recto-vaginal fistula due to childbirth with continuing issues after 9 years

I'm now almost 5 months post surgery and fingers crossed - no problems!!  Hooray:-D   Haven't tried intercourse yet.  Don't have any desire or libido.  I think that is from depression i've been fighting since my little guy was born.  My husband wants sex and another baby but he doesn't seem to understand that I just got myself back.  I'm not what I was before but it's as close as I'm going to get.  Best of luck to all who are  still fighting the battle.

I just had a gracilia flap repair about 4 weeks ago and am curious, did you have any symptoms that your flap repair was not working?

I had a gracillis transposition in April 2011 and it worked in that it closed the fistula it was meant to close but the muscle separated from tissue and formed another very tiny fistula that I'm now getting repaired. I've been at this for almost three years and just had my 5th surgery....still have a colostomy that will need removed too. No one understands how morbid it feels to have a RVF.

have you considered surgery? I suffered with mine for about 8 years bc i was to embarrased to see a doctor and when i finally did the first doctor was an id**t... so when i saw a second dr he found the problem the opening... and sent me to my county hospital... usc county in los angeles gave me back my life!

Hello I was wondering if you had a ileostomy or colostomy while being fixed of your RVF? Did you have any other procedure done, like a Sphincteroplasty or it was just RVF?

How did your vaginal birth after rvfistula went? I would like to have a vaginal birth, I just had one baby and I am devastated that due to my rvf caused by my first birth I am not going to be able to deliver vaginally again.

Hello, so sorry that you are still dealing with this. I have a question. Did you have an ileostomy from the begining of the surgeries? Did you keep developing fistulas over and over with the surgeries?

Thanks so much for posting. I'm having a repair on tues and I'm terrified and your words made me cry, but mostly out of hope. Thank you

My MD wants to see me in a month to see if the fistula is closed if not then I will have another attempt with a mucosal flap. I am already wearing an ileostomy bag. I am thinking of stoping breastfeeding because I am constantly tired and I have dehydration symptoms and it feels bad. Hope your repair goes well please keep me posted! Last thing we loose is hope. Have faith and be positive. Positive thinking attracts positive things. God Bless you in your journey. Surprised

Hi All. I've been reading all your posts regarding RVF. Surprised there's so many of us. I had my daughter 5 months ago, a few days after the delivery i began to notice faeces sticking on the maternity pad. At first, I'm not quite sure what is happening, been having same problem after BM for the next three months, then i had a terrible diarrhea, at that time i'm sure there must be a hole somewhere down there. Went back to my gynae, she confirms it - there is about a half cm opening on the thin tissue between vagina and rectum. She directed me to a surgeon, the surgeon suggested a surgery to repair it but when i'm physically and emotionally ready to go ahead with the surgery, he called to say that he's postponing the surgery coz there's a possibility of the RVF healing on its own with antibiotics, so here i am on my 3rd day of antibiotics. Is there a possibility of the RVF healing/closing on its own with antibiotics? I'm seriously hoping it would.

 

hi. i have been dealing with mine for eight painful years. i have had 5 surgerys all failed. its so embarrasing, it makes it hard to work and even go out. i have had accidents in public before and thought i was going to die. i had no idea any one else had this problem. i thought i was alone. did you ever have surgery?? has it got any worse??

Hi,

Just wanted to pass along a support group that is on Facebook for people with RFV. It is very helpful and imformative. Everyone there is so supportive and the admins are great!

It is also a private group. No one on your Facebook list can see that you join or see anything you write int he group.

Did your surgery end up working? I had a bad delivery and a 4th degree tear I'm just over a week out of surgery and am having those issues I'm scared that my surgery has not work! I went to my dr with this issue and he looked and did not think anything is wrong so basically saying wait till I heal at my 6 week check up!

 

Well I think he got the fistula, but I really dont know since I have an ileostomy, so I have to wait for the reversal to really know for sure. I am scared too that it might not work. But if I have waited this long, you know. He says it looks great and healed. It certainly feels good! I am so excited! Its just a relieve to go back to normal and be myself. I would say be patient and try to keep the area as clean as possible. Doctor let me do at least 3 sitz bath per day. I used herbs in my sitz bath this are great and take the swelling

***Post is edited by moderator *** Web addresses not allowed***Please read our Terms of Use

. With my RVF he didnt get it on the first shot, and I went for a second outpatient surgery. Sitz baths are great, they feel good and if they are warm they improve circulation in that tissue that is healing. I also went to a Pelvic Floor physical therapist that performed cold laser therapy with an ml830 device, that help greatly with the healing of those tissues and up to 5 cm internally. That area takes a long time to heal and cold therapy, has helped inmensely. I also used Golden Salve from equinox botanicals it really works I hope your surgery heals well, have faith, remember healing starts from the inside out. How is your baby doing? Do you have help at home? Hugs mama, hang in there!