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Hi everyone, Im back! I had my first surgery on December 20th. Scary but glad my husband was able to be there with me. Doctor had to re-cut my rectum, because he had said that my fistula had went right through my rectum ;( and that I bleed a lot but will heal great. My recovery was going well and I felt fine, a bit sore and uncomfortable while sitting and walking, but all in all, it wasn't as bad as after giving birth. Well about a month later, I started hurting and a stinging feeling on the right of my perineum. Well I had mentioned this to my doctor and he had replied that it may be a infected stitch in side. (When I had gotten a closer look, it was like a huge bump inside me kinda poking out) Well went to my next appointment and he said it will probably make its own path (pretty much tear a little whole through my body/skin) well it did, and it was draining infection type pus ;( gross I know, but all of  us on here are dealing with something that is so embarrassing and most of your friends and family have no clue about it. Anyways I was feeling gas pass through that little draining hole (that was supposed to be an infected stitch) and I also could see a little bit of what looked like to me was Feces coming out of the same drainage hole. (to remind you, I am all stitched up (perineum and rectum))  I had mentioned this to my doctor and he said that it is just an infected stitch (pretty much didn't want to listen to me.) Well I came in again and he had numbed me around the drainage area (which was horrible, I could feel the needle and all inside me ;( ) He was numbing me so that he could make a little slit where my drainage hole was so that it would help drain more quicker. Left that day numb and was released to go home (I live in Japan with my husband who is in the Military) And my surgery was in Louisiana)  Well the next day my doctors nurse had called me and said that Dr. C had called her 4 am and told her he couldn't sleep and that eh was concerned with me and didn't want me to leave yet, that he wanted to do another surgery on me. So my 2nd surgery was on Feb 28th, he now had stitched that area closed and the made a slit through my perineum side ways and had put some gauze to kinda keep the area open and let it drain the infection pus out. Once the gauze fell out, my perineum started closing back up (remind you this was only a little part of my perineum that was open, the rest has already healed closed from the 1st surgery) It was looking great :), even though I still felt that there were feces coming out of that area, but just thought I was loosing it from all of this hell that I was going trough. Finally got the ok to go home and came back here to japan and felt fine. Then one day I had passed some soft stool and started stinging (which the stinging was from my skin that wasn't healed all the way and was still very fresh) so I went and checked with a mirror and flash light, well I saw a bit of brown by my little area that wasnt all  the way healed just yet. And I got a q-tip and dabbed it and looked at it closely and smelt it, well it was feces ;( and I still felt gas pass through there as well ;( I dealt with it for about 2 in half weeks and finally emailed my doctor and asked him what he thought it was. He said it is probably another fistula hole ;( I am just so frustrated about this. (my doctor is the one who actually wrote the medical book on Recto-vaginal Fistulas, and he I was going for my 3rd surgery ;( so sad. I don't blame him for doing something wrong because not every doctor is perfect, but am so bummed about it again.  My husband and I wanted to try for another baby when our first was about 6 months, and due to all of this RVF we arn't able ;( and it is very upsetting. Not only do I have that area that is still draining infection pus and stool and gas, when I do pass a regular bowl movement, I still have extra that seeps out later, so it is like I didn't even wipe the first time :( I had someone email from my first reply and we are now friends and talk all the time, its nice (but sad) at the same time to have someone you can relate to about this very embarrassing problem that we are dealing with. ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use

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I have put my email on here plenty of times!? How else are we supposed to talk back in fourth about similar issues????????????
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I am looking to have a repair. I want to have another baby before i do though, being that they say you should only have a c-section after you have a repair. I found two doctors in georgia who have a very high success rate! Dr. Miklos and Dr. Robert D. Moore. if anyone wants to look into them or if anyone has used them PLEASE PLEASE let me know! its so horrible to live with this and even harder that NO ONE around me understands:(

 

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As many of the women here, I have had an RVF for nearly 17 years. It's painful and very embarrassing. I sometimes felt as if I were the only one. I have had seven surgeries and a Colostomy, but I had it removed. I got it during child birth I'm 4ft 11in tall and when I became pregnant only weighed 94 lbs, my daughter weighed 8lbs and for me that was a large child. I have suffered many issues from this and it totally turned my life upside down. I went through a surgery also where the cut my labia on the left side in half and tried to insert it over the whole to repair it also.

I strongly advise against that. Not only did it fail but, now I have severe pain on the left side of my lady parts. To top it off I have IBS and have to take 9 to 12 anti diarreha pills a day. Some days I can't even leave the house. I have gotten gang green and had to have an IV at home and hook it to myself every 3 hours it is just plain miserable.

I hate to hear of all you ladies with this issue but, it's nice to hear others speak out loud about it. I feel like I have no one to talk to about the issue. My husband is very understanding and so is my family and friends, but unless you have the problem I don't think they just FULLY understand what you go through. I just hope and pray that my daughters don't go through the same problem when they have children.

Maybe one day the will figure out a way to prevent or actually correctly repair this apparent epidemic. 

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IAM REETA BHUJEL I AHVE DONE RECTO VIGINAL FESTULA SUERGERY 5 TIMES BUT NOW IAM WELL N FINE , SO I HAVE 1 PROBLAME IN MY MENTURATION CYCLE , IT HAPPEND  LIKE I GOT MENTURATION LIKE THICK BLACE BLOOT LIKE 3 OR 6 DAYS AND IT LOST,FOR 5OR 6 DAYS AND AGAIN IT COUNTINUED LIKE NORMAL BLEEDING TILL 20 OR 23 DAYS , SO I HAVE BEEN TAKEING NITHING LIKE PILLS , SO I WANT BABY BUT IT NEVER SUCCEDED . SO I WANT TO KNOW DO I HAVE MORE BABY AGAIN ?

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Not being a woman but observing the birth of all four of my children I find extremely odd that the physician who delivered your children did not perform an episotomy: a 45 degree angle cut from the bottom of the birth canal to avoid tearing.  However, I would suggest seeing a recto-gastrorologist who specializes in anal fissures and fistulae.  In women the uterus and the rectum are quite near to each other physically.  You may even find two physicians who back up one another: recto- and gyno-.  You may also avoid male gynocologists.  About 20 years ago I had an anal fissure repaired by a general surgeon.  Bad idea!  I have never experienced more pain with anything in my life!  Get the specialist.  Last March I had my 11th baack surgery that was to repair my 10th back surgery!  I consulted specialists so a neuro-surgeon went in first to clean up the scar tissue and the broken fusion.  The orthopedic surgeon went in to install a fusion that will be around for perhaps 100,000 years!  Since it is you very personal areas get the specialist!  Good luck.
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this has been a very difficult condition to deal with . Im only 25 and have been dealing with a rvf since the age of 21. i feel like i cant have a normal social life , im in college and havent tols any friends because its just too weird. I got pregnant young and my son is five now, sometimes i feel depressed and stressed. i have already had about 4 different surgeries and they all seem to keep failing . doctors have tried stitiching the hole/passage leading to the rectum, i got one attempted surgery with the bio plug method another with the advancement flap ...and i dont know what to do . i want to live a normal LIFE. im not sure why the surgery's keep failing me , but because i have to keep going back for another surgery im unable to proceed in life with somethings that make me happy , it brings my mood down ALOT. i just dont know what to do . i want to know if there is any suggestions on what i can do in the future to prevent a fall through after surgery aside from the usual stool softners, anti biotic (metro) and taking things easy as far as not lifting anything etc....but as long as i have no clue why the surgery isnt working i feel hopeless . PLEASE HELP :(

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wow i have been searching for someone who can relate to me for some time now my name is mandy i am 23 years old and i gave birth to my first child a beautiful baby girl march 10 of 2011 she weighed 7 15 it was a easy delivery which is why i cant seem to understand why i am having these problems i also have a RVF we discovered it 7 days after coming home from the hospital with my daughter .I had a surgery on the 18 of march to try and repair it it worked for a couple of weeks then broke through :( saddend by this i went back to the same doc that had dilivered my baby and she then did another surgery it failed as well she told me that maybe i needed to go see someone who worked in this field which i think they should have sent me to someone who had delt with this same kinda thing before .Now i will never know if would have worked the 1rst time or not i had another surgery the 26th of July and it has also failed i feel like im never gonna be fixed ive about lost hope and all patience for my problem i feel really bad most the time my daughter is now 5 months old and i feel like i have missed out on so much already because im either depressed or not feeling well i also have went to a lawyer about mal practice because the doc that delivered my child had no buissness messing or doing my surgery on my RVF they should have sent me some were and i might could have already been healed now i will never know i also filed for disibilty because i cant go back to work with this problem i am to embarrassed and when air passes through the wrong way its loud and theres nothing i can do to stop it i have one friend that i talk to about this vicky is her name she has really been a help to me specially when im just having a bad day n need someone who can relate but like she and my doc has said you dont see many good storeys about people getting fixed from this simply because they dont come to these sights or get involved after they are fixed they try and live a normal life once again withought trying to worrie over this .Anyways im sure glad i found more woman just like me most sights they have chrons and more things that resulted to the RVF my was simply giving birth i hope everyone heals well and can get better from this i dont know what my next step is but i hope its the last one

THANKS MANDY
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wow i have been searching for someone who can relate to me for some time now my name is mandy i am 23 years old and i gave birth to my first child a beautiful baby girl march 10 of 2011 she weighed 7 15 it was a easy delivery which is why i cant seem to understand why i am having these problems i also have a RVF we discovered it 7 days after coming home from the hospital with my daughter .I had a surgery on the 18 of march to try and repair it it worked for a couple of weeks then broke through :( saddend by this i went back to the same doc that had dilivered my baby and she then did another surgery it failed as well she told me that maybe i needed to go see someone who worked in this field which i think they should have sent me to someone who had delt with this same kinda thing before .Now i will never know if would have worked the 1rst time or not i had another surgery the 26th of July and it has also failed i feel like im never gonna be fixed ive about lost hope and all patience for my problem i feel really bad most the time my daughter is now 5 months old and i feel like i have missed out on so much already because im either depressed or not feeling well i also have went to a lawyer about mal practice because the doc that delivered my child had no buissness messing or doing my surgery on my RVF they should have sent me some were and i might could have already been healed now i will never know i also filed for disibilty because i cant go back to work with this problem i am to embarrassed and when air passes through the wrong way its loud and theres nothing i can do to stop it i have one friend that i talk to about this vicky is her name she has really been a help to me specially when im just having a bad day n need someone who can relate but like she and my doc has said you dont see many good storeys about people getting fixed from this simply because they dont come to these sights or get involved after they are fixed they try and live a normal life once again withought trying to worrie over this .Anyways im sure glad i found more woman just like me most sights they have chrons and more things that resulted to the RVF my was simply giving birth i hope everyone heals well and can get better from this i dont know what my next step is but i hope its the last one

THANKS MANDY
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NEWMOMMY2011 wrote:

guest wrote:

I developed a RVF within a week of the birth of my son in April 2008.  The surgeon I was referred to said to wait to see if it healed on it's own.  So we waited 6 months - it healed all but the size of a pencil eraser.  In Sept 2008 he performed surgery using a "plug" made of skin.  It seemed to take - my follow up appointments went well - but by Feb of 2009 the gas started again and when I had soft stool it passed through.  When I went back in all I was told is "that sometimes happens and we can try it again".  Now who wants to hear that after paying $10,000 in bills and feeling like I went through labor again.  My son is now 3.  I can probably count on both hands the number of times that my husband and I have had intercourse since this all started.  He is loosing patience with my lack of desire and mood swings.  He just doesn't seem to understand.  If sex actually felt good I might do it but it either has no feeling or hurts.  Last year at my annual my OB said that it wouldn't affect a future pregnancy but he would definately suggest a c-section.  He didn't think that they would be able to do another repair at that time - so that means 2 surgeries!  I think that I would like to have another child, but am terrified of the thought of going through all this again. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a repair then had a natural birth or c-section and did you have problems the 2nd time around.  I live in Central Illinois and am not very satisfied with the surgeon I went to the first time.  If you are from the Peoria-Bloomington area could you let me know who your doctor was.  The male doctors just don't seem to have a lot of sympathy or understanding.  I'm considering going to a female for a second opinion.


wow i have been searching for someone who can relate to me for some time now my name is mandy i am 23 years old and i gave birth to my first child a beautiful baby girl march 10 of 2011 she weighed 7 15 it was a easy delivery which is why i cant seem to understand why i am having these problems i also have a RVF we discovered it 7 days after coming home from the hospital with my daughter .I had a surgery on the 18 of march to try and repair it it worked for a couple of weeks then broke through :( saddend by this i went back to the same doc that had dilivered my baby and she then did another surgery it failed as well she told me that maybe i needed to go see someone who worked in this field which i think they should have sent me to someone who had delt with this same kinda thing before .Now i will never know if would have worked the 1rst time or not i had another surgery the 26th of July and it has also failed i feel like im never gonna be fixed ive about lost hope and all patience for my problem i feel really bad most the time my daughter is now 5 months old and i feel like i have missed out on so much already because im either depressed or not feeling well i also have went to a lawyer about mal practice because the doc that delivered my child had no buissness messing or doing my surgery on my RVF they should have sent me some were and i might could have already been healed now i will never know i also filed for disibilty because i cant go back to work with this problem i am to embarrassed and when air passes through the wrong way its loud and theres nothing i can do to stop it i have one friend that i talk to about this vicky is her name she has really been a help to me specially when im just having a bad day n need someone who can relate but like she and my doc has said you dont see many good storeys about people getting fixed from this simply because they dont come to these sights or get involved after they are fixed they try and live a normal life once again withought trying to worrie over this .Anyways im sure glad i found more woman just like me most sights they have chrons and more things that resulted to the RVF my was simply giving birth i hope everyone heals well and can get better from this i dont know what my next step is but i hope its the last one
THANKS MANDY

ok people i havent written in months had my martius flap fix done in oct of 2010 after 26 yrs and 4 children. well it is still successfull.... but still scarey everytime you get that feeling to have a bm. but so far it is all holding. My advise wait till you have had all your children.. then have the fix... each failed attempt will lower you chances of success. Go only to a colorectal surgeon NO ONE ELSE. make sure he a patient person and a kind person. and has experience... Good lord this is a difficult thing to deal with and i sympathize with all of you. Been there done that for 26 years... I most likley will not be logging in again as my life has taken on many other chaotic turns.... But I want people to have hope it can be fixed the 1st time. but be very selective about your dr. choice.... have hope even p to 3-4 weeks post op i had gas and stool come out ( much smaller amt than before) but it did finally heal.... Good luck to any and all
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HI! I am not sure whether everyone still reads this or not. BUT I am 4 months PP with a beautiful baby girl. I am very surprised by this forum. Simply because my doctors have completely played down this condition. Although my GYN/OB has said she has never experienced anything like this. My Gastrointerologist leads me to believe that it is "my babys fault" ..My daughter was 6.6lbs. There was a forceps delivery which is why I am where I am. I had a 4th degree tear. Although the next day..I had clear symptoms of RVF I believe there was just not proper sewing done. Makes me sad..I have been through hell after having my daughter...she is worth everything..it is just sad that I didn't get the experience that MOST people get...Next pregnant (my gosh I said it) will be a C-section. If anyone could email me back and let me know their story..it woul dbe nice to relate..in coping strategies...and legal assepects?? Thanks
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nancyl wrote:

NEWMOMMY2011 wrote:

guest wrote:

I developed a RVF within a week of the birth of my son in April 2008.  The surgeon I was referred to said to wait to see if it healed on it's own.  So we waited 6 months - it healed all but the size of a pencil eraser.  In Sept 2008 he performed surgery using a "plug" made of skin.  It seemed to take - my follow up appointments went well - but by Feb of 2009 the gas started again and when I had soft stool it passed through.  When I went back in all I was told is "that sometimes happens and we can try it again".  Now who wants to hear that after paying $10,000 in bills and feeling like I went through labor again.  My son is now 3.  I can probably count on both hands the number of times that my husband and I have had intercourse since this all started.  He is loosing patience with my lack of desire and mood swings.  He just doesn't seem to understand.  If sex actually felt good I might do it but it either has no feeling or hurts.  Last year at my annual my OB said that it wouldn't affect a future pregnancy but he would definately suggest a c-section.  He didn't think that they would be able to do another repair at that time - so that means 2 surgeries!  I think that I would like to have another child, but am terrified of the thought of going through all this again. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a repair then had a natural birth or c-section and did you have problems the 2nd time around.  I live in Central Illinois and am not very satisfied with the surgeon I went to the first time.  If you are from the Peoria-Bloomington area could you let me know who your doctor was.  The male doctors just don't seem to have a lot of sympathy or understanding.  I'm considering going to a female for a second opinion.


wow i have been searching for someone who can relate to me for some time now my name is mandy i am 23 years old and i gave birth to my first child a beautiful baby girl march 10 of 2011 she weighed 7 15 it was a easy delivery which is why i cant seem to understand why i am having these problems i also have a RVF we discovered it 7 days after coming home from the hospital with my daughter .I had a surgery on the 18 of march to try and repair it it worked for a couple of weeks then broke through :( saddend by this i went back to the same doc that had dilivered my baby and she then did another surgery it failed as well she told me that maybe i needed to go see someone who worked in this field which i think they should have sent me to someone who had delt with this same kinda thing before .Now i will never know if would have worked the 1rst time or not i had another surgery the 26th of July and it has also failed i feel like im never gonna be fixed ive about lost hope and all patience for my problem i feel really bad most the time my daughter is now 5 months old and i feel like i have missed out on so much already because im either depressed or not feeling well i also have went to a lawyer about mal practice because the doc that delivered my child had no buissness messing or doing my surgery on my RVF they should have sent me some were and i might could have already been healed now i will never know i also filed for disibilty because i cant go back to work with this problem i am to embarrassed and when air passes through the wrong way its loud and theres nothing i can do to stop it i have one friend that i talk to about this vicky is her name she has really been a help to me specially when im just having a bad day n need someone who can relate but like she and my doc has said you dont see many good storeys about people getting fixed from this simply because they dont come to these sights or get involved after they are fixed they try and live a normal life once again withought trying to worrie over this .Anyways im sure glad i found more woman just like me most sights they have chrons and more things that resulted to the RVF my was simply giving birth i hope everyone heals well and can get better from this i dont know what my next step is but i hope its the last one
THANKS MANDY

ok people i havent written in months had my martius flap fix done in oct of 2010 after 26 yrs and 4 children. well it is still successfull.... but still scarey everytime you get that feeling to have a bm. but so far it is all holding. My advise wait till you have had all your children.. then have the fix... each failed attempt will lower you chances of success. Go only to a colorectal surgeon NO ONE ELSE. make sure he a patient person and a kind person. and has experience... Good lord this is a difficult thing to deal with and i sympathize with all of you. Been there done that for 26 years... I most likley will not be logging in again as my life has taken on many other chaotic turns.... But I want people to have hope it can be fixed the 1st time. but be very selective about your dr. choice.... have hope even p to 3-4 weeks post op i had gas and stool come out ( much smaller amt than before) but it did finally heal.... Good luck to any and all

Hello There - I am in the same boat. My son is now 3 and I still don't have a earning to have sex either. It is sad. It hurts and I wince when we begin. It doesn't seem fair that this happened to us. I feel the same way. I think it brought on post partum and all I can think of is trying to do this again so i can see why everyone else enjoyed thier newborn. I felt so gross and non human...first of all my body was not the same as it was before, then to have this wierd thing happen. Just scary. I had a repair done 2 weeks after having my little guy. I still 3 yrs later can sense some air go through occationally and don't dare to investigate if stool is slipping through now and then. I think it is and quickly try to distract myself. I don't think I can mentally handle knowing this is still not right. It is good (sort of) to see we are not alone. 3 yrs ago I came on this sight and NOBODY was positive about thier outcome so I come on here now and then to let everyone know my surgury was 98% good and years later pretty good. A long way from where I was and it was absolutely like having another child going through that procedure. As if giving an awful birth was not enough, to have to go through this weeks later w/a newborn, etc. AAGH> I shuddered at the thought of having another child.
I have to say, i woudl 100% go c-section. I believe you put yourself at risk for trying to go naturally. Though I see people do that hear, i just don't see how that is a viable option....Good luck to everyone and it is so good to see so many women stickign together. Keep positive everyone!!!!!
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I acquired my RVF 10 years ago while giving birth to my son, and getting a 4th degree tear. I had 3 surgeries within 18 months, all of which failed. I honestly have NEVER met anybody else with this problem! Nobody else would understand not wanting to go anyplace because *ahem* air will pass vaginally, or a bowel urge cannot be controlled. Eight years ago we had our 3rd and last child, via C-section. I am having my 4th surgery on Thursday. New surgeon, different approach, and a lot of hope!! Only those of us who live this way can truly understand what it is like! I feel and empathize for all of you ladies....there are not very many of us, but we all understand how the other is suffering simply by saying RVF. I am taking time off from work for this surgery and have not even told anybody what surgery I am getting! Really, HOW do you explain this to most people? I just say "femal stuff" and everybody assumes I am getting a hysterectomy. LOL!
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Hello all,

I'm checking back in.  I've had another surgery and so far so good.  My 2nd surgery was Aug 19th 2011. It is now November 1st 2011 and no reoccurances so far - fingers crossed!! - maybe I'm fixed!!  I went to a different surgeon and he was very thorough.  He discussed the options with me and together we decided the best approach was a rectal advancement flap.  By no means was this a picnic.  I was very sore.  He went in through the rectum so i had a bruise the size of a dinner plate on my bottom.   He cut tissue inside my rectum and made a flap over the fisula.  Think of seperating the 2 layers of a kleenex then stretching one out and reattaching it.  I couldn't sit flat for 3 weeks.  But so far it seems to be working.  No gas, no stool.  I haven't tried sex yet but hopefully it will be more like before my delivery and won't hurt.  Best wishes to all who still live with this condition every day.  My best advice is if you have the resources (insurance benefits) and the support system to get this done I would say it is worth it.  After 3 years of embarrasment from passing gas in front of people with no control, staying home when you have an upset stomach and running "literly" to the bathroom when you get the urge to go.  I still smile and giggle inside when I pass gas and it comes out where it is supposed to.  Sounds kind of funny but I'm sure you ladies can relate.  Never thought that I would be so happy to be able to control normal bodily functions at 34 years old.  Best of luck to you all.  I'll check back in from time to time.

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hi ladies, i have only just found this discussion group and im not sure how old the messages are on here? sorry that you have suffered the injuries you have but there is a great fb group called 'living with obstetric fistula' we are not the only women struggling in the western world. i created a group on fb called 'living with a colostomy' for those of you who have had to have a stoma because of the fistula.  you are not alone.
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