Spincter injury, fistula - support eachother?

[Cyee]

Hi everyone,

Wonderful weather we're having

I am propped up in bed post-hospital and I was wondering if anyone out there knows of, or would enjoy/benefit from, a thread or support site for people who have experienced the above (sphincter damage, fistula etc.) as a result of childbirth.

In my own experience, this whole area is a bit taboo. In fact the consultants reckon there are many women who have some symptoms related to the above, who never seek treatment. The thought of women embarrassed to discuss these matters is awful, yet that seems to be the case.

So - this (while souped up on painkillers) is a call to arms:

• Is there a site out there for women like us?
• If not, would you like there to be?
• Would a thread on MN especially for this, be useful?
• Would it be useful to share experiences with consultants/physios/hospitals/procedures?

If these matters resonate with you or anyone you know, it would be great if you could point them in this direction. I'm going to post in the 'health' and 'childbirth' sections too.

I know too well the taboo around this. I posted on MN when I got my diagnosis and used a different name...

Hope to hear from some people soon.

Cyee
(successfully repaired as of last Wednesday (fingers/legs crossed))

Hope everything went well Jacksmama!

Thanks for thinkind of me all of you - the surgery went very well, according to my lovely Dr. Williams. I'm home again and stoned out of my gourd on Percocet - who knows how long I'll be able to sit up before slumping sideways with a silly grin on my face, so here goes...
She said that she did a more extensive repair than she anticipated because when she got in there (my vagina, to spell it out) and was able to expose the scar, she found that some of the healthy vaginal mucosa had gotten curled into the scar tissue. Apparently when the fuckwitted OB sewed me up she took way too much tissue with each stitch. This explains why, for the past year, I felt tugging up inside me every time I sat down. Also, I had a granulomatous polyp that stuck out of the scar tissue, and it was on top of a very hard nodule of scar that went about 1 cm deep into the bulbocavernosus muscle. So she excised the polyp as well as the rest of the scar (and the tissue that was stuck in the scar), undermined the tissue and then pulled a flap over and stitched it up nice and neatly. She said everyone watching was most impressed and that my repair too every bit of artistry she had. She's a lovely woman, very gentle and kind and a wonderful doctor. She said she was shocked by the extent of the damage and the poor job they did sewing me up last year. Everyone at the hospital was so kind, from Admitting to the pre-op staff to the nurses. I had two lovely students looking after me and my night nurse was a sweetheart. They kept coming along with fresh water and warm blankets and every time I was awake asked if I was in pain because Dr. Williams had left explicit instructions to keep medicating me until my pain was 2 out of 10 or less. So, considering how frightened I'd been of going back in hospital, it was a very positive experience. I'm home again, and being pampered by my mum and DH. Chocolate, apple juice, hugs, you name it. It was hard being away from Jackbaby overnight but I knew it was better for me to be in hospital and get complete rest, and I was able to phone home and hear him over the phone.
I'm getting a bit sore sitting up but just wanted to say hi and thank you for all the good wishes and that I'm feeling pretty good (well, truthfully, I feel like I've been kicked in the crotch, but hey-ho ).
Will let you know how the next few days go.

Welcome back Jacksmamas(littlebundleoflove)!!
I am smiling from ear to ear that things have gone well. I am also most impressed that you have been able to retain so much detailed info about the procedure. I was a space cadet!!!! Well done for getting online so soon. Good medicine and good medical practice makes all the difference.
So, so pleased for you and hope things continue to go well.

That's brilliant Jacksmama. I agree that it's great that you have retained so much info. No matter how many times I ask, I still don't seem to understand exactly what the problems are!!

I hope you heal well this time and can start to put your dreadful experience behind you.

Hey, that sounds fantastic! I hope you start feeling better soon .

Thanks guys! I woke up pretty sore this morning but the Percocet has kicked in so it's a bit better now. I think it's because no lovely night nurse came around at 3 am to top up my drugs! And I must have forgotten when I got up to have a wee. That was actually one thing I was worried about, that I might not be able to wee after the OP because I didn't know if they'd need to put a cath in. I had one for two days after Jackbaby and with all the swelling and nerve damage, I couldn't wee by myself when after they took it out. But I didn't need one this time and the brain-bladder connection didn't seem to suffer . I've had really poor sensation from my bladder since last year, I can't always tell that it's full until I really have to go, so they monitored me pretty carefully to make sure I didn't get bladder distention. They have this nifty thing like a Doppler that can scan the bladder and tell you how much is in there. One of my students asked if I thought I had to wee and I said I didn't think so, and she sort of raised an eyebrow because of the amount of IV fluid I'd had and said she's scan me and apparently my bladder was up to my bellybutton, LOL. Isn't technology great?
Anyway - I'm off, back to the couch. Thanks again for the good wishes all!

hi jacksmama, sounds like your doing well (if a bit sore). And thanks for the updates, glad to hear all went well with your op and hope you contine to make a good recovery, keep us posted.

Hello,Can I join you?. . I've just had a Posterior Repair for Rectocele yesterday.

I haven't suffered the way you guys have,although I would imagine my problem began after a bad Episotomy(which got infected) and Forceps delivery with DS 13 years ago,followed by Episotomy and Ventouse with DD1 8 years after.

I am amazed at how "comfortable" I feel after surgery.I had a Catheter and Vaginal pack,which felt like I was sitting on a hard ball.Such a relief to have them both removed this morning.

Now at home with my feet up,being looked after by DH.Tricky though with DD2 (2) wants cuddles etc.She settled for a "side-by-side" cuddle on the settee though.

Best wishes and speedy Recovery for all those who are going through this now,or in the near future.

Hey all,

Sounds like things are going great Jacksmama - fantastic! at your bladder issue!!!

Welcome Sawyer64! We've all suffered on this thread, no one less or more! I also had the fabulous catheter and vaginal pack experience. I'm not sure if you also were astounded by the amount of packing that was removed??? I thought it would never end! It must be tough with a 2 year old - glad she's satisfied with sidebyside cuddles. All cuddles are good

Take care all

PS the liberal use is smileys may be down to my delirium after a much dreaded meeting with a very senior person (CEO) has actually just gone really well!! Though I am of course genuinely pleased to hear you're both doing well

Cyee, hi, me again! Just wondering if you could share any more information with me about biofeedback? If you dont mind me being nosey?

Got an appointment with a colo-rectal surgeon next tuesday who thinks I may have spastic pelvic floor or anismus not too sure about this yet as she hasnt examined me yet, we have just had a chat over the phone and she has looked at my results from colonoscopy and proctogram.

The plan so far is to have repair done and then go for biofeedback post op, not sure how easy this is going to be with all my bits being sore .

Did you have biofeedback at wythenshawe?

And congrats on your meeting

Cyee,or jacksmama,Could I ask about how long it took until you had your first Bowel movement,and was it painful?

I'm sweating at the thought at the moment! Pretty scared it will hurt.

Hola all,

Flourybaps (love the name btw!) I had it with my physio - you don't need any major centres for it. Basically the first time my physio put the probe in for me and then afterwards I did it myself. It looks like a small pair of tongs and bigger than I was expecting, but it folds in when you insert it (shed loads of lube is the key!). In the physio's she then hooked the probe to the machine and we ran through the exercises. At one point she also gave me a Ferraris mobile version to take home (the likeness to the word Ferrari wasn't lost on me!). Basically there are a range of programmes that plot the strength of your squeeze and how long you can hold it for. I can only liken it to those things in a fairground where you hit something with a sledgehammer until the bell rings! Because it plots it (like a heart monitor) you can set your basic standards then then compare this with future efforts.

Personally I'd suggest you get it done before your op just so you know what to expect etc. I don't reckon they'd send you for it until your bits are well enough and you can be the judge of that. After my op they were keen I got my pelv floor working (gently) quite soon after. I am rambling so hope this helps.

Sawyer64, mine was about 3 days afterwards. I live so close to the hosp that I persuaded them to let me go home before I'd 'done it' on the condition I come back if there were any problems. I was assured that the poo wouldn't hurt, and actually it didn't. The first one was quite small (tmi!). The worst bit for me was that I got a wee bit constipated (because I didn't drink enough water etc and take my lactulose) and the feeling of being constip was AWFUL. I think because of the op everything was tender and the sensation was awful. The actual process of going was fine though.

Good luck.

Take care all

Meant to post to this link as well on biofeedback www.netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealth/sui/biofeedback_005169.htm

Thanks Cyee.

I'm hoping it won't hurt too.....its just scary.

The "weeing" didn't bother me as I knew my Repair was at the back.

Oh well, I guess it'll be "beyond my control" very soon anyway!

TMI alert - I had my first poo since the op this morning (it's Thurs, the op was Mon) and it didn't hurt. It was a little bit like rabbit pellets at the beginning, but then more like a normal poo, but not painful at all. I was scared, too, because actually, passing gas hurt - I guess an air bubble expands more than a poo. So don't worry, just take a stool softener!

Thanks Jacksmama.

Where would we all be without TMI !!!
Back in the dark ages probably, where nobody discussed things like this,so nobody knew anything!

Right,Now for my TMI alert.....!!!!!

Was awake in the early hours "struggling",tried the "Stool Softener" approach,but for me I think I needed to "push" and was too scared to,but with a little gentle effort on my part, there was a result!!!

I feel so much better.

Did any of you get discharged with TED stockings? Are you still wearing them?

JacksMama, Good to hear you op went well, I had a female surgeon and I think they are more inclined to put everything back to how it should be rather than just do a basic repair. For you and Sawyer 64, if you're allowed by G.P. that is.. KY jelly helps with a bowel movement as does using some pile cream straight after if it's sore, however will depend where stitches are etc whether you can do that or not. I find Movicol is the best to stop constipation and make it soft.

Yes, thank goodness for TMI - that's how I found Mumsnet originally, I was looking for info on a vaginal wall repair. And the rest, as they say, is history!!
Sawyer64, I wasn't given TED stockings, so no advice there, but I'm glad things got "moving" for you .
My worst thing every day is putting oestrogen cream on my stitches (yes, in there!!!) every day after my sitz bath. I was so scared the first time I was trembling. But while it wasn't all that pleasant, it didn't hurt either. The oestrogen cream is because I'm still breast-feeding, and of course my vaginal mucosa is very thin and dry because of hormone suppression. So Dr. Williams told me I'd have to use Premarin cream for a few months after the op tp help things heal nice and smoothly. You should have seen my face. I didn't quite connect the dots when she told me I had to use oestrogen cream, so I asked her where I should put it. She said, "on your stitches!" I said, "but they're internal..." and she said, "yes dear, they are!"... and I said, "so how will I get the cream in there?" "and she said, "errrmmm, with your finger!?! I didn't sew it shut, you know!" We both had a good laugh over that... a somewhat cringing laugh on my part, but it's not bad - I think I'm just very scared of pain now. Anyway... I'm still happily blitzed on Percocet, and it's Jackbaby's brthday today, and the sun is shining, and my mum is here - so all in all, I'm doing well!

Sounds funny .

Happy Birthday to Jackbaby!

......and to add to your list of "blessings" today,you are in a far better place than you were this time last year physically, I mean,as you had your beautiful boy last year too!

Thanks for the advice 4jen.Think its soft enough its just "muscle power" I need!But the KY Jelly sounds a good idea

Just want to report that today's poo wasn't as painless as yesterday's... gah. I should perhaps have taken my own advice about the stool softener!!!! And I also want to report that Percocet can make you forget entire conversations, LOL!!!! Apparently I have been amusing my family. My husband thinks I'm very funny when I'm high.

How's everyone else doing?

I could do with some of this "Percocet".I was just given Diclofenac(Voltarol) and Paracetamols.

Not feeling too bad today,a little sorer if anything and very tired.

Everything "down there" feels tighter,although the bleeding has reduced quite dramatically.

Percocet is oxycodone with acetaminophen (I think you call it paracetamol) so it's a narcotic analgesic. Quite powerful stuff [twirly eyeballs emoticon]!
I had my op on Monday, you had yours Tues, is that right, Sawyer? I think I was the same as you - third day post-op was the worst. Today is much better. Have you been told to have warm/ hot sitz baths? I'm supposed to have them 3-4 times a day. I quite like them, the heat feels very good, and I'm also heating up a bean bag in the microwave and laying it on my bits, as the heat is very comforting and my surgeon said that it encourages circulation and healing.

That Percocet sounds like good stuff!Doesn't resemble any drugs that I can think of. I think maybe "Tramadol" is close,the lady opposite me on the ward on Tuesday was having this as she'd had an Abdominal Hysterectomy.

I guess the Diclofenac is good as its an anti-inflammatory,so is a "specific" painkiller.

The bath sounds like good advice jacksmama.

I normally love to sit in a bath,but did this after DS and Episiotomy,in hospital,and at home, and ended up with an infection,and the same with DD1.

So I keep longing for a bath,but definitely don't want more discomfort.I shall probably brave it though, later today.

I haven't had any Post-op instructions apart from no lifting etc.

No letter for GP or follow-up appts.

Judging by some of the terms you use I'd guess you are American/Canadian???

Your "care" sounds better,but I guess you are paying for that "privelege" (sp)

I am Canadian. I live on the West Coast, in British Columbia. Our health care here is a bit like the National Health Service, in that it's "free" - which really means everyone's taxes pay for health care. We do have some private clinics, but they are very expensive.
I didn't get really extensive post-op instructions other than the sitz baths, oestrogen cream and no lifting or straining for 6 - 8 weeks. I'm finding the "no lifting" part difficult as Jackbaby is usually attached to me like a little marsupial, and he weighs around 24-25 pounds! And he has no idea why Mama isn't picking him up when he comes running over to me with his arms up. DH and my mum are keeping the hairy eyeball on me to make sure I don't do anything more strenuous than shower and lie down on the couch - I have to admit I was going a bit nuts yesterday so mum and I went out to run a few errands. We were out for probably an hour and a half and that was enough, I couldn't believe how tired I was after.

About the sitz bath, I do feel for you - my stitches got infected after I had Jackbaby last year (I also had a UTI and mastitis - my GP said pretty much everything happened to me, she was not impressed), and I couldn't believe how painful that was. I don't know if it was caused by the sitz bath, but just in case, I scrubbed my bathtub out with bleach and rinsed it very carefully before the op, and I've been using tea tree oil in the bath which is a natural antiseptic. It doesn't take very long to just swipe the bath with some bleach and rinse, so I do that before each sitz bath. Lavender oil is also a natural antiseptic. I think if you did that, the chance of anything becoming infected from the bath are slim. The heated bean bag also feels wonderful.
How are you feeling today?