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Patient Instructions

Stress incontinence is a leakage of urine that happens when you are active or when there is pressure on your pelvic area. Walking or doing other exercise, lifting, coughing, sneezing, and laughing can all cause stress incontinence. You had surgery to correct this problem. Your doctor operated on the ligaments and other body tissues that hold your bladder or urethra in place.

You may be tired and need more rest for about 4 weeks. You may have pain or discomfort in your vaginal area or leg for a few months. Light bleeding or discharge from the vagina is normal.

You may go home with a catheter (tube) to drain urine from your bladder.

Take care of your surgical incision (cut).

• You may shower 1 or 2 days after your surgery. Gently wash the incision with mild soap and rinse well. Gently pat dry. Showers are better than baths for a few weeks, until your incision has healed.
• After 7 days, you can take off the tape (Steri-strips) used to close your surgical incision.
• Keep a dry dressing over the incision. Change the dressing every day, or more often if there is heavy drainage.
• Make sure you have enough dressing supplies at home.

If you are menstruating, do not use tampons for at least 6 weeks. Use pads instead. Do NOT douche.

Try to prevent constipation. Straining during bowel movements will put pressure on your incision.

• Eat foods that have a lot of fiber.
• Use stool softeners. You can get these at any pharmacy.
• Drink extra fluids to help keep your stools loose.
• Ask your doctor before you use a laxative or enema. Some types may not be safe for you.

Your doctor may ask you to wear compression stockings for 4 to 6 weeks. These will improve your circulation and help prevent blood clots from forming.

Know the signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Ask your doctor or nurse for information about this. Call your doctor if you think you might have a urinary tract infection.

You may slowly start your normal household activities. But be careful not to get overtired.

Walk up and down stairs slowly. Walk each day. Start slowly with 5-minute walks 3 or 4 times a day. Slowly increase the length of your walks.

Do not lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for at least 4 to 6 weeks. Lifting heavy objects puts too much stress on your incision.

Do NOT do strenuous activities, such as golfing, playing tennis, bowling, running, biking, weight lifting, gardening or mowing, and vacuuming for 6 to 8 weeks. Ask your doctor when it is okay to start.

You may be able to return to work within a few weeks if your work is not strenuous. Ask your doctor when it will be okay for you to go back.

You may start sexual activity after 4 to 6 weeks. Ask your doctor when it will be okay to start.

Your doctor may send you home with a urinary catheter if you cannot urinate on your own yet. The catheter is a tube that drains urine from your bladder into a bag. You will be taught how to use and care for your catheter before you go home. See also: Cather care - indwelling

You may also need to do self-catheterization.

• Your doctor or nurse will tell you how often to empty your bladder with the catheter. Every 3 to 4 hours will keep your bladder from getting too full.
• Drink less water and other fluids after dinner to keep from having to empty your bladder as much during the night.

See also: Self catheterization - women

Call your doctor if you have:

• Severe pain
• Fever over 100 °F
• Chills
• Heavy vaginal bleeding
• Vaginal discharge with an odor
• A lot of blood in your urine
• Difficulty urinating
• Swollen, very red, or tender incision
• Throwing up that won’t stop
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Pain or burning feeling when urinating, feeling the urge to urinate but not being able to
• More drainage than usual from your incision

Open retropubic colposuspension - discharge; Laparoscopic retropubic colposuspension - discharge; Needle suspension - discharge; Burch colposuspension vagino-obturator shelf - discharge; VOS - discharge; Vaginal sling - discharge; Pubo-vaginal sling - discharge; Pereyra, Stamey, Raz, and Gittes procedures - discharge; Tension free vaginal tape - discharge; Transobdurator sling - discharge

Chapple CR. Retropubic suspension surgery for incontinence in women. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology, 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2007:chap 65.

Takacs EB, Kobashi KC. Minimally invasive treatment of stress urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse. Urol Clin North Am. 2007;35(3):467-476.

Updated by: Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urology, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.