Version July 2025
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What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.
What is pelvic organ prolapse? —
This is a condition that affects the "pelvic floor." The pelvic floor is the name for the muscles that support the organs in the pelvis. These organs include the bladder, rectum, and uterus (figure 1).
Pelvic organ prolapse is when these muscles relax too much. This causes the organs to drop down and press against or bulge into the vagina.
There are different types of prolapse, depending on which organs are affected (figure 2):
●If the bladder bulges into the vagina, it is called "cystocele."
●If the rectum bulges into the vagina, it is called "rectocele."
●If the uterus bulges into the vagina, it is called "uterine prolapse."
How long it will take you to recover, and what you need to do, depends on which type of surgery you had. If you had minimally invasive or vaginal surgery, you likely can return to your normal activities sooner. With open surgery, it usually takes longer to recover.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
For the first 24 hours after surgery:
●Do not drive or operate heavy or dangerous machinery.
●Do not make any important decisions or sign any important papers.
●Do not drink alcohol of any kind.
You should also do the following:
●You might have light vaginal bleeding or spotting for a few weeks. It might be pink to brown or yellow colored. You can use pads.
●Do not put anything in your vagina until you are completely healed. Doing this can increase your risk of infection and slow healing. This includes tampons, douches, fingers, and all types of sexual activity involving the vagina.
●If you have packing in your vagina, your doctor will remove it in 1 to 2 days.
●If you go home with a bladder catheter, the staff will teach you how to use it and care for it. The catheter will usually be removed in about a week.
●Take all your medicines as instructed:
•Follow all instructions for taking your pain medicines.
•Take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve). You can take these instead of opioids.
●Your doctor might want you to try to avoid getting constipated. Ask your doctor or nurse if you have any questions.
•Eat small meals that are high in fiber.
•Drink plenty of water each day.
•Use a stool softener to help prevent constipation, if needed. Taking opioid pain medicines often causes constipation.
●Take care of your incision – You might have stitches, skin staples, surgical glue, or a special skin tape on your incision. If you had minimally invasive surgery, you might have more than 1 incision. If you had vaginal surgery, the stitches are inside of your vagina and will dissolve on their own.
•Keep your incision dry and covered with a bandage for the first 1 to 2 days. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep it dry.
•Once you no longer need to keep your incision dry, gently wash it with soap and water whenever you take a shower. Do not put it underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake. This can slow healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.
•After you wash your incision, pat it dry. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to put an antibiotic ointment on it. They will also tell you if you need to cover it with a bandage or gauze.
•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your incision or bandage.
●Increase your activity as you feel ready – Start with short walks around your home, and walk a little more each day.
•Your doctor or nurse will talk with you about how long to avoid activities like sex, heavy lifting, sports, or swimming. This is based on the type of surgery you had.
●Eat when you are hungry – If you have an upset stomach, it might help to start with clear liquids and foods that are easy to swallow, like soup, pudding, toast, or eggs. You can eat other types of foods when you feel ready. If your doctor or nurse gave you specific instructions about what to eat or avoid, follow them.
●If you had minimally invasive surgery, you might have some pain in your shoulder. This is from the gas the doctor put into your belly during surgery. Walking and moving around will help reduce the gas and ease pain.
What follow-up care do I need? —
The doctor will want to see you again after surgery to check on your progress. Go to these appointments.
If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will usually want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks. Some stitches absorb on their own and do not need to be removed. If the doctor used skin glue or tape, it will fall off on its own. Do not pick at it or try to remove it yourself.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if you have:
●A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills
●Redness or swelling around your incisions
●Vomiting for more than 24 hours after going home
●So much vaginal bleeding you soak a large pad in an hour
●Trouble urinating or having a bowel movement
●Blood in your urine or bowel movement
●More urine leakage than normal
●Smelly, green, or dark yellow vaginal discharge
Patient education: Surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (The Basics)
Patient education: Pelvic organ prolapse (The Basics)
Patient education: Pelvic floor muscle exercises (The Basics)
Patient education: Urinary incontinence in females (The Basics)
Patient education: Urinary retention (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a urinary catheter (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a catheter to empty the bladder in females (The Basics)
Patient education: Constipation in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Pelvic floor muscle exercises (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Urinary incontinence in women (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Urinary incontinence treatments for women (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Care after gynecologic surgery (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Constipation in adults (Beyond the Basics)
