Posts Tagged ‘Birth Trauma’

Support Systems

{ September 16, 2011 @ 12:18 pm } · { The Treatments }
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This week I began my quest to set up a support system for those suffering with fecal incontinence.  The following is a flyer I distributed to my rectal surgeon’s office, another local rectal surgeon’s practice, and my physical therapist’s office.  If you are interested in the actual flyer for any reason, please contact me via e-mail and I will send it to you as a document.  Below is the flyer copied and pasted from my own document:

Dear Friend,

I suffer from Fecal Incontinence.

In March of 2008, I delivered my first born vaginally with the help of forceps.  I experienced a third degree tear in the process.  In the weeks following delivery, it became apparent that I had suffered damage to the rectal sphincter.  I was diagnosed with fecal incontinence and began physical therapy in May of 2008.

Because of the traumatic nature of my delivery, I also suffered emotionally.  I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with related anxiety disorder by the following year. 

The past three years of my life have been filled with endless appointments with physical therapists, rectal surgeons, OBGYN’s, psychologists, and psychiatrists’.  I ended up leaving work in April of 2010, after the physical and emotional stress resulting from the situation landed me in the hospital recovering from one of my many panic attacks. 

 I heard about Medtronic from my rectal surgeon in June and was ready to try anything that could possibly increase my ability to control my bowel incontinence.  Medtronic Interstim has changed my life.  From the moment of implant, I recognized changes in my function.  I could feel again.  I could clench again.  I could CONTROL my bowel movements again.  It is truly a miraculous therapy.  I have very little issue with bowel incontinence since the first implant.

Recently, I have begun blogging about my experiences with Interstim as well as the events that caused me to be incontinent in the first place.  My blog is called Peace out of Pieces and can be found at peaceoutofpieces.com.  Please feel free to read, comment, and pass along to anyone that may be interested.

My goal is to facilitate a support group that allows people who suffer with Fecal Incontinence, have had the Medtronic Interstim surgery for bowel incontinence, people who are considering the surgery, inquiring health care professionals, and the advocates that support Interstim to come together to talk about pertinent and practical issues surrounding the therapy and the situation.   Please contact me if you are interested at peace4Lauren@gmail.com Dates, times, and locations for the group to meet will be discussed via e-mail.  I look forward to hearing your stories and meeting you in the near future!

Thanks for Reading!

-Lauren

PostPartum

{ September 13, 2011 @ 8:20 pm } · { The Trauma(s) }
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Today my daughter started preschool.  3 1/2 years old, and my body is just beginning to feel better after the birth of her.   I would imagine that most women who have had a child start to experience this feeling maybe 6-8 weeks postpartum.  It’s really weird to have the delay, but, somehow I feel more grateful for the normalcy then I think I would have on a “regular” time schedule.  My mind is clearing, my body is physically returning to normal.  As much jealousy I feel for those who have an “easy” time of it, I feel extremely blessed that, unlike some women, I have not had  to experience the symptoms that I have/had for years and years and years.  Thank you Interstim! Thank you PT! Thank you therapy!

Thanks for Reading-

Lauren

PTSD

{ August 27, 2011 @ 1:16 am } · { The PTSD }
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PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Childbirth

It’s pretty rare to hear that acronym and childbirth in the same sentence.  However, it is not rare at all to develop PTSD from a traumatic childbirth experience.  It’s important to note that the trauma is in the eye of the one being “traumatized.”  In my case, pain, fatigue, feelings of helplessness, postpartum hemorrhage, poor communication, and a pervasive feeling that I was going to die on that hospital bed contributed to my PTSD. From the limited information I can rustle up, I have read that anywhere from 1-6% of women develop PTSD from childbirth.  That is a significant statistic when you are one of the percentages that deal with it, or one of the many loved ones that care for someone falling in that percentage.  It is truly bothersome to me that this mental illness is not linked to childbirth on a regular basis in an effort to get those afflicted into treatment quicker, and to apply preventative measures that limit the cases in the first place.   I can’t tell you how many times I have begun to explain that I have PTSD from a traumatic childbirth experience when the listener responds, “Oh Postpartum Depression, oh, I know what that is!”  Postpartum Depression and PTSD are different diagnosis, although both mentally debilitating to the person afflicted with the diagnosis.  It’s important to differentiate PTSD and Postpartum Depression because the treatments for both are very different and the illnesses deserve to be looked at as two separate entities.

Thanks for Reading!

Lauren

Physical Therapy

{ August 24, 2011 @ 5:19 pm } · { The Treatments }
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So, today I was “discharged” from Physical Therapy.  I have been in one form of physical therapy or another for a little over 3 years.  I have seen 2 very competent physical therapists with very different styles.  I have learned that in physical therapy, the sphincter muscle is treated just like any other muscle with an issue, and a great therapist can treat it as such.  I have done vaginal probe biofeedback, rectal probe biofeedback, ultrasound, scar reduction therapy, pressure point therapy, and too many keegals to count!  I know how many tiles are on the ceiling at my PT’s office because I have counted them as I try to zone out the pain I feel when stretching something that does not want to be stretched.  I have learned coping mechanisms and key exercises to help regain some of my bowel continence function.

I was discharged today because my PT determined, with my support, that the recent INTERSTIM medical intervention I underwent helped my muscle tone by increasing sacral nerve support.  I could squeeze her finger  with more pressure and with longer duration than I have ever done before.  I get to go to PT on an “as needed” basis.  This is such a relief.  What will I do with all of this extra time on my hands, now that I don’t need to go to PT on a regular basis?  More keegals, of course!

Thanks for Reading,

Lauren

The Incontinence Issue

{ August 23, 2011 @ 12:21 pm } · { The Incontinence Issue }
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I never thought much about going to the bathroom until I couldn’t go effectively.  I guess that is how it is with most things you take for granted.  You don’t know what you have until it’s not there!

A third degree tear during childbirth caused my incontinence.  This tear was caused by many things.  The use of forceps, a large baby, and a sunny-side up position of the baby at birth.

Fecal incontinence is when your sphincter just isn’t working anymore and you tend to leak stool, have total accidents, and constant smearing.  This just is not fun for a woman in her late 20’s!  Not only is it not fun, it’s not talked about.

The shame of incontinence and the taboo of the topic is rampant in our society.  How many women do you know that are under 80 that talk about their bowel movements easily?  I’d like to take away that shame.  Fecal incontinence is a real problem for women with tears from childbirth.  It’s a real problem with a real solutions if you know where to look for them!

Testing and Treatment are available once you start down that right path.  A rectal surgeon, and a physical therapist are invaluable resources to get the ball rolling.  Testing, although not pleasant, provides you and your treatment providers with valuable information about where the weaknesses are in your sphincter muscle, possible nerve damage, as well as a host of other medical maladies related to sphincter function.  Treatment depends on exact damage diagnosis and will vary from patient to patient.  I found treatment in diet modification, extensive physical therapy, and most recently, medical intervention that implanted a sacral nerve stimulator to restore function of the sphincter.

More Details in Future Posts,

Thanks for Reading!

-Lauren

The Trauma(s)

{ August 22, 2011 @ 1:26 pm } · { The Trauma(s) }
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I just want to expound upon the somewhat vague ideas of physical and emotional trauma alluded to in the purpose portion of my previous post.

The following traumas are results of my childbirth experience:

Physical Traumas:  Third degree tear, hip dislocation, postpartum hemorrhage, Fecal incontinence

Emotional Traumas:  Diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and related Anxiety Disorder

I hope to address all aspects of the traumas and treatments in future blogs.

Thanks for reading,

Lauren

The Purpose

{ August 22, 2011 @ 10:27 am } · { The Purpose }
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Hello Friends!

The purpose of this blog is to talk about the physical and emotional traumas that can result from the act of childbirth.  Mother’s often joke about the “pain” of childbirth and for some women, it is true, that the experience is just that, an experience, a small portion of your life in which you birth your child.  However, for others, such as myself, the physical and emotional ramifications of childbirth have been more than “an experience.”  It has been a lifestyle change, a journey, and ultimately a calling that has led me to write down my thoughts as a way to advocate for others in similar situations.

I wish I could have written about my experiences, feelings, nightmares, and triumphs the whole journey, however, blogging about said material proved an undeniable trigger.  It is only in my recovery that I can begin to recollect the experiences without an overwhelming sense of fear, insecurity, and anxiety.  I hope my blog can serve as an inspiration, and an informative guide to those currently struggling with any, all, or more of the circumstances that I will blog about.

Thanks for Reading!

-Lauren

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