by the previous pessary or just by rubbing on the tissue which was a bit atrophic. He also emphasized that using estrace and/or vitamin E gel or any type of cream or gel would add to my comfort level.
This was a couple of months ago and I decided just to take a break from going to doctors. I have been using the cream and it has helped. However, in the past couple of weeks it seems that the cystocele is causing me more discomfort. It is very difficult for me to empty my bladder and I have had a couple of nights where I am up and down all night trying to empty it and as soon as I get back in bed I feel like I have to go again. I am planning on making an appointment to go back in to the second urogynecologist and work with the nurse that does the pessary fittings. I had told him I was extremely afraid of the mesh and he said it is not the same mesh or the same surgery that you see on all of the class action lawsuit commercials. I just don't know who to believe. I am so confused and feel that the situation is not getting better, in fact, it is really getting worse.
I would like to know if there are any doctors at the Mayo Clinic that perform sacrocolpopexy or who do any type surgery on cystoceles. I would be willing to come and consult one of them but I just don't know where to begin. I would also like to hear from anyone who has had such surgery and how their recovery has been. I have some issues with my back as well and I feel like the prolapse is adding to a heavy feeling in my back and pelvic area. I apparently don't have UTI which is surprising given that my bladder seldom empties. I just need to take the next step but don't know what that is. Help? Direction? I really appreciate it.
@letsgo I am so very sorry you are having these issues. I hope you can get some relief soon. I knew about the mesh erosion but it is not as common as it once was. I was not aware of the hernia possibility. I have had another type of hernia for years and luckily no pain from it. But this one sounds like it must be addressed. I really wish you the best.
@gailg That is me, I’m suppose to have the same surgery January 25 but I still haven’t decided if I’m going to or not. My biggest fear is having incontinence afterwards. They give you all the possible outcomes and this one scares me terribly. Right now I have a level 3 prolapse, bladder, bowel, uterus, but no incontinence other than an occasional dribble from coughing with a full bladder. I went through PT and retrained my bladder so my urge issues are pretty much gone. I’ve also figured out how much fiber I need daily to keep me regular with my rectocele. I’m 59 years old, in good health and am having minimal issues with the prolapse right now. If I do have the surgery I want it in January so it’s now or wait a year. I just keep going back and forth, I haven’t been able to decide. Anyone else have incotinence develop after surgery? If it happens I can do the sling but they said the urge may never go away. I don’t want more issues to develop from surgery.
@gailg I really appreciate this conversation because I don’t have anyone I can talk this over with to help me make my decision. I don’t really know how long I’ve had the prolapse, as I think back I know my bowel began to fall at least ten years ago but the other pelvic organs involved may have been prolapsed for about three years with this past 1 1/2 years it’s been very apparent. I have read about the testing you refer to but have not had any nor are any planned prior to surgery. One of my surgeons is going to do a cystoscope but I don’t know when that’ll be done, either during or after surgery. I do know it’s meant to check how the bladder and urethra are working. My other surgeon did speak of surgical corrections if I do have leakage but did not put a number on it, I’ve read about 25% have some degree. It is interesting that you mentioned the prolapse can mask incontinence and has interfered with your ability to urinate because I’ve found that I can go longer than ever before needing to use the bathroom. When I get up in the morning after not going in the night I can let the dogs out and even feed them before heading to the bathroom. You would think I’d have a strong steady stream but I don’t, and depending on the angle of my torso I can change the stream from a mild one to more of a trickle, I’m sure it’s the prolapse and it has been in these last few months where it’s become quite noticeable which leaves me to deduce it’s falling even more. I feel very good about my two surgeons, they are reputable and have done many of these surgeries with great outcomes. I’m just not sure I’m bothered enough by the prolapse to have the surgery but if I don’t it might not go as well if I wait. I just want to be and feel normal again but the fear of incontinence is so strong, especially because my son is getting married next August .
@letsgo - you mentioned you were going to have 2 more surgeries after your hysterectomy and mesh. Were these related to the cyst and the hernia you talked about?
So sorry you have had these issues? When did you start having problems with this? I have not heard about the belly button problem but did this occur as a result of the laparoscopic surgery? I am unclear as to the order of things. You had bladder prolapse surgery with hysterectomy in May and then because of problems you had revision surgery? Is your doctor a urogynecologist? I am so sorry you are going through this. I am sure you have done so but have you gotten a second opinion as to what exactly you need at this point? I would be hesitant to let the same doctor operate on me again if I had these kinds of complications. If you are in a small town, have you considered going elsewhere for treatment? I had a similar long protracted outcome from an ankle surgery many years ago so I know how frustrating it can be to think you are fixing something and then have these other things happen. I will keep you in my thoughts and am still very curious about exactly what occurred.
Hi Gail, will be so nice to know how you doing after you pelvic prolapse surgery. Did you had any problems with the mesh so far?
I am considering to have surgery too and traveling to US for that reason. Thanks
Hi Gail, will be so nice to know how you doing after you pelvic prolapse surgery. Did you had any problems with the mesh so far?
I am considering to have surgery too and traveling to US for that reason. Thanks
Good Morning, I am sorry to hear of your experience with the first dr....I had my repair surgery done in March and it was successful it was done without mesh and I did not have to have a hysterectomy. My uro. told me that my muscle spasms may return like a fire storm but would settle down...well they did and I am back in p/t...I am glad I had the surgery I was stage 2 and was very uncomfortable when I went into surgery I was pain free thanks to the p/t....now I have swelling du2 to the spasms it is better but I am still not myself the p/t dose help another thing that has happened since the surgery is I had what I thought was a uti and it turns out the dr. thinks I have ic (no testing has been done) acidy foods cause painful bladder issues so in a nut shell yes I am glad that my insides don't feel like they are falling out and that I am not going thru the hell of one pessery fitting after another that only left me sore and sometimes infected...I did not get the sling I hear a lot of women had problems with that so I am lucky there but I am still in pain and have a dr. that will not prescribe valium (which helped with the spasms) he did order eruogics blu for the bladder pain but it upset my stomach so I am dealing only with the p/t .... I wish I could find another dr. but the practice I go to is the only one in my state and doesn't allow you to see other dr.s... I wish you luck
Hi, is it ok to ask who is the doctor who performed your surgery without mesh. I am looking for a good urogynecologist to do this surgery without mesh. I have hear that Micky Karan in LA is good. Anyone has experience with him?
Hi, is it ok to ask who is the doctor who performed your surgery without mesh. I am looking for a good urogynecologist to do this surgery without mesh. I have hear that Micky Karan in LA is good. Anyone has experience with him?
Thank you for replying. Is Dr Hudson repair you bladder prolapse without any mesh? Did she performed hysterectomy with that? Did she used your own tissue? Thanks
Well Good Luck to you!!! I will keep you in my prayers....if you are in the state of Delaware and anyone else who may be reading this DO NOT USE Dr. Howard Goldstein with Christiana UroGYN .... he was a good sergeant however if you have a problem after your surgery he was not a very good follow up Dr. I saw him at least 8 times after my surgery and he wanted to keep putting me in the operating room for things I didn't have wrong with me (I would follow up with a specialist for what he said I had i.e. hernia and IC) when I finally went to an out of state UroGYN he told me at the first visit what was wrong with me and sent me to a pelvic pain specialist.... so in my option if I go to a dr. only one time for the same issue and he tells me with just one visit what is wrong the dr. that was treating me and saw me many times after the surgery can't tell me what is wrong he is just looking for a mortgage payment and not treating his patients as people!!!!
Good Morning, I am sorry to hear of your experience with the first dr....I had my repair surgery done in March and it was successful it was done without mesh and I did not have to have a hysterectomy. My uro. told me that my muscle spasms may return like a fire storm but would settle down...well they did and I am back in p/t...I am glad I had the surgery I was stage 2 and was very uncomfortable when I went into surgery I was pain free thanks to the p/t....now I have swelling du2 to the spasms it is better but I am still not myself the p/t dose help another thing that has happened since the surgery is I had what I thought was a uti and it turns out the dr. thinks I have ic (no testing has been done) acidy foods cause painful bladder issues so in a nut shell yes I am glad that my insides don't feel like they are falling out and that I am not going thru the hell of one pessery fitting after another that only left me sore and sometimes infected...I did not get the sling I hear a lot of women had problems with that so I am lucky there but I am still in pain and have a dr. that will not prescribe valium (which helped with the spasms) he did order eruogics blu for the bladder pain but it upset my stomach so I am dealing only with the p/t .... I wish I could find another dr. but the practice I go to is the only one in my state and doesn't allow you to see other dr.s... I wish you luck
Dear Pizon, please share who was the doctor who did your pelvic repair without mesh, I am looking for a good surgeon who don’t use mesh for repair of pelvic prolapse. Thank you.
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@letsgo I am so very sorry you are having these issues. I hope you can get some relief soon. I knew about the mesh erosion but it is not as common as it once was. I was not aware of the hernia possibility. I have had another type of hernia for years and luckily no pain from it. But this one sounds like it must be addressed. I really wish you the best.
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2 Reactions@gailg I really appreciate this conversation because I don’t have anyone I can talk this over with to help me make my decision. I don’t really know how long I’ve had the prolapse, as I think back I know my bowel began to fall at least ten years ago but the other pelvic organs involved may have been prolapsed for about three years with this past 1 1/2 years it’s been very apparent. I have read about the testing you refer to but have not had any nor are any planned prior to surgery. One of my surgeons is going to do a cystoscope but I don’t know when that’ll be done, either during or after surgery. I do know it’s meant to check how the bladder and urethra are working. My other surgeon did speak of surgical corrections if I do have leakage but did not put a number on it, I’ve read about 25% have some degree. It is interesting that you mentioned the prolapse can mask incontinence and has interfered with your ability to urinate because I’ve found that I can go longer than ever before needing to use the bathroom. When I get up in the morning after not going in the night I can let the dogs out and even feed them before heading to the bathroom. You would think I’d have a strong steady stream but I don’t, and depending on the angle of my torso I can change the stream from a mild one to more of a trickle, I’m sure it’s the prolapse and it has been in these last few months where it’s become quite noticeable which leaves me to deduce it’s falling even more. I feel very good about my two surgeons, they are reputable and have done many of these surgeries with great outcomes. I’m just not sure I’m bothered enough by the prolapse to have the surgery but if I don’t it might not go as well if I wait. I just want to be and feel normal again but the fear of incontinence is so strong, especially because my son is getting married next August .
Thinking of some of the members here who have talked about prolapse surgery and wondering how things are going ...
@pma58 - did you have your prolapse surgery?
@letsgo - you mentioned you were going to have 2 more surgeries after your hysterectomy and mesh. Were these related to the cyst and the hernia you talked about?
Hi Gail, will be so nice to know how you doing after you pelvic prolapse surgery. Did you had any problems with the mesh so far?
I am considering to have surgery too and traveling to US for that reason. Thanks
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1 ReactionI have had bladder prolapse surgery in March 2018 (daVinci robotic sacropolpoxy - mesh). No problems, very happy!! @comcast.net
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1 ReactionHi, is it ok to ask who is the doctor who performed your surgery without mesh. I am looking for a good urogynecologist to do this surgery without mesh. I have hear that Micky Karan in LA is good. Anyone has experience with him?
The doctor’s name is HUDSON, MEMORIAL HERMANN IN HOUSTON, TX. SHE IS VERY GOOD.
Thank you for replying. Is Dr Hudson repair you bladder prolapse without any mesh? Did she performed hysterectomy with that? Did she used your own tissue? Thanks
Well Good Luck to you!!! I will keep you in my prayers....if you are in the state of Delaware and anyone else who may be reading this DO NOT USE Dr. Howard Goldstein with Christiana UroGYN .... he was a good sergeant however if you have a problem after your surgery he was not a very good follow up Dr. I saw him at least 8 times after my surgery and he wanted to keep putting me in the operating room for things I didn't have wrong with me (I would follow up with a specialist for what he said I had i.e. hernia and IC) when I finally went to an out of state UroGYN he told me at the first visit what was wrong with me and sent me to a pelvic pain specialist.... so in my option if I go to a dr. only one time for the same issue and he tells me with just one visit what is wrong the dr. that was treating me and saw me many times after the surgery can't tell me what is wrong he is just looking for a mortgage payment and not treating his patients as people!!!!
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2 ReactionsDear Pizon, please share who was the doctor who did your pelvic repair without mesh, I am looking for a good surgeon who don’t use mesh for repair of pelvic prolapse. Thank you.