VIN3 local excision recovery

Hi LottieMK,

I just had excision and laser surgery for VIN3( three areas) last Friday. I have had five surgeries for VIN3 so far and I go back to work in 3 days or so. My work is physical job( pet groomer), but I would rather standing than sitting, so I am usually ok with that. You may want to use a donut cushion when you work. You should ask your doctor about exercise. I walk my dog on the 3rd days post surgery.

Yes everyone is different, but I just wanted to share of my experience. You definitely want to take off work for 3 or 4 days at least(the second day is most painful, but should start feeling better after that). I am 45 yrs old, may have a little fast recovery.

I  hope your surgery goes well and wish your fast recovery

Kuma

Hi LottieMK. I'm sorry I can't help with your query and I'm sure this will be little consolation to you but I am in exactly the same situation as you and I am so glad you have asked this question. I will be having a wide local excision, beginning of March, for VIN 3 and my job mainly involves office work, (yes really!). I presume you must be in the UK because I'm sure the NHS don't tell you anything, unless you are diagnosed with cancer. I don't know about you but I have no other information to go on. I don't even know if laser treatment could be involved or not. I've not been given a leaflet or received any explanation as to what it is, what it's associated with etc or what to expect. I even had to contact the hospital to clarify if the surgery would require a local or general anaesthetic. My limited knowledge has been obtained purely from internet searches and from sites like this one. My letter inviting me to the hospital appointment is a standard letter informing me to attend the Colposcopy clinic, the same one I have received at least 3 times previously, (twice for biopsies and once for a colposcopy). This makes it difficult to explain to my employer if I do need to take time off work over and above the initial appointment.

Is there anyone who could give LottieMK or myself at least a rough indication of whether we can drive, for example and whether we can expect to be at work the next day or not, or if we can expect to take a few days recuperation? (I have about 1 and a 1/2 inches on right labia, plus whatever margins would be necessary). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for your reply, wow 5 surgeries that sounds rough, I really hope they have got it all this time for you, has it returned each time or have the doctors said after that they didn't take enough margin? 

That gives me a rough idea at least, I'm hoping at 41 a similar age to you that I will have similar time scales. I just keep reading different things about different people and wasn't sure what to take as 'the norm' if there is one! 

Thank you again. 

HiAitchstressed  this all sounds very familiar, Im sorry you haven't been given much information, yes I'm in the UK, the NHS is brilliant however I have struggled with information from them.

I was told at least that it will be a general aneasthetic and that they will be doing excision rather than laser. However yes I got the impression because it's not cancer (which is amazing and I am so greatful for), that they think it's just a quick op and isn't a big deal, but they are cutting a fairly big chunk of my bits out! (Apologies for the crassness!) and I just don't know what to expect.

My work are being great Im lucky, but there is only me who does my job here so I need to be able to gauge how long I need to take off. I think from reading things I may tell them I'll be off day of op (Monday) and definitely Tues, Wed & Thurs then see how I am on Fri.

Lots of luck for your op and if you get any more information please do share it with me, I'm in on 4th March (postponed from 12th Feb), what date is yours? 

Hi LottieMK,

Thanks for replying. This is uncanny since my surgery is also on 4 March!, I'll be thinking of you. 

No need to apologise, I think it likely that we'll both be having lumps cut out of us, how else could it be described? 

I've now told work that I expect to be off for all of that week, although it will be dependent on how quickly I feel better. All the very best of luck to you too and I will certainly share any other information I get in the meantime.

I think taking the entire week off is a good decision. Don't discount surgery for VIN III as not as bad because you are going through just as much as those of us who've had Cancer; just that with the cancer diagnosis the oncology surgeons are bound by law to get a certain clear margin.

As stated earlier, everyone heals differently, the donut is a great idea for using on your chair. I was a secretary at a very busy church and my work was great too; they never knew when I headed to Mayo Clinic if I was coming home or having surgery the next morning until I called them. Sometimes if it was just one WLE in one area I was able to go back in 3-4 days but I believe I always rushed it and pushed myself too hard and by the time I got home I could hardly walk. Sometimes I would just go in and work a couple hours until I built myself up to the full day.

You will not want to sit straight up on a chair for a while especially in the perineum area. Never sit straight up in bed after surgery either, always kind of be on a slant or learn to roll out of the bed because if the stitches tear, they won't be able to restitch and it takes so much longer to heal from the inside out. :( 

We are all here to answer any questions you all have. Prayers for you.

Lisa from MI, USA

Lisa, as ever thank you so much for providing information and support, you are an incredible person and the help you give us is invaluable.

HI All,

As Elmslav has already said everyone is different and heals at a different rate.

Hope this helps with deciding on a time line for being out of work.  I had surgery for Vin 3 ion 2 areas and 1 area of squamous cell carcinoma Dec 2018.

THe first week was difficult with pain management and was not able to sit hardly at all.

The second week seemed to be getting better that I could sit on a inflatable ring for short periods of time.  By the third week I felt better and could drive with using the inflatable ring.  But still sitting was not easy.  Each week seemed to continue to feel some what better. But I had severe itching during the 3 and 4 th week which was related to the healing process.

Wishing you both good luck with your upcoming surgery and prayers for a speedy recovery.

October 2018

Thank you all for your responses it really is appreciated, feeling a bit better and more organised about it now.

I've told work I'm off at least the week, I spoke to the hospital who suggested 2 weeks off but I'll see how I am, I've sorted getting the children to and from school for the first week so I don't feel pressured to drive if I don't feel up to it, and I've just ordered some ice packs, inflatable ring and portable bidet bottle thing, ooo the glamour!! 

Anxiety makes me get organised!!

Thank you all for your best wishes and thoughts, it means a lot and good luck to you as well Aitchstressed keep in touch. 

Aitchstressed, you are too sweet. I just can't stress enough how invaluable this site really can be for all of us to share our fears, our successes, our failures, our worries and our experiences of what worked and what didn't.

We are certainly blessed that we can be here to help one another.

Thanks,

Lisa