Has Anyone Had a "Revision" After Giving Birth?

Many women use massage to prevent tears during childbirth, and the good news is that gentle massage can also help to break up scar tissue and help your skin to heal. If your tears have totally closed up and ther is no bleeding, then start doing perinial massage (find more complete instructions online) with massage oil or olive oil every day. It may help and it certianly can't hurt. Good luck!

I have not had one, but am pregnant with my second and the doctor is going to try to fix things up again after I give birth to my second. Since I'll already be all numbed up and in pain- what's a little more right?

Good luck!

I had the same problem with my first. I had an episiotomy that didn't heal right, and when the doctor looked at it he thought it was just infected. Intercourse hurt a lot for a long time, but we got pregnant with our second. Then we moved to Utah and I had to find a different midwife (I will never see another doctor again if I don't have to). Well after having a couple of different midwives look at it (they work in a group), and one of them recommended me to one of the doctors in the office, they decided to have me wait until after the baby was born (since I was so far along anyways) and just see if having it re-stitched up did the trick. Well it didn't and at my 6 week post partum check up the midwife said it looked different, but not better. So she referred me to one of the OBs in the office and he did the surgery the next week. He basically went in, scraped off all the scar tissue and re-stitched me up. That time I healed just the way I should and I've been fine ever since. Good luck :)

I can't give you any advice on the revision because I haven't had it done, but I feel your pain. I tried to go natural with a midwife at the hospital and because of complications I did have to get an episiotomy, but I still tore a lot. I swear it didn't heal right either. The doctor said that it was healing fine but it felt like the outside was stitched, but the inside felt not put together and like my insides were constantly pressing against those stitches. Anyway I was having problems with sex because it hurt. I went to the doctor who stitched me up and he said i had a whole bunch of scar tissue. The stuff that was deep on the inside he couldn't do anything about without more cutting and then he couldn't guarantee that that wouldn't cause more scar tissue. But he did cauterize the stuff off that was coming through the skin. i had little outgrowths of scar tissue in my vagina. I had to go back for several treatments of that. Not so fun. Then the midwife gave me some estrogen cream. Those things seemed to help a little. I still don;t feel completely back to normal, and sex still hurts sometimes but not nearly like it did. Good luck.

Hi B.,

I had a lot of scar tissue after the birth of my first son and it took about a year until I felt "normal" down there. It was frustrating and I wondered if I needed something done but lucky for me it worked out. Did the Dr. tell you how long you should wait before considering doing a "revision"? Good luck.

I haven't had this surgery either but I feel your pain too! I had a 4th degree tear with both my kids. The first time my GP stitched me up. I kept having pain and saw lots of GYN's etc. who said "it looks fine! You're healed!" but I felt like I was sitting on a post every day. I don't want to freak you out but I had pain for about 2 years. I finally saw a uro-gynocologist (urologist & gyn) who recommended me to an excellent physical therapist.

She was the FIRST person who was able to put her finger on the pain! Anyway, long story short - she helped and more time helped.

With my second I was scared but what can you do? Even though I asked my midwives to do massage etc. the one who was there when I was in labor did not do it. I tore again - but I was in a hospital so they gave me a spinal (after natural birth :) and a real gyn surgeon stitched me up for about an hour. I wasn't exactly pain-free afterwards but it was night and day compared to the first time.

so. . . . thanks for hanging in and listening to my story . . . the long and short of it is. I would try PT before surgery but if you go the surgical route I would not rely on your body just healing - I would find an experienced surgeon who you trust to really knit the inner layers of muscle etc. together the way you need. Hang in there - it's not in your head.

8/25/2010 UPDATE: I had a "revision" and a cyst (near the episiotomy scar) removed a week ago. Went in for a follow-up. Had stitches removed (though stitches would eventually dissolve, he wanted any possible irritants out, due to history of reoccurring cysts). Man, did that EVER sting!!!! I go back for another follow-up in three weeks. In the meantime, no sex or excessive bouncy/stretchy exercise (bummer on both accounts, but well worth the wait, I think!!

8/17/2010 I'm having one done tomorrow. I finally switched to a different OB/GYN after 2 1/2 years of pain! I had "things" cauterized and cut out within the first year and a half after our third child was born. About a year ago, the Dr. began recommending psychotherapy, but in March of 2010, her nurse practitioner (sp?) found a small cyst and noticed scar tissue. She prescribed a topical steroidal cream to thin out the scar tissue (that actually took some of the pain away). 2 or 4 weeks later, the Dr. removed the cyst, but unfortunately didn't remove all of the cyst wall, which meant the odds of another cyst taking its place greatly increased. Within about 6 months, another cyst apparently developed (though I didn't know this at the time), which is what prompted me to set up another appt. . . with a different doc. Within less than one minute, he acknowledged the scar tissue, another cysts, and how I tore with just the gentle pressure of the examination. So excited to have the revision!!!!