1. < Digestive Health

Prolapsed rectum: living with it versus surgery

Posted by ejoy @ejoy, Apr 24, 2023

In December of 2018 I had a full hysterectomy at the recommendation of my GYN. That is another story but important to this post. In 2019 I started having a bulge protrude from my rectum and I thought it was a hemorrhoid. I started self treatment to no avail. I finally saw a GI doctor and was told I had a prolapsed rectum. I had multiple tests performed on my bladder and rectum (just awful) which were all normal. They could not see any link between the hysterectomy and my current issue. (This was the same healthcare system so I am guessing it was in their best interest not to find a link.)

So my question is does any other member have this condition and what is / was your solution? The surgery sounds horrible, the doctor said it is sometimes not 100% effective. 95% of the time it will retract when urinating or having a bowel movement. My greatest frustration is when taking long walks or hiking it and any fecal matter starts coming out.

I am 68 yo and don’t know whether to live with it and only do surgery if it becomes 0% retractable, which could mean being at an advanced age and not healing as well, or do the surgery now while in good health and healing would be easier.

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ejoy | @ejoy | May 4, 2023

Blinker, thank you so much for sharing your story. What a harrowing experience! I had already wondered about the surgeon I visited. He told me that most of these surgeries do not fix the issue 100%. So I wondered if that was his track record or historical for all surgeons. He is a young doctor and worried about that too.

Again, thank you for sharing and I hope things continue to get better for you. Sending you peace and comfort.

REPLY
1 reply
mypine | @mypine | May 5, 2023
In reply to @ejoy "Blinker, thank you so much for sharing your story. What a harrowing experience! I had already..." + (show)
@ejoy

Blinker, thank you so much for sharing your story. What a harrowing experience! I had already wondered about the surgeon I visited. He told me that most of these surgeries do not fix the issue 100%. So I wondered if that was his track record or historical for all surgeons. He is a young doctor and worried about that too.

Again, thank you for sharing and I hope things continue to get better for you. Sending you peace and comfort.

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I'm so sorry to hear about these situations shared here. I'm due to have a distal to ileal anastomosis followed by a rectopexy - latter for my rectal prolapse and all of it for my extreme slow transit constipation / functional colon disorder. My surgeon states the rectopexy is a very straight forward procedure that due to nerve sensitivity may be more or less successful but should mostly work and indicated no risks. I have huge fears of needing a bag or having incontinence ongoing from these procedures. I came to the forum hoping to find hope. It's mainly horror stories unfortunately for all of us here . I wonder though - does it work out well for many people and because they are well and busy living their lives they don't join forums such as these to share their stories? 🤷🏻

I hope you find a good solution , a good surgeon and that you will heal well and whole ❤️

REPLY
1 reply
baz | @baz | May 5, 2023
In reply to @mypine "I'm so sorry to hear about these situations shared here. I'm due to have a distal..." + (show)
@mypine

I'm so sorry to hear about these situations shared here. I'm due to have a distal to ileal anastomosis followed by a rectopexy - latter for my rectal prolapse and all of it for my extreme slow transit constipation / functional colon disorder. My surgeon states the rectopexy is a very straight forward procedure that due to nerve sensitivity may be more or less successful but should mostly work and indicated no risks. I have huge fears of needing a bag or having incontinence ongoing from these procedures. I came to the forum hoping to find hope. It's mainly horror stories unfortunately for all of us here . I wonder though - does it work out well for many people and because they are well and busy living their lives they don't join forums such as these to share their stories? 🤷🏻

I hope you find a good solution , a good surgeon and that you will heal well and whole ❤️

Jump to this post

I am 70 years old and just had the surgery two months ago. So far I’ve had positive results. . The prolapse has been corrected, but the occasional incontinence has not.
I’m hoping that Keagle exercises and maybe nerve stimulator therapy will help. It seems to have improved from before the surgery and much more when I can balance between constipation, and diarrhea. I also decided to have the surgery at this age and not risk complications and recovery at an older age. Prolapse will not get better on its own. It will only get worse without correction. Good luck

REPLY
3 replies
ejoy | @ejoy | May 5, 2023
In reply to @baz "I am 70 years old and just had the surgery two months ago. So far I’ve..." + (show)
@baz

I am 70 years old and just had the surgery two months ago. So far I’ve had positive results. . The prolapse has been corrected, but the occasional incontinence has not.
I’m hoping that Keagle exercises and maybe nerve stimulator therapy will help. It seems to have improved from before the surgery and much more when I can balance between constipation, and diarrhea. I also decided to have the surgery at this age and not risk complications and recovery at an older age. Prolapse will not get better on its own. It will only get worse without correction. Good luck

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for posting. And this was a rectum prolapse only?

REPLY
1 reply
baz | @baz | May 6, 2023
In reply to @ejoy "Thank you so much for posting. And this was a rectum prolapse only?" + (show)
@ejoy

Thank you so much for posting. And this was a rectum prolapse only?

Jump to this post

Yes. Rectum prolapse only.

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1 reply
ejoy | @ejoy | May 6, 2023
In reply to @baz "Yes. Rectum prolapse only." + (show)
@baz

Yes. Rectum prolapse only.

Jump to this post

Is there any way I can speak to you privately? I have questions and thought it better to be private.

REPLY
1 reply
baz | @baz | May 6, 2023
In reply to @ejoy "Is there any way I can speak to you privately? I have questions and thought it..." + (show)
@ejoy

Is there any way I can speak to you privately? I have questions and thought it better to be private.

Jump to this post

Sure if you want to give me your contact info. Email?

REPLY
mypine | @mypine | May 18, 2023
In reply to @baz "I am 70 years old and just had the surgery two months ago. So far I’ve..." + (show)
@baz

I am 70 years old and just had the surgery two months ago. So far I’ve had positive results. . The prolapse has been corrected, but the occasional incontinence has not.
I’m hoping that Keagle exercises and maybe nerve stimulator therapy will help. It seems to have improved from before the surgery and much more when I can balance between constipation, and diarrhea. I also decided to have the surgery at this age and not risk complications and recovery at an older age. Prolapse will not get better on its own. It will only get worse without correction. Good luck

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for sharing this ❤️. That sounds hopeful for you and for me. It also sounds hard still. I hope that it improves for you!!! Nerve stimulation helps for incontinence? May I ask how often occasional incontinence occurs for you? Do you manage it with what and when you eat?
Thank you so much for your advice 🫂

REPLY
bani | @bani | May 18, 2023
In reply to @baz "I am 70 years old and just had the surgery two months ago. So far I’ve..." + (show)
@baz

I am 70 years old and just had the surgery two months ago. So far I’ve had positive results. . The prolapse has been corrected, but the occasional incontinence has not.
I’m hoping that Keagle exercises and maybe nerve stimulator therapy will help. It seems to have improved from before the surgery and much more when I can balance between constipation, and diarrhea. I also decided to have the surgery at this age and not risk complications and recovery at an older age. Prolapse will not get better on its own. It will only get worse without correction. Good luck

Jump to this post

I had fecal incontinence supposedly due to dyssynergic sphincter. I had biofeedback therapy which didn't help. I then worked with a medical dietician, recommended by my gastroenterologist. Through diet (especially an increase in fiber and switching to low fodmap foods), Metamucil daily(3 tsps), and a low dose of magnesium citrate (150mgs. daily) it cleared up completely. I am now working, with the help of the same dietician to reduce and/or eliminate the mag citrate and just rely on an increased fiber intake. So far that is working well and I do not have the awful fecal leakage.

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