4th degree tear

[Allie84]

Hi everyone,

Had my LO 6 days ago. Had a bad induction, needed episiotomy and vacuum assisted delivery. I got a 4th degree tear!

I'm just not sure what to expect and wanted any words of wisdom/comfort from anyone who tore badly....

I'm in a bit of pain down there but not terrible; I'm more afraid of bursting some stitches or having long term issues than anything else.

I had my first bowel movement and that was really scary but it didn't hurt a s badly as I thought. It's more like I felt it pulling which freaked me out.

I just hate that I tore so badly!!

 

[tiggerpony]

Hey hun, I had a 4th degree tear 14 weeks ago............I dont want to scare you but if you want to be honest I am still very much suffering. I have had to have a general anesthtic to have a stitch removed from my rectum and Im having a 2nd one in Decmber becasue I have developed a rectal vaginal fistula from the 4th degree tear...it causes gas and poo to seep out my vagina I also had to be cut and had forceps. All I can advise is if you notice gas escaping from your vagina go to your doctor immdeitaly, don't leave it 2 weeks like I did (thinking it was normal after having a 4th degree tear) becasue now I have that hole in my rectum and more than likely need a 6 month colostomy bag. Salt baths are good - I had 2 a day for the first 8 weeks. I hope it heals ok for you, have they give you laxatives?

 

[rtracey80]

i also had a 4th degree tear and since then i have had no issues from it. I was told by the theatre midwife to bath/soak twice a day and in your bath water put 20 drops of tea tree oil/ 20 drops of lavender oil and a splash of milk. If it helps use a well padded maternity pad. dont lift anything to heavy.

 

[tiggerpony]

i also had a 4th degree tear and since then i have had no issues from it. I was told by the theatre midwife to bath/soak twice a day and in your bath water put 20 drops of tea tree oil/ 20 drops of lavender oil and a splash of milk. If it helps use a well padded maternity pad. dont lift anything to heavy.

I agree - dont lift anything heavy - I think this is what may of helped caused my fistula, because at 5 weeks PP I was helping a friend move heavy boxes.......not the best of ideas I know. On a plus side to my experience I have no incontinece issues with my butt area! I have heard you can have inconatnence issues with your bowels after a 4th dgree tear but I hae full control on that part.

 

[Allie84]

Oh my gosh it all sounds so scary!

I am now 6 days post partum and I'm not in much pain down there...hopefully that's a good sign? I was told to lift nothing heavier than the baby.

Seriously,having bowel problems sounds worse to me than anything ....I'd rather have had a c-section than deal with something like that. I wonder when I will know if I've suffered long term damage or not?

 

[LorelaiLana]

I have a 4th as well..absolutely no probelm whatsoever...I was on top of the pain killers doliclofenac + paracetamol, antibiotics and laxatives...took them for 4 weeks whether I had pain or not...did pelvic floor exercise..salt , lavendar, arnica water soaks. Arnica tablets...had my 6 weeks check ..all ok...was induced with 4 pessaries for 2.5 days too..

I wudnt even think of cescerean ...a friend had it n is still not mobile...infection etc...

 

[feedindy]

I just wanted to send some hugs your way!
I only had a 3rd degree, so not as bad as everyone else here, but I remember the healing was tough. I remember for weeks when I would sneeze or cough... ouch it felt like I was going to rip open again.


Hopefully everything will heal nicely for you.

 

[XJessicaX]

I had a 2nd degree tear but a big 3rd degree episiotomy cut and all I can say is, if you think the stitches are coming out, get them seen to! Took weeeeeeeks for me to heal after mine came out and I was forced to heal naturally.

 

[lorcam4]

I can feel your pain, I had my daughter three weeks ago had a 4th degree tear and eisiotomy, her cord was wrapped around her neck twice and they used forceps to get her out (she was a big girl 9 lbs 3 oz) After a week and a half I had some issues with being incontinent but doing kegels helped a lot and now I have no problems at all. Make sure to do your sitz bath regularly and keep the area clean. Also if there is ever anything that you feel like is just not right call your doctor don't second guess yourself.

 

[AirForceWife7]

:wave:

Just sending some hugs your way

I had an episiotomy followed by a 4th degree tear, was unable to urinate on my own for over a month, and it took them 45 minutes to stitch me up so I know how you must be feeling. I felt horrible for the first month of healing, but after I was able to pee again, things started looking up & I have been perfectly fine ever since

I can honestly tell you that mentality makes a big difference. Whenever I was bluesy & depressed during recovery, it took me longer to heal. But when I began to have faith, things really took off & I was healed & could pee in no time! I promise I'm telling you the honest truth

I have no issues now except that I have a skin tag from a bad stitch job down there & a stitch that hasn't dissolved, which both don't bug me at all. Sex doesn't hurt me at all .. I waited 8 weeks to DTD with DH. Oh & use lots of lube! It really helps.

I hope you feel better

 

[davo]

3 weeks ago I tore as well as they made me push when I had no urge and then I got to the point where I couldn't stop pushing! I immediately knew something wasn't right 'down there.'
My legs were in stirrups and I had no epidural etc. My DH said the mw/ doctors faces were a picture so it must've been quite bad!
Ended up in theatre for 2 and half hours afterwards with bags of meds to take. I have one area that isn't healing too well but doesn't cause much discomfort. I find having to wear pads is one of the most irritating things cos some feel like they rub.

Word of warning: one of the meds I was on was lactulose and this went through my milk to baby who ended up losing 10% weight cos of the laxative giving her the runs!! So had to brave going to the loo without anything to help! Not that bad in the end though

 

[flyingduster]

I had a natural water birth, no episiotomy at all but my boy has a huge head (in the 99.6th percentile) and had his hand up in his face for birth so I had a 4th degree tear right to my rectum (though it didn't QUITE affect it, it was close!)

The stitching was traumatic to me due to other reasons too, and one of the tears I had was a forked tear needing even more stitching!

The grazing was what stung when I peed, and I found leaning waaaay forwards on the toilet, to keep the stream as far from the graze as possible, and the bottle of water helped too... But that stinging when I peed soon got better, I think around 10 days-2 weeks PP it was fine. I was still tender though from the stitches, and while walking around was ok, standing still for long it felt like my insides were coming out!

At 3 weeks PP I was still tender, but it got a little more sore one day. Another couple of days later I was MORE sore and realised I had a painful swelling on one side. I soaked it, put compresses on it etc, but it got worse. I ended up going in to see my midwife assuming it was something gone wrong with my stitches; an infection or something? The gynae, who did my stitches in the hospital, had a look with my midwife and she said that my tear had healed up WONDERFULLY, I was all good in there (22 days PP).

Turned out the swelling was a, totally unrelated to the birth, abscess in my butt cheek right by my perineum! (requiring surgery under general anaesthetic and daily nurse visits for 6 weeks or so... ugh!)

Sooooo, obviously my tear healed fine in 3 weeks! The setback I've had from the abscess has thrown me, but I am glad to know for sure that my tear has healed well. I still feel a bit 'open' down there, but that will all come together over time and is normal, but my TEAR has healed without a single issue, even though it was huge.

 

[teal]

I had an episiotomy (emergency forceps delivery due to distress)and a separate tear into my bowel. I was in theatre for over 2 hours being stitched up. My consultant at 8 weeks post said if I had any more babies would advise a section. I was also referred to a physio for a few months. It took over a year to feel ok-ish. Even now and again I still have that dragging feeling if I'm carrying something heavy (like my 21 month old son!) for too long. xx

 

[sorebum]

Hey hun, I had a 4th degree tear 14 weeks ago............I dont want to scare you but if you want to be honest I am still very much suffering. I have had to have a general anesthtic to have a stitch removed from my rectum and Im having a 2nd one in Decmber becasue I have developed a rectal vaginal fistula from the 4th degree tear...it causes gas and poo to seep out my vagina I also had to be cut and had forceps. All I can advise is if you notice gas escaping from your vagina go to your doctor immdeitaly, don't leave it 2 weeks like I did (thinking it was normal after having a 4th degree tear) becasue now I have that hole in my rectum and more than likely need a 6 month colostomy bag. Salt baths are good - I had 2 a day for the first 8 weeks. I hope it heals ok for you, have they give you laxatives?

Hi how are you ? im having a colostomy bag next month are you having/had one yet thanks

 

[tiggerpony]

Hey hun, I had a 4th degree tear 14 weeks ago............I dont want to scare you but if you want to be honest I am still very much suffering. I have had to have a general anesthtic to have a stitch removed from my rectum and Im having a 2nd one in Decmber becasue I have developed a rectal vaginal fistula from the 4th degree tear...it causes gas and poo to seep out my vagina I also had to be cut and had forceps. All I can advise is if you notice gas escaping from your vagina go to your doctor immdeitaly, don't leave it 2 weeks like I did (thinking it was normal after having a 4th degree tear) becasue now I have that hole in my rectum and more than likely need a 6 month colostomy bag. Salt baths are good - I had 2 a day for the first 8 weeks. I hope it heals ok for you, have they give you laxatives?

Hi how are you ? im having a colostomy bag next month are you having/had one yet thanks

Hi there I have only just seen this. I have decided not to have the surgery and live with the fistula as my doc has told me I may end up with the bag for the rest of my life even if the fistula heals...have you got a RVF too? What happened?