Recovery from 4Th Degree Tear

Here's some detail, sorry for being graphic! I had bad tearing with my son (who just turned 2) - I was bleeding badly and believe my doctor was just throwing in stitches to stop the bleeding vs. "fixing" it. 6 weeks later I had to go for reconstructive surgery to a OB who only does this type of surgery. Turns out, there was no real peritineum between the anal and vaginal cavities. Surgery recreated the peritineum, but the anal repair was only 80% effective (very common, they say, and they're right) which means less control, mainly with gas. Lastly, after the surgery, about 3 mos later I started passing "gas" in the vaginal area. Thought it was a fistula (hole in wall btw anal and vaginal cavities)- had ultrasound, exams, and they couldn't find a fistula. Said I'd be passing stool out vagina if that was the case. Finally, a doctor said there's something called a "VART" - believe it or not, but basically a fart through the vaginal canal, which is a function of the reshaped vaginal cavity (now bigger, and in my case probably misshapen)capturing air and then expelling it out. It's VERY embarrassing, and mostly occurs when I do yoga. I can only hope no one else hears it! (I'd be curious if other women have this happen.) Does any of this sound like the "issues" you are encountering? If yes, then you might have a fistula, VART, etc. A colorectal surgeon can do an exam and confirm. OB/GYN might be able to examine, not sure. Hope this helps!

T. its been 3 years, i think at this point you need to see a doctor about it,

M

I also had a 4th degree tear. Since it was my first pregnancy I had no idea what was correct or not. My tear took about 5 weeks to heal. A couple weeks ago I went back into surgery because it still hurt a lot when we had sex, they found I had a lot of scar tissue (more than normal). I am hoping they have fixed it, but I have to wait another couple weeks to find out. I hope this is the kind of information you were looking for. Good luck!

My advice would be to get some Visceral Manipulation - gentle moving of the bladder, uterus done from the outside. www.iahp.com for listing of practitioners. If you are in NYC, call me, and I can give you a referral. ###-###-####. If not, find the most advanced practitioner you can (many classes). Many women benefit from internal hands-on work (gentle mobilization of the scar tissue in and around the vagina) Don't let that freak you out - it releases the tissue tension, and many issues clear up on their own after that. Good luck. E.

I had a 4th degree tear almost three years ago now. I had reconstructive surgery about 7 months later to repair the hole that still existed between my vagina and anus. Now I still have air that seems to be trapped in the vagina at times which is really embarrasing. Also I have horrible pain during sex and am planning on going back to the doctors to ask about this. If your still having issues I would talk to a doctor ASAP.

What is a 4th degree tear? My daughter was 11 pounds when born and she was a vaginal birth. Ever since I had her, actually a little before she was born, I don't have much control in holding my bowel movement. As soon as I feel the urge, I have to find a restroom and fast (sorry for being so graphic). I didn't know that this was something that could possibly be fixed. Is it possible I had a "4th degree tear"?

If you're in Brooklyn, go see Gopi Jhaveri. She is a physical therapist who specializes in women's health issues such as yours. She's great! Call her office at ###-###-#### to make an appt. If your not in Brooklyn, give her a call anyway so she can provide you with any necessary info.