Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Operation to reverse too tight stitches following 3rd degree tear - anyone familiar?

6 replies

hoolabombshell · 28/04/2011 09:16

Sorry if I'm about to offer TMI here but I was wondering if anyone has heard or had experience of the above procedure.

I had a 3rd degree (3c) tear when I had DS by induction in Feb, which required around 3 hours surgery to repair a tear between my vaginal/anal wall(?) and down to my sphincter. Whilst in surgery the consultant told me that the stitches kept coming out as they were doing them, which is why it was taking so long. However after a couple of attempts the stitches seemed to hold, and I was kept in hospital for 4 days after for monitoring. All seemed ok.

During the next 6 weeks I was having twice-daily salt or antiseptic baths, all swelling seemed to go down and despite a (what I assume is normal) achey/heavy feeling down there it gradually felt a bit better, going to the loo not as scary etc. I also tried to look at the area myself but couldn't really see much difference from the outside, just that it wasn't swollen. However at my 6-week appointment my GP tried examine me and said she could hardly get one finger inside the entrance to my vagina - some of my labia has healed/skin has fused together so the opening is about half of what it should be.

So I was referred to a gynaecologist who has put me down for an op in June to reverse the original procedure and 'loosen' things up a bit, firstly by making a division in the fused-together labial skin and then seeing if they need to do something similar on the inside (she too could not do an internal examination, as it seems I am almost sealed shut - yikes). I am a bit apprehensive about the whole thing, and a bit down as I am keen for another baby in the next 18 months (hello CS).

Has anyone heard of this procedure before? Any advice would be much appreciated, and so sorry for the extra long (and very detailed) post Blush

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
NulliusInVerba · 28/04/2011 16:41

If you were palnning on another baby soon, discuss this with gynae. Hopefully they will agree to elective c section next time, if not you may not want to have anymore surgery yet.

I had something similar, not exactly the same. Caused by induction aswell, not very well handled. In the end I went private to a cosmetic surgeon after 2 NHS stich up jobs that were, to be honest, shit. It was the best thing I ever did he did a brilliant job.

NulliusInVerba · 28/04/2011 16:43

Also, the achey heavy feeling may well be a prolapse. Ask gynae to check that as if it is may affect what surgery you choose. Ask about long term effects to continence and nerve function (sorry dont want to scare you, just want you to be told everything before you go ahead)
Good luck.

hoolabombshell · 28/04/2011 21:28

Thanks so much for the advice , I really appreciate it and will bear all of these things in mind. I wasn't happy about being induced in the first place tbh and feel that things happened far too fast as the time for me to really have any sense of control.

Am dreading the op as I have no idea if things will ever be normal down there again. The price you pay for motherhood eh?!

OP posts:
NulliusInVerba · 28/04/2011 21:49

Thats ok happy to help, yes the price some of us pay!!! Not good is it.

TBH I am still to this day convinced my problems were caused by bieng induced with first baby, and it not bieng handled well. Have since read lots on how first time moms should avoid inducing at all costs, as these problems are much more likely.

Ask those questions and see what the gynae says, it depends on the answers really. After my private surgery I have to say all from the outside looks just like it did pre baby!! (maybe TMI) but it took paying for it to get there. Hopefully yours will go fine, especially if you have a good gynae surgeon doing it for you.

first1 · 29/04/2011 08:15

I'm the same as nullius - I too had private surgery to sort out a botched stitching job after a 3a tear. It's not right to have had to fork out thousands to be fixed but I'm delighted to say it all looks pre-baby downstairs and all doctors who have seen the repair have said you'd never know I tore at all let alone 3a. So you can be fixed and things WILL go back to at least almost normal. I just hope you can find a good nhs gynae and not have to fork out for a new fanny!

hoolabombshell · 29/04/2011 18:22

Tell me about it. Thanks first1 !
Grin

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page