Calling all Raggedies - the THIRD Ragged Bits thread. Childbirth injuries, sphincter problems, fistulae... all welcome.

[Jacksmania]

First thread here, May 2008 to June 2009.

Second thread here, June 2009 to Oct 2012.

Welcome everyone with ragged bits due to childbirth. We're sorry you had to find us, but we promise to hold your hand and listen.

There is no TMI here and nothing is too gross, too embarrassing or too horrible.

All welcome.

Hi mumstheword - I'm lurking on this thread - and have seen some specialists in London after horrendous birth last year! Happy to help if I can?

Finally I have found this group! I would just like to share my story. I had a natural vaginal birth 10 months ago, a very straight forward and plesent labour. Anyway midwife examined my tear..."you have a grade one tear and ummm it may need stitches...ummm...No it will be fine". That split decision is when it all went wrong. I thought I was in good hands..turns out I was wrong. I knew I didn't feel right below and I couldn't hold me wee, when I could finally walk I could feel liquid running out of me in the direction of my bum so I felt like I had to wipe all the time. I also felt very large down there so I decided to go back to the maternity ward. Unluckily I saw the same midwife who delivered my lb and she examined me and told me I was 'gaping'
I just thought she was being rude and it's not until I spoke to a friend she told me it's a term they use for a hole/tear. She basically told me to do my pelvic floor and to get on with it. So I took her 'professional' advice. I later had my 6 week check with the doctor and I told her I am still not right. She examined me and told me the tear had gone into muscle and in actual fact it's a grade 2 tear. Cut a long story short I have recently undergone a perineum repair. Everything is healing ok I think but over the past few days my vagina hole has enlarged to a 5p piece. It feels very uncomfortable and I feel the need to clench when I walk or stand. This wasn't the case when I had just had the operation..the hole was a normal size. Does anyone know what this could be or what could be causing this? I have cried so many tears over my experience and I feel the feeling of becoming 'normal' again is never going to happen. Luckily I have a great husband who has supported me all the way. Thanks for reading.

Jayj87- sorry to hear of your trouble. Has anyone referred you to a women's health physiotherapist- if not, then this is something you can ask for. If you are not feeling right then go back to your GP and they can re-refer you to the gynaecologist if necessary. Best of luck!

Thanks for your reply sksk. I have been to the gyne to get checked since the op and I've been informed everything has healed well.. maybe I've just got to get used to the new repair? Having said that it has felt a lot better these past few days. I think I should see a physio who specializes in that area to get the best outcome. Still get to get intermiate with my husband the fear will take me months.

I think you can ask to be referred to a physio and they could maybe suggest some exercises and perineum scar massage. Best wishes.

I'm looking for some advice. I had my first baby 2 years ago. Precipitous labour, emergency ventouse and forceps. Resulted in large rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, faecal incontinence, pudendal nerve damage, uncomfortable scar, coccyx dislocation and all the emotional baggage that goes with hand in hand. I was advised not to take any rash decisions with regards to surgery in the first few years after the birth as things might improve but 2 years on and these symptoms are truly unbearably life limiting. I can still barely walk, I used to run marathons and was fit and active. I recently saved up to see a prominent gynaecologist in London. She dismissed me out of hand 'Ah things aren't that bad, I've seen worse!...Most of your symptoms are due to a bad back and damage to your bowels...I'm a gynaecologist!' It was quite shocking! I'm not 'looking' for surgery if it's not the answer. Perhaps satisfactory surgical options just don't exist yet? I've certainly been dismayed by many stories of women who have had a litany of procedures that end up just making things worse! Has anyone had anything done that has helped or seen anyone that seems to actually care about trying to deal with the multi factorial nature of these issues?

I would recommend the team at Oxford Manor hospital - urogynae and colorectal teams who work together and cross refer when needed.

1oldnewmum - I also had awful injuries after giving birth similar to yours. Who did you see in London? I saw 3 consultants and have had surgery with one which has helped a lot although I do need to have another operation. Pm me if you'd like to discuss in more detail.

I had surgery back in April and it's the best desicion I've ever made. When I had the op it took a while for swelling to go and everthing to settle but it now looks and feels great. I had surgery on the nhs, they were reluctant to do the procedure and told me I may have issues afterwards but I don't. They also said the same to me, to think twice about having the op just incase I want further children. I was very unhappy and made me very depressed so waiting wasn't an option. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

My wife has had issues since giving birth several years ago. The tear didn't heal properly and she seems reluctant to take the next steps towards getting it repaired. I'd like to do some research on possible surgeons to approach in the hope that it might help her take the next step. Is this a bad idea?
Anyone have any recommendations at all? I wouldn't mind her seeing someone privately.

I think your wife should feel ready to do something about it herself. It's a nice thought but she may feel that you have a problem with it more than she has. Just remain supportive and If she really isn't happy with things then she would take the step to go and see a gyne surgeon. I had my op on the NHS and couldn't fault them so happy with the results. Good luck

Thanks for replying Jayj87. She tends to put things like this off and out of her mind - even though it is causing her pain every day and means we have no kind of intimacy. I'm not sure how I can remain supportive for several more years. Sometimes I think she needs a bit of a nudge.

If she ever needs to ask anything surgically related I am happy to answer! I couldn't live with it myself so best to get it sorted and live a normal happy life!

I hope you can help. I really need some advice re post childbirth fecal incontinence after forceps delivery. I gave birth 4 weeks ago with forceps, episiotomy and a 2nd degree tear but I fear actually my anal spinkter is damaged.

I now have fecal incontinence, both with hard and soft stools. I have a constant ache/pain in my rectum and my sphincter won't move at all when I squeeze it. It also feels inflamed and floppy to touch instead of tight. There is also something sticking out and I have had some blood when passing stools.

I also feel like so mch pressure in my anus when I walk and also in my vagina. I also get massive shooting pains in my vagina walls and clitorus when standing up. The pain is getting worse week on week and is just as bad now as when I left the hospital. I wonder if I have had some sort of prolapse (anal and/or vaginal)? I also have a white coloured lump in my vagina that is sort of hanging, looks like its part of a tear and may need stiching.

Note: I did get readmitted 2 weeks post birth due to infected vaginal stiches I think this has now healed after 2 days IV antibiotics plus 8 days oral AB.

I've been referred to a Gyno and obstetrician but he wants me to do 3 MONTHS of pelvic floor physio before he will see me. Then after that he will see me and only if he cannot help he will refer me to a colorectal surgeon. I feel I should be seeing a colorectal surgeon straight away not waiting 3-6 months. I can't even leave the house right now in case of an accident. I'm so depressed and scared.

I feel that i need to see a colorectal surgeon NOW for a rectal/sphincter andoanal ultrasound to assess the damage. I worry I have a tear or nerve damage from the episiotomy or forceps that needs diagnosis and fixing before its too late.

Please help as I am beyond depressed at being incontinent i am so scared and unhappy and its its ruined the first 4 weeks with my new baby. I feel my life is over and it should be just beginning with my first child.

Can anyone advise a) Re the incontinence and rectal pain and the spongy anus that i cant tighten anymore.. What the cause could be b) Should I be seeing a gyno (like the NHS are making me do) or should it be a colorectal specialist c) What procedure should be done to diagnose? Endoanal ultrasound or a camera up there? d) Can I have some recommendations re private colorectals around london? e) I am assuming the pain in the vagina is just part of normal childbirth and will go.. I hope tbh my biggest worry is the incontinance and anal pain.

Thanks for listening!!

Really sorry to hear of your bad experience. I suggest you go back to see your doctor or gyne and explain that you are not willing to wait and go through pain and depression on a daily basis in hope that pelvic floor exercises will sort out the issue. I would demand that you get the referal now. No women should ever have to go through such trauma post birth. I don't know the answers to your questions but I hope that someone is willing to help you as soon as possible. I know that I wouldn't wait for that referral and would go straight back to get the issue sorted. Congratulations on the birth of your baby and I hope that you have a positive outcome.

Becky - definitely don't wait 3 months that's ridiculous. My women's health Physio told me the early postnatal days are when any nerve damage has a chance of being reversed. If you cannot get a referral then it's worth going private just for an initial consultation where they will be able put you on the right track. It's between £150 and £250 usually.

I had a very similar experience and struggled to get anybody to even look at me, I was just given endless antibiotic prescriptions so went private about 6 weeks postnatal when I was still in too much pain to sit down.

I hope you get some help soon. x

Hi addictedtohotbaths1. Sorry for late reply the email notifications got missed. Can you tell me who u were referred to? I have no idea who to goto privately?

Many thanks.

Thank you jayjay87 for your kind advice :)

Oh Becky how awful for you. I had a third degree tear and had my anal spinchter checked by a gynaecologist specialising in this area. His name was Ruan Fernando and he works on the NHS and privately. I saw him at St Mary's. He seemed nice and very knowledgeable. Good luck!

Hi Becky, I went on my local private hospitals website and researched all the private gynaes and went to a urogynaecologist with a special interest in childbirth injuries. Where are you based?

The urogynae then referred me to he women's health Physio

Actually I saw both the urogynae and a woman's health physio as standard on the NHS because of my tear. I'm surprised you haven't been referred. I really hope you get some good help and advice Becky

Is this thread still active? I've posted my own thread but just discovered this thread and hope you can help.
I have 3dc age 4,3 and 1. Had a forceps and episiotomy resulting in 2b tear and cut then two very fast births with tears and a few stitches. Experienced lots of pain in scar area after dc1 but has mainly gone now. Have lots of internal lumpy scar tissue which is normal (says midwife and nurse and causes no problems)
However, a few days ago I think I may have prolapsed. I can feel something bulging down, like I'm wearing a tampon incorrectly. Went to nurse who was doing a speculum anyway as I've had mid cycle bleeding and she doesn't think I've prolapsed and said all looked fine. But I can still feel it - with my hands and just generally as a sensation. I also looked properly tonight and was awful. There are lumpy bits hanging down out of my vagina :( in guessing it's the original scar tissue being pushed down by some kind of prolapse? Does that sound right and has it happened to anyone else? I'm so worried about it and not sure what to do. Can't get to gp for at least a week :(

Welcome twolittleboys, firstly don't panic, it sounds very much like a prolapse which while uncomfortable isn't dangerous (as far as I know) so see your doctor when you can and ask to be referred to gynae. I had both cystocele and rectocele (bladder and bowel) prolapse. In my case my only option was surgery to fix it. But pelvic floor exercises do help, I saw a women's health physio who was really good and taught me how to really do them properly. This may be worth doing for you as well.

I actually read your other thread, and it's not age related, I am early 30's.

Thanks for the reply craving, I'm very weepy and panicked about it all which is OTT I know. It's a combination of how hideous it looks/feels and the implications for my future eg I'm a keen runner and walker. I hoped to have a sex life again one day. And the fact it might mean I'll always have issues now. Eugh. I've had a proper root round and there's a bulge at the front which feels like it's causing the scar bit to drop down.