is there something to minimize scar tissue

Jessalynn - posted on 10/29/2011

yes i do and i do not like it to me its like there and no matter how much u workout its like aggravating to deal with

Marissa - posted on 10/28/2011

I have been there all I could do was wait and try a couple of different positions. I had a spot where because of the way the stitches were done it made a small bump and that was what was hurting me. I had it removed and once it was healed It was alot better

Keli - posted on 09/25/2011

ooh good to know...i see a specialist in november. he is going to examin me and see how things are.and will make a call on any surgery...On another note i tried the numbing cream last night that my dr prescribed.AMAZING.i wish i had buggedmy dr for this sooner.made things more smooth!! i totally recommend it to anyone in the same situation as me!

Meghann - posted on 09/23/2011

thats what they called it.. i guess it just "revises" what they did. I have granulation tissue. which is basically scar tissue. and they are going to cut that out and sew it up, and also he sewed my hole too small and so he is going to make that a little bigger and sew it up.

Keli - posted on 09/23/2011

Meghann what is Revision Surgery?

Keli - posted on 09/23/2011

Well i seen my doctor on Monday,we had a good talk, he said part of my problem could be Psychologic meaning i could be turned away from sex because my body remember the pain of what that Dr did to me.with his sewing job.but he gave me a numbing cream too try,and i can see a physio therapist in the city too work those muscles.since they are weak from the tare,AND i have a appoitment with the specialist in edmonton so we can discuess if further surgery is going to be necessary.and to see the progress of the healing...

Meghann - posted on 09/23/2011

yes i'm having a revision surgery for it on nov 10th!

Cristy - posted on 09/18/2011

Good question! I would definitely ask ur doc. I don't see how it could hurt, bio oil that is, but it doesn't say anything on the bottle

Keli - posted on 09/18/2011

@terryanne, i have seen a speicalist that deals with rectal and beyond,and ive seen a regular OB Both are pretty much useless.I am from canada. the speicalist i seen is really good,like there are only 5 of his kind of work in our area.so he is hard too see,and it was his opinion that i dont get anymore surgery unless i run into more problems like losing bowel control. as for the painful sex he says to grin and bare it basically. but its not acceptable to me. i see my dr tommorow, to talk more about it. @ Cristy. i used bio oil for stretch marks but i never thought to use it in my vaj-j lol...have people done that??

Cristy - posted on 09/18/2011

I don't know if anybody suggested this yet, bio oil is an awesome product! I had a very big, dark scare and I've tried using expensive products such as mcderma, but it didn't work. Since ive been using bio oil the scare
is almost gone. You can buy a small bottle and see if it works for you. Id say I started seeing results within a week, no joke. I hope this help you out

Stephani - posted on 09/17/2011

Beth, your story is awful, I want to cry, to be butchered like that, that man should have his medical liscence revoked. I am so angry, and it didn't even happen to me. I'm glad you and your husband have been able to work through it. It's hard enough getting back into the swing of sex after a baby, but to have it complicated in such a horrible way. You're in my prayers.

Cherie - posted on 09/16/2011

My friend had a similar issue. It was several years ago, so I'm foggy on the details. It's definitely a physical issue, but like any injury, has a mental component to it too. For the trauma aspect of it I think she saw a phychologist or phychiatrist, and for the physical aspect, I think she was recommended to a physical therapist who specialized in the issue. I believe the PT had to give massages, or maybe showed my friend how to give herself massages to de-sensitize the area. It was incredibly painful at first, but I think she worked through it in the end, but I don't know if her tear was as bad as yours. Sorry for such a non-answer. Good luck!

Terri-Anne - posted on 09/16/2011

As with anything, you get doctors with varying degrees of ability. Can they sew your perineum too tight? yes they can. A 4th degree tear is quite significant and really should be handled by a competent OBGYN. You should certainly see an OBGYN for a review with the view to do revision surgery. You will need to allow plenty of healing time (aka no sex, but with a 10month old, who has time?) The reason that the doctors vary in their assessment is that a 4th degree tear affects the vagina as well as the rectum/anus. When you see the specialist ask about the possiblilty of them working WITH a colorectal surgeon to get the best outcome. I take it that you are American (I am Australian) so from what I hear, you should ensure that they are board certified. There is a 5% of people who do naturally keloid (thickened scarring everywhere on the body) and if you are one of those, then it will still thicken, but it may also be that the doctor was not adept at dealing with such a significant tear. BTW even though the flight may be 45 minutes away, the organisation of such a flight can take from 90minutes upward depending on availability etc, so what they say about unable to transfer you due to time would be realistic.

Stephani - posted on 09/16/2011

I had the same type of scarring with my first child almost 16 years ago, and unfortunately it just takes time. For now just make sure you have plenty of lubrication, not the kind that tingles or heats up, just plain old KY and creative positioning, it will get better.

Keli - posted on 09/16/2011

yeah and i cant even take pain pills i dont swallow pills well at all.

Danielle - posted on 09/16/2011

My daughter just turned 3 and I have scar tissue from the c-section. I had the scar tissue surgicly removed last December and it is back and painful. My doctors have prescribed pain pills, but I don't want to become dependent on them. I have been researching the issue as well and have not found anything that will help. Sorry :(

Keli - posted on 09/16/2011

yeah i wish doctors wouldnt beat around the bush and tell me everything.. i didnt get the OK to have sex until my son was 4 months old. i dont even feel healed at all. sitting on the hardwood floor bothers me still. and i still get infections.

Alison - posted on 09/16/2011

I guess it depends on the doctor. I tore with my first born and healed so fast and well. My doctor said it took him twice as long as one c- section.

Angela - posted on 09/16/2011

i had the same thing, but my ob (a female) "burned" mine off with a topical cream. then i had a prescription for an estrogen cream that had to be applied with an applicator that looked like a tampon. it helped heal the tissue. this was done at week 6 post baby, so hopefully you can still get this done. good luck!

Francine - posted on 09/15/2011

My 2nd child was 11lbs, 22.5 inches long...my dr "snipped & ripped" me to be able to use the vacuum as my son's shoulders got stuck. I don't know to what degree the rip or how many stitches, the nurses didn't want to tell me and I didn't really want to know. But I do know I only had a shot of nubaine for the entire labor and delivery, and it was pretty traumatizing! Anyways, intercourse was painful for at least a year after that but I didn't do anything to make it not hurt...maybe it just takes time? That son is now 6 and I've since had my third who was much smaller, 8lbs 5oz, and had no tearing at all and no issues with painful intercourse since my third child's birth...we didn't even wait the 6 weeks after he was born.

Keli - posted on 09/15/2011

@Beth thank you for sharing. i did see a specialist over a second surgery because there is a second hole above where the penis goes that shouldnt be there, after i was healing a bit,it was the size of a pin and now its a bit smaller then a Dime, i asked the dr if that should be sewn up again and he said he doenst recomend it right now becuse he said surgery can cause me more problems or ill be left with even more scar tissue and a more difficult sex life. im going too ask for the numbing cream. and try to be more patient. its just starting to make me insecure,i dont believe my fiance would cheat on me but sometimes i wouldnt blame him and feel like i want to be alone so i dont got to disapoint him anymore. ill know more on what to do on monday,after i see my doctor,he was out of town when i gave birth and wasnt there to see what the asshole doctor put me through i had no drugs and he was sewing me up like some guinia pig. @ sally, we use a great deal of lube.i go through a bottle in just 2 sessions. i have to reapply alot. i hope i can find a female doctor that can level with me. these men have no idea what we go through.

Sally - posted on 09/15/2011

Tears from birth don't heal nearly as fast as the doctor wants your husband to believe. Even "nice neat" episiotomies can take a couple years to stop hurting. (Mine did.)
There are numbing creams you can get to make sex last longer. Maybe one of those would help you hurt less. New mom hormones (especially if you're nursing) can make you dry even when you're aroused. It can take a lot more lube than it used to.
Also, intercourse in NOT the only way for couple to enjoy each other intimately.
Good luck

Beth - posted on 09/15/2011

That happened to me after my 2nd child. I've been dealing with this same issue now, nearly 17 yrs. I went back to my dr immediately because it didn't feel right and upon inspection (and I too hate to be graphic) but he'd sewn my bottom side of the "lip" back at the bottom, on the right side, left a 1 inch tear open, the upper left side had a tear in it and it's an awful mess. I believe there's also a place on the left that he sewed back a bit. I believe 1, he thought since my 1st child weighed 8bs 11oz and was 21 1/2 inches long, maybe he thought I could have the 2nd without an episiotomy? Had he looked, he'd have seen the scar from the 1st and saw how nice and neat it had been done but he had 2 cute little nurses in there. My epidural wore off because I had only asked for the 1st dose. I didn't know you could ask for more. I remember that agony!! The ripping and tearing, it felt like, well, just what it was. I was ripping in every direction, on every side imaginable. She was 7lbs 3oz, 19.5 inches long. Nowhere near as big as my 1st baby. There were 2 cute nurses in there, I even spoke up because while he was joking with them I was feeling every needle pull and as he was sewing. He argued, I said well, I only had 1 dose of that epidural, half of me it didn't work on, and finally he gave me about 4 shots. I still felt it. I think he was annoyed because I kept saying I felt it while he was trying to flirt. They'd made a comment about his sewing and how they hoped he knew what he was doing. He laughed and said he did all the sewing at home for his kids too. On costumes,etc.. I went back, he said "well, I'm from New York and I've seen where woman have fallen after having babies and ripping open so you'll be ok" but I wasn't. To this day, I'm uncomfortable, I have to even fix certain areas of it because it gets twisted. I went to a few drs and a woman specialist. They said that with the damage as bad, even if I had reconstructive surgery, the nerve damage would not be able to be fixed. There's so many nerves down there and from what he let happens, it damaged the nerves and left so much scar tissue, I'm in agony. I told the woman I shouldn't be aware of my "vagina" all the time but it's always bothering me. And if I go to the bathroom, there's this one long piece that I'm not sure what he did, but if I'm not careful, I pull it and then it's sore. After sex, all the different tears, in between them hurt as if I've had each piece being pulled on. The damage left it where It doesn't and most likely even if fixed won't ever lubricate right again. It's an agonizing thing to live with. I had a baby 2yrs later, same dr(yes, not so bright) but I thought maybe he could fix it. No, he said I'd have to have reconstructive surgery (which I'd have to pay for). I never thought about suing. I wish I'd have tried. It's been a very emotional situation. My husband used to think I just didn't want him when that cause me agony,pain, and from the nerves damage, I was no longer as sexual as before. I'd told one other person. My "best friend" who used it to her advantage. He had an affair with her and she was more than happy to. She was hearing all my problems, knew we had sex but it was hard on me so she played me bad. Along with every other woman she knew's husband or boyfriend. My husband was 19-20. I forgave them both, took him back but no longer speak to her. She was using each man for money, drugs, or whatever that particular man could give her. She said her mom had raised her that way! My husband, money.(As well as me because I felt sorry for her) HA! Now, 16yrs later he totally understands, well, he did after I showed him, up close, the whole problem and he knew by looking that I was in agony. He's so very sweet now. We've just used KY for these yrs. I was afraid to mention it to him out of fear he'd think I wasn't "sexually attracted" to him. It wasn't that. It's as I say, "my "you know" doesn't work right" :( But he's so gentle and is so kind about it. He wishes I'd have told him back then so maybe he could have pushed me to sue at least to get it taken care of. I was scared and young. I'd never heard of anything like that happening. I was told later, by the specialist I should never have given birth vaginally to begin with. I still hope 1 day to at least for appearance sake, get the surgery. I've had many nurses gasp at the sight! They cannot get over the botched up job he did. It's awful! Good luck! I hope you find the help you need and I totally advise you sue before any statue(spelling?) Of limitations run out. For your peace of mind, do that please! GL

Michelle - posted on 09/14/2011

I would be going to seek legal advice and not a GP consultation! Thankfully I have never experienced anything like this and I have 5 children but even the fact that you have to go too and fro between male doctors in itself must be very undignified.Hope you get something sorted.

Keli - posted on 09/14/2011

oh wow it really led to divorce?how sad, he must not be any kind of man to leave over that. its frusterating but my fiance is understanding, once we get going and its "in" its not horrible but the beggining takes awhile.its the inserting that hurts the most.
and yeah i definetly intend too look into a lawsuit. that man that sewed me the first time shouldnt have done a 4th degree surgery on his own if he was quialified.

Patricia - posted on 09/14/2011

Yes it is possible that they sewed you smaller. While the doctor was sewing my 4th degree episiotomy my husband at the time said he liked it tight so put an extra stitch in and the doctor listened. After a couple months of healing we tried intercourse and it was so painful that I was crying. Tried KY and it still was tight and painful. I ended up divorced over it and 5 years later married a man not so well endowed. Good luck with the surgery. Too bad you don't have a doctor that specializes in sex changes, I bet they would be great at fixing our problems. I would sue the doctor that sewed you up the first time.

Keli - posted on 09/14/2011

wow well i hope to get some answers, i wrote my doctor a letter explaining how im feeling, and how down im getting. i see him next monday to go over it.

Jane - posted on 09/14/2011

"is it possible they sewed that smaller? "

Yes, some doctors do sew it tighter, supposedly to make up for stretching from giving birth.

Keli - posted on 09/14/2011

thank you all for your input. all of my doctors have been Male and i think that is why im not getting anywhere. i am trying too get in with the female that delviered my baby but she is a busy woman. another part to my story i wanted to mention is,i had my son in my home town where they normally dont deliver babies but my siutation was going so fast that they didnt have time to fly me out (so they say) its only a 45 minute flight,anyway after that a dr who i do not like was supose to just "look" at me and he began trying to sew me up,i was jumping off the table i was in so much pain and he was rough and rammy, so i strongly believe he did more damage to me,he wasnt my dr and i hadnt even met him before that,and after i was flown to the city they had to Undo All that he did and re sew everything while they had me put out. a few have incouraged me to try too sue the other doctor and im starting to feel the same it bothers me that i was swept under the rug. and im dealing with alot with not being the same down there. i seen a specialist and he said my problem is more in the vajina,and the vajina speicalist says my problem is more in rectal area so they shift me back and forth and its like they dont know what they are doing!! but i am going to look into these surgeries to have scar tissue removed. because i believe that is alot of the problem. not to be too graphic but it feels like where the man would "enter" is extremly tight like is it possible they sewed that smaller?

Keleigh - posted on 09/14/2011

There are ways to minimize scar tissue with scar massage, gel pads, or even ultrasound -- but this is contraindicated in the genitals. Talk to your MD about seeing a PT or OT who specializes in scar management.

Katherine - posted on 09/14/2011

Is it like a keloid? They may be able to put shots of cortisone in it to minimize the scar tissue.

Joanne - posted on 09/14/2011

I did, I had surgery to remove the scar tissue. It was day surgery but the healing still took several weeks and while there is significant improvemnet it is not not like it was before child birth. so, mention that to your doctor to see if that would be an option for you. Hope it works out for you. : )

Jane - posted on 09/13/2011

Are your doctors all male? If so, see if you can find a female. She might be more sympathetic. Or possibly see a urologist rather than a gynecologist.

Carly - posted on 09/13/2011

I had the same, and am currently preggars now and 'happy' to be having a c-section :o)... I however, have not had many issues but a friend of mine had the same and when they 'fixed' her they didnt do it correctly. I would suggest going back to your gyno, because it could be something that needs to be re-repaired. Saying that, you could also be tense during intercourse and afraid to enjoy it because of the damage done, I know I was this way for a while - have you tried KY gel that could at least take the the pressure off you a little and for you to get your confidence/mojo back!!!

I hope this helps :o)