YOU CAN NOT HAVE ANOTHER VAGINAL DELIVERY! YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE A C-SECTION! TRUST ME!
No, you should not get pregnant now. Your symptoms will just get worse and the doctors will not be able to do anything for you if you are pregnant. You need to go to an OBGYN, find a woman they understand things better and are easier to talk to, then no matter what she says insist on going to a colon-rectal doctor. Take it from someone who has been there.
You go for it! I was only a teenager when I had my RVF. My grandmother tried to make my parents sue but they owned a business in the small town where I lived and they did not want the bad "press". I am still VERY angry at my parents for this and that was over 10 years ago. I wish I would have taken the steps on my own, but I was only 16. I wish to God I could do something about it now! Because of that one stupid doctor I have been miserable for years and will continue to not have the quality of life I should be having at 27 years old. So you go for it and keep on and on till you win. Trust me, it will be well worth the time and effort because you may have a life time to deal with what that doctor did to you. GOOD LUCK!
I just ran across this board when I googled recto vaginal fistula. I have a recto vaginal fistula as well. I gave birth back last year and had a 4th degree tear. I didn't know it was that bad till I passed stool thru my vagina four mo's later after giving birth. I called my ob/gyn and told them about it and they just thought I needed to do some kegals to strengthen the muscles in my vagina. That went on for a few more months and then finally my ob did a re-constructive surgery to correct it. It didn't work, so I went and got a second opinion and he refered me to a colon-rectal surgon. He could not find anything wrong, he even did a colonoscopy to check for crohn's disease and diverticulitis and I got the reports back saying I was clear. So off to get a 3rd opinion, and I'm still working with this Dr. but he did refer me back to another colon rectal specialist. Recto vaginal fistulas are rare from what I hear from my Dr. He informed me that I may be a part of a study on this issue. When I'm on my period I pass the blood thru my rectum, it is very frustrating.
Gogirao,
How was your 6 week visit. You are the first person that I came across in these discussions who went with the gynecologist for fixing your fistula and not with a colo rectal surgeon ? I am interested in finding out why and the results ? I do wish for your recovery.
How was your 6 week visit. You are the first person that I came across in these discussions who went with the gynecologist for fixing your fistula and not with a colo rectal surgeon ? I am interested in finding out why and the results ? I do wish for your recovery.
Hi everyone I wish I found this site 2 years ago. My son was born 1/05 right at 10 pounds. 4th degree epi. The minute I went home I knew something was wrong when I went to my ob who didnt deliver my son she said I had the biggest rvf she has ever seen 3cm. She told me a urogynocologist was the best choice not a colorectal. A lot of doctor friends told me the same thing. I went to the best in Dallas. It was hell what I went through to get it fixed. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. Before any tissue can be repaired it has to be really clean no stool in the vagina tissue at all. I was put under 3 times a day so my doctor could do hard core cleaning down there so the tissue could be good for surgery. I had a rectal tube in me that way nothing could go through the fistula so the tissue could be kept clean. After 2 weeks the tissue was ready for surgery. My dr told me that the reason to do it like this is so it wouldnt break down. After almost 2 years now Im doing good. only 1 surgey . Sex is still scary to me it is not the same. I think it is mental. Nobody knows how it really affects you. Every thing is more sensitive down there and we have to use a lot of Ky now. If anyone ever wants to talk please email me _[removed]_ I know how hard it is Veronica
Thanks for checking !!!
It has been 4 months now and no symptoms. It is still scary.
Stopped taking the stool softener few days back. Now I am not on any medication and also not on any restricted diet. I lift my daughter how much ever I want :-).I am going through physical therapy to strengthen my pelvic floor and remove the scar tissue.I have been okayed for intercourse but I am not ready mentally.
I have doctor's checkup coming up on Dec 21st [after 10 sessions of physical therapy]. Doctor said that there is less than 0.5% chance of it coming back now that I do not have the symptoms
As far as why I went with UroGyn... not sure. JUst a gut feel. I thought about going to colorectal but then just stuck with what my OBGYN recommended. I trusted their ability and I knew they had done a fourth degree repair for the fourth degree tear
Let me know if any of you have any questions
It has been 4 months now and no symptoms. It is still scary.
Stopped taking the stool softener few days back. Now I am not on any medication and also not on any restricted diet. I lift my daughter how much ever I want :-).I am going through physical therapy to strengthen my pelvic floor and remove the scar tissue.I have been okayed for intercourse but I am not ready mentally.
I have doctor's checkup coming up on Dec 21st [after 10 sessions of physical therapy]. Doctor said that there is less than 0.5% chance of it coming back now that I do not have the symptoms
As far as why I went with UroGyn... not sure. JUst a gut feel. I thought about going to colorectal but then just stuck with what my OBGYN recommended. I trusted their ability and I knew they had done a fourth degree repair for the fourth degree tear
Let me know if any of you have any questions
I have been reading all of these posts and they seem very old so I hope someone can respond to mine. I had my baby a year ago. I had a 3rd degree tear. After that I had fecal incontinence and kept getting vaginal e. coli from stool in the vagina. I thought it was a fistula but a barium enima proved otherwise. I did have the incontinence and was finding it difficult to control my bowel movements. I would have one a day but it was like when I had to go I had about 5 mins max to get to the toilet! So I saw a colo-rectal surgeon and he said it was repairable. I had the surgery one month ago. During surgery he repaired scar tissue and opened my episiotemy b/c there was a lot of tissue damage and he repaired that too. I have not had any more problems with fecal incontinence but now I am passing gas (no stool that I can tell of) through my vagina. He says that is a sure sign of a RVF. I cannot pass gas through my behind, only my vagina, and I am now having a bm like 3-4 times a day. I don't know what to do. He said I should wait until everything heals to see if the fistula will go away or heal itself. I am scared to death. I am already getting a UTI and have vaginal pain/discomfort. Can I lead a normal life if my fistula is small with only gas? I don't think I have stool but of course it can get bigger later. Has anyone heard of a fistula going away?? I'm not sure that I want to have surgery again but I want to be able to have sex with my husband.
I had corrective surgery for fecal incontinence. This was a result of my baby who was 9 lbs. I had a 3rd degree episiotemy and then started having recurrent vaginal e. coli. I thought it was from the stool coming out of my anus and going into my vagina. So, I found a colorectal surgeon who repaired the sphincter and at the same time repaired the damaged tissue by reopening the episiotemy. Now I am only able to pass gas through the vagina. He said it is a sure sign of a RVF. What should I do? He said I can't have corrective surgery for that until a few months when everything is healed. He seems to think that the fistual might repair itself since he thinks it may be small since I haven't noticed actual stool passing in my vagina. Has anyone heard of fistula going away on it's own? I already have a couple of UTI's and I'm a month out of the surgery. I don't mind (I can tolerate) the gas through the vagina since I don't have any leaky stool. I just want to know if I can have sex with a fistula if it's not LARGE. I don't know what to do. Advice???
Anyone reading can disregard my two previous posts. I now have stool passing through my vagina. I have decided that I will try to deal with it until summer. Can anyone advise me on how to do this?
Did you talk to your obgyn ? what did they recommend ? Do you know whether rvf is from your episiotomy ? some of us in this forum have had successful rvf repairs. what i have heard is that the hole doesn't get bigger but check with your doctor. Do you want info on how to go about getting it fixed or what to do till you get it fixed ?
I had surgery to repair my torn sphincter and my doc also tried to repair the vaginal wall. A couple of weeks later my fistula showed up. I spoke to the doctor again and now I am going to see a urogyno who does lots of fistula repairs. I have my appt. on Wednesday to have an exam and try to find out the size of my fistula.
I am wondering what people do to stay clean?
Has anyone heard of Cipro helping close the fistula?
For those who have had theirs repaired, what is the likelyhood of it reappearing? Once it is closed is it forever closed???
Thanks.
I am wondering what people do to stay clean?
Has anyone heard of Cipro helping close the fistula?
For those who have had theirs repaired, what is the likelyhood of it reappearing? Once it is closed is it forever closed???
Thanks.
I found out 2 years ago I have a very small fistula but no doctor has been able to find it despite the numerous tests. Now I have just found out I am pregnant, anyone know if I need to worry about bacteria getting up to my baby? I passed very small feces in the past but have not for some time, however I am still worried. I thought I heard one doctor mention some sort of plug? Any ideas? Is my baby naturally protected?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I have a recto-vaginal fistula found about 2 years ago and no dr. has determined why I have it. I've never had a child, I don't have crones disease or cancer or any other normal cause for a fistula despite all the tests the dr's have no idea what to do with me.
Well I just found out I am pregnant, do I need to worry about bacteria coming up to harm my baby? I heard once about some sort of plug they put up there to keep things from getting to the fetus?
Anyone ever hear this?
Its so frustrating none of the dr's seem to agree and no one can figure out why I have this.
Please Help!
Well I just found out I am pregnant, do I need to worry about bacteria coming up to harm my baby? I heard once about some sort of plug they put up there to keep things from getting to the fetus?
Anyone ever hear this?
Its so frustrating none of the dr's seem to agree and no one can figure out why I have this.
Please Help!
I have no idea about it harming the fetus. Has your doctor said anything? I thought that the plug was only for anal fistulas but I'm not for sure.
What symptoms are you getting from your fistula?
One doctor told me that because I have all the symptoms of a RVF (vaginal gas and stool passing through the vagina) they do not need to do tests to find it. He said that when they open me up to do the repair the fistula will present itself. I don't know how accurate this is but I'm going to see a doctor at UCLA tomorrow. His name is Shlomo Raz and he is supposed to be excellent at RVF repairs. Where do you live?
What symptoms are you getting from your fistula?
One doctor told me that because I have all the symptoms of a RVF (vaginal gas and stool passing through the vagina) they do not need to do tests to find it. He said that when they open me up to do the repair the fistula will present itself. I don't know how accurate this is but I'm going to see a doctor at UCLA tomorrow. His name is Shlomo Raz and he is supposed to be excellent at RVF repairs. Where do you live?