20/07/2020
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐
Silent suffering. Confusion. Shame.
Not knowing that the problem you have is common.
Unaware that help is available.
Difficulty finding help.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ. Even as a medical doctor, I suffered in silence, my concerns brushed off my by gynaecologist and other doctors I saw, unable to find help and get the specialist help I needed. Dismissed, misunderstood and embarrassed.
I was told that my pain with penetrative s*x 6 months after having had my first baby was because I had psychological problems adjusting to being "three" and that everything looked just fine. My gynae talked about episiotomies healing pretty well with time. When I told her I had not had an episiotomy but 4 tears and a 40 hour labour, she brushed me off and could not get me out of her practice fast enough.
We didn't get a chance to even talk about my urinary incontinence and problems with core strength and how this was affecting my daily life. The ten free physiotherapy sessions funded by the German government to support pelvic floor health after childbirth had not been enough for me.
We didn't talk about how I was doing emotionally after the traumatic delivery where I nearly lost my life due to a massive post partum haemorrahge. She missed the diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A lack of awareness amongst health professionals about the true implications of post birth complications is a huge issue, especially in the community, as there is a lack of ability or knowledge to address these issues. Other health professionals have an aversion to talking and addressing issues relating to s*x, s*xuality and female health.
Obstetricians in hospitals who may assist complicated deliveries, don't often get to hear about the long term aftermath of ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ interventions because follow up for women is in the community.
๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฌ
I went on to have complications after my second and third babies - both elective caesarian sections.
Problems with
- adhesions
- a 9cm ventral abdominal hernia
- an unawareness that my bladder was full until I went into
urinary retention
- pelvic instability
- chronic back pain
- reduced or**sm intensity
- overworked hamstrings that tore leaving me unable to
walk or stand properly for a year until major reconstructive
surgery was done
From the outside, I looked normal, but ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ค๐๐ง.
๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐.
๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐...
but unlike many others, it has a silver lining.
๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ.
I am grateful to the amazing doctors and surgeons, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, myofascial therapists and other integrative practitioners I managed to find on my journey who took me seriously, showed empathy and had the skills and knowledge to help me. It was a team effort with each person playing a key role.
I have learnt so much.
I would not be the same person I am today without my experience.
I practice medicine differently.
I have grown and am enriched as a result.
I want to show my vulnerability and share my story to inspire other women so that their journey does not need to be so hard, or as lonely.
I have had to find inner strength and resilience, learn to trust my intuition, ask for what I need and want, find the help I needed, learn to respect healthy limits and overcome shame.
๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ is the reason there are so many women out there suffering today. It's not s*xy to talk about these problems, but we need to.
Through showing our vulnerability, woman all around the world, can increases awareness, get the help they need and start their own journey to true empowerment - going that level further - and becoming s*xually empowered.
Powerful petition for better post-birth care gains momentum.