What is the normal recovery time after a hydro?

[KendoSam]

Hi Guys,

I am having my first hydro (and a biopsy) the 11th of august. I am a little nervous about the procedure but especially about afterwards as I will be starting a new college and moving right after the procedure! I was just wondering how some of you felt the day after their hydro. I would appreciate the feed back and any advice you could give.

Sam

[Sarojini]

The recovery time is different for everyone -- I was fine after maybe three days, but some take several weeks to fully recover. It's hard to predict how one's body will react to the distention. However, I want to send you some warm wishes for a speedy recovery :grouphug:

[Paininthe*.*]

I'm having my second hydro tomorrow, and I intend to post back and let everyone know my experience. My last hydro was 13 yrs ago (put me 90% into remission for YEARS!!) I'm hoping it will do the same this time, so I can discontinue Elmiron and Piroxicam that I'm taking now. I actually have been feeling much better on the meds than when the IC first flared up 6 months ago....but I'm hoping the hydro fixes me again for the long term. My Uro said he'd never heard of a hydro putting someone in remission for so long, but it's true for me. Frankly, I'm nervous about tomorrow...I know it will HURT, but I don't know for how long. As long as the hydro doesn't make me worse, I can gut it out for a few weeks! I won't sleep at all tonight, wondering if I'm making the right decision.

[ladylin]

I just had my first one on the 11th, and I am still feeling pretty weak, I am able to go to the bathroom a lot better. but one thing I didn't know was that even though it was painful to go to the bathroom, it was painful in a different way for me. But honestly, don't be scared, you really won't remember anything, you will be asleep. You will need someone with you the day you have your hydro because you will be really sleepy with all the medience they put you on. And you might not want to do anything the couple of days afterwards. i took off work the day of and the next, but i needed one more day. I am going to work tomorrow so hopefully I will have enough energy. I am also in college and a little worried about how i am going to handle everything. if you ever want to talk about it just let me know! But besure you have a day or two to relax, you will not want to go anywhere or do anything. And be sure your doctor gives you some pain pills!:)

[sacausa]

Being a college student myself and having had the cystoscopy with hydrodistention and biopsy two years ago, I strongly advise against having it done so soon before the new semester begins!

My personal experience:

It hurts REALLY bad to pee after the cystoscopy and I couldn't use the restroom without pain for a few months after the cystoscopy!

I had to take vicodin every four hours for the first 3 months after the cystoscopy and that didn't even totally make the pain go away!

I feel that the procedure did more harm than good and I am in MORE pain now, over 2yrs later, than I was beforehand!

It is not necessary to undergo that procedure to diagnose IC!

If you really want this procedure rather wait until Christmas break (which is almost a month for college students) or until next summer....

By having this procedure done you are taking a risk as with any surgery and there is NO guarantee if you will have a positive or negative response to it!

RATHER BE SAFE THAN SORRY

Especially when it comes to the possibility of a procedure adversly affecting your education!

[dg2901]

I had my hydro/cysto/biopsy done in the morning; the procedure took right around an hour. I spent an hour in the recovery room, came home, slept off the rest of the anesthesia, then went out to dinner with the family. I was feeling completely normal by late that night.

Like mentioned, everyone reacts differently. With any luck this will be an easy procedure for you and hopefully will provide you with a bit of relief afterwards.

Take care
diana

[mich2604]

Hey,

Mine didnt go so well. As you know bleeding can occur, i dont want to scare you just want to make sure you are prepared for everything, since it is so close to starting back to school.

I went to the bathroom in recovery, it hurt to walk and hurt to pee.....pain meds were NOT even touching the pain.......i wanted iv meds and they could not give them to me in recovery.

The nurse checked my pee and there was too much blood..well it was all blood.....so long story short i had to stay over nite cathed while the flushed my bladder with a cocktail. i did enjoy that i didnt have to stand to cook and my bladder felt great.....and i felt healthier while there.


My main symptom involved my urethra......and it still is not right.....feels like it is tearing and i had the procedure in May.


So, yes you could recover in a day, but you want to leave room for anything that could go wrong too.

[hawkbabe143]

As A Young Person, You Can React Weird To Anesthesia, I Do And I Act Violent, I Threw My Bed Pan At The Nurse ( I Swear Im Not That Mean)..So They Always Have To Sedate Me After The Hydros...I Had My Second Hydro>Distention On A Friday And Was Back TO Work On A Tuesday...But I Reccomend Having It Done At A Hospital Instead Of A Surgery Center..My Second One Was Done At A Surgery Center And My Recovery Was HORRIBLE (thats when i threw the bed pan)...I Was In HORRIBLE PAIN!!..When I Had My First One It Was At My Mom's Hospital Way Better!!!..SHe Is The Medical Staff Director..When I Was Woken I Was In MIld Pain, But Not Much, They Wanted Me TO Pee, But I Told Them I Couldnt Concentrate!..So They Made Me Promise That IF I Didnt Go At Home I Would Have To COme Back And Get A Catheter!..But When I Was Home I Relaxed And Peed Right Away, With SOme Pained As Expected...I Dont Mean To Scare You, But I Wish SOmeone Would Have Been There FOr Me, To Tell Me The Real Fax..PM Me If You Have ANymore Questions

[Pristine]

I have had three hydro/cystos and never had any pain meds after any of mine and was back to every day life immediately after the surgeries. I had no bleeding or pain, just relief.

[IC SARAH-CPP]

I also dont want to scare you but make sure you are informed. My experience was like sacuasa's. I was in a lot of pain for a very long time afterwards. I took 2 whole weeks off work and was totally incapicitated during that time.
However, there are many many people here who were in and out and okay in the next few days. I debated whether or not to tell you my story but decided to because no one warned me this could happen to me and I was scared, devestated, and pretty much hysterical when it did.
Let us know how you are!
Sarah

[Briza]

Sam
Most of us who had bad/long recoveries from the hydro think twice about posting our experiences because we don't want to scare anyone. However, I do believe now, what I didn't know then, that it is best to be prepared for whatever the outcome may be. But there will be many more who will let you know their experience wasn't too bad or not bad at all.
I'm a teacher and planned mine for Monday of Thanksgiving week vacation so I would have the whole week to recover. That evening after I came home from the hydro I had severe urinary retention which in turn caused my bowels to paralyze and pain was thru the roof, so on Wed I was admitted to the hospital and was there for a week and then had to take another week off from work and then work half days for another week when I really should have still been at home recovering, but I had missed so many days my paycheck was being docked big time and my students were going wild.

Some things that could have prevented the urinary retention and the paralyzed bowels are:
staying in hospital overnight after the procedure with a foley catheter
or
being sent home with one

When does school start? I would think about this. Most likely everything will go fine, but complications can and do occur, although I've been told my case was rare. I'd hate for you get off to a bad start at college. Have you tried any IC meds, pain meds, etc that could maybe get you thru til Christmas vacation?
Best wishes...whatever decision you make we will all be here to support you!:)

[sunshinegurl]

does anyone know if its safe to be treated with elimron only by the symptoms of ic?..i going to have my first cysto/hydro on the 24th but will most likely change my mind....my main symptom is urethal buring at times not all the time and frequent utis......i can sleep all night and i dont have pain like ive read..but if my uro dr does this im afraid it will do more harm than good....i had a uretal dialtion in 2004 and after that surgery thats when i started having urethal burning..i believe the surgery did that to me..damaged the nerves....my family doctor told me the more they do to the bladder the more problems i'll have......i cant go off a antibotic for 3 days until i have a uti.....this ahs been going on for about 2 years or longer..when im on a antibotic im fine and symptom free......HELP

[Paininthe*.*]

Well, I'm definitely not an expert, but it sounds like your symptoms may not be bad enuf for a hydro. I don't see how trying Elmiron could hurt you, unless you have bad reactions to it. My uro mentioned that if I didn't have "true" IC (as he suspected prior to the hydro), that he would look into a urethral problem...maybe with some hormone cream. Has your Uro. ever mentioned that? Perhaps other ladies on this site have more experience with urethral burning...that's not my main symptom.

[marsi4]

I also think that if you have an experienced uro who has done many hydro-distentions and is more gentle when inserting the cystoscope you are likely to experience less pain and discomfort. I've had three done so far and find they hurt my urethra and not my bladder. They help reduce my bladder pain, and I experience pain upon urination, and urethral burning and discomfort for a few days. I'm thinking of having another one done soon. The last one I had done was in March and I think it's orobably too soon for another one, but I don't know what else to do to ease the pain.

Marsi4

[Pristine]

I've had them done 2 months apart before with no pain what so ever. I was discharged like 2 hours after surgery and was back to normal activities immediately the same day. My Dr.'s were looking for something different from my IC right after i had one hydro and just decided to go ahead and do another since they are so theraputic to me. Normally a hydro soothes my bladder for about a year and a half but honestly i think i could do quite well without them since being on Elmiron and bladder retraining. They are just a little extra boost.

[ICNDonna]

Hydrodistention has been a major treatment for me since my diagnosis in 1975 and I had #40 in February of this year. When I was working, I would schedule the procedure for a Tuesday or Wednesday and I would go back to work the following Monday. I always stay overnight at the hospital with a foley catheter. I did have some retention after my very first hydro, but was able to urinate by sitting in warm water. Since then it hasn't been a problem. They do keep me in the hospital until urinate on my own.

Donna

[Paininthe*.*]

Donna, how long after each hydro until you feel relief? I'm 4 days after now, having more urgency/burning than just before. I know some people flare after a hydro...what is the average time before it calms down??

[sister]

It made things much much worse for me. :(

It was probably around three weeks before it calmed down a bit.

[KendoSam]

Thanks for all of your help. My Urologist is very experienced and has done many hydros, so I trust him. As for how I will react to the hydro, I won't be sure untill I do it. I have been having such a hard time getting my symptoms under controll, so with me moving and starting my junior year in college I figure it is worth the risk if there is a possibility of improvement. Actually I am pretty optomistic, and a little exited, I just want to feel better.

I know it will be hectic moving the day after, but I wont be carrying anything. I just hope that I am well enough to deal with the 2 hour car ride to gainesville. As long as I dont have to pee every 5 seconds, I should be good. I told my dad and brother that they should just move the couch in first so I can sit there and supervise. :smile tee Thanks again for all of your help, I'll keep you posted.

Sam

[sunshinegurl]

hi sister
so it made your symptoms worse? when you say it took 3 weeks to feel better did it still feel like it made your ic worse? or is it getting back to your regular symptoms like you were having before the cysto......he looked in my bladder the kind thats done in the office just to check for blockages or anything that looks canerous..it didnt hurt when he was looking but when he was fiinised i felt like a bad uti symptom and had to go to the rest room to urinate but the symptoms left in about 30 minutes. he said my bladder looked irratated. is that normal to find with ic?..he told me he dont think i have ic but i asked about it and he is going to test me if i dont change my mind...so if that bothered me the cysto/hydro with most likely feel like a major uti....

[Curly]

I had mine done on a Monday and was back to work Wednesday. It hurt only when I had to pee. And it hurt like a really really bad uti. I had some discomfort that lasted about a week but not enough to keep me from working. I wish you luck at school. I graduated college 3 years ago. It is a great thing to accomplish.

[Curly]

Gainesville? Do you live in GA?

[noukie]

I had also was in a lot of pain afterwards, and still my urethra is very painfull. I had the hydrodistention, cysto, biopsy at 08.30 in the morning. Untill 18.30 I had a catheter because I was bleeding heavily and untill that time I was not sure if i was allowed to go home. But the bleeding was less and when I went to the bathroom myself I was allowed to go home at 20.15 in the evening.
Even though my urethra is very painfull and my visits to the bathroom during the night are more, I feel that that stinging pain in my bladder is less, so I am hoping this will stay, because it is such a relief! I will see my professor tomorrow and will get the results from the biopsy.

good luck for everyone!
Anouk

[broken_smile]

I have had three hydro's in the seventeen years I have had IC. The first one was horrible. The second one was even worst. The third one the only reason I had it done in June is to see how my IC had progressed and my urologist said this would be the only way he could tell about the state of my bladder. I agreed because the last five years I have had bad bouts with IC. I tried the Elimron but it didn't do anything for me. I stayed on Elimron for months hoping it would work. The advise giving to me in June was the urologist said you know you are going to get worst before you get better and I said that had been my experience the two times I had it done. The only difference this time was a compassionate doctor. I was given pain medicine time I woke up and he gave me medicine for pain to have at home until I could get through recovering. My advice if it gave you relief before do it but just don't walk away with out the pain medication. That was my mistake on the other two times because the doctors didn't offer pain meds. I vowed not to let that happen again. I say at least get a prescription and if you don't need it then you don't have to use it. It has taken time to get straighted out after the procedure but much better because my pain was controled to a point I can tolerate it. I have such a wonderful urologist anybody living in North Carolina should see Dr. Robert Evans. If anybody would like for me to go into details more about my hydro email me. I also wanted to add I had Kenalog, Marcaine and Pyridum Plus instill in my bladder after the hydro. I think the Marcaine helped with the pain.

Broken_Smile:pray:

[Schrader]

I have read everyone's post and they have said pretty much what my doctor has said - that recovery time varies. He did tell me that I would probably really notice the difference after a month. When I asked him about intercourse with my husband he said as soon as I feel up to it. Well I had my poceedure on the tenth, had most of my pain on that day and now just have little twinges or discomfort now and then. I am thinking that I am going to feel better soon but am afraid of hurting something! Can you tell me what your doctors told you or how long you waited? Thank you! Liz S.

[sunshinegurl]

I havent had the test yet but my Uro told me when i did not to do anything for about 7 days cause they also do a biospy and not to drive because if i had to use my brakes suddenly i could cause a hole in my bladder......

[jules06]

ok, im just looking for a little help understnding how a hydro helps and if its worth it. i had the cysto done last thursday and i was not put to sleep and the burning afert peeing was the same feeling as when he was putting the scope in....OH MY GOD! i screamed like a baby. he said he couldnt tell if it is ic but he suspects it. now my question is, i see alot of people are getting these done and they seem to help, but are they nessesary? and is it nessary to take elmiron? ive hade this discomfort in my bladder for about 7 months now and i have to pee alot, but maybe i can live with it instead of risking making it worse...jules

[noukie]

Hi Jules,

I have had a lot of different kinds of medicine but never elmiron, don't even know if you can get it here (The Netherlands). I had the hydro but not for helping me but to see if I have IC, for me it didn't do anything, but it depends from person to person, same with medicine, what doesn;t help for some doesn't mean it won't help you. It all depends on in how much pain you are , how you are coping with it all, if you want to try it all or not, you always have a choice. I have to make a decision to get an operation or not, can I go on with this pain or not. My uro wants to operate on me but also said that it will be heavy and with risks and if I feel I can cope with my pain and urgency at the moment I can choose not to have it done. I have chosen to try out a medicine treatment first, for 5 days I will get medicine in the hospital and will be tested to see if it helps, if not I will go for the operation. Mind you it won;t get rid of the IC, this problem of mine just makes the pressure and pain worse, a urethral diverticulum and some kind of lump on top of it and both pushing to my bladder and urethra and my urethra allready was operated on twice so also lot of scartissue. I will go on to try and find something, it interferes with my life too much, takes over and I don't want that. But it depends from person to person, you have to see for yourself, talk to your uro, ask him what is on your mind, but no one can decide for you what to do, that has to be your decision. For me it helped to put it all down on paper, I gave it to my doctor also so he could read about the pain and so on, and it made it more clear to myself also. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you good luck and never give up!
Anouk

[sunshinegurl]

I to am afraid to have these bladder tests..i chose not to have the cysto/hydro test done right now because im afraid it will make me worse..i to had urethal surgery about 2 yrs ago where they had to stretch my uretha. after i healed it went from bad to worse, now i have urethal burning and bladder tenderness......my family doctor told me that anytime they do things to you it will only make you worse..my new uro doctor done the scope to look in my bladder and he said i didnt have much scar tissue from the surgery and no blockages, so why am i having so much trouble trying to empty my bladder..?

[noukie]

Hi,

I can understand you are afraid, and also why you won't take the hydro/cysto right now. I am afraid for having surgery again, because yes it can make things worse, it is a difficult choice. I decided to have it done because can't stand the pain anymore so have to try and hope that at least one of the pains and pressures will be gone.
Sometimes there is just no explanation for a symptom, trying to find something for relief of the symptom is the most important thing. I haven;t found a doctor yet who can explain why I am having all these things all together, there is not an answer, but taking seriously and trying to find solutions for managing the pain and urge and pressure is the most important thing for me. I wish you strenght and good luck!
Anouk