Post birth trauma, severe damage to rectal area

[Uptheapplesandpearstobed]

Good evening, name changed due to a rather personal nature.

I had an extremely traumatic birth, baby crowned but was stuck and needed an emergency CS pushing baby back up the birth canal. Despite only birthing babies head, I tore from front to back requiring repair in theatre.

Due to the dire agony and post CS constipation, I lost the sensation to go as such and found myself having to manually disimpact. Since this, I have relied on disimpaction on a daily basis as nothing can come out without the help of myself.

Recently, I ended up in emergency surgery for a large impaction that had to be removed under general anaesthetic.

Baby is 8 months old, would I be unreasonable to pursue compensation for this awful and life changing damage, it effects everything and I feel utterly depressed that at not even 30 I have lost the normal ability to use the bathroom. Thank you.

You poor thing. Please contact AVMA who advocate for people who have suffered from medical accidents.

That sounds so traumatic and I’m so sorry I happened to you. I’m not sure where you would stand on compensation though. Was it malpractice or did the drs do what they needed to do to save you and baby?

You need follow up surgery ASAP

Not enough information on the circumstances of the birth to say YABU or YANBU.

Was your birth injury due to clinical mistakes or was it completely unavoidable? If your baby was stuck, he needed to come out somehow.

OP cant go on like this for the rest of her life What happens when she gets older and too infirm to contort herself to do what needs to be done

A mixture of both clinical error and I guess unfortunate circumstances, birth is a bit of a lottery!

I can’t go on like this, I’ve seen the surgeon twice who isn’t willing to do anything until 12 months pp.

It is the most degrading and barbaric thing I’ve been through, I feel so isolated as I cannot risk needing to empty myself publicly, I have to be at home with a hot bath reading and waiting for me to disimpact in. I feel so ashamed.

12 months is only 4 months away. You’ve made it through the first and most likely hardest part.

That sounds horrendous and must be causing you discomfort and distress. Is there no option at all for surgery? I certainly think you should take advice. Why weren't you given an emergency C section?

Serious sympathy OP, I had a 4th degree tear in dds burth and it was hugely traumatic.

Are you on laxatives snd bowel stimulants? I am surprised there's not a regime of these that would mean you don't have to manually disimpact (at least some of the time).

If you're in the south of England, St Mark's hospital (in Harrow I think) are the best for repairing and treating this type of injury. I saw an amazing specialist physio there and had thorough assessment of anal sphincter function. Many years later I am totally recovered - it is eminently possible.

Charity MASIC are v good too - birth injury & trauma masic.org.uk/

🌸🌸🌸

Rationally 4 months isn’t long, but every day feels like a year with the amount of pain I’m in. Due to how I’m having to empty myself, I’ve caused myself multiple fissures and tears often screaming into a flannel.

Colouring, thank you for your message.

I am prescribed Lactulose, Movicol and Picolax for the worst days. On top of this I use Rectogesic and Scheriproct locally. Despite this, without sounding gross, I still have to use my fingers to trigger even liquid to come out. I have no sensation or release button without it.

Good God. Im so sorry OP I dont know what else to say. Im stunned. Im 48 and child free by choice so ive only ever read about birth injuries. Ive never heard of one like this before. Im horrified that you are having to do this.

I am so sorry this happened to you 💐

I suffer from faecal incontinence, to the point of having actual accidents. Not from childbirth but having had cancer.

I just want to say it does get better. It really really does. I was in early 20s when it happened, and over time I got much stronger mentally and it started to affect me less and less. I still have days where I get upset by it, by they are few and far between. You gradually adjust to your new normal.

I know I’m not answering your question, but just wanted to assure it gets better and you will find the strength to deal with it without it taking over your life.

I had a similar birth experience to you, with a milder version of your injuries and symptoms. What you're going through is horrendous, I'd love to hug you.
Obviously not the same thing, but drs here said the same thing about 12 months, and I wanted to kill them. But strangely things settled a lot, and quite suddenly, around the 11 month mark, so maybe it's 'a thing' where it takes that long to do whatever healing is possible by itself. That sounds ridiculous written down, because there doesn't seem to be a plausible mechanism why a neat time frame of a year would settle things, but maybe they observe that it is so.

A horrible situation but hopefully eill get sorted soon, one way or the othef

Please excuse the typos, sorry

I'm so sorry, that sounds utterly awful. No advice, but I hope you get the help you need to sort this out

I hope if there was clinical error that when you have surgery to repair it is done in a private hospital with amazing surgeons, fantastic bedside care and a lovely private room. Not a grey dull overstaffed NHS ward. You deserve that at the very least. I'm so sorry this happened to you, you do not deserve this

That sounds awful OP. I’m not sure what you can sue for, as it sounds like it’s just unfortunate circumstances. You mention clinical error, again not sure what this is but if you feel that you might have a case I’d approach a solicitor.

Someone I know had a baby born with disabilities due to multiple errors admitted by the hospital. It’s been a long fight, the hospital claiming the baby’s development isn’t too far off non disabled children. They are forgetting the fact she cannot swallow and is tube fed, has never smiled, doesn’t talk. It’s disgusting the way they are fighting back when they made many mistakes which led to this.

As time goes on it will become apparent how different she is to other children. Money can’t fix that, but can pay for therapy etc that they are currently paying out of their own pocket. So the reason I’m saying this is because unless you have a strong case it’s going to be very stressful

.

It isn't clear where the negligence is. Didn't they just do what needed to be done to save you and your baby?

Sorry this happened to you, it sounds awful. Can you explain how you think clinical error caused this and how getting money from the NHS would help the condition you’re in?

so fucking rude to placemark a thread like this

OP how are you managing to work /look after your baby?
Are you also on iron tablets ?