Has anyone ever heard of such a problem post-birth? (TMI and embarrassing warning!)

[Kirova]

I'm trying to get over the embarrassment to seek medical help for this, but it's not something I've ever heard of anyone else happening and it didn't happen to me after the first two times I gave birth!

I gave birth to my DD3 in December - she was premature and I had a very, very fast and slightly traumatic labour. She is doing amazingly now (although she doesn't seem to need to sleep, like, ever) and I am okay too. But ever since the birth I've had a problem passing urine. It's like I just don't feel any urge and I only feel I need to go when I have a really full bladder. I do feel uncomfortable at that point and sometimes it is painful.

Then, even when I get to that point, it's really hard to wee. I end up sitting for 20 mins trying to wee and when I do it's just like a trickle, not a proper flow.

I don't know why but I'm too ashamed to tell anyone in real life. I can't get the courage up! I had quite bad 'baby blues' after DD's birth and although I don't feel it was ever really depression, I've lost confidence a bit. I know I need to go to the doctor, but I'm just so embarrassed and it feels like it must be somehow my fault...

Excellent! That's quite some progress from where you were earlier today! No longer hiding in the shadows unwittingly jeopardising your health, but seeking the care you need and feeling you can do that. 🙌

I'm waiting now - I got triaged to the Same Day Emergency Care rather than A&E, which is good because it's less chaotic and noisy. And DD has fallen asleep like a log, which is nothing short of a miracle. On the downside, I still haven't been able to squeeze out a wee and it's getting pretty uncomfortable

They're great your have been triaged already. Hope you don't have too long to wait.

I got seen to pretty quickly, but there was more than 500 ml in my bladder so I had to have a catheter put in to drain it. They also want to do an MRI to check there's nothing else going on (I had sciatica during pregnancy and it's not really ever gone away fully) so I'm a bit stressed and baby is getting restive too...!

Thank goodness you went in! A ruptured bladder is not funny.
Well done your little DD too, funny how they can surprise you sometimes.
I needed CBT for ppd after my DD and she had to come along to that, wasn't ideal given the reason I was there and the lack of head space but it had to be that way and actually she was always an angel.
Busy background noise quite often has that effect I find though.

Honestly, she's been good as gold and everyone is commenting about what a little angel she is - if only they knew!

I'm waiting to see the doctor again after my MRI and hoping I won't have to be here too much longer!

I’m sure that we all wish you well and that you are able to get home soon. It must have been stressful for you but it sounds as though the baby has been a little star!

I hope you’re doing ok @Kirova

This is not nearly as uncommon as you may think. The muscles and nerves of the bladder are all intricately linked with those involved in giving birth. Your entire pelvic floor takes a battering in the birth process. It is something which doctors see all the time. Specialist women's health physios exist and help women with regaining proper working use and strength of the muscles once it is determined nothing untoward is wrong( which it very likely isn't), they will coach you into getting everything working smoothly again and teach you how to maintain in that way into the future. See your doctor as soon as you can, it's in necessary to suffer and can be remedied. You are not alone.

Thanks for all the well wishes. I'm home now but had to settle the older two and DD3 is compensating for all her quiet time earlier!

I need to have surgery on compressed lumbar nerves - which are causing the bladder problems and the sciatica I have had for basically months. Apparently it is gradual onset rather than acute and therefore not urgent-urgent, but they still want to do the surgery in the next 2-3 days and I will be phoned tomorrow. So I'm going to have some serious organisation to do!

Thanks for everyone who told me to get seen. It was definitely the right decision! It was going on for so long and I was just ignoring it, but gradually it was getting worse. So many things after giving birth that you think you just have to put up with and it's normal, but it turns out it is not, not completely.

Crikey! So glad they've worked out the problem and there's a fix! Good luck over the next few days xx

That's a fantastic outcome though I'm sure your in battle logistics mode and nervous, likely had no time to process anything. But I'm glad you've been taken care of and a plan is in place.
I hope this gives you the improvement you need for a good quality of life.
All the best op. 💐

Blimy OP , good job you went and got checked. Good luck with your impending surgery x

Gosh! What a lot to wrap your head around today. Glad you got seen quickly and are home again.
Hope you're are feeling at least more comfortable with the catheter, assuming you have been sent home with it.

All the best with the surgery and recovery.

Yes, I went home with the catheter in - it feels a bit weird and I'm nervous about it coming out, but it isn't painful. Just a bit cumbersome!

They have given me a bunch of laxatives to take for the constipation as well, which is apparently all part of the same issue. So far they've just given me cramps and made me really bloated.

I'm feeling a bit nervous and out of sorts. This surgery can require up to 4 nights in hospital, so I've no idea how we are going to manage it! I feel like I'd just about got back on an evening keel after DD's early arrival and now this is putting everything back to square 1. Part of me feels like, how urgent can it be and I should be putting the girls first. But these are all things which can be discussed tomorrow I expect.

It is urgent and you need to have the surgery. No one can force you, but getting any treatment on the nhs within days shows how important it must be or you’d be waiting for months and months (HCP here).

Hoping your surgery and recovery go well for you.

It's actually quite common and probably related to you having the fast delivery and being catheterised. Definitely see your GP. There are specific people who deal with this issue - specialised physios and you need a bladder scan to see how much is retained. You are given an amount to drink, have a scan (like an ultrasound) then go and wee. Then another scan to see how much is left. Then they do a plan for you to improve things. Please go as you risk infections if you're retaining urine.

It is urgent most definitely, especially if they're operating in 2-3days - that should give you an indication given the current wait times for NHS procedures.

It sounds like slow onset cauda equina syndrome. Did anyone mention that? Left untreated it can lead to permanent incontinence (at best) or paralysis.

Having the surgery is putting your daughters first - they need you fit and fully functioning!

Hope it all goes well 💐

Can your husband come back??

Yes, that was the other term they used. I've had sciatica for ages and also had a numb bum (sorry a bit TMI) and tingling sensations around the "saddle area", and apparently all of that plus the bladder problems were red flags which was why they did the MRI.

My husband can and will come back, but because of where he is (he works in current affairs for TV) he won't be able to get back super quick. My older sister is in Amsterdam and she has older kids, so she has offered to come over and stay for a bit.

I am being messy, but I really just want to lie down and cry and for someone to take care of everything! And I have to be the adult, look after the kids and sort stuff out. I just don't feel up to it!

I’m so glad to read that you took advice to call 111 and went to hospital.

Surgery in a couple of days shows the seriousness of it all.

It’s great your sister can come over. And hopefully your DH can too.

Op, it’s good you went to hospital and were diagnosed. I know it’s hard, but you need the surgery, they aren’t doing it in 2-3 days as they are bored. If you don’t it can worsen, get your sister over, don’t worry , get it done and you will be fine. 💐

Getting yourself sorted is putting your children first because they need a healthy mother who can care for them. If left untreated I would imagine you could be left with irreversible nerve damage which would mean lifelong catheter use, and constipation. You'd be at greater risk of infections. It's definitely the right thing to get this sorted asap. Appreciate it's going to be extremely difficult with childcare though.

I was warned about cauda equina which I had never heard of either @Kirova . My friend had it, like you she needed surgery. She's done the post operative physio and is now absolutely fine.

We both had three children and joke that it was the last pregnancy that did for us.

Aw love, sorry you’ve not got anyone there to take care of you right now. Hope husband gets home soon and great news that you’re being treated quickly. Well done for getting it sorted.