The Most Basic Advice

If any doctor or specialist diagnoses you with any one prolapse (bladder, rectal, vaginal), it is critical that you not allow a single prolapse repair. First find an ob/gyn who is experienced in evaluating and treating pelvic prolapse (which views the entire condition of the pelvic organs).

If the single prolapse is due to a weakened pelvic floor condition or another pelvic issue, other organs may be impacted and the surgery may lead to the next prolapse. A trained ob/gyn will decide in which order the prolapse(s) needs to be repaired. Having a single repair and then learning of the pelvic prolapse can cause complications.

It's your body. Take charge and get a second opinion from a board certified ob/gyn who has adopted viewing any organ prolapse as potentially pelvic prolapse.

9.01.2011

Hysterectomy to Mayhem

While an awful topic to address, I believe it is necessary because it might save someone else from having the same problem when it would have been so easy to stop. Since the time of my abscess, I had virtually non-stop, uncontrollable bowel movements. It was such a horrid time. As much as anyone hates to think of ever wearing Depends, I have to say they never let me down even though I froze in horror on so many occasions.

I became a recluse except for doctor appointments. I had gone into my ob/gyn appointment with that problem but Dr. Harkins said the main issue was to do the hysterectomy which might resolve the problem. It didn't. After several follow ups to the hysterectomy and no resolution to the bowel problem, I was referred to a gastroenterologist. He took one look at my medication list and immediately took me off two medications, each prescribed by Drs. McKenna and Harkins.

My body responds differently to most medications than one would expect. I was being monitored so closely but no one was monitoring the meds. Two were to prevent constipation and, at that time, I just did what I was told.  The great lesson here is to be your own advocate and ask about medications if your body is not doing what it is supposed to and no one seems to know why. I lived with that awful problem from early September 2007 until January 2008. I was simply in survival mode and really not thinking about one moment to the next. Hopefully anyone reading this will think to ask if you find yourself in a similar situation. Medications can cause very unusual body responses.

Within two days of following the gastroenterologist's advice, I was back at a more manageable level. No more Depends but needing the bathroom 10 or more times a day. I had a special diet that also helped. It was January 2008. I tried returning to work in February with clients understanding I might need a mid-session break which I hated to do.  But I was back at work.

Later in February,  I was accompanying a client to a meeting as her advocate. When I stopped in the restroom on arriving, I saw my rectal prolapse had returned with full force. Dr. DeLeo had "repaired" it in my near death surgery only six months earlier. I was once again devastated.

Returning to Dr. McKenna, he informed me that the previous surgeon had used the incorrect method of repair for my age and level of activiy (prior to the prolapses). He scheduled me for a colorectoplexy, abdominal surgery to repair the rectal wall and possibly remove a portion of my colon.

I tried to return to work until just before the surgery but my emotions were in meltdown and I could no longer keep my focus on my clients. My life as I knew it was changing.

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