peri tear?

Submitted by ami on May 5, 2017 - 6:21pm
Body: 

I never went to my gyno with my concerns because I didn't know if she could do anything. But recently I figured out that my problems might actually be from an unrepaired tear. I had medium to large babies and no one told me at the time that there was a tear. They assured me repeatably while pregnant that 'vaginas stretch'. But now I think that I may have a 2nd degree tear that has healed open and is causing issues. I have done so many exercises, and while I no longer have any urinary incontinence I do have a large gaping vagina. I asked my dr about it the other day and she has sent me to a physical therapist. I have no idea what to expect in terms of results but I do look forward to the bio feedback my gyno said they would do. Do you think they will eventually recommend surgery to repair the tear? Does anyone have experience with anything like this? It seems like everyone usually has tears fixed up right away. What would be differences (if any) between a tear that is immediately stitched up and going back to do a repair years later?

Forum:

Aging gracefully

May 6, 2017 - 6:19am

Hi ami,
Other women have had peri tears here also. There are some really good threads on the subject; just type some key words in the search box to find them.

ami

May 15, 2017 - 10:00pm

I have looked and looked but can't find anything like my issue. I have no fecal incontinence, no flatus incontinence, no urinary incontinence. I only need splinting about 30% of the time. I can't use vaginal weights because they fall out, I can't use soft cups because they fall out, I can't properly use reusable cups because they fall out (if I suction it to my cervix it's fine), I can't use a tampon unless it's so dry it sticks or it falls out. Never tried a pessary, but my guess is it would just fall out. I guess I have vaginal incontinence? This is not OK.

Aging gracefully

May 16, 2017 - 6:03am

There are actually many threads here on the forum about perineal tears, and Christine does talk about it.
Here is one thread:

https://wholewoman.com/forum/node/6436

And another here:

https://www.wholewoman.com/forum/node/7316

From reading Christine's responses, anyone who has had episiotomies ends up over the years with a thinning of the perineum. I myself don't have much of one left either. Christine's solution from what I have read on here is the same as with prolapse, getting our organs pulled away from the vaginal opening into the lower belly as much as we can. When the vagina is more closed onto itself, you are not going to have the large gaping feeling as much as if you just shoved things up in there. I couldn't keep anything in my vagina either, due to severe prolapse and not much of a perineum left, but with this work, I feel less of that gaping as time goes on.
Hope that helps some. And, keep reading on the forum, there are other accounts of torn perineum on here.

Surviving60

May 16, 2017 - 7:54am

Ami - Christine is very knowledgeable in this area, as you can see from the links AG posted above. You might want to consider a consult with her. But first you need to study and adopt WW posture if you are not already working on this. Not because it is a magic bullet for all the symptoms you have (it's not) but because it is the posture ALL women need to adopt for the sake of their long-term health and well-being. And because it is always the starting point for any discussions here on the forum or with Christine. - Surviving