(TMI) From Having Trouble Going Number 1, To Problems Going Number 2 After Episiotomy

[MummyNovember]

I had been having problems going for a wee for a while now but thankfully thats getting easier, as the stinging of my stitches has eased off. But now i am having problems going number 2! I can go, im not blocked, but my stools feel rock solid & it hurts to go. When i do go i bleed a little as well.

Has anyone else suffered from this? What is it & what did you do to help it?

Thanks x

 

[tootyfruity]

I have this problem too, what i have is fissures, which is small tears that obviously take ages to heal as they are stretched everytime you go for a number 2, mine have got better but are still there, go to your doc if its painful, there isn't an awful lot they can do but it may be something else xx

 

[Sarah24]

You might need some more lactulose or poo softener to get it easier for you to go hun x

 

[Cat_pj]

I have this problem too, what i have is fissures, which is small tears that obviously take ages to heal as they are stretched everytime you go for a number 2, mine have got better but are still there, go to your doc if its painful, there isn't an awful lot they can do but it may be something else xx

I'm the same! Glad that someone else is still suffering with fissures so long after giving birth. Its not as bad as before but still there. I think the BF makes me dehydrated. I try to drink more water....I feel your pain!

 

[firefly15]

I had/have the exact same thing hun. To start with I could poo quite easily and then about 1 week postpartum I started having just what you described. I take lactulose which helped and now that the episiotomy is healing (I had stitches that burst) I'm finding that the whole number 2 issue is gradually getting more and more normal.

I took LO for his 6-8 week checkup today and asked the doctor about this and the weeing issues. She was much more helpful than most other docs / midwives that I've spoken to before and said that it's really common for an episiotomy to cause these problems as the muscle being damaged can affect how everything else down there works and as it heals, gradually things will go back to normal. With the wee problem I've had it quite badly, but this is due to the nerves to the bladder and urethra being bruised during delivery by baby's head, especially if labour is long and the pushing takes a long time. I also had forceps which did more damage and partly why it's taking so long for things to get back to normal - my urethra area still feels bruised and sore nearly eight weeks on

I recommend the lactulose and drinking plenty of water to help you go, but I'm sure it will get easier and more normal as things heal up, it's just a pain in the butt (literally!) aiting for it to happen!!

 

[LuSmith]

I had/have the exact same thing hun. To start with I could poo quite easily and then about 1 week postpartum I started having just what you described. I take lactulose which helped and now that the episiotomy is healing (I had stitches that burst) I'm finding that the whole number 2 issue is gradually getting more and more normal.

I took LO for his 6-8 week checkup today and asked the doctor about this and the weeing issues. She was much more helpful than most other docs / midwives that I've spoken to before and said that it's really common for an episiotomy to cause these problems as the muscle being damaged can affect how everything else down there works and as it heals, gradually things will go back to normal. With the wee problem I've had it quite badly, but this is due to the nerves to the bladder and urethra being bruised during delivery by baby's head, especially if labour is long and the pushing takes a long time. I also had forceps which did more damage and partly why it's taking so long for things to get back to normal - my urethra area still feels bruised and sore nearly eight weeks on

I recommend the lactulose and drinking plenty of water to help you go, but I'm sure it will get easier and more normal as things heal up, it's just a pain in the butt (literally!) aiting for it to happen!!

I'm 11 weeks pp this coming Monday and still feel bruising but can't figure out where, it's obv a lot less than it was but still bothers me from time to time.. I haven't even attempted intercourse or anyhing hoping that eventually it clears up as having hemmorhoids, lower back pain and problems going number two is making things worse!

 

[firefly15]

Yeah, the idea of anything like sex at the moment is really unappealing, my poor 'bits' still feel far too delicate! No one warns you just how long it will take to feel vaguely normal again, especially the number 2 problem

 

[MummyNovember]

I had/have the exact same thing hun. To start with I could poo quite easily and then about 1 week postpartum I started having just what you described. I take lactulose which helped and now that the episiotomy is healing (I had stitches that burst) I'm finding that the whole number 2 issue is gradually getting more and more normal.

I took LO for his 6-8 week checkup today and asked the doctor about this and the weeing issues. She was much more helpful than most other docs / midwives that I've spoken to before and said that it's really common for an episiotomy to cause these problems as the muscle being damaged can affect how everything else down there works and as it heals, gradually things will go back to normal. With the wee problem I've had it quite badly, but this is due to the nerves to the bladder and urethra being bruised during delivery by baby's head, especially if labour is long and the pushing takes a long time. I also had forceps which did more damage and partly why it's taking so long for things to get back to normal - my urethra area still feels bruised and sore nearly eight weeks on

I recommend the lactulose and drinking plenty of water to help you go, but I'm sure it will get easier and more normal as things heal up, it's just a pain in the butt (literally!) aiting for it to happen!!

Hey hun thanks for your reply. I am on day 5 of the lactulose (taking 8 spoonfuls a day) & nothing seems to have softened i managed to go yesterday an managed to make my erm.. rear end, bleed! Not large amounts, just a few drops the size of a thumb nail. Dreading going again now! Think a trip to the doctors may be in order after xmas =/

 

[LuSmith]

Lactulose isnt always the best choice for everyone. Ive been given movicol for constipation, and senna for ibs. Perhaps a better laxative would work, though you have to be careful not to have too much. I hate constipation though, andhaving hemmorhoids & ibs is not fun.

 

[firefly15]

I had/have the exact same thing hun. To start with I could poo quite easily and then about 1 week postpartum I started having just what you described. I take lactulose which helped and now that the episiotomy is healing (I had stitches that burst) I'm finding that the whole number 2 issue is gradually getting more and more normal.

I took LO for his 6-8 week checkup today and asked the doctor about this and the weeing issues. She was much more helpful than most other docs / midwives that I've spoken to before and said that it's really common for an episiotomy to cause these problems as the muscle being damaged can affect how everything else down there works and as it heals, gradually things will go back to normal. With the wee problem I've had it quite badly, but this is due to the nerves to the bladder and urethra being bruised during delivery by baby's head, especially if labour is long and the pushing takes a long time. I also had forceps which did more damage and partly why it's taking so long for things to get back to normal - my urethra area still feels bruised and sore nearly eight weeks on

I recommend the lactulose and drinking plenty of water to help you go, but I'm sure it will get easier and more normal as things heal up, it's just a pain in the butt (literally!) aiting for it to happen!!

Hey hun thanks for your reply. I am on day 5 of the lactulose (taking 8 spoonfuls a day) & nothing seems to have softened i managed to go yesterday an managed to make my erm.. rear end, bleed! Not large amounts, just a few drops the size of a thumb nail. Dreading going again now! Think a trip to the doctors may be in order after xmas =/

Sounds identical to how I was! It took a couple of weeks of high doses of lactulose and having to really struggle to get anything out (and it feeling really solid and difficult to go) and then gradually it got better and better. I'm still taking 3 spoonfuls a day and I wouldn't say the whole process is completely 'normal' yet but at least I don't have to grip the side of the bath and feel like I'm trying to give birth again anymore when I go

Hopefully after Christmas you'll be finding it easier and can avoid the doctor.

 

[tootyfruity]

I have this problem too, what i have is fissures, which is small tears that obviously take ages to heal as they are stretched everytime you go for a number 2, mine have got better but are still there, go to your doc if its painful, there isn't an awful lot they can do but it may be something else xx

I'm the same! Glad that someone else is still suffering with fissures so long after giving birth. Its not as bad as before but still there. I think the BF makes me dehydrated. I try to drink more water....I feel your pain!

Yup its horrible, i'd never heard of it before, but gosh it was so painful for the first 6 months, doesn't look like ill be back to normal anytime soon then!

 

[LuSmith]

I have this problem too, what i have is fissures, which is small tears that obviously take ages to heal as they are stretched everytime you go for a number 2, mine have got better but are still there, go to your doc if its painful, there isn't an awful lot they can do but it may be something else xx

I'm the same! Glad that someone else is still suffering with fissures so long after giving birth. Its not as bad as before but still there. I think the BF makes me dehydrated. I try to drink more water....I feel your pain!

Yup its horrible, i'd never heard of it before, but gosh it was so painful for the first 6 months, doesn't look like ill be back to normal anytime soon then!

How do you know if you have a fissure or not? Just curious because I have alot of rectal pain and problems making a BM, I know I'm probably constipated and I do have hemmorhoids but I don't know whether there's something causing me discomfort inside! What does a fissure feel like? I don't get any bleeding though!

Mind you, my doctor felt when she was seeing if I was constipated and she didn't say anything, would she have felt if there was one?!?