One Year Surgery Update

How’s my sad, leaky prolapsed bladder doing now?

A year ago I had surgery to fix my sad, leaky prolapsed bladder. So how are things now? I thought you’d never ask. Let’s get into it!

But first things first: if you want all the juicy details about my symptoms, diagnosis, failed attempts at non-surgical solutions, surgery, and recovery, read these two posts first:

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But for those who just want a super quick recap, here you go:

I was diagnosed with bladder prolapse in the fall of 2023. Before diving into surgery, I tried several non-surgical options that didn’t work. So I scheduled a procedure to lift my prolapsed bladder back into place and fix my incontinence.

The surgery was quick and successful - yay! But there have been a few bumps in the road since which is why I’m following up with a one-year update.

Are you still dealing with any side effects?

The side effects I mentioned last summer have mostly cleared up.

My nerves have adjusted to the sling carrying some of the weight of my bladder so I can actually tell when my bladder is full again, which is great. I no longer almost pee my pants because I had no idea my bladder was literally fit to burst!

The bladder congestion is mostly cleared up as well. For months after the surgery, it would take a few seconds to pee first thing in the morning - almost like my body needed a beat to remember what it was supposed to be doing. This is also pretty much resolved.

That said, there was one side effect that became an issue a little later than the others: pain during sex. I only experienced the pain occasionally, but I did go see a pelvic floor physical therapist about it because I was worried it would turn into A Whole Thing.

My PT said that painful sex is actually a common side effect after any surgery that can impact the tension in the pelvic floor. Which makes sense, but was also a little shocking. If it’s so common, why didn’t my urogynecologist bring it up as a possible risk of surgery and follow up again at my post-op appointment? Lucky for me, I see her next month for a follow up visit and am planning to ask her.

My physical therapist gave me some exercises to do at home and after 3-4 follow up sessions the pain was resolved. I’m still feeling a little salty about the whole thing, but three cheers for successful PT and once again being pain free!

So, that’s where I’m at: my bladder is living her best life vacationing in a lovely little hammock and I can run, jump and sneeze without leaking. And despite having to troubleshoot a few unexpected side effects, I’m still so glad I had the surgery. Living a leak-free life is nothing short of amazing.

Anything else I should know?

Haha, always. Pelvic organ prolapse is a common issue for women in midlife and beyond - especially women who have been pregnant and delivered vaginally. My hope is that by sharing my experience, you’ll at least have a reference point for if/when you need to troubleshoot any of your own issues.

So who else is willing to talk openly about topics like prolapse and leaky bladders? Feel free to share you experience in the comments, or show your support by clicking on the little heart below and liking this post.

xo, Rebecca