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As with all health-related issues, please seek advice from a RL health professional if you're worried about anything.

As with all health-related issues, please seek advice from a RL health professional if you're worried about anything.

Postnatal health

Episiotomy advice

17 replies

NaomiL91 · 20/04/2017 22:39

I had to have forceps and an episiotomy for the birth of my baby and I am still not healed10 weeks on. The stitches started to come apart so the rest were cut and was left as an open wound. I have been back and forward to the doctors/hospital ever since and am always given different advice. The doctor is now writing to the hospital and suggested they might need to cauterise the area that is still not healed which may be painful. Has anybody else had a similar experience or advice?? Debating contacting NHS ombudsman as been told different things by everyone I have seen and been passed from person to person and have had to dig my heels in to be seen and had antibiotics twice. I feel really let down and is still painful doing day to day things.

OP posts:

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thisismadness77 · 20/04/2017 22:43

Sorry to hear this. I had mine cauterised by GP at 8 week check. Was soooo much better almost immediately. I had been so sore until then, I could barely sit down. Lovely lady GP sorted me out. Prior to this a few midwives had a peek and said all looks ok. It so wasn't.

NaomiL91 · 20/04/2017 23:16

Thankyou I'm really glad that worked for you, although I am not good with pain maybe it's best for them to do this so it is finally sorted. They didn't even check it at my 8 week check, yet again told it will heal by itself in a few more weeks. Hope it is all better for you now.

OP posts:

thisismadness77 · 21/04/2017 07:40

What I didn't realise was that by cauterise they meant dab gently with a silver tipped stick. I was expecting something akin to soldering or burning. This was not in any way painful or intrusive. Hope that's what they mean for you. 4 years on and the post episiotomy wound us still what I remember as the most painful part of childbirth. All good now down there though!

NaomiL91 · 21/04/2017 10:16

Thankyou that is a big relief hopefully I can say that in a few years time. I also keep waking up at night reliving the labour which I think is being triggered by the pain while I am asleep. Have you or do you know anyone else who has experienced this?

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thisismadness77 · 21/04/2017 20:52

Tbh I think it sounds like you have had it worse. No I haven't heard that before. I hope they sort you out soon, to think we thought childbirth was supposed to be the hard part!

Homey91 · 22/04/2017 00:19

I agree I didn't realise it took this long to recover. My own fault for thinking I was superwoman when coming out of hospital instead of resting, hopefully a happy update in a few weeks time to come.

Sdot1987 · 22/04/2017 20:00

Congradulations on becoming a mum. Hope baby is healthy and well. Take a look at my post from a few months back regarding my episiotomy.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_health/2800831-Episiotomy-Pain

Take care x

Homey91 · 22/04/2017 20:46

Thankyou that is really helpful, sounds like we had very similar experiences. I hope the hospital will be in contact soon and they do cauterise it now. Were you given pain relief at the time or did you take some before hand?

Sdot1987 · 22/04/2017 21:05

It makes me frustrated that so many women have to go through weeks and weeks of pain to recover from an episiotomy. I'm sure I put an update somewhere else on post natal health regarding my recovery from the episiotomy. I kept putting updates as I wanted other women to read it and find some sort of relief that there is a day when you will feel better . All in all I had silver nitrate twice and I'd my episiotomy finally healed over around week 15/16. It did feel like a life time to happen though.
The first time I wasn't given any form of pain relief but the doctor prescribed me EMLA cream which is local anaesthetic for topical application. When applied it provided me a numb episiotomy for about 4 hours which was fantastic so obviously I was applying it all the freaking time! Take some ibuprofen a couple of hours beforehand which will help.
Trust me, once you have it cauterised you'll be very much on the way to recovery.

Homey91 · 22/04/2017 21:17

Thankyou, Glad to hear others have come through it ok, it's hard to stay positive if you don't know anyone going through the same and when you try to talk about it they wince, not to mention doctors saying things are "fine" when you know they aren't right. Hoping to start swimming with my little one when this is all sorted.

Homey91 · 04/05/2017 15:17

Update - now 12 weeks and still not healed, earliest appointment to be seen is in 8 weeks time

MotherofBoy · 12/05/2017 10:44

I had granulated scar tissue removed under GA at 12 weeks pp, but I had to push for them to do it then. I kept getting fobbed off and wait and see etc. They couldn't cauterise mine as too much. Operation wasn't pleasant obviously but not a touch on the original injury and I was nearly fully healed a week or so later. It truly was miraculous. Keep on keeping on, if you can get it sorted it really will change your life. Big hugs I know how awful it is

MotherofBoy · 12/05/2017 10:46

Oh!! Something that did help. I was breastfeeding and told that due to lack of oestrogen takes longer for things to heal and soften. Gynae prescribed me oeastregen pessaries. They didn't fix the problem (as I needed the op) but they did make more comfortable and help soften the scar tissue a bit. May be worth an ask of your gp? Or alternatively you can get moisture pessaries from any pharmacy, bit awkward as they say they are for menopause but they do make it more comfortable down there.

Homey91 · 14/05/2017 17:55

Thankyou , did they examine and then make a new appointment for the operation or do it all in the same appointment? Worried cauterisation may not be an option for me either the GP said what they use is the size of a matchstick head. As I've waited so long for the hospital appointment I hope it is sorted there and then.

MotherofBoy · 14/05/2017 21:00

I had several appointments with a gynaecologist I think 3 or 4 before they decided to do op but only cos my mum was friends with the gynaecologist! They made separate appt for op as it was under GA so they had to do a pre-op assessment, screen for mrsa etc. I think if they tried to cauterise and didn't work but they could do under local it'd be there and then. I think I only had mine booked separately as it had to be general due to amount they were removing

Homey91 · 14/05/2017 21:18

Okay I wonder if mine may be the same as it looks a considerable amount to me , won't get my hopes up for a magic fix for the appointment then but fingers crossed anyway. Feels like it's never going to end at the moment

MotherofBoy · 15/05/2017 05:55

Stay strong I promise it won't be forever. Do get hold of some moisture pessaries though as may ease the rubbing and make more comfortable day to day too it's sorted

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