Question about post op rectal pressure.

[Deila]

mostly the girls with deeper depth...did any of you have any problems evacuating your bowels during the "difficult period" and did you notice a constant rectal pressure? If so how long until it got better? Thanks!

[AbraCadabra]

Well now, with 4 3/4" I'm not exactly very deep but I guess passable - yet I know about rectal pressure also.
Going straight in with the dilator did in fact compact my bowl contents, believe it or not.
I'm now pushing more upwards after I reached initial depth and it seems to help.
Healing will add some too, I guess, as I'm now in my 4th month post-op and seem to be able to push more upwards - it was too sore in the beginning (at the vaginal entrance stretching toward the anus), I might have lost some depth due to that.

It was a feeling, when dilating, as if shoving the dilator more up my colon, hitting that 3rd sphincter and it left me always with a feel of not having evacuated my bowls properly - yet nothing would come out (bowl contents).

So, I'd say, dilate more upwards once at initial depth, and healing should help also with the discomfort.

Take care,
Axélle

[Steffi]

After healing for 16 months, I'm 5 and 3-quarters deep with a 4cm dilator.
The rectal pressure thing does ease up over the first few months post-op.
The dilator pressure onto the pubic bone and down onto the fourchette region was a problem for me too in those first few months but it eases off and disappears.  I used to think then that if the dilators were slightly more banana shaped things would be so much easier but perhaps we do need that straightness as we heal.  Persevere, all will be ok.

Personally, I used a small dose of a mild laxative during that time just to ensure that things didn't swing towards constipation.

[Deila]

Oh thank God for responding! I have been so worried the past few months. I went to a dr and when he told me thats what it was I decieded to come here to see if anyoneels had expierenced it. I am a few weeks away from 6 months post op. It didnt start till about 3 months post op but thats when It got difficult to dilate so I was so worried. the dr said as the scar tissue softens up it will go back to normal. and when I asked why it didnt show  until 2 months later if thats the case he said it was because the scar tissue hadnt hardened up yet, Which makes sense when I think about how it got more difficult to dilate and stuff at the same time.  but clearly when you have yourself paniced you sometimes think a dr will just blow you off. so you`re responces have helped big time!  ( the dr I went to wasnt my surgeon which is why I wasnt sure ) and yes Axelle I know EXACTLY what you mean about feeling like you have to go and nothing comes out.