Episitomy problems worse than labour!

[Keza]

Anyone had an episiotomy that has gone on to being infected? Its been 13 days since i had my little boy via forceps delivery my episiotomy has opened slightly but is infected in there too. Midwife said it will go together by itself. Have been on anti biotics for nearly a week it doesnt seem to have gotten better. Im still in agony when sitting/standing/walking and pooping. I see no end in sight. Am still signed on with the midwives they come and check me frequently. Anyone have a simular problem with there episiotomy? My vagina looks like a car crash it doesnt resemble what i remember ive got pain in my clitoris area too like really really sensative type pain when i stand up it feels like its being crushed then that pain fades after a few mins but if i knock myself laugh, sneeze etc it hurts bad. Anyone experienced this? I am also getting like random electric shooting pains in my groin too. I wake up stiff in the morning or if ive layed down for a while i feel like an old women its all really getting me down and i feel i cant enjoy my little boy through the pain im miserable. How long did it take you to heal? Im scared about my love life and if it will ever be achievable in the future without any problems. xxx

 

[KatieB]

I had same delivery as you and I felt like nothing would ever be the same again up until last couple of weeks. I was so nervous about bathing and was so weak as I lost quite a lot of blood that my mum had to give me warm salt water baths which helped ease the area a lot and is great if you have an infection, too. I didn't get an infection but hope you feel lots better soon. It didn't hurt but was very uncomfortable when the stitches started to dissolve for me. Me and my OH did the deed on weekend for first time, I was scared but all was fine, in fact it was very nice! It is a major thing to go through but you'll be fine soon xx

 

[Jembug]

I had the same delivery as you. I didn't get an infection, so I can't comment there. But I do remember it being the very painful and I counld see no let up. It began to get better after three weeks, I guess it maybe because the bleeding was stopping, so it could heal better? Hope you feel better soon and I looked like a mess down there too!

 

[Jembug]

Oh and I was very scared about dtd, we did it after 5 weeks and it was fine. I've had another baby since and the scar was fine, no tears- just for future reference, lol

 

[lindsayryan]

i had same delivery as you too an it was horrible an sorry to say it but the pain was really bad until about 4-5 weeks then uncomfortable for another month or so but it will get better. try the salt baths and i also used the shower head everytime i went for a wee, helped a lot x

 

[Wiggler]

I had an episiotomy with my son and after 3 days it split open and became infected, it was so painful that I could barely move so I know what you are going through
For me it took about 2 weeks for the pain to start easing up and finding it easier to move about and after 6 weeks I was pretty much pain free. It took about 4 months for me to build up the courage to have sex again, but when I did it didn't hurt and was just as enjoyable as before I gave birth.
Try to take it easy hun, put your feet up and let yourself heal. I hope you feel better soon hun

 

[MissCurly]

Yeah me too, had the infections- both in the wound and due to catheter too. I pretty much had what you have described.
I had shooting pains prob upto 5/6months if not for longer but it does get better.
I remember a time i struggled to even put my knickers on. And did the whole sitting on one but cheek thing too. sitting up properly was a nightmare too.

Oh yeah, do try and get as much rest as possible, i had my sisters wedding three weeks after birth and it just delayed my recovery even more.

And oh yeah, i though i would never be the same again, and honestly i cant believe i went through all that pain and i jjust have the scar to show for it.
Just give it time, and hopefully you'll be on this side of the fence sure enough.

 

[lauren10]

My episiotomy (done because of forceps birth also) got infected while we were still in the hospital with my LO for her surgery and it was terrible pain! to the point I was crying if I had to move at all. part of it also opened up. The doc said there was no point in stitching it again because it was too late, and it would be higher risk of more infection. They put me on 2 antibiotics, and I started feeling better in a few days. Maybe you need something stronger?

It definitely will get better! We had sex 6 weeks after. I hear you about the car wreck. It looked like a side of beef that was stitched up by Dr. Frankenstein. It's unbelievable what our poor vag's go through.

 

[Emsbambino]

I also had an episiotomy due to a forcep delivery, I have every sympothy with you, I was extremely sore after I has inflamation and bruising from front to back, I could hardly sit down in the end I sat on a ring which helped alot, one tip I was given was after your bath/shower if your hairdrywr has a cool setting gently dry yourself with that instead of leaving to dry or rubbing with a towel.

I had all the pain and uncomfortableness you have described I felt bad that I couldn't kneel on the floor to change lo, I couldn't jump out of bed to get him when he was crying everything took ten times longer, get plenty of rest (not easy I know)

You will get better it just takes time x

 

[minkymoo]

i had the same delivery too but no infection so can't help with that. i cried and cried from the pain of my episiotomy for 7 days until my doctor prescribed co-codamol and codeine top ups for the night and it was sooooooooo much better to cope with. i also took arnica for the bruising, which i think may have been the main cause of the discomfort. shallow tea tree baths too for the healing and poured warm water on my bits as i peed. it will get better although i know it doesn't feel that way now.

we dtd at 9 weeks but that's because i had a prolapse. just use plenty of lube and take it easy the first time. feels a bit weird but you get into it.

 

[allyk]

I e just pm you, I had epsitomy and 2nd degree tears infection that anti biotics didn't work at first ended up with it for 6 weeks!!!

 

[bumpy89]

I had the same delivery too.

My episiotomy opened up slightly, it didn't get infected so I can't help with that, but what I did was use loads of tea tree oil in my baths and I made sure to dry it really well using a hairdrier on a cold setting. I also sat on my breastfeeding cushion shaped in a ring to take the pressure off when sitting down. I took that cushion everywhere, I even sat on it in the car

Hope you feel better soon

 

[CupboardLove]

Hope you feel better soon xx

 

[MissCurly]

oh yeah i forgot to mention that due to the intense pain (plus after birth pains- wow, what a b**** of a pain), i took ibuprofen and codeine with paracetamol.
yeh i cant believe that whole of pregnancy i wouldnt even have paracetamol, and then what i did in the first week was this:
as you could only have paracetamol/codeine every 4 hours, i would take ibuprofen 2 hours later, and so i was always at the peak of painkiller effectiveness.

And spent a day at the hosp, (mainly because of waiting!!) then given antibiotics, so i only took the codeine as a top up when i was in a lot of pain.

And like someone said, sit on a cushion. And get someone to do the baby stuff for you which you find difficult to do. Fingers crossed it wont be too long!

 

[minkymoo]

I made sure to dry it really well using a hairdrier on a cold setting.

This ^^^

I forgot about the hairdryer, the things my poor OH witnessed around that time

 

[Aunty E]

I had a big episiotomy with my first delivery (ventouse/forceps). I didn't get infected, but I took arnica right up until I felt completely better down there (which was after about six weeks). I swear it really really does help. Warm salt baths might be good too and just keep topped up on the paracetemol.

 

[Aunty E]

And if you're not BFing, then you can take ibuprofen and paracetemol at the same time as the other poster says, but otherwise just paracetemol if you're BFing.

 

[Keza]

Thanks for the tips and reasurrance ladies i really appreciate it. Midwife came today still not healed so been put on strict bedrest for a week and told to get someone to care for baby full time till im healed. xx

 

[catfromaus]

My doctor presecribed this numbing gel stuff for me (really bad infection, still had pain 4 months after giving birth) and that worked wonders! I think the wound finally healed on its own, but at least I could get on with life in the meantime. Good luck, I know how bad it is, but you will get through it