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Original poster

Is this normal for a c section?

46 replies

Csectionnormal · 04/03/2023 00:35

I’m still in hospital (op was Tuesday lunchtime) and in agony.

All is well when in bed but getting up and moving is 10/10 painful and leaves me in tears.

I feel the drs and nurses think I am a drama queen man. I’m not, I desperately want to go home and recover.

OP posts:
BeBraveAndBeKind · 04/03/2023 00:41

No, not normal. I had the same after mine. It was incredibly painful even trying to stand and peeing was another level. I made them swab for infection and turned out to have three different ones. Ended up with high dose antibiotics.

xprincessxjanetx · 04/03/2023 01:14

Doesn't sound normal to me.

I've had an EMCS and ELCS and felt in control of the pain the next day. It was uncomfortable to walk of course but I wasn't in pain in general. I think this sounds like an infection.

xprincessxjanetx · 04/03/2023 01:15

To clarify, obviously I was in pain because I'd had major abdominal surgery but the pain was manageable and not excessive like yours sounds.

MyBloodyMaryneedsmoreTabasco · 04/03/2023 01:17

It was for me. I didn't have an infection, but really struggled for the first few days. Was home on day 4, felt much more mobile by about day 8.

Shelby2010 · 04/03/2023 01:17

Not normal at all. Any pain I had was controlled by codeine to a minimal level in the early days.

KievsOutTheOven · 04/03/2023 01:18

That was my experience.
Being in hospital did nothing for my recovery. What did help was moving, a lot.

For both my c sections, I’d say day 3 was the worst, pain wise. I only took paracetamol for pain relief though. But I was in agony!

It was actually the initial getting up that caused me pain, tbh.

colley344 · 04/03/2023 01:19

This reply has been deleted

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FebMama · 04/03/2023 01:21

Hi OP. Congratulations on your baby and sorry to hear you're in so much pain. I had a c section 5 weeks ago. I would say no, that's not normal. I went home after a day, and although I was uncomfortable, I wasn't in pain as such.
two weeks later the pain suddenly increased and I ended up back in hospital for a week with an infection and had to be given IV antibiotics. Hope you feel better soon.

icefishing · 04/03/2023 01:22

No, it isn't normal.
After three days I didn't remember to take my pain meds all the time because I was physically feeling okay.
Make sure that you are being properly looked after.

strawberryandcreams · 04/03/2023 01:23

I was practically running down the hall less than 10 hours after mine. Long story. Really good recovery.
Hope you get to the bottom of it

TheSandgroper · 04/03/2023 01:29

I had about 48 hours on panadeine forte and Panadol after but others were still on morphine pumps 4 days later, I was told. Different strokes for difference folks.

KievsOutTheOven · 04/03/2023 01:40

TheSandgroper · 04/03/2023 01:29

I had about 48 hours on panadeine forte and Panadol after but others were still on morphine pumps 4 days later, I was told. Different strokes for difference folks.

Yeah, this.

IMO they give you the least pain relief you can reasonably give you. Which makes sense I guess.

I remember them giving me two paracetamol and two ibuprofen when the lady beside me was getting morphine and still acting like she was dying. They did confiscate a family bag of crisps and bottle of fizzy juice out her bed and tell her that she wouldn’t have such bad gas and constipation if she ate properly or drank water/juice/something lot bright orange and fizzy though …

With my son I demanded morphine was written up prior to my c section in case I needed it. I did only need one dose, on day 3.
Day 1 and 2 I was grand, but day 3 was rough.

many people are unaware they stick a long lasting suppository in when you are numb and that’s why you generally feel okay the first day. I had no idea this even happened until 5 years after my first section. I asked a midwife with my second if it happened and if that’s why I felt okay. She laughed and confirmed I felt good because of the ass tablet I had in.

sciencedoesntlie · 04/03/2023 01:46

I don't think this is normal. After both of mine I was up and about in a few hours. No more than paracetamol after 2 days. I was driving (not at all sensible but I had an idiot, useless abusive ( now ex)husband) after 5 days

Ponderingwindow · 04/03/2023 02:04

Between my inability to take decent pain meds (my C-section was done with numbing only so once that wore off immediately after the surgery I felt everything, I had full movement back within an hour) and my inability to sleep in hospitals, so I was severely sleep deprived, my pain levels were extremely high. They went down as soon as i was able to go home and get some sleep. It still wasn’t great, but it was no longer awful. It really was the sleep deprivation making the pain worse for me than anything else. I was awake for 2.5 days which is far from ideal when recovering from abdominal surgery.

Blondebakingmumma · 04/03/2023 02:12

I have a low tolerance for pain. My first c section I was terrible pain for a full week. My second was less painful, but I still needed strong painkillers.

TheSandgroper · 04/03/2023 02:12

I was offered more but was happy with just Panadol is what I am saying. I wasn’t completely pain free but that was fine as I was happy to know my stitches were safe and I wasn’t doing too much inadvertently.

I’d had my Caesar with an epidural that didn’t work properly so a spinal block on top of that.

Imenti · 04/03/2023 03:28

Congratulations on your new arrival! My first c section I was in excruciating pain for at least a week, and was only shuffling round by day 10. I didn't know you could ask for more pain relief so I survived at home on paracetamol and ibuprofen which I took religiously at every time interval. It was at least 2 weeks before I stopped the ibuprofen. Second time round I asked about stronger pain relief and was sent home with codeine which was so much better (alas they didn't prescribe any laxatives so that caused a whole other world of pain!) But my recovery second time round was so so much better and much less painful overall - I was shocked!

Everyone is different and recovers differently, my two sections could not have been more different from each other. Ask for stronger pain relief and if they give you codeine make sure they give you laxatives as well! It will get better I promise, hope you get home soon x

Summer2424 · 04/03/2023 03:38

Hi @Csectionnormal i had a c section in October, i was up and about once the epidural wore off. I was however on paracetamol and ibuprofen. Once i was home i continued to take paracetamol for a few days.
Hope you recover quickly x

Muddays · 04/03/2023 04:05

Aw, so sorry you're suffering. I had my cs 5 years ago and like you it was a midday op. I was there for 3 nights before I felt ready to move back home but while I was uncomfortable, in pain and unsteady, I wasn't in the pain you're describing. I was given regulated morphine which was great at first but then made me feel insanely itchy! Overrated pain relief in my experience.
Anyway, you could have an infection or potentially the surgeon may have caused a slight internal injury that is fairly common.
I would request an X-ray to see if there's any problem that could be fixed without any fuss and prevent any possible future complications.
Don't be afraid, this will pass, and the indescribable joy of eventually getting your body back and loving your beautiful little child really will make all this hassle worth it.

hbbyno2 · 04/03/2023 04:34

Sadly I think it varies. I have had two, first one was in hospital 4 days, first day couldn't even stand up, even the day 3 shower I barely managed and still agony when discharged. Second one I was up and about inn15 hours and only had to stay one night and recovered so quickly at home. Both emcs with blood loss so really don't know why there was such a difference

ivykaty44 · 04/03/2023 04:57

I’d get them to swab you for infection as opposed pointed out that where her pain was from

what pain relief are you getting? I had suppository and they were the best

Oblomov23 · 04/03/2023 05:03

No, that's not normal. I was in for a few days because of my diabetes but recovery wise, once I'd got rid of the terrible pain, which turned out to be trapped wind and all I needed was peppermint oil, I recovered well, with painkillers for a couple of days. Then I was fine. But took a few weeks at home of being gentle with myself.

RebeccaCloud9 · 04/03/2023 05:11

I've just had my third section. Every time has been slightly different but I haven't ever had nearly the amount of pain you're describing beyond day 2.

My third was the longest to recover. Day 1 I was still catheterised so immobile, pain fine with oramorph. Day 2 was the dreaded trapped wind day which was the worst pain - but this should have passed (literally!) for you by now? And if it was that, it wouldn't just be when moving around. They said I could go home but I didn't feel safe to as I couldn't get myself out of bed, was too painful.

Day 3 I was off the oramorph and able to walk, albeit slowly and steadily. This was painful but doable - I could get myself to the toilet ok, get myself up it of bed without support etc. By the end of the day I went home and could manage the stairs without too much bother.

Steady recovery after that, each day was better and easier and nothing beyond paracetamol and ibuprofen after day 2.

If you haven't yet done your first post op poo, get some lactulose and peppermint oil. This will genuinely be making you feel awful. But if you have, really push to get them to swab for infection.

shortandpaleandoldandugly · 04/03/2023 07:07

I had a crash section and was in much more pain for much longer than those who'd had a planned one. I was told at the time that this is quite common due to the speedy work of the surgeon. Could that be a factor OP?

custardbear · 04/03/2023 07:13

Sounds wrong. I've had 2
Sections and another similar surgery same wound. Yes it hurts and it's painful to
Move for a bit but tears sounds a lot. Have they investigated it? Could it be infection or nerve regrowth issues (if they'd a thing that can vary?)