Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Postnatal health

As with all health-related issues, please seek advice from a RL health professional if you're worried about anything.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Episiotomy stitches undone!

47 replies

Nat30x · 12/07/2023 09:38

Hi all. I gave birth 6th July but required a episiotomy.
The stitching itself took 2hours to do as there was a area in which wouldn't stop bleeding.
Yesterday (11th) I had a midwife appointment to which she wanted to look at my stitches, I was hesitate as they were really sore. When she looked she said my stitches had come undone.
She said they can't restitch until it has healed? She's given me a cleanser and a gel to place on my open wound (gaping) but I'm so worried of infection. (To which she is testing now)
But I'm in so much pain and feel like everything is going to fall out of me haha.
Constant stinging and when I have a urge to go for a poo it's so painful and I have to stand there a few seconds until I can move.
Has anyone else experienced this, if so

How long does it take to heal?
It is ever need restitching?
What can I do to help ease the pain?

Long post I know sorry. Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Ellieell87 · 12/07/2023 10:02

So sorry you have to go through that but congratulations!

I had a huge episiotomy during an otherwise “nice” birth 16 months ago. I was stitched for over an hour and the doctor expressed that it was difficult…
After 5 days I actually felt relief for a day. I was over the moon as the healing had been so tough. However looking in a mirror I saw that the stitches were kind of gaping. During a check up the MW and then surgeon confirmed that all my stitches came undone and I needed surgery. I had a grade 3.

So my advice is: it hurts really badly to heal from an episiotomy. So that relief I felt quite suddenly was a sign, as the stitches should make you feel “tight” pain. If you feel in doubt then insist on a full check up! Not just a quick look from the outside. However if it’s just a few outer stitches then I heard that it is better to let it heal.

I can say that a week after the surgery I felt much better! It has fully healed with some scars now.

I hope you feel better!

Ellieell87 · 12/07/2023 10:07

Oh and also: I took ibufrofen and paracetamol every 6 hours. And was told that was fine with breast feeding! I also had ice patches. Put a big hygene pad in water and in the freezer. Cover it with some fabric that doesn’t “stick” to any wounds or stitches and keep it in your panties for about 30 min.
And rest. Keep still if some stitches are a bit loose. In a week you will feel better!

FlipFlop1987 · 12/07/2023 10:08

Had an episiotomy that healed well but I understand that initial pain. I really think if it has come undone then it’s not going to knit back together properly and you’ll end up with scar tissue. I think a midwife can check wounds and healing but deciding on treatment for a gynaecological issue should be checked with a GP who can make sure it heals correctly

Spirallingdownwards · 12/07/2023 10:27

Keep on top of it and if you aren't feeling better about it keep complaining. It took me two and a half years and two operations to correct an incorrectly stitched double episiotomy followed by plastic surgery/scar tissue removal. Some of that time was because I didn't speak up as embarrassed and didn't realise it was more common than it was.

Hope you feel better soon.

tapsofgold · 12/07/2023 10:29

I had a fourth degree year that opened many years ago. The pain was severe. In my case it was left to repair itself and closed over many months. In order to prevent infection (which I did successfully) I used a salt water wash - plenty table salt mixed with warm water in a plastic jug - as a final rinse each time I went to the loo. Not a fun time in my life so I feel your pain. It did heal eventually and I had no lasting issues. Good luck with your recovery!

FannyFifer · 12/07/2023 10:34

Aww you poor thing, this is bringing back memories for me.
My stitches opened up at one end, I did get an infection but got antibiotics & it healed pretty quick, I didn't need to be restitched.
The pain though was horrific & I had a really bad few weeks, really quite low & depressed.
Rest as much as you can, take all the pain relief that you can as well.
Congrats on your new wee one. Xx

AuntieJune · 12/07/2023 10:39

My stitches came undone as well and I was told it was fine. And it was, after a while!

The wound heals from the inside out, so the deepest level of wound heals first then up and up until you get to the external skin layer. So a wound that looks quite bad can still be healing.

My understanding is that stitching right away means the wound can knit together, but once the healing process has started, it's usually better to leave it than tinker around.

After some time, if there is an issue then a corrective procedure can be done to stitch it together tighter (or looser - I know someone who was stitched up too tightly - ouch).

I think it has to be really bad for them to do anything other than say 'let's see what it looks like in a few weeks'.

I had twice daily salt baths as well to help.

It was beastly but came right in the end.

Original poster

Nat30x · 12/07/2023 17:09

Thank you. This has made me feel abit better.
The midwife gave me a gel that I have to put directly in the open wound and it's freaking me out and it feels so deep.
I darent look at it myself lol x

OP posts:

mintich · 12/07/2023 17:17

Episiotomies are brutal. It took 11 weeks for me to stop feeling pain. Unlike my c sections that felt fine after 2 weeks!
Keep on top of it and see someone again if you feel it's not right.

Ellieell87 · 12/07/2023 17:47

Nat30x · 12/07/2023 17:09

Thank you. This has made me feel abit better.
The midwife gave me a gel that I have to put directly in the open wound and it's freaking me out and it feels so deep.
I darent look at it myself lol x

As someone said here a MW doesn’t always know enough about it so I would suggest a gyno. Mine was apparently like a gaping wound with few stitches holding still. Only healed slightly on the outer skin layers. That needed to be redone for sure and it was a surgeon who looked at it and redid under full anesthesia.
If you feel that it’s very deep contact your doctor and insist on an appointment with a gyno.

It is so brutal…so much worse than the birth itself in my opinion! It feels like forever and it’s during your most vulnerable time! I really feel for you!

addictedtotheflats · 12/07/2023 18:06

Mine came apart after 2 days and I had quite a bad infection which was excruciating causing me to go into urinary retention and required intravenous antibiotics for 3 days. I ended up having 2 or 3 more courses of oral antibiotics over the next 4 weeks or so and it eventually healed by my 12 week perineal clinic appointment thankfully with no lasting effects. Not once to this day have I had a look what it looks like down there, the midwives faces said it all... definitely do your pelvic floors though, I remember the feeling everything was falling out well!

PhillyJoe · 12/07/2023 18:18

Mine came undone due to infection after a few days and I had to let it heal naturally (a long time ago now). I found it very scary at first as they definitely wouldn’t restitch due to the infection and it was very deep but it did heal in the end. I was checked by GP and gynae but no one could do anything because there was infection present. I had to rinse if regularly and expose to air as much as possible. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, it’s not a nice experience and makes having a new baby even more stressful.

PhillyJoe · 12/07/2023 18:19

Oh and I did look and I really wished I hadn’t!

WeightoftheWorld · 12/07/2023 18:34

I felt almost back to normal about the 5 week mark. Mine came undone after a few days although it was only a small portion of it not all of it but that was bad enough. I was taking ibuprofen, paracetamol and dihydrocodeine regularly for the pain for 4 weeks. I also had 3 courses of oral antibiotics as it didn't look infected to the doctors but my pain levels and the slow healing suggested it may have been. Was awful but it did heal and didn't have any issues with it once it did. That was my second episiotomy as well.

cleanbreak2022 · 12/07/2023 19:04

Apologies, I haven't read other posts so this may have been covered.

I had my son in 2014 and my stitches burst on day 3/4, I still remember them going and I suffered an infection.

I would say, that you should ask for antibiotics now, rather than wait for testing. Just take them, the pain is excruciating. I found peeing, whilst bending forward with my hands around the back of my ankles helped. I did have corrective (minor) surgery 6 months pp. the pain from the 'damage' was gone immediately after the corrective surgery.

I allowed myself to suffer for 6mos and I would always recommend a woman to continually get the wound checked.

My son was also born in July so I was able to wear a night dress (and as soon as bleeding subsided) no underwear. A sanitary towel that has been in the freezer also provided some light relief.

Congratulations, it is gruelling but you can and will recover

Mischance · 12/07/2023 19:33

It will heal in a different way now the wound is open and it might be a bit slow.

Put some of the gel on a pad and support the area gently when you poo.

It will men ... honestly.

Mischance · 12/07/2023 19:33

Mend

Hafannedd123 · 12/07/2023 19:36

This happened to me. On day 5/6. Went back to hospital for IV antibiotics. Left to heal itself. By six week check it was healed. Just heales different and scar is bigger than if it had been stitched. Not very big though. 3 years on and not a single issues now. Message if you have questions i remember how crap
It was x

gangdangit · 12/07/2023 19:41

Mine took 3 months to fully heal. It was also infected. Best advice is to sit on a towel naked as much as possible to get air to it and help the healing. Also, if you haven't got one already use a peri bottle for cleaning down there after a wee or poo to prevent having to use toilet paper to wipe. Use warm water.

Allhailkingcharlie · 12/07/2023 19:44

I took tablet form of arnica. Helps with the bruising. Which is what my midwife said I had a lot of. I felt like everything was falling out, how ever the midwife said it was healing nicely and I didn't have anymore problems. I think you need to give it a few weeks and keep on top of painkillers. Ask you midwife to check them next time you see her. Just keep on top of it. Good luck and congratulations

CrabbyCat · 12/07/2023 19:52

I had this. My experience was is it's worth pushing. The local midwives just sent me through to the GP. It was the GP who looked at it, decided it would take months to heal and called the postnatal wife midwives and pushed until they agreed to get me seen at the maternity day assessment unit. The postnatal midwives essentially told the GP he was overreacting and I'd heal if left to myself - the hospital doctors took one look, put me on max antibiotics for a few days to clear the infection and then restitched me. They have the abrade off all the part healed wound surfaces when they restitch which is why they don't like doing it. It was very painful for a couple of days but then healed very rapidly, it was so worth the restitching as within 4 days post operation I was in less pain than before it.

curlykate99 · 12/07/2023 19:53

Mine split but I just kept airing it, tried not to touch it, used a potty to squat for poos and rinsed it with water after every wee, I can't remember exactly but I think it was ok within a couple of weeks. I can barely see a scar at all. Hope yours heals well.

useless1000 · 12/07/2023 23:42

The best advice I was given was salt water baths and dry after with a hairdryer on cool rather than a towel, I did have to have mine restitched under general some months later (and used the hairdryer method then too) I had another baby within that year and was terrified it would happen again but it was fine

Original poster

Nat30x · 15/07/2023 03:00

Did any of you have trouble pooing also? It hurts from like the inside, feel like I have constipation as nothing comes out but the urgency is there.
In all honesty I feel like it's damaged me internally.

OP posts:

Jannae1988 · 15/07/2023 12:00

Nat30x · 15/07/2023 03:00

I did…I think it is a mental block…it hurts and you just hold it back. I used a pad to support my stitches. I gently held it while pooing. And then I took medicine to make sure I was never constipated. After I found out that I could actually do it without anything happening it did get better.

Flip

1 2