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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Please help with poo problems after birth!! I think my bum is broken

20 replies

zedfaca · 30/04/2011 22:53

This is some embarrassing stuff but I don't dare go to the doctors yet and you are all my last hope! I had a normal birth with only a very small amount of stitches. My gp said it had all healed remarkably well but when she was putting my coil back in she told me my womb was tilted and lying backwards. I said it hasn't always been like that. She said oh it might have been. Well I had about ten ultrasound scans last year before and during the time I was pregnant and no one mentioned it so I think that it's a new thing. Anyway, it's nearly four months since I've given birth and I still can't poo. It will not come out. I do have a small pile but I've had that for a long time. Here comes the worst part. The poo gets stuck for so long that I have to literally pull it out in the end. And while I'm in there, I can feel that there is something sagging on one side and blocking things off from getting out. I have to push that out of the way to get the poo out. I've been waiting and waiting to see if it got better by itself but it isn't. I can't go on as a poo puller all my life! Please help somebody. My doctor is really dismissive and I REALLY don't want a random finger up the bum just to be told that they think I should leave it longer or try exercises and ilaxatives because believe me, I have tried everything! Please, does anyone have any idea what's going on? Has this happened to you? Please, I need comforting bum stories before I end up a nervous wreck!

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 30/04/2011 22:55

hmm yes it sounds like something has prolapsed maybe?

this is NOT normal and you do need to see a (different) GP about it.

I clicked on this thiniing it would be a normal "i'm a bit scared to do a poo", but it would seem that your bum really is broken

hope you get it sorted without too much finger poking

4pudding · 30/04/2011 23:00

Ask to see a different doctor when you call up. I've had my GP there as I've had really bad piles in pg and she gas been wonderfully sympathetic and understanding, and it wasn't embarrassing.

I really think you need to get this sorted and I'm afraid it's not something we are going to be able to help you with, except for support in going. X

teenyweenytadpole · 30/04/2011 23:03

Do you mean you have to put your fingers in your bum or in your vagina (sorry to be so blunt)? Sounds like you might have a rectocele, it's a weakness in the bowel wall so you get a little pouch into the vagina where poo can get stuck. You might need to see someone like a physio to get advice on pelvic floor exercises as the normal kegel type ones are not that effective for this. Pressing on the perineum while poo-ing can help. Good luck and definitely get a more supportive GP on the case!

Original poster

zedfaca · 30/04/2011 23:12

Thanks so much for your replies ladies! Hmm I was half afraid someone would say it sounded serious and half afraid someone would tell me I was making a fuss about nothing! It's a bum issue, I can't feel anything from the other side on the lady wall. Has anyone got any guesses what the doctor will do? I think I will have to go for an emergency cigarette if someone says the words bum investigation.

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bellamysbride · 01/05/2011 12:07

Hey there I have a broken bum (rectocele), also a broken bladder (cystocele). My GP referred me to urogynae who prescribed me movicol (laxative) and referred me to womens health physio. I have had various rectal and bladder investigations. They really aren't that bad at all, certainly nothing to merit a nicotine fix . My GP initially said there was nothing wrong but I knew there was so insisted on seeing someone - a rare moment of assertiveness.

Original poster

zedfaca · 01/05/2011 19:44

Ah so sorry to hear of your bottom traumas but glad to hear I'm not the only one! Do you mind if I bombard you with questions? Have you noticed any improvement over time? How long has it been for you? I really feel like my gp is going to tell me nothing is wrong too. Does what I've said sound like what you've got? And how did you notice your bum had packed in?

If anyone else is reading this and has any bum insights please let me know!!

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first1 · 01/05/2011 20:54

Sorry to sound the pessimist but sounds like a rectocele but this could be anything from stage 1 to 4 according to severity and could well be handled by a womens health physio. I had a stage 1/2 which wasn't essential for surgery as I didn't have any symptoms but had another fanny op so surgeon sorted my bum at the same time! Even if its not a rectocele go and see your gp I'm sure he/she can put your mind at rest

bellamysbride · 01/05/2011 21:03

Both the bladder and bowel symptoms have improved with physio and time, though I have a small muscular tear which won't improve. I had my son nearly two years ago but noticed a significant improvement at about a year. My bowel symtoms have never required me to 'pull poo out' only support my perineum. If you explain your bowel symptoms to your GP they would have to be pretty lax not to refer you. You definitely should not have to accept manually evacuating as a normal part of life post childbirth. Get yourself back to the docs! As an aside the tilting of the uterus doesn't sound unusual.

Original poster

zedfaca · 02/05/2011 13:37

Oh no! You are all right, it does sound bad. I suppose my gp was so uninterested in any problems I had after birth that I just assumed she'd tell me to get lost. She told me in the same breath that she'd had a c-section and that women only get problems because they don't do pelvic floor exercises. I got the impression that she'd think it was my fault for not trying hard enough to tone back up. I really have been trying though! What kind of physio do you have to do? I suppose it might be hard to explain. I think the tilting is quite common or so I hear but the fact that it wasn't like that before makes me worry. You know, like what else is falling over down there?

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LeroyJethroGibbs · 02/05/2011 13:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

zedfaca · 02/05/2011 15:08

That sounds really similar to me. I can feel it that way but I can't push it. It's horrible, isn't it? Do you think you will go to the doctors? I'm still not sure

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LaWeaselIsOupaLaDouffe · 02/05/2011 15:20

This is definately not normal. I think both of you need to go to the doctors.

Leo35 · 02/05/2011 15:26

Zedfaca, please go and see another doctor who will advise you on the best course of action. I went to see my GP as I have a rectocele, which I didn't realise at the time (thought I had a pro-lapsed uterus!!), which sounds a lot less serious than yours. My GP was very sympathetic and it wasn't embarassing. I saw the GP when my son was 5 months old.

WRT your GPs comments I can assure her that my problem had to do with the baby's head coming through the birth canal, and had nothing to do with how many PF exercises I had done prior to the birth. I think it's a question of extents of damage to the area on how you heal later, WRT PF exercises post-natally. By that I mean that you might have a greater amount of damge that may need more than regular KEgel exercises to relieve the worst of the symptoms. A MNetter/GP may want to correct me on the latter assertion.

You need some proper advice and support by the sounds of it. Best of luck with your docs.

LaWeaselIsOupaLaDouffe · 02/05/2011 15:28

TBH, it sounds like you might need surgery.

But I have no medical basis for this opinion.

But having to pull your own poo out is really extreme, I have never heard anyone on MN having post-childbirth bum issues that bad.

Original poster

zedfaca · 02/05/2011 19:38

Well, in bum news today I did a normal poo. So it is possible! I'm going to leave it a little while longer before I visit the doctors. I know it sounds silly but I'm just really protective of my bum and I really don't want anyone going at it. My husband had to have a prostate exam and just him telling me about it made me feel ill. I think I'll keep a poo diary for the next month and then at least if I get told it's nothing, I can say yes but look at my log. Log! I'm going to call it my log!

OP posts:

LeroyJethroGibbs · 02/05/2011 20:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TheCake · 02/05/2011 20:52

I have to do this sometimes and I've never been pregnant, let alone give birth! I've got IBS and at times get really bad constipation, I manage it a bit better through diet. I think a poo/ food diary is a good idea, but then do go back to the doctor.

colditz · 02/05/2011 20:54

Sounds like a Rectocele

If it's any comfort, i had one after Ds2. The doctor said to so millions of pelvic floor exercises, and I was up in arms - wanted an operation.

Well, it's been 5 years now, and although I cannot say it's gone completely, it has pretty much cleared up. I know it's there, but it doesn't cause me problems any more.

Original poster

zedfaca · 03/05/2011 00:50

A food and poo diary sounds helpful. I used to have ibs too before this and I only went to the toilet twice a week. The normal poo I had was a normal poo, not like the rabbit poo I've been getting. But what kind of a weird bum passage way would I have to have to make it pop out all small like that!

OP posts:

Biscuit85 · 12/09/2017 07:09

Did you ever find out what was the cause? Im going through the same thing. Just cannot poor and have to pull it out. Please

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