FOURTH DEGREE TEAR LEFT UNNOTICED

[soapy4]

Hi im new,

Has anyone experience this im now fecal incontience attending pain clinic which is not helping havin to wait 6 months for the muscle to heal then the surgeon is going to try and repair the damage.

A colostomy bag is being fitted mid Sept along with the repair if it works it will b reversed 3 months and I will hav 50% control of my bowl working not lookin good at all.

I cannot leave the house and wen I hav to I only attend appointments im on the verge of a break down this is neglect my consultant never heard of this happening before neither has my gp, my consultant said the injury probably happened during labour and then my stitches from my episomity came undown probably sewn up too tight she said gosh the pain despite me attending the hospital for the pain etc.

Anyone else with advice

That sounds horrific! Have no practical advice to offer you Soapy, but hope you get some results soon.

Hi OP

I think this thread will be full of helpful advice from women with similar birth injuries :)

That sounds just horrendous and my heart goes out to you. Have you seen a gynae physio?

Oh OP, I'm so sorry you're in this situation.

I have some experience of this I had a partially repaired 4th degree tear (they thought it was a "mild" third).

I understand the pain and being stuck in the house.

I couldn't have the repair op because my surgeon decided that going through the stitched muscle/vagina to repair the internal sphincters would cause more damage than it would fix.

I had 3 ops to sort of make the best of what I had with mixed results. No colostomy bag but that's my long term prognosis - probably post menopause.

I found that after a while the pain improved but being honest, this took over a year. My surgeon also told me that nerve damage takes about 2 years to reach is peak again and things definitely improved over the first two years.

Have you spoken to anyone? I found counselling very helpful and confiding in some close friends and family. It was a relief actually because I didn't feel like I had to hide anymore. I was afraid they'd judge me but everyone was very supportive.

Good luck and definitely join the other thread. I found it such an amazing support when I was having lots of symptoms, problems with DH, work and surgery. They really understand.

I had a 3a tear, rectocele, mrp and pph. I had a full restitch 11months ago as it hadn't healed and tbh even now I'm not quite right. I haven't suffered incontinence so I'm afraid I can't relate to you on that front I can only empathise, but I understand the pain and am happy to chat if you need a moan.

Thanks ladies for the reply and the link to the thread my consultant fobbed me of to the surgeon she ain't got a clue how to deal with me as she has never heard of this happening to anyone before I left the hospital with a 4th degree tear stitching came out sister on ward said I could of done this myself mmmm

Not seen anyone I cannot go away I get distress wen I hav to go out will hav to wait physio would not help now but maybe after if operation goes well

Have no family my husband and I care alone and he does that for me lol I feel so gross x

If you don't feel like getting out then use MN for a while until your confidence returns. It will, it's early days in the scheme of repair.

The hospital tried to ask if I could have caused this myself too. I can't remember her exact words but the question was along the lines of "have you had anything up your bum since the birth?". This was at my 6 week check. I hadn't had anything up my bum before the birth nevermind in the 6 weeks afterwards. They said I am a rare case.

My gynae said things like this are under reported, the more you look for women with unprepared birth injuries the more you find. I think many women suffer in silence.

Let us know how you get on. I remember thinking my life was over, career was over etc but things are 100% better for me now. If I have to go I have to but I haven't had accidents for a long time.

Pelvic floor exercises are worth doing if you can, even before your op. They help blood flow and so aid healing so I'm told.

Good luck x

Awk thankyou it it too sore inside even to hold pee sori tmi im waitin on my notes and will get back here this is so rare there is no support for us ladies v sad indeed I hav no idea how anybody could live in slience with this v strange x