I recently had my laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, endometriomas, fibroid. My op went well & my consultants and team was really nice and supportive.I was put on catheter as I couldn’t empty my bladder fully. I got discharged this Friday after 2 night’s hospital stay. The catheter was removed and they checked my urine output again which was fine and fairly normal output. But since my return I’m facing the same problem again, inability to empty my bladder in one go. This is disturbing my sleep and is unpleasant. I wake up almost every hour at night but cannot manage to wee properly. I get this lower abdominal discomfort if I try exerting slight pressure to empty my bladder. I’ve been keeping myself hydrated.
Has anyone faced this situation post surgery? Do I need to get in touch with hospital again! Having catheter wasn’t something that I felt comfortable with and Im trying to avoid going through that feeling again. What should I do?
Written by
DevAsha
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I’d try to get checked for a uti and visit local walk-in centre or something. I often get infections after a catheter and I on one occasion ended up with pyelonephritis and early sepsis when it was ignored… so get checked!
I don’t remember if I had these after two laps I had back in 2017 & 2019 but I dont think so. My recovery was very quick specially after second one despite removing endo and one tube and one large fibroid in 2nd lap. Only after my open myomectomy last year I had this bladder retention for two month , even more pronounced in second month after surgery but I read at that time it is normal after such big open surgery ( I had 5 gyno surgeries in one procedure) and retention resolved finally I guess in 3rd month post op. I had a pulling kind of feeling everytime I went to the bathroom I remember I couldn’t pee and was very painful and full in my lower abdomen But bcuzzit took so long I knew it couldnt be an infection. And the pain was kinda different from a urine infection. I think for infection the pain is more focused to the point but I had it in a larger area together under stitches . It’s better if you go check with dr and test for infection just in case. But at the same time in the first 10 days to 2 weeks after lap - specially if there is been lots of stuff removed, you can expect some sharp pains lower abdomen as per my experience.
Thankyou Maryca, 😌it seems reassuring that this can happen after an extensive surgery which I went through too few days ago. I called the hospital yesterday and they asked to get it checked with them. They’ve tested and confirmed no infection and have fitted a catheter again and have called me again on Wednesday for reassessment.
Reading your dilemma reminds me that I was in exactly the same situation as you. When I woke up after my surgery I had a catheter fitted......altho I did have some bladder issues before having surgery, (as my uterus was attached to my bowels and had to be separated). But I did notice that ever since surgery my bladder issues where definitely much much worse.
The feeling like I had a full bladder all the time, and the urgency to go, yet a lot of the time norhing was actually there. Feeling the need to go again almost straight away ....it got to the point whereby when I needed to go I needed to go, and it made me paranoidbid going out, that I always had access to a toilet. It feels really uncomfortable and full, and like you, it was disrupting my sleep.
I went to the doctor and asked to be referred to a bladder specialist. The doctor said he wouldn't do that before I tried a few things first. He said I need to hold my wee in as long as I comfortably can, and try and train my bladder and muscles back almost....then he said if that doesn't work he was going to give me some medication to try, and failing that with no improvement, he would then refer me.
As I prefer to go down the more natural method without medications, I decided to try stuff myself, so taking the doctors advice I started holding it in as much as I comfortably could. I'm also taking natural supplements for my Endo and my diet also to slow down/eliminate the return of my endo.
I have noticed an improvement by retraining my pelvic muscles and holding in my wee, and I think my bladder has definitely improved. I also retook up my pilates again which helps with my core muscles. Altho my bladder is still weak, I now have a bit more control over it, and feel more confident when going out if I can't see a toilet that I'll be able to hold it in.
Sorry I can't give you the answers you want to say it's been cured, but hopefully this helps .
I do hope you manage to sort it out as I completely can relate to how your feeling. Also the not knowing if any further damage was caused by the surgery, and catheter being fitted. It's so difficult to get answers.
Please let me know how you get on, as im in the same dilema, and would be interested to know.
Hi Kittykins, Thankyou for sending me your thoughts and advice on this particular matter. 😊 I called the hospital yesterday as I was panicking and feeling sick due to the lack of sleep and bladder problem.
I too have been suffering with regular urge to go to the loo way before surgery happened, infact for a couple of years. So I was suddenly all over the place with this problem post surgery. Yesterday they did the scan and said I was retaining the urine and it’s going to be like retraining my bladder . So they decided to send me home with this special catheter which is attached to a tap like feature that I can turn on when I need to go for a wee . She also said that at this point I don’t require medications for it and confirmed that I have no urinary infection. The first five six hours were horrible with the catheter as it was stinging badly, I almost thought of learning to get it out of my system. But coz Im a keen yoga person, I did some pelvic floor yoga postures that helped me at night and I managed to sleep for at least 6 hours straight on and managed with the catheter. I’ll have to return to the hospital on Wednesday to get the bladder assessed and catheter removed.
I shall let you know if anything they tell me and helps.
Apart from some painkillers I haven’t taken any medications for my gynaecological symptoms over these years. I was on prostap injections in 2020 but after three doses we decided to stop as it was having a negative impact. Since then I have always tried managing with healthy balanced timely diet , yoga, walks and strength training which I’m looking forward to getting back into again. You mentioned about some natural supplements for endo, I would like to know a bit about those if that’s okay!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
2 weeks post op advice
Post op day 1
Post-op recovery
Post op question - hysterectomy and bladder probs 
Post op bladder endemetriosis removal
