Bladder problems after surgery

[Mjb49]

Hi ladies

Hope you've all had a lovely Christmas Day , and hopefully we're all going to have a good new year.

I had my operation on the 19th November, this was a total hysterectomy, bilatateral salpingo-Oophorectomy, omentectomy,liver and sub diaphragmatic lesion with repair to pleura, excision of pelvic peritoneum.

I have now resumed chemotherapy on trial so weekly.

Since the operation, I've had to use Tena ladies pads, after chemotherapy it seems a lot worse, and I have a job to get to the toilet in time ☹️,

Has anyone else had this problem? If so did it improve on its own? Or where you able to do exercise to strengthen the muscles? I haven't felt up to trying that so far,

Would welcome any advise on this problem.

Thanks Maggie

[Lily-Anne]

I had bladder problems after each operation, it seems to be the catheter. My operation was 25th November and am still having problems, it took me the best part of a year to get back to normal last time. So this time I have the Kegel app for pelvic floor exercises which seems to be quite good. Also some intimate time with hubby helps too for the pelvic floor.

Hope that helps

LA

[Susan3]

Yes I had trouble before and after my surgery ..both for different reasons I guess . I saw a gynaecologist Physio who checked my excercise a and give me some tips , definetly helped but I'm still a bit leaky at times, the joys of it!

[EnaC]

Yes Tena has also become my best friend. After my op in 2010 and now when I take steroids for chemo reasons. I do try to keep up my pelvic floor exercises so that I am okish on non steroid days. Indeed the joys of of it.

[citrine]

I had major problems after surgery but it turned out to be a vesico-vaginal fistula where the urine leaks into the vagina, a result of an inter-operational injury. The difference here is that the leak is constant and is especially heavy when standing and moving so fingers crossed it isn't your problem.

Incontinence pads are available on prescription. They aren't very nice ( is there such a thing as "nice" incontinence pads?) but I was getting through at least 4 packs of the heavy duty Tenas a week and as I had to wait 11 months to have the fistula repaired it did get expensive.

Best of luck

Mary xx

[Mjb49]

Hi ladies

Thanks for all your replies, it helps to know how we all have to put up with such different side effects, and ways to cope with them. The kegel app sounds as though it could help 😊 Will ask my doctor about it, thanks Lily-Anne . Would of been nice to have known this could be a problem after surgery, they were very good at talking about needing a colostomy bag and giving lots of advice and help, but nothing about the bladder, still stocked up with Tena pads now 👍.

Take care thanks again Maggie

[phia]

Hi everyone, I'm having my operation on Jan 7th and had no idea that I might have bladder problems, so that's a new one on me. I'd assumed the pads they tell you to bring in were for vaginal bleeding. Are they, or are they for bladder probs? Oh the things I don't know about this horrible disease! xx

[Nesie237]

I was diagnosed with grade 2 C ovarian cancer Jan. 2014. In March I had an abd. Hysterectomy, BSO, omentectomy, and numerous lymph nodes removed. All lymph nodes were negative. The cancer was in the right ovary, a large grapefruit sized attached tumor, and a spot on my abdominal wall. I had chemo from April to August, usually weekly. That was awful, of course. I could only eat baked potatoes and rice pudding, none of the anti-emetic meds helped much.

I wasn't prepared for the the lack of bladder control. 18 months later, I still have it. I didn't know others had this problem also. I feel like I'm 90 instead of 59. So kegels help? I told my GYN about it and he thought another med would help. I haven't decided on that. I'd rather not. I'm not Sexually active at present, so that option isn't available. I am single and am embarrassed by this, and by the large abdominal scar I have now. Anyone else feel this way?