Anyone had a 4th degree tear....and a colostomy :-(

[spudballoo]

Hello everyone,

I gave birth to my beautiful boy 2 weeks ago, alas not the homebirth I'd planned but a very long, 3 day, difficult labour. All very traumatic, and ended with a forceps delivery. Whilst the delivery was in fact easy (he was low down in the birth canal, but being held back by a very short umbilical cord) the forceps caused me major internal damage. I went straight to theatre to repair the damage; a 10cm hole between my vagina and rectum, and my sphincter is split in two. The damage is so bad that I have been given a temporary (hopefully) colostomy to allow everything to heal. I just hope and pray that it does, if it doesn't then I will have the colostomy for life.

It's all been very hard, and coping with recovering from a difficult labour and delivery, a new born, recovering from major surgery and a colostomy isn't the easiest thing I've ever done!

Just wondered if anyone else has been through the same, and what the outcome is?

Despite everything, my gorgeous boy is worth it and I'd do it all over again in a minute for him. xx

Spud
x

[WeFrizyouamerrychristmas]

{{{{{Big Hugs}}}}} to you and your family Spud, hope things aren't as bad as they at first seem and that things start going lots better for you soon.

[bctmum]

thoughts spudballoo xxx

[mears]

I am so sorry to read about your new worry spud. Sometimes scans can show things that are not a great problem post delivery - fingers crossed that happens for you.

I was wondering about your reversal waiting till stopping B/F because I was worried that it was because of anesthetic etc. You might decide to breastfeed for a long time and it seems a shame to leave your reversal till you stop. You could stock pile milk in the freezer and just express and discard when you have your bowel clearance medication. Being on liquids would not mean that your milk would dry up - you would have a well established supply by the time op was done. No doubt baby would be older and perhaps partially weaned anyway. Just wanted to make sure that you are aware that you can still have an operation while breastfeeding. There are ways and meand round it.

[Murphee]

Spud, I had my DD by C-section on the advice of my surgeon two years after my colon was removed through bowel disease. I had a stoma for almost a year after the bowel surgery and suspect I may end up with a permanent one in later life. The point of my post is to encourage you on the continence question. I wasn't a good candidate for what they call an 'internal pouch' so I basically have a downpipe - as soon as I start eating I start scanning for the nearest loo. As I have no colon I have runny poo permanently. I don't use public transport (no loos) or do anything involving large crowds where I might have to queue for a loo. Otherwise, I do everything I did before I was ill. I do lose control occasionally and have to get up 2/3 times everynight to use the loo. HOWEVER, I am really pleased I had the reversal as for me it is far less hassle, frustration and time consuming than having a stoma. I also feel less inhibited sexually. Hope this helps.

[fairyjay]

I really hope the news on Wednesday is not as bad as you fear.

[mrsdarcy]

Spud - my DD was diagnosed with a brain abnormality when I was pregnant. They found that she had ventriculomegaly and agenesis of the corpus callosum. She is now 17 months old and devloping perfectly normally.

I hope you are able to get some reassurance on Wednesday.