Episiotomy open and granulation tissue ?

[DarlingBabyMom]

Looking for some moral support and advice :(
Had my wonderful baby girl 9 weeks ago.
I have had episiotomy and I pulled my stitches after 12 days by mistake ;(
Left with opened hole and to heal naturally.
Had a infection and cleared with antibiotics.
9 weeks pp , still has pain and the wound looks red and tender, GP did a check and sent a swab but no infection now.
Was told the sides are healed, it’s the middle part needs healing.
Hand another check with GP yesterday and she said extra tissue is forming but it’s fine and if required can be repaired ( may be meant silver nitrate ) and will see me again in 2 or 3 weeks.
I am not sure if it’s granulation tissue , rarely it bleeds when wiped ( using baby wipes)
Unable to sit for long time or stand at all for short times also :( always lying on bed.

Please please do I need to get it treated or ask GP to re check for over granulation and do something ? Also why is it so red :( ;(
Never knew episiotomy will be so bad otherwise would have never asked for it ;(

@Cacacoisfarraige sure. I am on pregnacare breastfeeding vitamins from the day of birth. Wish it might be helping. Will ask GP.
Thank you.

@Cacacoisfarraige
Went to GP today , GP said it’s healthy tissue and nothing required as of now and I haven’t healed yet. Asked about yellow discharge, said if it’s too much , take the antibiotics otherwise not required. I am not sure now whether to take them or not. Sorry for TMI .. initially I thought bleeding and discharge was from vagina (internally) but she said it’s from the wound .. now even more worrie

WTF?? That seems like crazy advice, surely I'd you've been prescribed antibiotics you need to finish the course

What does she mean if there is too much, how do you judge that? Smelly yellow discharge is a sign of infection, did she do a swab? I didn't have any discharge at all from my wound but the kept me on antibiotics

However I was under the hospital gynae team the whole time not teh GP, I'd get a 2nd opinion

@Bobojangles I know right :(
I will start my antibiotics tomorrow morning. Even I was not sure, I have asked many times what do you mean by more , she says she couldn’t see any when I went for check up because I was tidy and cleaned up :(
I am EBF so worried of antibiotics, last time when I was on AB , my baby threw up most of the feeds

I had antibiotics with both my boys and fed them both to 2 years x much better than a sick mama

@Bobojangles agreed :) starting my course though not sure of discharge blabla...

Hi DarlingBabyMom,

I recently had my first baby and my story sounds very similar to yours! I have finally (8 weeks since birth) been referred to the hospital's Obs & Gyn unit. Definitely push to be referred by your GP or ask your health visitor to push a referral with the GP (that's how my journey started). GP's can be fantastic (mine have been) but you ideally want to be seen by a perineal trauma consultant (mine is based in Cardiff, UK). If there is no overgranulation and no infection, your GP could also refer you to physio for light/laser treatment. I had that and it kick started the healing process really well, but unfortunately i have overgranulation so need different treatment (hope for silver nitrate). I also had yellow/green-ish discharge from the wound but had three different swabs and no infection so dr said its just the wound healing (white blood cells). Not sure if this is helpful, but just wanted to emphasize that its best to push to be referred to the obs & gyn unit at your hospital (don't feel guilty for pushing it!)

Also... just remember that this wound will heal and you'll get to do all the walks with your baby in no time - I'm dreaming of those days too... we will get there!! 😊

@Boosho52 Hey thanks for sharing your story. I did ask for referral, my GP said if it’s required we can definitely refer you to Gyne, but as of now it’s not required :(
I have even asked how much more time it is required for healing , she said don’t know.
For my yellow discharge no swab was done , GP simply said if it’s more take otherwise not required , I was not even sure what she meant , as I was in pain, I have thought its better to take it incase if there’s is an underlying infection which is affecting my healing I too have over granulation as I can see the tissue on the wound bed ( sorry for TMI). I have a call with GP next week, I will surely push or Gyne or Physio (wasn’t even aware can get physio before healing ) otherwise will contact my HV.

Yes hoping for sooner baby walks

Definitely take the antibiotics if you've had discharge that smells. Don't worry about breast feeding. Antibiotics are routinely prescribed to breastfeeding mothers for things like mastitis, birth wounds.

Thank you guys.
I am happy to take antibiotics, my worry is what happens to me if I don’t need them and with out an infection if I am taking them, because I have read AB cause more harm than good when there is no infection and nothing to kill

Thanks for starting this thread @DarlingBabyMom
I'm 8 weeks postpartum with an episiotomy and 3rd degree tear. mostly healed apart from one small granulated area which just sat and didn't heal at all for weeks but now seems to be getting smaller. Makes me feel better that others have had similar and have healed and that it can take longer than the magic '6weeks' everyone said. Such a horrible thing to be left with to heal. Never again!

@miltonj and @Cacacoisfarraige thank you

@DiabeticFirstBaby I know right :( hope we all heal soon and get back to normal

Just wanted to update ,
Finally it’s healed .
My Gynaecologist said There is a bit of granulation which is causing me discomfort and also due to scar tissue.
Looks like a bit of granulation inside too, for which I am referred to Perinial Clinic.
I am surprised because my GP said just a week back there is lot to heal
But Gynaecologist said looks like you have healed way back,
It feels so good to hear it’s healed :)

Great news @DarlingBabyMom!
I was referred back to Gynae after this small areas just sat not healing. They were happy and just said to give it more time (I was skeptical). 2 weeks later it's now a quarter of the size that it was so nearly healed! Feeling so much better about it.