Rectocele after c-section? Really struggling
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Okay. Long story. So i had my baby girl on 1/27/22. I was a high risk pregnancy due to type 1 diabetes, and baby girl ended up measuring 9lb 6oz. I had some constipation afterwards, and they gave me a suppository. They said when they gave it they could feel several hemorrhoids inside, which I've never struggled with before. I was able to go, but it was still difficult. They were satisfied and sent me home. At home I thought I had corrected the constipation. I kept taking my stool softeners regularly and drank plenty of water. I was able to go 2 more times and I thought everything was fine. The next day I got the urge to go, so I attempted to. It was much more difficult this time around, and I could feel with my finger that what was inside was hard as a rock. I tried going for several minutes and got as much out as I could. When I stood up I felt this intense heavy bulging feeling in my vagina. I reached my hand down and could feel a bulge. Panicked, I called the on-call physician at my OB office who didn't seem very concerned and just told me to monitor. I ended up going to the ED the next day for increased pressure and pain. They did a vaginal exam, and an external and internal ultrasound and said everything looked fine. But I know my body and my anatomy and I know something is wrong. The bulge is still there though it is much smaller. And today I physically cannot have a bowel movement. I typically go every day but I don't even have the urge. They gave me an enema in the ER and even that I feel like didn't come out as easily as it should. I checked with my finger and it's so tight up there... I'm afraid I'm gonna get impacted. And when I stand up I still feel pressure in my vagina. I haven't been officially diagnosed with a rectocele yet, but I'm 99% sure that that's what this is, and I'm pretty sure it started happening while I was still in the hospital. I've also had high BP since leaving the hospital which I never had during or before pregnancy.
I guess my question is... with how severe this is already presenting it sounds like I may need corrective surgery. Is this something they would do considering I'm only a little over a week post c-section, or would I have to wait? I certainly can't live like this for long and make my body depend on laxatives and enemas all the time. I'm really struggling here. Any and all advice is appreciated.
0 likes, 2 replies
jess42330 jordan78451
Edited
It doesn't sound like a rectocele just from that description. It sounds like bad constipation and impaction. It's normal for anyone to feel impacted hard stool in the rectum through their vagina as the anatomy is close together. After pregnancy, things can be swollen from increased blood flow so the walls can look and feel swollen even if you didn't have a vaginal birth. The area can also have temporary weakness from relaxin and lower estrogen. I think you're getting ahead of yourself and worrying which I totally understand. Most people get a bit of prolapse as they age just like our face wrinkles and things sag but I don't think you would suddenly have a rectocele from what you described and not anything that would require surgery like a stage 4. After birth is a very stressful tine and it can take tine to adjust. Body changes can seem really extreme when youre really stressed and getting less sleep. The doctors examined and said there's no prolapse so very unlikely. Constipation after major surgery is common. Get an appointment with a pelvic floor physiotherapist who can do an internal exam and set your mind at ease, and definitely keep trying to find the right treatment for the constipation. You might need higher dose softeners and maybe enemas in the mean time.
Marina_Dee jordan78451
Posted
totally agree with Jess.