recovering from tear, how long?

[mandms]

im just curious if im at a normal stage or if there is something else going on.
i had a second degree tear (waterbirth) that was considered well situated.. lined up and did not need stitches as long as i paid attention to keep my legs closed for first few weeks.
at six week check up MW says it looks good and should not affect sex over much..
however, i still have pain sensation at the tear. may be TMI, but whenever im aroused i can feel shooting pain (not horrible but the sensation) or when i just started my first PP period i had pain with it there as well. Having sex is still very uncomfortable but it does fade after a bit (maybe scar tissue takes a bit longer to stretch?)
anyone else experience this or have suggestions?

ETA.. i should mention that my dd is now about six and a half months old.

[dahlsk]

I had a 3rd deg tear that needed major stitching and the first time that sex felt ok was not until 7 months. Earlier, I could tolerate it but not really enjoy. For me, it was the scar tissue that was/is less stretchy. I can't speak to the shooting pains you're feeling though. Are you using/producing plenty of lube?

[wombatclay]

You may have an adhesion or pinched nerve. Have you tried any scar massage? A warm or hot sitz bath to relax the tissue followed by a firm rubbing of the scar with vit e oil or olive oil (rub along the length of teh scar, then across the scar... the idea is to "lift" the scar off the underlying muscle/tissue so that everything slides around easily).

If that doesn't help then perhaps visit your care provider... a pinched nerve could be causing the problem. I know there are techniques for desensitizing nerves that may have been made a bit "hyper" due to the trauma and it could be that a few sessions would have everything feeling ok.

Of course... with dd1 I had a c/s (so no vaginal trauma at all) and things were still uncomfortable for about 6-7 months. And with dd2 I had a 4th degree tear and things only became enjoyable/comfortable around 16mo pp. Some women (like me) have a very strong reaction to breastfeeding hormones, and others just need longer to "feel good" regardless of tearing. The handout my OB includes in her pp binder says that while some mamas feel fine at 6 weeks, others may need closer to a year following a totally smooth vaginal delivery and that somewhere around 6 months is not uncommon for mamas who have had vaginal trauma (either tearing or a cut).

Hugs and hopes for healing!

[Romana]

I had exactly the same kind of tear as you did. At 8 wks, I was told it was still healing, and to hold off on sex for awhile. I think we waited until 4 or 5 mos? I don't remember. But I didn't have any pain; everything seems fine except for a little bit of scar tissue that I can feel (not while dtd, just if I'm poking around down there examining how it healed).

I hope you're feeling better soon.

[annekh23]

[QUOTE=mandms;12662689]however, i still have pain sensation at the tear. may be TMI, but whenever im aroused i can feel shooting pain (not horrible but the sensation) or when i just started my first PP period i had pain with it there as well. Having sex is still very uncomfortable but it does fade after a bit (maybe scar tissue takes a bit longer to stretch?)
anyone else experience this or have suggestions?

This can result from breastfeeding and the normal state of tissues postpartum, rather than the fact you had a tear. The tear will change what you feel but some women are feeling vaginal pain at the times you describe when they didn't have a tear. Scar tissue does also develop a lot over time after the would is technically healed. I think the main tool of combat is some kind of estrogen cream as that - I've known people have surgery scheduled for episiotomy revision, use such creams, then cancel the surgery.

Cheers
Anne

[jecombs]

I still had pain until DD was 11-12 months old. She finally dropped a few BFing sessions and sex started to feel better. I think the BFing hormones definitely played a role in how uncomfortable that tear was (it was only 2nd degree, no episiotomy).

[wombatclay]

There's an over the counter (non-hormonal) product called Replens... my grocery store had it in the "family planning" section. It's basically a vaginal moisturizer (not a lube) that is designed to address problems coming from hormonal shifts. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, etc. My fam practice dr suggested it after dd1's birth and the OB suggested it after my vbac w/tear. I think I used it for a month or so each time and it made a big difference.