Please help! PN symptoms after childbirth 5 months ago

[Jeanette]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the site and really hope you can share your experiences or offer me advice as feeling pretty down about it all at the moment.

I gave birth 5 months ago. It was a normal delivery which was traumatic as my baby had shoulder dystocia as she was 9 IB at birth. I have quite a slight frame and this wasnt picked up before birth. No instruments were used to deliver her but I had an episiotomy and two days after the birth these came away and the wound was left to heal on its own. About a month after I started feeling a strange sensation ike I was sitting on a golf ball and got electric shock type pains up my rectum. These feelings subsided then I got bubbling and tingling type sensations which have continued intermittentantly in my rectum. I also get itching when I walk more than 30 minutes. I went to see a gynacologist who dismissed me and said it was because I had stopped breastfeeding. Do you think the scar tissue from the episiotomy once it has healed has entrapped the nerve? I didnt get the pain straight after birth. I've been given Mirtazapine for nerve pain. I'm only 33. I'm worried I will have this forever. I have started to see a womens PT and she thinks it could be PN but said try that first. I live in England. Helpful for any advice.

[sadie]

Jeanette,
To begin, congratulations on the birth of your new baby daughter. How wonderful for you. I am so sorry that simultaneously you've had to deal with foreign body syndrome such as golf balls near your rectum, and electrical shocks and itching when you walk. I'm sorry the gynecologist dismissed you and blames this on the fact that you had stopped breastfeeding. It might be time for a new gynecologist??

I am a PN veteran of 10 years with no medical background, so I did not know what an episiotomy was. After researching it, it looks like there are three different cuts they could make for that procedure….so knowing which cut may be helpful. I usually end up suggesting to anyone that's new on the forum to get their medical records. It may help if you got them along with any imaging reports ( x-rays or mri's etc.) prior too , during pregnancy, and during the actual birth of your daughter, when the episiotomy was performed.

I read where some women, when pushing down on the pudendal nerve to give birth, have caused symptoms in line with pudendal neuropathy symptoms. Since the pudendal nerve is in charge of urination, defecation and sexual function, this maybe be why you are experiencing such symptoms in your rectum. Personally I would take all of your records to a pudendal nerve knowledgeable gynecologist. Or, if there is a pudendal nerve specialist in your area you may want to start there instead.

I have attached a link below from this forum for doctors in the UK.
(http://www.pudendalhope.info/node/57#UK )

I am glad you are seeing a physical therapist as you need an accurate diagnosis. You wrote in your last line in your post that she said, "she thinks it could be PN but said try that first." What is she suggesting you try first?

On the top right of the page there is a search bar. If you put in the word “England or the UK”, you may find others in your area suffering from the same, and you can send them a private message via the Forum. The good news is the earlier you address any neuropathy the better your chances are of obtaining some sort of relief . You are catching this early and you seem proactive and I hope you stay positive, and get only positive results. I'm wishing you and your new daughter all of the best. Be careful in this age of the Corona virus. Sincerely Sadie

[Maryslittlelamb]

Hi Jeanette,

Did this ever improve for you? I am going through the same thing right now. I just had a baby 4 months ago. Your story is almost identical to mine!

Marie

[sadie]

Marie
I did not want u to think you were not heard if Jeanette ...does not get back to you because her post is 4 years ago.
I too wish more people would come back and give us updates. Wendy from over a decade ago got pgad after child birth too it's more common then is reported ...some times it resolves over time and sometimes Lexapro 10mg a day can help derail those signals. There are so many on this site that are more knowledgeable about these things but I can't image a new born and the miracle of it all ...but coupled w pgad ...so I had to write you to say I hope J gets back to you and you may want to send a PM to her. GOD BLESS U AN YOURS ... SADIE

[Maryslittlelamb]

Thank you I really hope so too!! It would mean so much to me.

[sadie]

Hi M ... do u know how to direct message her? You need to send her a PM (private message) .. good luck xoxo SADIE

[Maryslittlelamb]

Hi M ... do u know how to direct message her? You need to send her a PM (private message) .. good luck xoxo SADIE

Yeah thanks I did that!