4th degree tear possible fistula?

[oneway]

Hi all.

I had a 10 lb 2 oz baby with shoulder dystocia resulting in a 4th degree tear. I also had an episiotomy. The birth was 7 weeks ago and I am healing now and worried about something. I have no control over gas and sometimes have gas when I am lying in bed. When the gas comes out in this position I feel like it's coming through my anus as well as vagina. Could this be a fistula? When I go to the loo or if I pass gas while standing or sitting, I do not feel like wind is coming out of my vagina. I only feel it when I am lying down. I have not had any fecal incontinence so far and do not have faeces coming out of my vagina.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[oneway]

anyone??

 

[abbSTAR]

Id go to your doctor to be sure Hun! I must admit I know the feeling its odd ..I felt like exactly what you described but everything was fine

Hope you get it sorted

 

[oneway]

Thanks for your response abbStar! Could you please share the method your doctor used to check for a fistula? Did they find out what caused the feeling? When did the feeling stop? I have an appointment with a gynaecologist on monday but I am going crazy in the meantime. Sorry about all the questions but I am hoping to god that I don't have a fistula. I have been through a lot already.

 

[xx_Holli_xx]

i have a 4th degree tear because my daughter had to be delivered with forceps....... i have the same prob and it hurts quiet bad to goo to the loo :/ ny tips

 

[xcharx]

Hiya theres a woman on here called tigerpony & she's had major troubles with a 4th degree tear, maybe message her for some advice xxxx

 

[abbSTAR]

My doctor inserted a speculum (the VERY smallest to cause the least discomfort) it was hardly any pain at all, she then had good look around and everything seemed to be fine and all that could be seen was my vesicovaginal fistula which I knew about anyway. (posh word for a tear between your urinary tract ) Just to double check she inserted a dye in my rectum so I would show if there was a leakage and everything was fine

She said its just because things have moved and are looser and need time to tighten up, and things will feel 'different' and when thing have all gone back more normal it they feeling should go away.. And plus you can release air from your vagina anyway! And it's quite common after childbirth. It's stopped around 3 - 4 months post partum, hope this helps

 

[oneway]

i have a 4th degree tear because my daughter had to be delivered with forceps....... i have the same prob and it hurts quiet bad to goo to the loo :/ ny tips

Holli you have my sympathies! I would not wish a 4th degree tear on anyone. Have you been diagnosed with a fistula?

 

[oneway]

Thanks so much for the information abbSTAR! I know this sounds gross and TMI but I have been trying to stand in different positions when passing wind and I have not yet felt wind coming out of the vaginal opening. I really, really hope that what I am experiencing is a side effect of everything being loose and different. Besides I haven't yet healed since I still have stitches from my perineum to my anus.

 

[tiggerpony]

hello! I had a 4th degree tear and forceps, and yes, as said above I have a fistula and have been kliving with it for nearly 5 months. I have to have 5 showers a day cos poo comes out me bits all the time, its degrading and should NOT happen during birth. I am sueing the hospital. I am ment to be attempting surgery in Feb but I am scared as it cud make the hokle worse and Il end up with a bag. I wouldnt wish this on my very worst enemy (the doctor who did this to me I wud though, bitch!!!) its caused so many probs with me and bonding with my baby. 4th degree tears shouldnt even happen, a C section shud be done. I really hope you havnt got one hun, but if you have, Im here to talk to!

 

[oneway]

Hi tiggerpony! I am so sorry to hear about your horrific experience!! My heart breaks for you! I hope and pray that your surgery is successful. I have heard that the first surgical attempt is the most important and should be done by an experienced surgeon, preferably a colorectal specialist, to achieve a successful result. I am sure you will choose your surgeon with care especially after the nightmare you have been through!

 

[buddyIV]

I ended up with a 4th degree tear too... an absolutely horrible experience, and I completely sympathise with you

I'd recommend going to see your Dr, but I found that I passed gas from everywhere at first, and I (thankfully) didn't have a fistula. Perhaps you're experiencing the same thing I did, which was just the normal "settling" of everything after the trauma of birth.

However, at 15 months on I still find my backside aches, and I don't have any muscle tone whatsoever. Luckily I haven't experienced any incontinence, but I do find it difficult to stop gas coming out. I've had exploratory surgery, and am getting an internal ultrasound done in a little while to see if anything can be done to bring back sensation in the muscle...

Hopefully it'll be a positive outcome for all of us x

 

[oneway]

Thanks for sharing your experience BuddyIV! I had a checkup with a gynaecologist and she checked for a fistula and did not find one. She said exactly what you said, which is that things have moved around and enlarged after the tear was repaired and it will take some time before the vaginal lips close. I am only 8 weeks postpartum. In the meantime I will continue to have this sensation until things heal.

I am wondering about the gas incontinence too. I had control over my bladder and bowels from the day I was stitched up following the birth but have no control over flatus. I will be seeing a physio soon. Have you tried physiotherapy?

 

[buddyIV]

Thanks for sharing your experience BuddyIV! I had a checkup with a gynaecologist and she checked for a fistula and did not find one. She said exactly what you said, which is that things have moved around and enlarged after the tear was repaired and it will take some time before the vaginal lips close. I am only 8 weeks postpartum. In the meantime I will continue to have this sensation until things heal.

I am wondering about the gas incontinence too. I had control over my bladder and bowels from the day I was stitched up following the birth but have no control over flatus. I will be seeing a physio soon. Have you tried physiotherapy?

No problem, I'm happy to share: it's good to have ladies around who understand what it's like fter a 4th degree tear I'm the same as you, and have control over my bodily functions (glamerous huh!) but its the gas proves to be harder to control. Sometimes I'm ok (like if I'm sitting still) but if I'm moving I've just got to cough loudly or make some noise to cover up the fact that I just farted

Gosh I remember 8 week PP...things still felt so, so strange down there. You're doing really well!! Now I just have a dull ache all the time, even though I've healed really well. The tear has closed, but I've been left with a LOT of scar tissue, which is the cause of the achey-ness.

I'm hoping that after the ultrasound they'll recommend physio, as it'll mean that there's the possibility of sensation returning. Fingers crossed physio will help both of us return to some semblance of normal!

 

[xx_Holli_xx]

i have a 4th degree tear because my daughter had to be delivered with forceps....... i have the same prob and it hurts quiet bad to goo to the loo :/ ny tips

Holli you have my sympathies! I would not wish a 4th degree tear on anyone. Have you been diagnosed with a fistula?

it is in the air right now.. my midwife seems to be quiet unsure atm.....she said i need to give it time. i think she isnt taking it to seriously.she only gave me more dermaplast spray and sent me on my way.she said she would not consider addressing it until my 6 week assessment.

 

[AirForceWife7]

Hi hun, I had an episiotomy followed by a 4th degree tear. I also couldn't urinate on my own for a month & a half and had to have 7 catheters in and out of me. I also had a uterine hemmorhage a week after I had my daughter & had to be rushed to the hospital. It was the worst experience of my life, and I deeply sympathize with you

I want to tell you though that it will get better even though it doesn't feel like it right now. I was very depressed for a couple weeks during my complications, and it made it harder to bond with my little one. So do not feel guilty in the slightest if you're feeling that way, it's quite normal

It took me about 8 weeks to fully heal and be able to DTD, although I still have one stitch that hasn't dissolved. It doesn't bother me though. My episiotomy site feels fine, but it looks funny, which makes me feel a little self-conscious when DTD with DH. I want to wish you the best of luck with your healing & hope things start looking up for you soon! xxxxx

 

[oneway]

Thanks AirForceWife7. I can't imagine doing the deed for the next several weeks at least. You were brave to do it while you still had undissolved stitches!

I've started on kegels and plan to do them everyday for the rest of my life. I hope this helps with the gas incontinence.

Thanks also to Holli and Buddy for sharing your stories! I think we should ask the board admin for a special section for those who suffered traumatic births. Our bodies and minds will take some time to heal and it would be good to be able to talk to each other in the meantime and provide support.

 

[MidnightSun]

Just a thought ladies, my muscle tone is rubbish and I have prolapses because of this... I am currently doing the Hab-it DVD from Tasha Mulligan and have bought a pelvic floor stimulator too.

Just don't overdo the pelvic floors, two sets a day of 4 in each set is more than enough otherwise you can get muscle fatigue.

Really hope you all get yourselves sorted (and me too!) x x

 

[MamLori]

hello! I had a 4th degree tear and forceps, and yes, as said above I have a fistula and have been kliving with it for nearly 5 months. I have to have 5 showers a day cos poo comes out me bits all the time, its degrading and should NOT happen during birth. I am sueing the hospital. I am ment to be attempting surgery in Feb but I am scared as it cud make the hokle worse and Il end up with a bag. I wouldnt wish this on my very worst enemy (the doctor who did this to me I wud though, bitch!!!) its caused so many probs with me and bonding with my baby. 4th degree tears shouldnt even happen, a C section shud be done. I really hope you havnt got one hun, but if you have, Im here to talk to!

Tiggerpony,
Hello I suffered a fourth degree tear with my first child. Three years ago... I feel your pain. Since the tear, I can't control gas, I pass gas through my vagina as well. I think I have a fistula, but was basically told as long as I was not leaking bm, that I should just live with it. I sometimes can't control my bowels like if I have the tummy flu...sorry tmi! But I found your comment and story and I joined the discussion. Just so I could ask how your surgery went? And how you are recovering now? It has been three years since my tear. And I still have incredible pain back there at random moments, and certain positions during sex are very painful. The gas thing is out of control, I have air in my vagina often, I will be laying in bed and pass gas, and it definitely pass it through my vagina as well, I can be standing up, and the same thing will happen. or going to get up and pass gas like I have no control over it! I can;t imagine all you went through! Showering five times a day! I read your experience when I was pregnant with my son, last year and opted for an elective c-section. I didn't want a c-section, but I was a candidate for an elective one. The doctor told me with my previous tear, I could tear again and it would be worse. So I feared I would perminantely loose control of my bowels. And did the c-section. I guess I was just wondering your opinion as well, I know I have a fistula, but am terrified of having siurgery down there again. But I don't feel normal at all and am often embarrassed, by my issues. Just need to know if what I am feeling is normal due to tear!!!! Help please!