thread: How long did it take you to recover from your CS?

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  1. #1
    Registered User

    Nov 2008
    Melbourne
    2,008

    How long did it take you to recover from your CS?

    Just wondering how long it has taken others to recover from their CS... I'm coming close to three weeks now. I've had a few good days where I haven't needed to take any pain relief (starting from roughly 1 week after), but then I seem to have a set back and end up in a bit of pain and need to take something. The thing is I'm never really sure what I've done to set myself back, I'll get up to do a feed in the middle of the night and be in pain, or it will just come on randomly. Is this a normal part of the healing process, or is it likely that I'm pushing myself to hard and setting myself back?

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Add NaeNae on Facebook

    Sep 2007
    South Gippsland
    3,753

    It took me a good 10 weeks because I did far too much too early. Rather than follow the advice of the Drs and everyone around me I over did everything and slowed my healing down considerably. I also stopped taking pain killers immediately when I got home except for night when I knocked myself out on Panadine forte - but I had more than the surgery pain to deal with

    Learn from my lesson hun, be gentle and take it slow don't try to rush things and accept that you have had MAJOR abdominal surgery and that your body NEEDS time to recover. You cannot hurry it up and the more you do the slower it will heal.

    They say 6-8 weeks so allow yourself that time at the very least.

    Nae x

  3. #3
    Registered User

    May 2006
    Igglepiggle Land
    2,742

    I never had any issues, other than just feeling a bit sore - but I never needed any pain relief for it. (Must have just been running on adrenalin visiting the hospital constantly and expressing every 2 / 3 hr ).

    What kind of activities have you been doing?

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Feb 2004
    Melbourne
    11,171

    Sadly it is all part of the healing process

    Just one thing, have a look at your scar & make sure that it looks alright. Make sure there's no redness, anything that looks out of place or itching. If you have any of those, head of to your hospital to get checked for an infection, they're very nasty.

    Most of the time the pain at this stage would be due to do too much or moving in the wrong way, so when you get up out of bed maybe you were sleeping funny or rushed getting up? You just have to try & remember, even though most of the time you will feel normal, your body is still getting over major surgery. There are nine layers (I think) that they cut through to get bubba out so it takes a long time for all of that to heal.

    It's not nice is it, but you'll get there

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Nov 2008
    Melbourne
    2,008

    I guess there is a reason they say it takes six weeks to recover, I think I had just hoped that it would be a little quicker. You do come across stories on here about people who were driving two weeks later and can't help but wonder if that is the norm... I haven't been doing anything too strenuous, but I do live in a three story town house, so I think just going up and down the stairs all day takes it toll. So on days where I do a bit of walking around or shopping I guess I'm doing more than I'm really accounting for iykwim.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Feb 2004
    Melbourne
    11,171

    Yup stairs will do it for sure, think of all those muscles you're using waling up there

    I know lots of people are driving really quickly after, but there are definitely some of us who need that full six weeks + to recover.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Feb 2008
    Country Victoria
    5,945

    about 1-2 weeks before i was feeling more mobile.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    1,794

    I felt fine after about 2 weeks (only took painkillers at night, cause I would forget through the day )

    But I still took the advice of not doing anything strenuous. I didn't drive, took it really easy and slow if roaming the shops with Mum, and if I felt I needed to do housework, I hung the washing on the clothes horse (after someone took it out and sat it at waist level for me), and the washing up..

    Even though I felt fine, I know I would've hindered the healing if I pushed it too far..

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    In the middle of nowhere
    9,362

    yep the stairs will get you. When I had Darcy I moved everything that i needed downstairs (well DH did), so I didn't have to worry about that.
    Evreybody has different pain tolerances too.
    Remember no amount of wishing and envy will get your body to heal faster than it's ready. Make sure you're eating properly too.