Post partum haemorrhage recovery

[BagofHolly]

If you had one, how long did it take for you to recover? I had a "significant" one 3 weeks ago after a c section and despite a big transfusion and iron supplements I still look and feel like road kill. I had to have bi-manual compression which was grim, and although it didn't hurt at the time cos the epidural was still in place, my stitches got pulled about and the catheter was knocked a lot which has left me feeling rather delicate.
So how long did it take to get back to normal?

Just out of curiosity what constitutes a 'significant one' in terms of blood loss? I had pph but am guessing wasn't significant as didn't require transfusion, think lost 750 mls.

Even then took me a good 3 weeks to have any energy at all, just walking about the house would tire me out. 7 weeks on feel much better and would guess my iron levels nearly back to normal. Shame the rest of me still feels broken!

I had a three litre pph, had to have a GA and procedure to control bleeding, also had to be readmitted for further transfusions as low h.b. My respiratory symptoms (fast resp rate, fast pulse) cleared up after my hb went up, physically though I felt awful for six weeks or so. You need to take it easy and rest as much as possible, I was silly and tried to do cleaning/cooking/socialising so I think that had a negative impact.
Congratulations btw :)

I had "only" a one litre pph without transfusions. felt like having the flu (wobbly legs, hot flushes, out of breath) for about a week. hb back at 10 at six week checkup.

Try Floradix as well as iron. I had 2000ml loss after a mc and very similar symptoms to those described in other posts. Floradix made a big difference to how I felt but still took a good 6 weeks to function almost normally and 3 months to be totally fit. I did have 2 units of blood but went home and still had 3DDs to look after. Couldn't do school run etc and slept any time I could. Be really kind to yourself and let other people help as much as possible. Swift recovery and congratulations!

Thanks everyone. My notes say it was a 2 litre blood loss, but my mw said she thought it was nearer to 3 litres. I came home and had a couple of big bleeds and had to be rescanned because there was more blood trapped.
My hb is up to 10.2 but I still feel rough and am still on iron tablets. I have a 20 month old and 3 week old twins which I'm trying to breastfeed. My husband goes back to work next week and I'd hoped I'd feel better by now. :(
I'm sort of heartened that this all appears to be normal!

You poor thing. You will feel better, even though it doesn't feel like it at times, I know. My hb was down to 7.5 after a pph immediately after the birth of DD1 5 months ago. I was terrified at the time as I was so naive I had no idea what was happening. I had a transfusion and iron supplements. My energy was back up (and my hb) at 2 months post partum. I had started to feel better after 6 weeks, but it did take that long. Initially I could hardly get out of bed, and when I made a walk to the end of the (short) road at 2 1/2 weeks I was delighted! I was so down that my friends were all out pushing their prams in the park - I honestly thought I would never get better. I kept asking my husband if I looked 'less yellow' for weeks! You are doing amazingly well with 3 dc! I too can recommend Floradix (liquid iron supplement) - the iron tablets given by the hospital caused various problems for me, so I stopped with them and started Floradix recommended by a midwife. It is great stuff. Also lots of beef stew and dark green veg. Sleep deprivation is also a killer (as I am sure you are aware with 3 dc!) and just exacerbates the exhaustion. Keep going. You will feel better - I suddenly realised I was okay at about 6-7 weeks.

I felt similar for weeks following a PPH after my 1st baby, the loss was recorded as 500mls but considering i needed a transfusion I am sure it must have been much much more as I wasn't anaemic during pregnancy. Anyway I would definately recommend floradix and the other thing that made such a difference for me was regular acupuncture treatment. It really made me feel myself again rather than feeling as though I was dragging myself through each day.

In Chinese medicine there is a link between blood loss and depression so also make sure that you are looking after yourself and not slipping into PND.

I hope you start to feel better soon, I think it just takes a lot longer than we think or want it to.

I've had 2 bleeds after 2 of my kids.

The first one i don't know how much i lost but i know i was given 11 units of blood & a unit of FFP. I was very ill afterwards & was in hdu for 4 days & discharged on the 5th day.
I didn't feel too bad considering what i'd been through (abruption/c-section under ga & the blood loss).
I think i felt ok after a couple of weeks.

Recent birth i lost 1500ml & was told i'd need 2 units but the midwives decided they'd only give me one unit. I thought that c-section was my best (it was my 4th) & the midwife seemed to find it strange that i felt so well afterwards.
My baby is 8wks & i was admitted back in a few weeks ago for the night for a heavy bleed. Although my Hb levels are ok, i still feel very tired. Got a blood test soon to check my thyroid level & Hb again.

I hope you start to feel better soon. Its not nice feeling rough after having a baby.

i lost 2000ml probably more though as i was bleeding really baddly all way through labour but that loss wasnt recoreded, i was in hdu and hb level got checked and it was at 7 and they told me that i should have a blood transfusion, but i said i felt ok, and didnt want to have one. i just took my iron tablets, however 3 days after the birth thats when it started to hit me felt terrible, and was admitted back in when ds was 4wk old due to another pph this time caused by membranes still all been in my womb and infecting it. think i started feeling normal again after 9 weeks.

hope you get well soon