Worried about bleeding after c section - please reply if you can

[lisalisa]

I have just had my 6th and last C Section.

For the first week I bled normally - just a little red blood. About 10 days after delivery I started losing dark red blood mixed with jelly like substance.

Its not exactly clots as they are not solid - it is akin to say runny jelly before it has set or even runnier than that! Sorry if TMI.

Midwife has said just to monitor it and see how it goes.

I have no temperature and my recovery generally has been complicated by a wound infection and I think my age ( I'm 42) as I'm still not mobile and genearlly very achey.

Just wondered if anyone else has experienced the same type of discharge/bleeding ( I'm now 3 weeks exactly since delivery) and can reassure me. Midwife has said if it does turn out to be retained placenta I need an ERPC under general aneasthetic which I'm obviously very anxious to avoid.

I would have thought retained placenta would be very heavy bleeding though and large clots?

Thanks all

It may be retained products or an infection. How many pads are you using in a day? Are you breast feeding and if so is it heavier during/after feeding? Is it more when you have been sat/lay down for a while and then moved?

I have had two sections. I don't remember having what you have described. But it was two and half years ago. I think the bleeding I had was very much like a normal period, I think after three weeks though it had slowed down a lot and I was only using the very thin pads.

Are you bleeding more than with your previous sections? Also tmi I know, but does it smell bad? I seem to remember being told to look out for a bad smell. If you are worried about it, it's probably best to see your g.p.

I have only has the one section so am not qualified to answer your query about that. I'm a bit of an erpc veteran though, I've had 3 and a hysteroscopy too and thy are really nothing to worry about. 25 minutes of very light g&a, nothing to worry about really. I was back to normal immediatly after all of mine.

Congratulations btw

Congratulations, lisa! I have had 4 CS's and have never had bleeding as you describe. There was no question of placenta accreta or anything like that?

HI Reikizen

I am using only 2 pads per day so not heavcy. Yes I am breastfeeding and not heavier during feeding but if I have been laid down or sat still then yes that is when i is heavier. Does that help it sound better or worse?

missp2010- I know what you mean about TMI!! Thank goodness this is anonymous! Re bad smell - klind of - not fishy or horrible but it smells like cleaning products - a bit bleachy!

Thanks MiasMary and chipmonkey - nice to hear frist of someone having close to the amount of sections I have had although I had my tubes tied this time so no more for me.

No question of placenta accreta but my notes did say that the placenta was very ragged.

I know the erpc is nothing to get fussed about but terrified of general anaesthetcis and after having been through a section and 2 woujnd infections I just can't face another procedure. Strongly feel my body needs to heal.

Any other ideas anyone?

Yes - if you are anywhere near the West Midlands, the epau will do an ultrasound scan for fifty quid to check for retained products - your GP should also have referred you for one to check for this.

I went to Epau as they could fit me in straight away. Best fifty quid I spent. They can see if there are any bits left, and more importantly, if there is any vascularisation of them (ie any blood supply to them).

I had a blood clot in uterus and then cervix closed up. They eventually gave me pills to induce a period, which got rid of it.

Are you having trouble breastfeeding, as in not producing loads of milk? Apparently this is often a sign of retained products.

Hope you feel better soon - it is crap.

I've only had one cs but bled for 6 weeks afterwards. Lost clots, odd thick discharge and different coloured blood at different times. It was always worse after sitting (as the blood pools). I had no infection but it did smell odd, a bit like cleaning products you're right.

I'd monitor, if you feel unwell at all or have a temp, see a GP. I think if you're well, monitoring is okay as a course of action.

I've had an erpc, it was absolutely fine. I was terrified but it was over in 20 minutes and I was up and off home as soon as I'd had some tea and toast.

Hi. I can't offer any help as i'm still getting brown blood/discharge from my c-section.

I had my c-section 4 weeks ago tomorrow. The bleeding was red for about 2 weeks & then turned red. For over a week i've had brown discharge (sorry tmi). I would say its like the egg white discharge you get when you ovulate only its brown.

I can't remember if its normal, this is my 4th c-section but the previous one was nearly 5 years ago. I've been checking for any smell & it doesn't smell nasty or anything..... i had an infection after one of my daughters birth & the smell.... i'll never forget it, it was awful (again sorry about tmi).

Anyone else had this kinda discharge?
Its brown/brown blood stained & i've had it for over a week. I mentioned it to the midwife a week ago but she didn't seem concerned. I'm just fed up with it now.

Thanks everyone I'm pleased to say mine has cleared up now. Serendipity i think like others have said its the smell that is most important - taht and the absence of a temperature. Sorry to hear yours is continuing and I wish you better soon. Congrats btw - my baby is 4 weeks old on monday so we@Re literally on the same stage together. Hope you're finding nights etc ok - bit of a shcok after 5 yrs isn't it?( my next oldest is coincdietnally 5 as well)