Anyone had vaginal prolapse or anal fissure? ( yes I am lucky enough to have both)

Most of this is TMI- you've been warned!

So, I saw my obstetrician yesterday for 6 week checkup and she confirmed I have an anterior vaginal prolapse, which I sort of knew as 1) if could feel the dragging sensation and 2) I could see it with a hand mirror- nice!!. Feels worse if i lift heavy things during the day. Anyway, she has given me vaginal oestrogen pessaries to strenghthen the wall and I will go back in 2 months, if it isn't better I will get a pessary which is a ring thing to put inside and hold everything up. She said after you finish BFing it gets better as the hormones improve, and a friend of mine who had similar and has just weaned said hers has improved. Haven't DTD yet but apparently it is ok nad it helps. A bit worried about it being painful but weill give it a go now the heat wave is finished lol.

As if that wasn't enough, last night on the toilet I nearly passed out while doing a bowel motion- it felt like my arse was splitting open. I had haemrrhoids at the end of my pregnancy and postnatally but they had improved until about a week ago. I was going every day but my bowel motions were massive and hard ( disgusting I know) and really hurt to pass, then I started getting a bit of bleeding and now apparently I have an anal fissure. My GP referred my to a surgeon to discuss what I can do. I had been taking metamucil but needed a stool softener, I really wish I had got onto it earlier, now i am too scared ot go again. I was in pain last night afterwards and crying as I was tired and worried about it. There was a lot of blood!

So, anyone had either of these issues and how were they managed??

No, but just wanted to give :hug: of support. Hope it improves for you.

Yes, I had both. Vagina improved hugely with oestrogen and even better when periods returned after we stopped breast feeding. Still a bit prolapse now but it doesn't bother me. Re anal fissure (omg that hurts!) I saw a surgeon and had a very brief (ie 15 min) op to have the fissure excised. Immediate improvement. That was a while back, though, I think they treat them with Botox now.

Cool thanks, I think a friend of mine had the botox treatment, will email her for details.

I had a fissure. Took six months to heal. Didn't have surgery or injections though. Awful.

Huge hugs.

Ive had a fissure post birth twice and know it all very well, its hell on top of having a bub. Your day revolves around fear of going to the loo, which makes it worse :(

Surgery/cutting the muscle runs a risk of incontinence later. Medication and breastfeeding isnt the best - apparently the drug they use can give babies headaches? But the biggest, best things you can do for it is to increase your water intake LOTS as well as easily digestible fibre. Not 'rough' or scratchy fibre boosted breads etc. psyllium and coconut oil are great sources of good fibre. Lots of fruit and veg - change your diet. Caffeine dehydrates you so watch that!

Read this for more detail as I am one handed lol.

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/post-n...and-new-mother

I also had/have an anal fissure, I had very bad constipation during pg, and was on 4 coloxyl plus lactulose every day towards the end, but I'm pretty sure the fissure was there then, along with the haemorrhoids. Afterwards, I got down to 2 coloxyl, but my stools were painful to pass even though I went every day and they were really soft. My GP wanted me to get off the coloxyl, and use movicol for a while instead. I started with 3 sachets of movicol, and have been able to stop the coloxyl and go to 2 sachets only. But again, I'm finding that my bottom is really sore for hours and hours after a bowel motion, and although I haven't bled for a while, the pain isn't improving much.

My GP said to me that if I'm still struggling with it, she'll refer me to a surgeon. I don't understand how cutting out a fissure can improve things - surely that's just a bigger cut??

It is a cut in the muscle to force it to relax. Hence incontinence risk!

Kelly, you sound like you might be quite anti-surgery for this - has the technique been around long? Do you (or others) know what the risks are for continence? And do you know much about the botox, mentioned by other posters above, and how that works?

I had a fissure post birth with DD. my OB gave me a script for some cream that I didn't need in the end as it resolved at about 7 weeks. I remember taking at least half an hour to pass a motion, all the while thinking I should napping while the baby sleeps, not sweating it out on the loo!!! I ate lots of prunes and drank heaps of water.
Hope both issues resolve for you as quickly as possible.

I had a bladder prolapse, I had mesh inserted late 2011 to hold the wall back plus the anterior wall stitched to pull it up also.

Dont have a problem with people who want to go down that route at all. But any risk of anal incontinence is too much for me!!!

I had an anal fissure. Felt like pooping glass!! It mustn't. Have been that bad though as there was never talk of surgery! I got some numbing cream in prescription from Gp and I think I even used a lot of nappy rash cream as well. Horrible horrible thing to have! I also seem to remember they said not to use Metamucil cause it bulks the stool up and the bulkier it is the more it hurts. Do lots of water and natural fibers. It took months to heal as well.

Did they refer you to a physio for the prolapse? They will take you through the various pelvic floor exercises and ensure you are doing them correctly. Prolapse can actually improve a lot with time and exercise.

Surgery is usually last resort so they dont always mention it due to risks. Zinc is a good healer as is arnica - both things to try. Anusol make zinc suppositories which help with the motions.

Yeah I have anusol cream, re diet I managed it badly as was taking metamucil and eating high fibre diet but not drinking enough water ( thought I was, but obviously not) and not taking stool softeners. I don't drink coffee but have 3 cups of tea a day. Will see what happens, appt with specialist not for another week. Not looking forward to today's poo, I think my body has gone into shock as no hint of needing to go yet.Its like giving birth all over again, works up a sweat!

In regards to prolapse yes have an appt with a physio who specialises in post natal pelvic floor issues. Not too stressed about the prolapse as its early days.

Thanks everyone!

2cheekymonkeys- I was told by both my GP and obstetrician to keep taking metamucil but what you said makes sense so I might trial not taking it for a few days.

Pholi- will research botox and let you know

My Mum had a prolapse of everything downstairs. She was only in her 20's at the time and was after baby #3. She had my bro and sis 14months apart and they think that contributed. She had hammocks put in which helped but they have since fallen out, although not as bad as they were back then. It lasted about 15yrs and she is now 42 (well in a few days)

Cant have botox while breastfeeding.

even in your bum? Didn't know that thanks x

I *could* be wrong. But I am pretty sure they don't allow it due to it being a toxin. COULD be wrong. I haven't read up in a while!

Eeks! 20% chance of incontinence with that too. Also I read this on a fissures forum, others agreed :o

"Did you feel any difference since the Botox. I found after Botox that I couldn't hold gas in even if I tried so I knew it was working haha!"

Saffy, maybe run it by your Gp first before cutting it out altogether. Or maybe just cut it back by half of what your already taking or every second day etc. I think there is a balance you need to find between becoming constipated and your stools being too bulky. Prunes are always good to get things moving. Also the cream I got was by prescription so maybe there is a different cream you can try. I think mine was called xylocaine or something like that. And slather with zinc cream/ nappy rash before you go number two.

You poor love!
Anal fissure here too, quite minor (although I FREAKED out when I saw that blood!) but keeps recurring when I get slack with my diet :(
Hope things improve rapidly for you. x

I was given script for anusol to numb everything. Mine occurred because I was in meds that fave me the runs really badly all the time. All the loo trips caused it! So make sure you find a balance to get sift but not too soft or acidic or it will make it worse. Mine healed on its own thankfully. I have scarring and it is sensitive sometimes but no further intervention required. My mum also had one. Hers was treated the same way. Even in emergency (before we knew what mums was) they says the preferred option us management of the pain to allow self healing as the risks with Botox or surgery (longer term) aren't great.

If you can, get a numbing cream. Anusol from dr or even normal rectinol from a chemist. Make sure you keep the area numb and don't hold the poo in - the longer you do the more chance of it bilking up and causing more pain.


I feel for you. I remember crying every time I went to the loo for a long time. Absolutely distraught at the thought id have to go again (and unfortunately, I couldn't stop the drugs cold turkey so continued to have the runs - acidic poo, regularly. Horrid)


It's not a pain I'd wish upon anyone. Incredible how something so relatively small can cause do much pain and fear! I think if rather experience a three day induction and recovery from c-sect again rather than a fissure for even a day,..

You could try laser therapy through a good physio who specialised in post natal issues. I had terrible fissures after DD1 which gave me grief on and off for a year :o They miraculously disappeared once I stopped BFing. Must have had something to do with the hormones. I had them again with DD2 but it was nowhere near as bad as with DD1 and didn't last as long.

I wish I'd tried laser therapy (it works on cracked nipples so surely it's got to help) but I was too self conscious of how things looked down there - post birth, you get my drift. DD1 had a bout of constipation around 12 months which actually caused her to get a couple of fissures so I got my physio to do laser on hers and it did help them a lot.

I feel for you, fissures are awful. I found that the actual sensation of needing to go was worse than the actual act. Rectinal (? Rhoid cream) helped to numb things for me and a good diet with lots of water helped too.

I suspect I'm suffering with a prolapse now too but I'm yet to go to my GP to discuss it. One day, when I'm truly happy to leave my dignity at the door - forever! Lol!

Good luck, I hope you're feeling better soon.