Pain relief after CS- aspirin/NSAID allergy

[Wrigglebum]

I'm due to have an elcs in about 4 weeks. I know a lot of the pain relief you are given after is related to aspirin so I won't be able to have it. I am allergic to all anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin, iboprufen, diclofenac etc) but I'm fine on codeine, morphine and paracetamol.

Has anyone else with aspirin allergy had a CS? Were you ok on morphine, codeine and paracetamol? After my 3b tear I was only allowed paracetamol (opiates can cause constipation) and it was agony! I guess I need to allow myself a bit longer to recover?

I mostly took paracetamol and codeine (not allergic to NSAIDS though) plus some morphine initially, I found they worked better than diclofenac/brufen for me.

As you are having an elective, do you have a pre op assessment or can you arrange to speak to the anaesthetist before your op so they can document what you would like to be prescribed for postop pain? I found I had to really fight to get the codeine as they were mad keen on giving just IV paracetamol which did FA for me. (I was/am quite bitter that they made me feel like I was seeking drugs when I just had surgery but there you go)

You could ask the anaesthetist about the possibility of an epidural rather than a spinal, as this would give you longer pain-relief post-operatively.

Good luck, hope it all goes well.

Yes, got an appt in a couple of weeks so I'll quiz them then. I just keep hearing of all the wonderful pain relief you get after a CS and I'm wondering if I'll be denied the best drugs .

I get pretty spaced out on codeine so I don't want to be taking it for too long! I had my appendix out when I was 18 and I managed on morphine for two days then an occasional paracetamol but it was damn painful!

They don't give aspirin as it's incompatible with breastfeeding. Most women when I have been in post cs had paracetamol alternated with either diclofenac or codeine. So you'd just have the codeine I guess. And they also give morphine during the op and can top it up afterwards.

Ooh, x posts Daisy. I might do that, but then I hear the earlier you can get on your feet the better for recovery so it might be better just to grin and bear it! I got told I must be pretty hard to cope with a 3b tear on just paracetamol so maybe I'll manage!

I'll ask them about easy swallow capsules too as I can't swallow those damn horse tablets they give out in hospitals!

Codeine tablets are tiny. You could take your own paracetamol caplets or capsules in if you wanted - they usually just have the standard tricky to swallow cheap round tablets in hospital.