How long were you on pain relief?

Hi girls,

I had a c-section 3 weeks ago to give birth to my baby girl. It was due to labour not progressing after 24 hours.

My question is how long were you taking pain relief for? I am still having 2 panadol every morning and night- I really feel it when I haven't taken them. How long can I expect to keep having to take them - 3 weeks sounds like a lot to me. I asked the midwife yesterday, but she just gave me the standard line I've heard so often now- you've had major abdominal surgery, if it weren't a birth we would be telling you to rest, you're doing well. Yes, yes, yes, but I really don't like taking medication for so long!!

Hi Star,

I guess it's different for everyone. Panadol in the morning and night sounds fine to me, 3 weeks post op.
When I had my first babies, I was on stronger pain relief than panadol for about four to five weeks,
With Lily, I went home on day three without needing anything but I did take panadol when I got that pulling sensation on the scar lin.
With William, I had very strong pain relief for around six weeks and with Ivy and Noah, I walked away after three days, only using the panadol when needed.

Your midwife is right, it IS major abdominal surgery and from a surgical point of view, most nurses and doctors would not expect you to be on top of your game for a good six weeks.

You have been through a trauma to your body (even though the result was gorgeous) you need to be kind to yourself too. If you need pain relief, then take it. Hugs to you.

i was taking whatever they gave me while in hospital, and i took panadol forte for probably the first 2 or 3 days of being home, then found i didnt need anything.... i was actually quite surprised with how easy and fast the recovery was as i had heard all the stories about the recovery after a c-section being a nightmare. i was just exhausted for weeks though, but that was because i lost so much blood and my red blood cells were non existant.

I was on Panadine forte for 2 weeks. And then panadol probably for a few days after that. I found my backache was just as bad as the front pain. That was for my second c-section. For my first I stopped pain killers when I left hospital.

We are all different in the way we recover as well as pain threshold so I would say 3 weeks on pain killers is normal.

I hope you are feeling less pain soon.

All I had was a shot of pethidine that I really didn't need but was pushed into later on the day of the op (it was at 1.30am). Other than that I was fine. Sore, but not enough to need meds.

Hi Star,

All the above posts show that we are all different with our pain thresholds and relief requirements. Having said that I stopped needing pain relief once I left hospital - 8 days after surgery. If you really need it but are concerned, I would speak to your OBS or GP incase there is another reason that you need pain meds regularly (ie: an infection??)

I was on just panadol by about day 3, and by the time I went home was not taking anything. I would imagine though that because you laboured for so long, that would also be making it quite hard to recover. Do try to rest as well. It isn't red or puffy or anything is it?

Hey Star
I took Panadol about the same as you (twice a day) for about 4 weeks...
But I also have to mention that they FORGOT to give me my POST OPERATION MORPHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I did all the recovery myself!!! I couldnt beleive they FORGOT>>>>

So yeah I wouldnt be too worried.... I found around the 3 week mark I just took it when I felt a bit funny around the scar area...... so went from 'depending' on it could you say to just using when I thought I needed it and then eventually I didnt need it at all!! Some days were good and some days were bad.......

Good luck and I hope it feels better for you soon!!
xoxo

I think I stopped taking panadol after about a week and a half...I was still a bit tender though.

I was on morphine tablets and panedeine fort while in hospital with all 3 and took panedeine forte at home twice a day for a good few weeks with Nick and Ryan, but a bit longer with Macauley because he was in SCN for 3 weeks and going backwards and forwards to the hospital every day took it's toll because i wasn't getting any rest so my recovery took longer.
Talk to your gp if you are worried, but it sounds fine to me

After DD I had some panadeine forte on the first day post-op and that was all. After DS, I didn't have any pain relief. It just goes to show, every person's pain threshold is different, each surgical experience is different and everyone's ability to heal is different. So I guess you can expect anything from one day to round about 6 weeks (but that doesn't really help, does it?) If you're concerned about the amount of panadol you're taking, have a chat to your midwife/GP/OB (whoever your primary carer is).

*star*, I was just taking panadol and when I got discharged I wasn't taking anything.
Everyone has a different pain tolerance mine seems to be very high I guess that is why.
I wouldn't be concerned if you are in pain keep doing what you are doing.
I hope that it gets better for you.

Star,

I just wanted to add that even though I wasn't taking any pain relief once I got home, my tummy was sore to touch.

I only had pain relief for 3 days after c-section and then I was ready to leave hospital but they kept me for another 3 days cos of high blood presure. No panadol or anything after those 3 days. Was sore but not enough to need anything.

I think about 10 days

Star - I understand your hesitation about continuing to take Panadol after 3 weeks - but do keep taking it as long as you need it. As you can see from all the posts, each persons pain threshold is different and it can vary from one birth experience to another for the same person as well.
You will be feeling things more because you laboured for so long prior to the c-section. You're also caring for an absolutely gorgeous little baby which will have you getting up and down a lot - which uses your abdominal muscles.
I think you're doing really well to be on just 4 panadol a day. I was having tramadol and digesic for about a week and a half after I got home and was on periodic panadol for quiet a while as well. And I had only laboured for about 8 hours before my section!

Have you tried some alternate pain relief options? Heat packs, guided imagery etc. Maybe try and explain (again) to your midwife that you are reluctant to take medication for so long and is there anything they can suggest.

I hope you're pain subsides soon. Keep up the good work.

MG

i was on painelief for 2 days .. and by the end of my hosp stay panadol.. after that i dont think i took any thing

its differnt for everyone ... trust your body and make yourself comfortable any way you can

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your responses! It goes to show that every experience is different, and helped me feel better that I wasn't out of the ordinary. I guess if my midwife had just said something along those lines that I would have felt a bit better - I just didn't know what 'normal' was, and it made me feel like I was being a bit dependent.

Funnily enough over the past couple of days, the pain has really subsided, so much so that I am now off the regular panadol and am just taking it when I feel tender- sometimes I wouldn't even know the wound was there! Feeling much better now - thanks once again!