A vaginal pessary is a soft removable plastic or silicone device that is inserted into your vagina to help support areas that are affected by pelvic organ prolapse, such as your vaginal walls and uterus.

Dr Siva will measure and fit the right size and type of pessary for you in his rooms. Ring pessaries can be removed and reinserted by you daily for cleaning or before sexual intercourse, while other types of pessaries will need to be removed and cleaned by Dr Siva in his rooms every 3 to 6 months.

It all depends on the type of prolapse surgery you are having. Most vaginal prolapse surgeries require just one or two nights stay in the hospital.

To reduce the risk of blood clots occurring in your legs you are encouraged to mobilise as soon as possible, usually the day after surgery. Spend some time each day going for a walk, slowly increasing as you feel comfortable. It is safe to go up and down stairs after prolapse surgery.

You will probably need extra help at home for the first 2 weeks as it’s important not to lift or bend too much at this stage.

Between 4 – 6 weeks post op you can start to move more, do gentle exercises and walk outside your home, slowly increasing your movement as you feel comfortable. At this stage you can:

• Hang small items of clothing on the line, but do not hang out heavy items or carry the washing basket.
• Go shopping and put small items into your shopping trolley, but have someone else push the trolley.
• Prepare and cook food on your stove, but avoid standing for long periods.

You may have a vaginal pack in your vagina after your vaginal prolapse surgery. A vaginal pack is a gauze pack placed in your vagina to prevent bleeding. Your vaginal pack will be removed within 24 hours of your surgery, before you are discharged from the hospital.

It is normal to experience some mild vaginal bleeding in the first week after surgery. If your bleeding is heavier than a period, itchy or if it is offensive smelling, please get in touch with Dr Siva as this may indicate a blood clot or an infection that you might need treatment for.

To prevent constipation, make sure you eat a well balanced diet with plenty of fibre and try to drink 2-3 litres of fluids a day. We also recommend regular stool softeners after surgery for about 2 weeks. If you experience ongoing constipation a laxative may help or you might need to get in touch with your GP or Dr Siva’s rooms.

It all depends on the type of vaginal prolapse surgery you have. Abdominal open surgery has a longer recovery time and it can take 4 – 6 weeks to fully heal. Keyhole (laparoscopic surgery) surgery has a shorter recovery time of approximately 1 – 2 weeks to recover. Vaginal surgery could take any time from 6 – 12 weeks duration.

• Tea, coffee and alcohol – they can make you urinate more often
• Strenuous tasks
• Standing still for long periods
• Lifting anything heavier than half a kettle of water
• Smoking – a ‘smoker’s cough’ can strain your pelvic floor muscles
• Weight gain – it can put pressure on your pelvic region

Do not place tampons or anything else in your vagina until after your post op visit with Dr Siva, which is usually 6 weeks after surgery..

You can resume driving once you can easily turn in your seat without discomfort and can safely perform an emergency stop – usually about 4 weeks after surgery. We highly recommend you see your GP prior to getting the clearance for driving.

The amount of time you need to take off work will depend on the type of vaginal prolapse surgery you have had.

You will probably need to take 6 – 12 weeks off work after vaginal prolapse surgery. This duration does depend on multiple factors. Please discuss this with Dr Siva prior to your hospital discharge.