AIBU to be angry about post c-section pain “relief”?

[SillySausage81]

Did anyone else find post C-section pain relief woefully inadequate?

I had an emergency caesarean 6 weeks ago and now the dust has started to settle I am starting to feel really bloody angry about the “pain relief” (I feel like it’s a joke even calling it that) I was offered in the first few days.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen. Fucking headache tablets. In the first 3 days I’d describe them as “taking the edge off slightly”. Very slightly. Laying down I was mostly OK, but any attempt at movement caused excruciating agony.

My baby then got taken to the NICU and I couldn’t even go and see her for 18 hours because even just trying to get out of bed and into a wheelchair was unbearable agony. Eventually (after 18 hours and a couple of failed attempts) I made a mammoth effort to push through the pain because I really wanted to see her, and I finally managed to get into a wheelchair and see her (no joke, it took nearly 30 minutes just to stand up and sit in the wheelchair).

I gave birth to my first baby vaginally with just gas and air, and I would describe the pain of trying to get out of bed in the first 2 days after my c-section as being worse than the worst pain I felt during that vaginal birth. Every centimetre I moved felt as though I was being cut open again.

The (slight) effect of the paracetamol and ibuprofen wore off after 4 hours but you can only have it 4 times in every 24 hours, which left long gaps where I didn’t have any pain relief at all.

At some point on the second day I was offered oramorph, but only when I was lying on my back crying from the pain and begging for more pain relief - no one suggested it earlier when I was crying out in pain trying and failing to get out of bed to see my sick baby. But anyway, the oramorph did precisely jack shit anyway, didn’t even take the edge off. The paracetamol was more effective (I have since googled it and apparently I’m far from being the only person who is unaffected by oramorph). When I told the midwives the oramorph wasn’t affecting me they didn’t offer any alternatives, just kept offering more oramorph and telling me it’s supposed to be stronger than paracetamol (well that’s by the by if it doesn’t affect me, isn’t it...)

On top of that, the uterine contractions, stinging from those bloody blood thinning injections, plus twinges from the bloody cannula in my hand only made the already unbearable pain from the wound harder to deal with.

Meanwhile I had the NICU nurse keep on at me that I needed to express milk every 3 hours if I didn’t want my milk to dry up (which I really didn’t want it to as I REALLY wanted to breastfeed) but I was simply in too much pain to do it for the first 42 hours. Thankfully I was able to start on the third day and it didn’t affect my supply, but I could have done without that grief, and actual proper pain relief would have removed that problem.

At the time I didn’t know other painkillers existed, but now I’ve done some reading and spoken to other people and found out there are loads of other options, so I don’t understand why they couldn’t offer me them when what I was getting clearly wasn’t enough.

All I keep reading about is women who say they weren’t in any pain at all and were skipping around Tesco’s after 2 days.

But is there anyone else out there who thinks the pain relief was inadequate?

I’ve heard (conflicting) accounts that they can’t give stronger painkillers to breastfeeding mothers, but that would have been by the by given that, without them, I was unable to visit my baby to breastfeed her OR even express colostrum for her anyway, so if that was their reasoning then it was counterproductive.

I had a c section & they were reluctant to give anything other than headache tablets at first then it was co-dydramol which were better but not enough either so I did get oramorph which did work but I think they’re reluctant to give opiates as it affect’s ability to care for newborn; it did in my case as I was away with the fairies after taking it. Not sure what other options are available though & there are some painkillers that maybe shouldn’t be taken if you choose to nurse which might reduce options further

I was only given paracetamol after my c section, as someone forgot to add Oramorph to my prescribed meds and because it was the weekend nobody could sort it before I was discharged! Although they kept promising me someone would sort it any minute. It was horrendous.

I ended up seeing my GP the day I was discharged and begging for some pain relief - my ex had to practically carry me into the surgery as I was in so much pain. My GP was horrified and prescribed me 180x 30mg codeine tablets plus Dicofenac to see me through the next few weeks (I've probably still got half of them in the cupboard, I was given so many!). I don't think they prescribe codeine for bf mothers now though - no wonder DS was so sleepy 😱

They wouldn't treat a dog like this. In fact our dog was prescribed mega painkillers for almost nothing, yet we leave women to suffer after major surgery!

BTW, bleeding for weeks is pretty normal - I bled for 6-7 weeks each time. But it wasn't anywhere near as heavy as I've heard most people describe it, so I suppose it evened out.

My crash section was the most terrifying experience of my life. It lasted 4.5 hours due to serious complications and my husband thought I was going to die. It seemed to me (likely I have exaggerated this in my terrified brain) that after the alarms began to sound, dozens of staff melted out of the walls and were all at high alert. In short, my section felt like a high stakes medical emergency.

Once I was transferred to post natal, it was another story. I was not even given paracetamol, although I requested it 6 times. Eventually a PN midwife told me I should have had it in my hospital bag so that I didn’t need to “bother” them.

You live and learn.

I’m so sorry you had such a miserable time, it sounds horrific

I was very lucky that the hospital I had both my sections in was a lot more liberal with the painkillers by the sounds of it.

The anaesthetist told me they had given me a big dose of morphine through the IV when I was in recovery, along with some anti sickness meds.
I then had IV paracetamol and oramorph for the rest of the day, and then was then offered oramorph or co-codomol every time they did my obs through the night.

I was sent home with lactolase, co-codomol and ibuprofen

I wonder why there is such a disparity between hospitals, it can’t just be a cost thing?

That was me a couple of months ago.

I'm still in pain and was told to live with it (and care for a poorly newborn in hospital).

The lack of basic sympathy is as bad as the lack of adequate post op analgesia.

I've worked on gastro wards where the patients have major abdominal surgery and we nurse at the bedside and provide OT/PT input. And they don't have a newborn depending on them for survival.

Because it happens to women and it's related to child birth, a c section is seen as nothing at all.

I was told food was in the day room - and to go and get it 4 hours after a massive PPH. With baby in tow?!? Utterly shameful "care"

I was clearly in the right place when I had my EMCS under general at 34 weeks. Obviously no epidural so no gradual pain coming in sensation so not sure if this makes a difference but I stayed in for 8 days post birth and was given oramorph whenever I wanted for the first 3 days, diclofenic for the entire stay ( and to take home afterwards) as well as paracetamol.

I also BF. You absolutely can have more than paracetamol and ibuprofen!

I was given a morphine injection after my first C-section and I hated it, I couldn’t look after my own baby and was completely out of it. Went onto codeine after. (Can’t have ibruprofen) Second time round I had just codeine and it was fine. I did stay in hospital for four days both times and I think that helped too. The worst pains for me were the wind pains, which copious amounts of peptobismal helped dramatically.

And I breastfed both babies whilst on codeine with no issues

I had a mobile epidural for 5 days post section and was 100% pain free. I also declined the blood thinking injections as I was quite mobile so didn’t need them.
I did go private though and every time I see the sorts of threads it confirms my choice was definitely the right one for me!

It's now just starting to be recognised that women's pain is treated differently to men's. YANBU. I had a wonderful c section and found ibuprofen and paracetamol adequate BUT it worried me, and still does, that if I hadn't I wouldn't have been given anything stronger because pain of child birth (however it happens) is considered natural and women should just be able to bear it.
Such sexist nonsense.

I had a c-section and was only given paracetamol and ibuprofen (which I had to ask for). 9 months after having my son, I had a cyst removed from my ovary by keyhole surgery and was sent home with 5 days worth of codeine!

I agree up, I was lucky in that I was given Oramorph for the first couple of days and it did work. I was in hospital for four days… When I came home, I wasn’t allowed Oramorph (obviously) and went home with codeine and paracetamol/ibuprofen … within an hour of being home I was in so much pain my husband called an ambulance because I couldn’t actually breathe or move.

I always think “if a man had had this kind of major abdominal surgery would they be expected to just get on with it, stay awake, trying to breastfeed a baby, and generally be offered only paracetamol, unless they are in so much pain they are making a total scene / can’t breath because of the pain”. I don’t think they would. It’s because we are women, and pain is seen as part and parcel of childbirth, that we just need to suck up the agony of major surgery.

Before my c section I was told to buy my own paracetamol and ibuprofen for use in hospital!

Oh I’d forgotten about the food only being in the day room! A kindly NA eventually brought me some but I couldn’t have got there on my own, no chance.

I have had an emcs and an elcs. Emcs we were in for a week after. I was given oramorph on day one which worked for me and then diclofennac (sp?) which was quite good. I got given some to take home too. Planned cs, I was in for 2 nights. Oramorph for day one then nothing. Not even paracetemol until my mum kicked off. They’d lost my drugs chart thing that the dr needed to sign. I was in so much pain from the surgery, the trapped wind, id pulled a muscle trying to lift myself off the bed, the contractions you get when you breastfeed and I had to wait 12 hours for a paracetemol and ibuprofen. I thought they’d bring me diclofennac again but it wasn’t offered. Really bad - can’t imagine the same lack of pain relief being offered for any other major op and you can’t sleep because you have to look after your newborn!

*My crash section was the most terrifying experience of my life. It lasted 4.5 hours due to serious complications and my husband thought I was going to die. It seemed to me (likely I have exaggerated this in my terrified brain) that after the alarms began to sound, dozens of staff melted out of the walls and were all at high alert. In short, my section felt like a high stakes medical emergency.

Once I was transferred to post natal, it was another story.*

Exactly what happened to me. Acute placental abruption, CS cat 1 under GA, baby out very quickly and thankfully done but my haemmoraging would not stop despite them trying everything and my husband was told that they’d called the crash team as a back up - he thought I was going to die. I was seriously unwell afterwards but once on postnatal ward Aka hell I was expected to “suck it up” . After all, I’d only had a baby. It’s not big deal… people do it every day 🙄😡

Done = fine

Whilst what you're going through sounds awful, and I sympathise who are you angry with? I'm no expert on pain relief but sometimes despite best efforts stuff just hurts! I'd guess to get you pain free you'd have to be dosed up to the eyeballs or anaesthetised. Also maybe the very act of not moving would have a detrimental effect.
As long as those around you know you're in pain and may be extra emotional and tired, I don't really know what you expect.
I feel generally we all have unrealistic ideas about what medicine can achieve. I often here of people with long term conditions who say 'they' don't give a shit, or 'nobody's doing anything'. I'm sure that's not the case.

I think you're within your rights to feel angry and frustrated though, just don't make it too personal

Sorry I have not read the whole thread but this remark about staying in bed for 18 hours post major surgery is years out of date. It is in your best interests to have good analgesia do you can get out of bed and mobilise early. Nobody stays in bed 18 hours post op these days - believe me I worked in critical care for 30 years. Unless there is clinical need to stay in bed. I am not a midwife but I had oromorph post section and I must have been lucky as it didn’t hurt as much as I expected. Was a shock to get up and have a shower the first morning. Dihydrocodeine , diamorph, oromorph, pethedine etc are all opiates. The trick is to have enough analgesic to be able to move without too much pain. I would speak to PALS if this is recent as it would appear that some midwives probably need updating on current practice in analgesia.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen aren’t “headache tablets”.

they are effective pain relief when used correctly.

I had an ECS and the first 24 hours I couldn´t contemplate getting up. I wasn´t in pain while in bed, but they forced me out of bed the same day to sit in the chair and the pain was absolutely awful, way up and beyond any fecking contraction during the 2 hours I pushed. I started to sweat in litres and husband had to go get help as I was about to pass out. A male nurse helped me back to bed and they gave me an anticlot injection as I wasn´t moving around. I tried the next morning and it was bearable, so I did not see my daughter until a day and half after she was born as she was in intensive care. So yes, bloody woefully inadequate.

Yep, had diafene and paracetamol for the first couple of days after my C-section. By day 5 I was on paracetamol only. And the stupid male pharmacist would only sell me a single pack of that and nothing else.

BIL had a keyhole appendectomy and got about a weeks worth of diafene, then something else for another few weeks.

If men had babies, maternity care would be like luxury spas with every kind of pain relief imaginable on offer

Not unreasonable at all! The pain was unbearable, I couldn’t pick up the baby for at least a week. My husband had to wash my hair and help me shower and go to the toilet. I couldn’t sit or even take my trousers down. I called the doctor and they gave me strong pain meds for longer than 2 days but it was over a year before my body felt “normal” again and the pain from my c section stopped. Many women go through this, you are not alone! It’s crazy how they leave us to suffer without decent pain medication and a newborn to look after!

Basically, the medical establishment treats women like shit.

Men wouldn't be treated like that after major surgery. FFS.

He did get a day and a half on morphine though, which I did not. And the very worst of the pain was in the first two days. If you do hear of anyone being expected to cope on just OTC headache tablets within 2 hours of a lung removal let us know though.