Missed tear

[3mmaH]

Hi all,

It’s 2.5 years since I gave birth to DC2, I’ve had pelvic floor / incontinence / prolapse problems since.

I’ve seen GPs and physios but there has been a big wait for a F2F appointment with a consultant during Covid, and my physio appointments stopped too. I’ve been to see a private women’s health physio and she found a tear that was missed during the birth.

I was examined vaginally and rectally after the birth and told there were no tears, so no stitches needed.

I’m just wondering if this has happened to anyone else?

Thanks

Slightly different story here but a big disagreement between medical professionals about whether my tear was 3rd or 4th degree.
They both required surgery and I had a year of physio after.
Do you know anything about the tear? I wouldn’t expect the symptoms you describe unless it was quite serious in which case you would expect it to be quite obvious.
My advice would be to do the physio or exercises they recommend. Made a big difference to me,

I had some similar issues and had colposuspension surgery three years ago, life changing! Would definitely recommend it, it was keyhole and involved lifting up the neck of the bladder and massively reduced stress incontinence

@CyclingIsNotOuting those are kind of along the lines my thoughts are going. I didn’t think to ask the physio at the appointment. I didn’t have any checks postnatally other than immediately after the birth, as I had no stitches. The incontinence was immediate so the midwife referred me straight to women’s health physio. Now I’m wondering if perhaps I should have asked someone to look, not sure if it would have made any difference or not. I’m also wondering why they looked for rectal / anal tears? They didn’t do that when I had DC1.

I’ve been following all the exercise, diet and lifestyle things. I don’t have half as many accidents as I used to but I’m still struggling with it all.

Glad to hear you have both found treatment really helpful

@PenguinLove1 do you mind me asking what issues you had? Were they caused by a bad tear or something else?

@3mmaH they gave me an internal scan which was a bit like a probe. That was how they checked the damage after. That was about 6 weeks post birth.
One of the things they made me do was write down every time I used the bathroom, measure the time between visits and then try and extend the time. So distract myself or put it off. Thus strengthening the muscle.
My physio said the absolute maximum leakage a lady should put up with it 2 times a year! No idea if that’s true but she said to me that’s what I should aim for. I’m not there yet but it’s much more manageable.

If yours was still being assessed at 6 weeks then I think mine mustn’t have been that bad, I think I first saw the physio around 8 weeks and the only thing they could find was that my bladder was low.

I’ve had to do a couple of bladder diaries but they told me that it looked good, I was drinking enough, my bladder seemed to be emptying ok and it could hold a reasonable amount. I still use prompts to remind myself to go for a wee as I have no sensation of needing one.

2 times a year? 1 of each haha! I never thought I’d see the day when I could honestly say that would be nice!! Seems very different from the experiences I have had, GPs and physios who have told me this is just life after childbirth.

I had a prolonged labour with a baby with a huge head then a midcavity forceps delivery and episiotomy, which can all cause stress incontinence, im fortunate none of it has been bowel related, its all bladder for me. I put up with it for years then asked for help and got physio, had a bad experience with the person doing it so never went back but after my son turned 10 i realised it wasnt normal to be in my 30s and leak constantly. I went back and pushed for more options, they did refer me for more physio but also did a test which involved probes put inside and fluid being pumped inside me while i sat on a clear toilet and coughed/laughed etc and it allowed them to see the extent of my issues, as soon as they had those results they must have been bad as I was allowed to see a consultant quite quickly after that. There were multiple options given to me with info to research, then i had to fill out a form with my choice that had to go to a panel but i finally got the go ahead for the surgery. I was off work for 12 weeks it was a major operation however it really made a difference. Its not perfect (if I need the loo and sneeze alot then i may leak after a couple of sneezes) but its so much better than before and i no longer have to wear pads everyday. I am overweight and im led to believe if I lost the extra weight the result would be even better. Dont be afraid to ask for help, i put up with stress incontinence from my early 20s as I was embarrassed which is awful.

@3mmaH

If yours was still being assessed at 6 weeks then I think mine mustn’t have been that bad, I think I first saw the physio around 8 weeks and the only thing they could find was that my bladder was low.

I’ve had to do a couple of bladder diaries but they told me that it looked good, I was drinking enough, my bladder seemed to be emptying ok and it could hold a reasonable amount. I still use prompts to remind myself to go for a wee as I have no sensation of needing one.

2 times a year? 1 of each haha! I never thought I’d see the day when I could honestly say that would be nice!! Seems very different from the experiences I have had, GPs and physios who have told me this is just life after childbirth.

This makes me so mad. This is NOT just life after childbirth, pop on some tena pants and off you go. No no no. Please please keep asking and chasing for treatment for your birth injury. Sorry you are experiencing their disinterest after your already tricky time.

@PenguinLove1 thanks for sharing your story, that sounds like a tough birth. I’m glad you finally managed to get the help and that it made such a difference.

It makes me feel so angry that we have to keep fighting for help. I’ve been saying something is wrong for the last 2.5 years, it is embarrassing but their medical professionals. I first asked 4 days after the birth, which was as soon as I was home and could speak to a midwife in privacy. The figures I’ve read say 1 in 3 women for urinary incontinence and 1 in 10 for faecal incontinence. So as you say @Chillyseadippin why is it “pop on some tena pants and off you go.”

And that’s not to say the people I’ve seen haven’t come across as caring or sympathetic, it’s just that I’m left to get on with it completely alone!

• they are (oops!)

I didn't tear or anything during childbirth however I was left with really bad bladder stress incontinence due to the way my son lay during pregnancy (he totally blocked my urethra and urine backed up into my kidneys). I had a Tvt tape put in 10 years ago, and despite all the horror stories it has been life changing.

My surgeon said to me that he wished more young women (I was 32 at the time) would come forward for surgery as this kind of incontinence in women of childbearing age was not acceptable and he normally only saw women in their 70's who had put up with it for years.

Please push for better options including surgery.