Episostomy breakdown

[superJls]

Hello,

I am a first time mummy and gave birth to a beautiful baby boy 12 days ago. I had to have an episostomy, I was stitched after and then 3 days later the wound broke down and it's now completely open, back to the subcutaneous tissue... I got an infection which I was then back in hospital on IV anti biotics.... Discharged 2 days later with oral antibiotics and regular follow ups. They are saying they do not want to re stitch due to causing infection and feel it could be best to let it heal by secondary intention.
Anything I look up online isn't very detailed as it seems so rare. Can anyone please help?! Or been through something similar?

I am petrified this is going to be the longest recovery ever and that it will never heal properly.

TIA

Congratulations on your new baby!

This happened to me too, mediolateral episiotomy and the top layer of stitches came out and I was told it wouldn’t be restitched. It looked horrendously wide and I thought it would never heal, but 9 weeks on since I had my baby and you would never know it broke down.

Try and take it easy (I know easier said than done with a new baby!) and keep yourself as clean as you can. I showered twice per day and left the wound to air out afterwards.

I know it’s hard to imagine but you absolutely will heal! In a few weeks it will be so much better, it’s early days yet but it will get better xx

Happened to me too. I’m afraid it took 7 rounds of antibiotics and 6 months to heal. Mine was an extreme case though And when it did heal it healed well. I went into have another child vaginally so didn’t affect further births.

Just listen to your body and if you hurt then slow down. I hope you recover fast x

I also had one and the stitches case undone and the wound infected although not as badly as yours sounds. I will say that it heals from the inside so it will look grim for a little while, sorry about the choice of words but I find them to be quite apt and after getting my husband to have a good look at it he'd probably agree haha.
They do heal though and the only evidence of mine is a faint line, I put propolis on it as once it healed more it started to feel a bit tight.
Sending you healing thoughts!

Oh thank you so much ladies! You've all made me feel a little less anxious about it all.... the infection has cleared up I just feel I am left with a huge hole and struggle to see how it will close without being re stitched. But @attillathenun you've filled me with confidence and yes you're right it's hard to take it easy when you are trying to do all you can to be a mummy and want to provide. I think mentally it's hard more than the physical side of the wound.

@Vanannabananna yours sounds like a bloody long recovery, how did you stay sane!! Great to know you went on to have more children vaginally, bet that was worth though..will be forever in mind "what if"

@Jessie9323 fantastic it didn't leave too much of a mark! I mean I know we don't walk around with our vagina on show but it's still horrible to think what it will look like

Xx

Quite honestly I had pnd so I fought so hard to get better from that and bond with DS it kind of became a secondary issue.

It wa painful and not pleasant but I only have a scar there now so no long lasting affects. Luckily my second( 8lb 9) was much smaller than my first (10 1) so didn’t need a large episiotomy so didn’t reoccur. Get as much air to it as you can. if it stays infected get them to swab their wound for target antibiotics. Mine turned at to be step b so needed specific ones. As soon as I had then it cleared the infection up quickly and it didn’t return.

Stop looking - that was my first step after mine. I was horrified and couldn't understand how it could ever go back to normal. It did, I cant even remember when it was now but other than a scar youd never know now

I had this with cs wound after twins birth last july. Nowhere nesr as severe though, it had started opening in 4 diff spots. My own doing though. Not taking it easy. I had a district nurse out every other day for 2 weeks to dress it for me. It wasnt re stitched either, healed by secondary intention. They used a special dressing, inodine (not sure on sp) and it was unreal at helping the wound heal. Have they used it with yours?

Just my experience but 16 months on and mine isnt back to normal. I've been offered surgery but am going to delay until my ds is older

Yea i dont think mine will without from what ive been reading.

Shit wrong thread! Soz! Ignore last post

Hope you are settling into your new life with your lovely baby 💕

I had to be cut and 7 days after I got an infection and the wound was open.

It is uncomfortable, to say the least, but after six weeks I was healed enough to be intimate with bloke again.

Seven months on some positions are a bit tight, shall we say, but bloke assures me everything feels good and it looks as good as before (haha)

The consultant told me they rarely restitch due to trapping the infection inside, plus it's very painful to do.

@BeautifulBirds ah thank you so much 💙 he is perfect!
this sounds so similar. Did it open right up?
I know the body is amazing but I just struggle to see how it will heal.

Some days I think oh it doesn't look too bad and then the next I am like it looks red and not very good! It's doing me in... mentally!

@Vanannabananna I've had it swabbed and on the correct antibiotics, thank you. Trying to let it air as much as possible. Just prevents me being the mum I want to be. I can see how people end up with PND :(

@Hairwizard glad you healed well... no they've not put anything on it. Think it's hard as obviously I am bleeding down there so it's hard to keep it dry :(

It's looked awful to start with and I would sob, full of fear for the future sex life and potential problems.

It does heal, from the inside out. Honest.

Hi OP. 16 week PP here. I had a second degree tear and stitches got infected within a couple of days and then ended up falling out entirely. Was told wouldn't be considered for a restitich until 12 weeks PP.I thought I was "ruined" my words...and ended up being on various antibiotics for 6 weeks.

Now it doesn't look quite the same as before but it has healed. I can run, swim and sex is back to normal. Just treat yourself gently and look after yourself. Things will get better. X

Mine was totally open too and the stitch was caught so I had a big dangling thread along with puss and smell 🤮

It has healed lovely though, almost wouldn't know.

@BeautifulBirds how long would you say it took?

@firefly again how long would you say it took till you saw a really difference?

Honestly ladies your advice and support has helped so much x

Well it was 6 weeks until we had sex. And about 12 weeks before it I wasn't aware of it.
Seven months later and I only know it's there in certain positions or if foreplay is rushed. (so a little bonus there that he can't rush it!)

@superJls if it helps I felt at my worst around the point you are at now
I was on quite strong antibiotics from 5 days PP and then moved to milder ones after 2 weeks.

I'd say around the 5th week I started to feel much better both physically and mentally, although I was definitely improving along the way.

I am sure you are all over it I found water jug when peeing really helped (I did this until bleeding stopped to keep everything clean). I also used spritz for bits and tried to air everything as much as I could when at home. X

My first born turned one last weekend and I'm 6 months pregnant with my second (quite a surprise at first haha). I asked the midwife this time and she assured me it shouldn't effect my next birth either so honestly not to worry too much

I had a mixture of episiotomy and multiple tears with each of my 3. All three DC left me with a mixture of healing stitches wound plus wounds healing by secondary intention. The last was actually the worst as she emerged with a little hand next to her face!

First thing to remember is that the tissue there is just like your mouth, so you know how quickly you heal from bad ulcers, a bad bite in your inner cheek etc...it’s more like that than a wound on other skin.

Most of the long term issues women experience -sexual issues, prolapse, incontinence, pain etc come from being pregnant, not from the wounds from delivery. (MOST -I know some people do get birth injuries that cause lasting effects).

It seems horrific at first, but by 6 weeks things are generally very different. This is why doctors don’t see you until 6 weeks as most problems that are happening before then will be gone by that stage.

Shower morning and night, a wee dry with a cool hairdryer after will help Keep up with your postpartum vitamins to help things along. Take pain relief. Sit on a soft ice pack if you still have swelling. Use a changing table so you don’t have to crouch on the floor.

@BeautifulBirds haha well every cloud! Extended foreplay 💁🏼‍♀️ I am so glad you healed well!

@Jessie9323 I think it's the long term thing that worries me the most or I am worried that they'll all of a sudden decide to stitch it as it's not healing.... it's the unknown I think.

@firefly let's hope the only way is up now then. I've nearly finished this course of antibiotics but I am being reviewed tomorrow by consultant so will see if she suggests more or her next step. I think I just wanted them to stitch it so I could see it together and know it would heal where as now I struggle to see it ever being ok, but all of you lovely ladies have really reassured me.
Yes all over the jug of water 💁🏼‍♀️ was told to avoid spritz for bitz due to being so open but I don't know whether to believe that or not as it's for that sort of thing!

@Jessie9323 oh wow your doing it again!!! Super brave.... I am sure I'll get there eventually. Good luck to you though ❤️💙

@DC3dilemma great shout about the hairdryer. It's so hard to keep clean and dry down there due to bleeding. I air it as much as I can. But whilst I am laying there airing I feel I can't be a mummy 😔😩 that gets me down! I understand what your saying about the mouth and how there is a similarity. Wish it was as small as a mouth ulcer 🤣🤦🏼‍♀️ it is long term that's worrying me the most as at the moment I can't see any positivity or any end to this!

Xx

Yes mine was “gaping” according to the midwife (Her choice of word not mine sorry) and I didn’t even brave looking for some time. It was agony and I thought it would never heal. But 6 months PP I’d honestly hardly know I ever had it. It was utterly miserable though and I really feel for you. Hope it feels better very soon, it will heal.

@superJls. How are you feeling now? Hoping things are a bit better

@firefly sorry for the delay! Yes definitely getting there thank you. It's built back up and is starting to form some skin. Little way off yet but definitely going in the right direction. Thank you for asking. Hope you are well x

Hi
I realise this is an old thread but i had the exact same experience. Gave birth september 19th and three days later was back in hospital with ruptured stitches and infection. Muscle layer remained intact but top two layers were open. Skin and tissue i think.
By now 6 weeks later the wound has closed by secondary intention. I am able to do everything more or less and am
Pain free. It feels different to sit but this is due to it being new skin and will get better in time according to my midwife. I am privately attending physio appointment next week too.
Anybody else with similar experience and can say how long it takes to be back to normal and not even realise the scar is there.

Thanks x