Pads, And Post-Op Bleeding?

[Guest x3 alexa o0o]

When did your bleeding stop? I'm still bleeding a little and trying to avoid using my light colored panties at all costs. >_< What kind of pads do you all recommend also?

Sorry for all the topics lately ;D

xx

Alexa

[Drea]

Any serious bleeding shouldn't last long at all. If there is enough bleeding that leaking through something like a thin maxi would be a possability consult with the surgeon. Some incidental blood along with other assorted gunk (mostly surface layers of skin, other small pieces of skin, scabbing, partially dissolved stitches, etc) is normal and will come out for the first month or two. Significant amounts of blood is not.

Much of what will you'll need pads for is lube from dialating. As long as your dialating multiple times a day you will probably want a pad. So expect that need to go much longer than a couple months. You may find after any dialation you may want a pad.

As far as pads, I found I had strong preferences for brand and style. Best bet is to not get too much of any specific kind till you find out your own preferences or you may find yourself with a bunch of a type you can't stand to use. I generally used two types. A thin maxi was most common at first. Later I used panty liners when all I had to worry about was lube after dialating.

[Paula ult]

I am 9 weeks post-op, i tried different pads and found i like Kotex brand pads the best, my surgeon uses them in her office.

Some slight bleeding is normal, Dr. Mcginn my surgeon told me to use pressure to stop it, the sterile gauze and pad does this for me, you should talk to your surgeon if you have heavy bleeding or go to the ER. Spotting can last up to a year.

This week i am noticing allot of healing is going on , my discomfort level has gone way down especially sitting and the neo vagina has tightened up due to healing making dilation a bit harder, especially on insertion

Since i have quite a bit of granulation tissue i have silver nitrate treatments every 10-14 days, this causes quite a bit of gunky discharge, for a few days afterwords, i also use two sterile gauze pads to soak things up then cut it back to one.

Since you are lots younger than me YMMV.

Paula

[Guest kelise]

I was able to stop using pads and liners after about three months. Now I'm having trouble with recurring bouts of bacterial vaginosis, an overpopulation of the natural bacteria that cleans the vagina, which comes with a foul-smelling discharge. i have another gyno appointment next week for it.

[Drea]

I was able to stop using pads and liners after about three months. Now I'm having trouble with recurring bouts of bacterial vaginosis, an overpopulation of the natural bacteria that cleans the vagina, which comes with a foul-smelling discharge. i have another gyno appointment next week for it.

Are you doing regular douching?

Ponders...just what is natural bacteria for an after market neo vagina...

I was once given a suggestion for such problems, but it's probably best to see what your doc says.

[Guest kelise]

Dr. Bowers strongly recommends against douching, as it will only add to the problem. The Bacteria is called Gardnerella and it lives in all vaginas. It's responsible for keeping it clean by eating other invading organisms that could make us sick. The same species also populates our mouths, nasal passages, ear canals, and any other warm, moist orifice in our body to help us fight off invaders. It's a symbiotic relationship. Neo-vaginas, at least Bowers-brand one's (I can't speak for others) are lined with squamous epithelium, the same material that lines natal vaginas, so the Gadnerella have no problem moving right in. The only issue with having an "after-market" one is that it takes a while for the Gardnerella to get the gist of the proper balance needed, so naturally occurring Bacterial Vaginosis is common. The primary symptom being four-smelling discharge due to the excess bacteria. I was treated for it a few months ago, and it worked for a while, but now it seems it's back. One possibility is that since BV is technically an STD, (even through it can also occur naturally, BV can be spread through sex) it's possible I gave it to my GF before treatment, and she may have given it back to me after treatment.

[Drea]

Squamous epithelium is what there is after the normal external skin that is used to line the neo vagina sheds its surface layers and converts itself to internal skin.

I asked as douching too much can cause problems...

On the other hand your surgery is still fairly recent (under a year) and you are experiencing odor problems. Douching is often suggested in such circumstance. Certainly if your doctor advises against or there are other symptoms by all means follow your doctors instructions.

[Guest Leah1026]

When did your bleeding stop? I'm still bleeding a little and trying to avoid using my light colored panties at all costs. >_< What kind of pads do you all recommend also?

Everyone is different. I only had frank blood a couple days. It became lighter and clearer over time. I used maxi-pads for a couple weeks and then switched to panty liners. I would urge you to not worry much about your underwear... it can be replaced. If you're still having blood or the amount is more than you'd expect you might have granulating tissue that might need to be treated.

I also agree with Kalise in that douching is not good for us. Our bodies are trying to establish a new environment/it's own flora and it can't do that if you're constantly flushing it out. I have never douched and I have never had a UTI or yeast infection.

I don't know how far you out from surgery, but one thing I did frequently after I got home was short warm baths. It soothed the area.

[Guest angelina1813]

I'm due for surgery with Dr. Preechah in April.

I was curuious to ask you ladies a bit more about the do's and don'ts of douching.

When you first come out of the hospital ( 5 days later) I was told that the dr issues you a small squirt bottle looking thing or whatever that you use to clean your vag.

When healing and stuff wouldn't it be more smart to douce to get all the gunk and stuff out?

I was planning on using betadine mixture with water to clean my punani out everyday.

What is your suggestion? I ofcurse want everything to settle in place correctly bacteria and all, but I don't want it to smell or do I want left over stuff up in there during the healing periods....

Please help

[Drea]

I'm due for surgery with Dr. Preechah in April.

I was curuious to ask you ladies a bit more about the do's and don'ts of douching.

When you first come out of the hospital ( 5 days later) I was told that the dr issues you a small squirt bottle looking thing or whatever that you use to clean your vag.

When healing and stuff wouldn't it be more smart to douce to get all the gunk and stuff out?

I was planning on using betadine mixture with water to clean my punani out everyday.

What is your suggestion? I ofcurse want everything to settle in place correctly bacteria and all, but I don't want it to smell or do I want left over stuff up in there during the healing periods....

Please help

You would be best served to get specific instructions from your doctor. Generally douche would be vinegar and water. Seems to me betadine would be a bit overboard but maybe some docs suggest that? First I heard of such.. Right after surgery there will be no douching at all till the packing is removed and your start dialating.

[Guest vanillascent001]

Hi angelina,

Did you already had your surgery with Dr. Preecha? hope you can share your experience. Im going to have my surgery in Aug with him ( Dr. Burin ). I'm going to get the colon SRS.

ally