Wondering about how bad C-section pain is?

**luey** · June 6th, 2008, 06:44 PM

My SIL had 2 c/s and also had an open appendix operation. she found that the appendix was worse. Again I think it because you get to hold your baby. I had an emergency c/s and I was surprised how much less it hurt than I expected. I am a wuss too - I had an epi at 3cm but in my defence the contractions were coming 2minutely and I decided that may as well have it then as I wanted to have it earlier rather than later. I had been in pre-labour for a week and was well and truly over the pain and was tired too. The epi enabled me to rest and when I needed the c/s due to bub having foetal distress it was simple to top up. It was ok for after too, I didn't like the epi peth though - made me sleepy and 'out of it'. Was better when they just gave me 1/2 a dose.
The indocid/voltaran suppositaries they give you are awesome! By the next day I was just having oral pain relief - panadol and tramadol (worked for me but made me very talkative) plus the suppositary. I had had the section at 10am the day before and was up and about at 8am the next day, showered myself and was even able to sit out of bed feeding. It was all good until a midwife tried to make me more 'comfortable' when feeding by getting me to sit back in the chair - she did that by pushing me back

. That hurt. getting in a nd out of a car was a bit sore but just do things slowly. By the following monday I was taking panadol only intermittently. It did hurt but it got less and less each day. It is very important to remember to stand up straight though.
All the best you will be fine.

**ZigZag** · June 6th, 2008, 07:30 PM

I had a laparoscopy (very small incisions made in belly button and pubic hair line) about 13yrs ago. I was in a lot of pain. Stayed in bed for 1-2 days afterwards and took pain killers for at least a week. Didn't like walking around up-right very much for the first week but was ok after that from memory.

I had a C section 3 years ago. Was given pain killers the night of the c section and offered Morphine on drip the following morning but never had any. Once I was at home, I think I took panadol once and that was it. I was very lucky and had next to no pain. I was in hospital for 6 nights so got lots of rest which I think helped heaps. I was up walking around within 24hrs after the c section and felt pretty good by day 2. I had staples rather than stitches which I understand makes for a quicker recovery - not sure. My mum was prepared to stay with us for 2 weeks once I was home, but was sent home after 1 week because I could do everything normally.

The only complaint I had with a C Section is not knowing I have 'keyloids' (sp?). A common skin reaction to scaring, especially in fair skinned people. My perfectly thin and almost unnoticeable cut turned lumpy, red, itchy and permanently raised after some time and has taken 2 years to settle completely.

But, everyone is completely different.

**mako** · June 6th, 2008, 08:30 PM

Hi
I had a lap and found the pain was quite bad but it was the shoulder tip pain that hurt the most(you know the pain you get when the gas is trying to be dispelled from your body). I spent a day or so in bed and then a couple of days on the lounge.
With my C/S I had morphine after the op but told them to take it away as I was really really itchy( a reaction to it). They then offered me pethadine which I refused. I only took 2 panadol just to keep the nurses happy lol. After that I refused all pain relief as I felt I didn't need it.
My bub was born at 3pm on the Tuesday and I was wanting to get up at 3 am to go and see him(he was is special care) but was told I had to wait until I'd had breakfast and the catheter was removed and I was showered before I could go see him.So I was up at 7am showered etc.... The nurseskept telling me to slow down and take it easy as I was doing laps around the hospital the day after bub was born lol.
I had tape instead of stitches,staples or glue. I had glue for the lap though.

Everyone is different though and all have differing pain thresholds.

**Tweetsta** · June 7th, 2008, 01:10 PM

I have a very high tolerence to pain and was in labour for 22 hours with my boy before having an emergency c/s at 2:30am and was up and walking around and showering myself by 8am that same morning. Although I took things very slowly especially walking for those first few hours and was having panadol and something else (cant remember the name) every 4 - 6 hours or whenever i needed it. I was home by 4pm the next day. And again taking things very slowly only doing what you feel comfortable doing. So i guess its up to how much pain you can handle.

**~mamaspice~** · June 7th, 2008, 09:37 PM

I was very very surprised that the pain after my c-section was no-where near as bad as I imagined it would be. I had never had major abdominal surgery before my c section and I imagined mydelf being a big sook and not being able to stand up straight etc etc. My c-section was under a general so when I woke up after the OP there was no spinal/epi there to keep the pain away but I felt no pain anyway. I didn't have a morphine drip after the surgery. The pain relief I did have were voltaren suppositories (doesn't sound nice I know but they were fantastic) and capadex tabs.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a walk in the park but I just had a little discomfort every now and then. Especially if I overdid it. The day after surgery I got up and showered and I never looked back. I made sure I pretty much stayed up from then on and did everything myself. I believe this really helped my recoverey.
So my advice would be to stay on top of your pain relief (perhaps explore other pain relief options (especially seeing as morphine does't agree with you), and get up and moving about as soon as you can. The longer you stay in bed the stiffer and sorer you'll get.