Wondering about how bad C-section pain is?

[mel_cur]

I was wondering about how bad C-section pain is?

About a year ago I had my right ovary and 10cm cyst removed via 10cm cut in my lower belly and they also did exploratory surgery through my belly button and 2 other cuts. The recovery was very painful - I couldn't stand up straight for about 2 weeks and was in constant pain and slept all the time. They gave me morphine but I kept throwing up after I had it.

I wanted to know if anyone else had something similar done and could compare the pain levels

[AnyDream]

Well I haven't had abdominal surgery, but I had impacted wisdom teeth removed which involved removing part of my jaw and that was pretty painful! I'd say the post-op pain for the CS was worst in the first 24 hours, but by day 2 it was on par with the hours immediately after the wisdom teeth came out, but involving a bigger area. However, it's amazing how much better it gets every day. Once you're walking around, it does hurt but you're not writhing in pain or anything.

In my case I developed an infection around day 4-5 and my pain levels got significantly worse after that, but before that point it really wasn't that bad. The pain I experienced in labour was far worse.

The important thing here though is that diff people experience different levels of pain, some women cope ok post CS with just panadol (!!!) So, if your pain is too much for you, speak to your docs are there are good pain relief options available, you need to keep taking them regularly until you don't need them anymore. There is no point suffering if you don't need to.

[blackduckies]

Hi, I think each individual op is different as well, I have had a natural birth, very painful but gone straight after birth, well almost except for the stitches. Mc's worse but maybe because you don't get to take a baby home. A c-section with my son shocking pain but turned out I got golden staph!!!
C-section with my DD a breeze, painful but up and about next day by day 2 no pain relief. I think you will find it better than your op because you get to hold a baby that's yours!!! verus just in pain.

[luey]

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]

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]

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]

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~]

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.

[mel_cur]

Thanks all for the responses! They have helped calm my fears a bit

[luey]

mel -cur you will be fine hun. Once you are holding your bub you don't really notice the pain. IT is so worth it

[BeautifulMadness]

The first night was the worse for me pain wise after that it gets easier. But once u see ur bubbs its like the best thing in the world and you think, wow i just gave life to this lil person....

[Danni]

hey there, most importantly please know that EVERYONE has different situations and different pain after caesareans. My friend has had two and bounced straight up out of bed after each one.

Me on the other hand couldnt move an inch for days. I was in agony and no pain relief could help. I am so scared about ever having to go through it again should i not acheive my vbac.

[LisaL]

My friend had cyst and ovary removed via similar size cut in lower abdomen, and then about 12 months later she had her DD via c-section. She was up the following day and it took her a couple of days to be walking around. She said that the c/section hurt less, maybe thats because you actually have a beautiful baby and focus less on the pain. Dont know but she said it wasnt too bad.

I had an emergency c/s with DD and I stopped taking the pain relief by the time I was sent home, and I managed quite well only with panadol. I was driving within three weeks and *knock on wood* I have had NO probs with the scar or recovery since.

BOL sweets,
Lisa

[Cherie]

hey there, most importantly please know that EVERYONE has different situations and different pain after caesareans. My friend has had two and bounced straight up out of bed after each one.

Me on the other hand couldnt move an inch for days. I was in agony and no pain relief could help. I am so scared about ever having to go through it again should i not acheive my vbac.

Word for word almost exactly what I would say.
My c/s was horrendous. The actual procedure was fine - recovery the next day was as expected, but then I tore one of the internal stitches through my abdominal muscles and into the nerve on my leg. I couldn't walk for 2 wks after my c/s and was discharged home in a wheelchair, and was taking morphine and other strong pain killers for a couple of weeks. It made caring for a newborn baby (a reflux-y one at that) very stressful.

I am terrified of having another c/s.

[onlyone]

c-section pain
what pain, none for me I experienced more of a discomfort.
I would rather that than hours of complications with the so called natural child birth

First time I was 2 weeks overdue then induced 24 hours after later I had an emergency c-section, next time I am going for the c-section in the first place.

All resulted in a happy healthy mother and baby, it that not what we are all aiming for

[deancey]

i recovered really well from both my c sections.
I had 2nd c section on wed morning. Thursday I was able to move abour slowly with a little discomfort but by friday I was fine and even discharged myself.

I guess we all recover differently though, you need to ensure though that you take it easy and dont over do it. Thats when things get sore.

[DaintreeDream]

I had a c/s 2 weeks ago and I was terrified about the thought of the pain as I have never been in hospital before, however I was up and walking 12 hours after the op and did not feel any real pain, I felt discomfort but no pain. My baby went straight to ICU and so I was walking back and forth between my room and ICU on the day following my op. The only time that I must admit there was 'pain' is when you forget you have had an op and cough or sneeze, I suggest holding your tummy, it does help.

Good Luck.

[mel_cur]

Thanks for all the replies