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VIN 3 - Partial Vulvectomy
I read these message boards before my surgery and I'm here for a little support. VIN3 doesn't seem to have much resources so like many women I thought this may be a good place for support. I'm early 40s, no HVP, never abnormal PAP, same partner for 20 years.
VIN 3 was removed by partial vulvectomy. Home the same day. Peeing the first 3 days was rough. I peed by pouring water over myself, which relieved the stinging. It was difficult to tell what had occurred in surgery due to the swelling. Ice, feet up. I thought I was healing well…
Day 12, 3 or 4 stitches popped while I was sleeping. I have done nothing while healing. Just laying around, my doc said it is common. Did anyone have popped stitches? How did you heal? Any advice?
Comments
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Hi! Well, I hope you are healing up alright. Take it easy. It is a terrible procedure, but nice knowing other women are out there doing the same thing I am. Laying around. My doc said stitches dissolve in 6-8 weeks, so yea having mine pop day 12 - not much healing had occurred. Now I just have a part of the area 'open'. I guess I just have to keep it clean, as they can't stitch it back up. She also said it was very common with the location of my procedure. 🤷♀️
I was curious if anyone has an experience on the heal time, or how it affected their healing. Where you told a healing timeline?
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I had a partial vulvectomy with a reconstruction/flap for VIN 3 on 3/18. I also had some stitches pop, yikes more scary than painful! My dr said yes, it's pretty common for that to happen because of the tension on the wounds. As long as you're not bleeding or incredibly uncomfortable I think it'll be ok. I'm still having to wear a mini pad because of drainage (sorry, gross) which I wasn't really expecting to last this long but my dr didn't seem worried about it. Overall I'm moving around much better but I've pretty much also been laying around on the couch, no laundry, lifting etc. Monday will be 4 weeks. Other than being really remarkably tired, I think I'm healing well. My dr said it could take up to 10 weeks to really feel better.
I hope you're doing okay and continue to heal! ❤️
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I'm coming back to this message board even though I don't really need to.
If you are reading this in the future, please remember women don't come back to these message boards if their
surgery went well, or they just want to heal and get on with it. That is
much how I feel. I did it! It's over! I don't want to think or talk
about it. But know you are not alone. It is rough in the beginning, but prepare yourself and you can do it! Judge your progress week by week, not day by day. I'm at 5 weeks today since surgery and feeling pretty decent. Sitting is still painful, but driving has been ok(just the last few days). I still have stitches, but they aren't scratchy anymore. <3 -
I haven't been checking in much since getting back to work, and mentally it's out of sight out of mind for me. My pathology showed positive margins for the VIN 3 so I'll be having every 3 month follow ups. I don't think I'd go for surgery again though. I still get email notifications when someone posts, so I would definitely respond to anyone with questions or concerns. All the best to everyone. This is not an easy thing to deal with emotionally or physically, and there's not much info out there so start here and I'm definitely available to anyone starting this journey ❤️
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Cometsmom,
Susan13a posted on a post on this Discussion Board and sounds like she has a lot going on. Maybe you can reach out to her and see if she has any questions? You ladies have my heart. I cannot even begin to imagine how much you have had to face and without others to talk to? Again, I cannot imagine.
Hugs to all of you
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I'm six weeks post-op and doing fine but still not quite back up to speed. Going into this, I hadn't thought recovery would take so long ... the pain is not so bad, even at first. It's just a lot of heavy duty fatigue and dealing with going to the bathroom (or not going!) I went back to work after 4 weeks, even though I really didn't feel like it, and I promptly caught a cold and then a stomach bug. 😭 My immune system is clearly not working well.
Any way, that's the report from 6 weeks. I'm probably going to be signing off now.
I wish you ladies all the best. Be kind to yourself and patient with recovery. Don't ask more of yourself than you would ask of someone you love. ❤️
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I didn't pop stitches from a vulvectomy, but I had popped stitches from an episiotomy that were restitched during my first vulvectomy. I was 32 with a 5 week old. I definitely feel your pain. Nobody really prepared me for the head trip so I hope you are ok. It's been 14 years and 3 vulvectomies now. It's a shame how few resources we have. Ive had invasive squamous cell carcinoma for all my surgeries so it's good they caught it at VIN 3. Good luck to you
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Not sure this thread is even still active. I was diagnosed recently with VIN 3, at least that is the hope. I will be having a partial simple vulvectomy. If after it is removed any results come back as cancer I will require a second surgery. I am obviously anxious. Any advice on recovery would be appreciated. Thank you
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I'm sorry you are going through this. It is hard to talk about, and at least for me, not something I knew existed until I had to go through it. I had my surgery one year ago. I go in every 3 mo. for check ups, and have not had any recurrence.
My advice, take it easy- do not push it the first 2 weeks. Follow exactly the doctors pain management rx and stool softeners if recommend. Pour warm water over yourself the first few days to help while peeing (talk to your doc) but that was a life saver for me. Be kind to yourself. I was frustrated with how slow recovery felt, and having to wait for test results. I watched a lot of Columbo. It was soothing for some reason. The first episode is directed by Steven Spielberg. Good luck, you got this!
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Thank you! It is very scary and I agree, I don't want to talk about it with very many people. I find it embarrassing for some reason. Can I ask how long it took you to recover. I am diabetic and overweight and heal slowly. The surgeon seems very concerned about my stitches staying intact and me healing properly.
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oh my goodness have I been searching high and low for this ! I was doing so good I had absolutely no pain and then here comes week 3 and my stitches popped just walking and I had quite a large opening. Like you I went all the way to see my oncologist again and she would not re stitch due to a chance of bacteria. I am now approaching week 5 and so annoyed that the stinging is still there and the opening is still there I am doing absolutely nothing I took off work for a few weeks and I’ve been soaking like suggested. I would love to know how you are doing as of right now I am so frustrated with myself and I never will do this surgery again I was just out 6 weeks for a vertical hysterectomy for cervical cancer it’s like I can’t catch a break .
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Hey there. I’m just starting this crap and trying to decide what to do. It appears to be vin3 and and it’s pretty bad. Spread around in different areas. Doc wants surgery but I’m 74 and think not! I just don’t want this pain and healing for months for it to return and I spend the rest of my life at the oncologist office. I’m thinking to just see what happens. I can live with it so far??? What’s your thoughts
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Hey Tish ,
I totally get where you are coming from with the surgery aspect and it coming back I was right there with you on that point. 74 isn’t old you could still have 20 plus years left and I can assure you this was the least painful surgery I’ve had throughout this journey, it may have been annoying for my stitches opening, but I healed nice after and so far so good I’ve not noticed anything come back . My doctor did offer other options since I was pretty adamant about not wanting surgery there was a laser option ( mine had been here quite sometime) so it was a bit more raised so she didn’t recommend that option, another was the cream and that’s what I had originally wanted and she was all for it , but it can cause painful skin and raw irritation and it can take 16 weeks to only not work and I was not willing to do 16 weeks of that pain to turn around and only need surgery so I decided to just take it out and get it over with . I would maybe just give yourself sometime to process this and I bet you come to terms with doing it . I needed time to think about everything as I was extremely frustrated since I had just had an open abdominal hysterectomy . I’m always here if you need to ask anything and good luck I hope you make the right decision and I’m sure you have important people in your life who would agree . 🩷 -
Hey there, thank you so much for the reply. I almost can’t believe it! Much appreciated .I’m so torn with this. I have a brother who is fighting prostate cancer for 9 years! Yes, 9 years with advanced cancer. He has no life. TV and that’s it. Incontinent, angry and intolerable. My husband fought lung cancer and finally said no more. His cancer reoccurred immediately . After they removed a lung and claimed “Cured!” Like 2 weeks later 2 tumors . So, we came home and he took drugs for pain until he died. I’m not all in on this constant treatment . Maybe I should plan something while I’lil still vertical and enjoy life. How are you doing and how much did you have done? I’ve had mine for quite awhile but due to family illness, (mother,father,) passed, and brother remained with his issues I told surgeon no way could I have surgery being the only family member handling the estate , deaths,and all that goes with. Now, unsold their home and decided to talk to him again and do this. However, the comments are brutal and I’m so done with medical now. It does seem they perform the same surgery for both vin3 and cancer itself.. I just don’t know. But, I hope they call with an appt. Tomorrow. I called on Fridayband no return call. I’ll go and bring some questions. How long did it take to recover? Thanks again for the reply! I needed that!😇
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