Open episiotomy advice

[firstbabyxo]

Hello I had a episiotomy nearly 5 weeks ago , stitches came undone 3 days after ended up in hospital in agony and they won't restitch , I'm on my 3rd lot of antibiotics they are now suspecting I have a internal infection tho and the cut is not infected anymore , but it didn't start healing process till about 2 weeks pp it's healing very fast since then but I'm pretty sure the bit of the cut that goes inside more slightly has healed but open , so it didn't heal together it healed open if you know what I mean , I know theres a procedure they can do but Iv heard mixed things , has this happened to anyone else

Hello op, no experience of this but I definitely think bang on the door of your healthcare person- GP, midwife, consultant- whoever has been your contact. I’m sure this has happened to others so you won’t be alone here! Hand hold x

Thanks for the reply , I'm just so worried if I need that surgery as after the episiotomy I could bare move and couldn't stand up straight because of the pain and I don't know if that will be similar x

My first pregnancy episiotomy stitches started popping off!! Doctor definitely restitched them!!! Actually there was another lady having the same procedure so maybe there was an issue with that batch of stitches.

I would definitely put my foot down to get that sorted. It is a very dirty area with urine and feaces. And with a newborn is not like you can just lay in bed all day....

Good luck!!!!

TMI but get some stool softener (lactulose would be my suggestion)

Seven days after mine opened. It's a continuous stitch, inside to out. I needed antibiotics too. The wound definitely heals itself. I had a follow up at 6 weeks to make sure.
You can tell I had a wound but all still functional.
Have a wee in the bath or shower or with a jug of water poured over.

And the more sex you have, not that you want it now, the softer the scar becomes!

Should add, I asked about restitching and the consultant said it isn't a common practice as it's likely to happen again.

Hi OP the same thing happened to me 3 years ago when my first was born. Had forceps and episiotomy, by the time midwife came for her check on Day 5 my stitches were open and infected so was sent back to hospital where they prescribed me some antibiotics. In the end I had to have 2 courses of antibiotics which really helped with the pain. Before this like you said I was in agony, couldn’t sit, couldn’t put any weight on the side of my body where the episiotomy was.

I was also referred to a perineal clinic that ran at the hospital I gave birth at and I would say this really helped so definitely ask your midwife if there is anything similar in your area. I went to the clinic twice and the head midwife who ran it basically told me to massage some almond oil into the area and on my second visit there was still a little area that hadn’t healed so she applied some silver nitrate and then discharged me. I was told it wouldn’t be restitched and would have to heal from the outside in.

I do hope you feel a lot better soon OP. It’s not a nice experience at all and one of the worst pains I’ve experienced. Please speak again to your midwife, you may need some silver nitrate too. Please keep us updated too and if you need any more info, you can PM me.

I spent 8.5 years trying to get the NHS to deal with mine (I was cut incorrectly and then bounced from pillar to post (5 NHS gynaecologists) for 3 years before any treatment (Botox injections) was given). I begged for them to operate (couldn’t climb a flight of stairs without intense pain, sex was impossible) but they said they would have to remove so much scar tissue the result could be even worse.

I resigned myself to living with it, but instead ended up in A+E when a slip caused the whole thing to tear open. Was kept waiting for 5 hours and then given 5 minutes to decide whether I wanted surgery or to leave it alone. Saw my GP the next day who said I did the right thing turning down the surgery. She prescribed 3 lots of very strong antibiotics and monitored me really carefully. The wound healed itself over about 6months with a new “bridge” of skin which means I can now do long walks, climb stairs etc again without issues.

Women’s healthcare is an absolute disgrace. Don’t take no for an answer, OP.

Oh good luck op. My stitches were so painful when only one came undone a little bit, it was literally the worst pain of my life as it caught on my knickers when I stood up.

Thanks so much for everyone's reply x