To not want strong painkillers after c-section?

[northerngirly]

Will I be given strong painkillers after a planned c-section? My SIL had morphine in a drip after hers and for various reasons related to past medical trauma I absolutely do not want any form of morphine - no oramorph, or any painkillers in a driver. I’ve reacted badly to cocodamol/codeine in the past and it makes me feel completely insane which I really don’t want. Will I be fine on just ibuprofen and paracetamol? Will they listen when I say I don’t want anything stronger?

I can’t seem to find a good answer online so I’ve turned to Mumsnet!

Oh this is really helpful - I get on really well with ibuprofen and find it stops any pain very well so this sounds like a great option for me. Thank you!

You might be ok but you might not. I needed something stronger than paracetamol and ibuprofen for the first 3 days after both my sections - had dihydrocodeine the first time and oramorph the second. Without them I'd have been unable to mobilise or care for my baby. By day 4 I was fine on paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Fine to state your preference but I would have a think about what you would choose if you do need something stronger, which is a real possibility.

Thank you for all the responses - already feeling better and more able to just tell them what I don’t want.

IV paracetamol is great, I didn’t need anything else. IME you have to ask for pain relief, the default is to not get it if you aren’t complaining of pain, so you shouldn’t be having it pushed on you

I mainly managed on paracetamol and Ibuprofen because my baby was in NICU and they refused to give me stronger stuff during the day as I had to keep leaving the ward. At night I had oramorph and dihydrocodine when the pain was more obvious.

One bit of advice though is don't take plain codine as it delays milk production.

I was only offered paracetamol and ibuprofen with my first two c-section. The last one I was given something else that made me feel dizzy, so I clearly told them I didn't want anything but paracetamol and ibuprofen. They complied. Paracetamol and ibuprofen was enough for me.

I only had paracetamol and ibuprofen, but I feel compared to others in the hospital and friends who’ve had c-sections I was quite lucky recovery and pain wise.

I coped fine with just paracetamol / ibuprofen. I was offered oramorph (sp?) at the hospital if I felt I needed it but if I took it I probably would have had to stay another night and I wanted to get the hell off that ward :)

I just had paracetamol and ibuprofen and walked to the park on day 2 - everybody is different!

I’m allergic to codeine and nsaids so went with tramadol and oxy. IV paracetamol was really good with the pain too. Talk with the consultant and come up with pain med options. I suggest you tell them that you are also allergic to coedine so they don’t force you to try coedine again (I was told this about a different med by my OBGYN). I didn’t want morphine as I didn’t want to completely trip out on it so they offered the above. Good luck and try not to be too worried which is easier said than done

I was fine after both my EMCS without opioids. Spinal block then diclofenac suppository in theatre the oral diclofenac and paracetamol alternating every 2 hours for a week or so. Not being constipated makes a massive difference to pain levels, so lots and lots of fluids as well as high fibre foods.

I told them about an adverse reaction to morphine following a previous surgery and the adjusted the pain meds accordingly.

If your previous reaction was stomach issues or sickness you can ask for anti sickness or reflux meds along side

I also managed totally fine with paracetamol and ibuprofen! They started giving me something in the drip with morphine that made me feel dizzy and sick so I quickly told them to turn it off and just took my own OTC painkillers from there.

The pain is basically gone if you're just half sitting or lying on the bed. It's only when you stand up, walk or sit that the pain is going to flare. So take the painkillers just before you plan to take a shower or go to the loo.

You'd be lucky. I got paracetamol.

sure i did two with no oramorph or codeine. Diclofenac, paracetamol and the knowledge that vomiting (from taking a morphine derivative) was going to make it all a lot more painful saw me through. It hurts but movement is the best thing, just hard to get started.

In for a week. I was down to panadol only after 36 or 48 hours. I had twinges of pain but didn’t mind them. After five days, some girls were still in morphine drivers!

Talk to your medical team. You can’t necessarily tell your needs from here.

I just had paracetamol. I can’t take ibuprofen and didn’t want any codeine as it makes me feel odd. I felt absolutely fine, I wasn’t in pain. The key is to get up as soon as the numbing feeling goes. They encouraged me to move about as soon as I could. I went home soon after so was only in for 12hrs in the end. I loved my section, was such a great experience.

This is definitely a case by case thing - I only took paracetamol and was completely painfree, the morning after I walked down to the NICU to be with my baby but the lady in the next bed was on morphine and cried for 2 days after hers....I was fine. Good luck xx

I would recommend taking dulcoease gel capsules after as well.

Please don’t underestimate the level of pain you might have. I full dose ibru, paracetamol, voltarol suppository and Oromorph! And it still hurt like hell. But made it more manageable.

Speak to the doctor before hand to make sure you have a plan. The doctors will need to prescribe if it’s anything different to the standard options and you don’t want to be sat there in hospital waiting whilst in pain for someone to find them.

I had to wait an extra 8 hours for a prescription of Oromorph to go home with as they had missed me off the ward round. If that had been me in day 1 pain whilst waiting I would have actually killed someone if capable.

Oramorph is compatible with breastfeeding.

I was home after 36 hours on just paracetamol & ibuprofen. I'm due a hysterectomy in the near future & hope to be able to achieve the same.

I hate morphine and both times I had a section, I had oramorph on the day of surgery only. Voltarol (diclofenic) suppositories are great. I wouldn't have coped with just paracetamol and ibuprofen.

It’s completely your decision and they will not “make” you take anything you absolutely do not consent to. And some people are absolutely fine with paracetamol and ibuprofen so see how you get on. However just be aware that there is medical reasons to have proper analgesia. Obviously comfort is important but that’s not the only reason for proper pain relief. Being in so much pain that you aren’t able to cough, clear secretions, mobilise, and move about more freely puts you are much higher risk of chest infections and bloody clots, DVTs and PEs post op. Which you are already at higher risk of after having surgery.

I was given paracetamol only after mine. I really could have done with something stronger to be honest, was quite annoyed. But to answer your question, no strong drugs here.