Lumps in vagina after stitching?

[QOFE]

I have had 2 vaginal births, and had stitching after both. My second birth was 3 years ago but was somewhat traumatic (induction, 10lb back-to-back baby, shoulder dystocia) and left me rather battered in the fanjo department. I tore but apparently not that badly considering, but it took MONTHS before I stopped feeling like all my insides were going to fall out when I moved. I was also left with external piles. I was referred to a pelvic floor specialist as routine due to size of baby but wasn't able to keep the appt. as it was an 80 mile round trip and I didn't feel up to going.

Its only in the last week or so that I've felt mentally able to look down there with a mirror. And what I see is making me go eeeeeeeek

I've got a largeish (like grape sized) fleshy lumpy bit just inside my vagina, pretty much bang on the line I was stitched along I think. Pretty sure its not a wart as had one before - this lump is smooth and soft, and has a vein visible on one side. Pretty sure its not a prolapse either, I can't feel anything inside/behind it. It looks and feels exactly like vaginal wall, just the wrong shape? Its not painful, but I suspect it is the reason I sometimes get farts stuck in my fanjo (someone tell me they have had this happen to them, please don't let it just be me!), and I know its not how it used to be pre-DC. No idea if its been like this ever since having DS 3 years ago as, like I said, I have been too traumatised to pay the area any attention until recently.

So, I'm plucking up the courage to go to my GP and ask about it. But can anyone shed any light on whether this is within the realms of normal after stitching? Scar tissue? Bad alignment of a tear? Something else?

[digerd]

Oh dear, poor you. I have never looked at my external only stitches as round the back. I had only 1 DC back to back - took 72 hours of agony trying to get the shoulders through my cervix. But then the urge to push consumed me and without panting pushed with all my 20 year-old toned musclular might and out she popped. Didn't even feel the tearing.

I too have a large lumpy thing on one side just inside the vagina, but is rough, not smooth? As far as I know I did not have internal stitches.
Always had it, but now I am much older things have bulged and sagged everywhere. Mine feels more spongy

Perhaps the other thread"Calling all Raggedies" would have more info for you.

[QOFE]

Hmmm... If my vagina was a clock face with my clitoris at 12, its at 6. It starts on my perineum and goes back maybe 1cm. Its just like there's an extra bit there that didn't used to be I already knew that the stitching done after my first birth (2nd degree tear) was quite frankly a bit shonky (done at home by a midwife with shaking hands who kept saying how she didn't like stitching!) but I had a good look at that repair and though there was some visible scar tissue afterwards, it wasn't like this!

I was told I only had a 1st degree tear and external stitches after having my second baby but then the hospital lied to me about various aspects of our care so it wouldn't surprise me if that wasn't true, seeing as he was so big and they had to do McRoberts to get him out. I was too unwell afterwards (borderline PPH) to know or care what they were doing by way of repair and DP was too worried to ask. I never had the stitching checked afterwards either, the midwives never mentioned it, I didn't have a 6 week postnatal check and I was too upset by the whole thing to ask anyone to check it was healing okay. Its only very recently that I've been able to bring myself to look properly. I've started crying now just typing about it so clearly have a way to go before I'm over that experience even though he is now 3...

Thank you both for replying. I will head over to the ragged bits thread later!

[Weelady77]

Think this is normal, I had this too 15 years ago and the lump was there for a few years but its gone now!

[Metalhead]

I've got some lumpy bits too which I think are probably scar tissue. Not very pretty but then I don't look down there very often and DH hasn't mentioned it! As long as it's not causing you any physical problems I wouldn't be too worried, but obviously can't hurt to get it checked out by your GP.

[digerd]

Funnily enough, when I saw the gynae recently and lying flat on the bed, she found and saw nothing . I had to stand up and crouch as if on the loo and gravity did its thing and it hung down. I could then feel it and had to put her hand where it was. Actually, it was funny My lump is on the perineum adjacent to the anus and vagina.

I can hardly get a mini tampax past the internal spongy bulge , which was no trouble when I was younger, so has got larger, but does not hurt or itch. Am widowed and not had sex in 15 years so assumed it had caved in

[QOFE]

DP has not mentioned it but then, I'm not sure if that means he hasn't noticed it or is too polite. Its soft and spongy and not obtrusive exactly though it is visible and feelable.

I suspect its most likely scar tissue and that they did a bad job of my stitching which was compounded by the fact there was already some scar tissue from the previous bad job. It just seems quite, well, big for scar tissue. Like an actual lump of it.

[Elderflowergranita]

Well, it does sound like prolapse to me. Very treatable, but you should see your GP and get a referral for phsyio as a starting point. Even if its not prolapse, no harm in having it checked out.