Bowel incontinence after 3rd degree tear

[ThinkPink88]

I had a baby 5 years ago and I seem to unfortunately have bowel incontinence….! If I have a bad tummy, I have now on 3 occasions in the last 5 years not made it to the loo! Surely this isn’t normal? I’ve been checked over and they said everything looks to be ok? I did have a 3rd degree tear? Has anyone else had this and found anything to help it? Pelvic floor exercises?!

No, not normal and any medical professional who has fobbed you off should be ashamed of themselves.

I don't have experience of this but hoping someone else will be along soon with help. I know such a thing as a pelvic physio exists - can you look into that?

Have you mentioned it when you've gone into the GP or had a smear?

Thank you for your reply ❤️. I had my daughter just before Covid and after my delivery, I wasn’t checked to see how everything had healed etc. It was back when everything was very heightened with Covid with a high death toll etc. I could have followed it up myself but I was worried about going into the GP surgery and hospital myself. Once things calmed, I did go and they examined me and said it was all ok. I didn’t have this pre baby and where it’s only been a few times I think maybe it’s a new normal for me but now I’m starting to panic and think what if it happens in public? ! I’m also only 35 years old, I worry it will get worse as I get older. I think I need to get in touch with the gp again, I don’t want to be dismissed as them already checking me over but I really am concerned about it.

I think you really need to push about it, and if the GP doesn't help, go to another one at the practice.

Are you planning on having another? My friend has some degree of bowel issue - the urge is very quick - and they asked about it when they booked her in for pregnancy 2, and were concerned when they learnt about it. I think it would be a good idea to get something started before you had another one, iyswim?

I'd go back to the GPs and ask to be referred to Women's physio.

I had a 3b tear and was completely incontinent at first, but with a lot of physio and hard work I now have about 15 minutes warning, which is a huge improvement even if I'd rather it be longer... Still amazes me what we go through as a result of childbirth!!

After the birth I saw a private women's physio for a mummy MOT and she taught me how to do pelvic floor exercises properly, as well as some other exercises to strengthen the related muscles that support and protect the pelvic floor. I also had an ultrasound (which wasn't very pleasant all) that confirmed no lasting damage to the sphincter and I was given a stimulation machine to force the muscles to work fully while I worked on getting them working properly without the machine. I also did Pilates and yoga regularly to help strengthen my pelvic floor and core. My guess is there is some nerve damage that means I don't feel the sensation in the same way, but actual strength has improved hugely.

I've just had baby number 2 and my symptoms haven't improved or worsened. I opted for a c section to avoid further damage as there was only 2 years between the births, mainly influenced the gynecologist who I'd seen initially when I was 4 months pp as part of a perineal trauma clinic. He was the one who referred me for the ultrasound and to urology who got me the stimulation machine.

Let me know if you've got any more questions, it was a really horrible time for me initially, but taking steps to make improvements helped me feel more in control (in both senses!!). You definitely don't have to accept this as your new normal.