Best place to get Arnica for a caesarean?

[zephyrcat]

I've seen on here quite a few times about taking arnica for a caesarean to speed up the healing. I've had a look in boots etc but have only found a cream for bruises. Are there tablets available to take or is it just a cream? Also when's the best time to start taking it - days before or when the op is done?

TIA :)

hi zephyr i would suggest a health food shop, i believe holland and barratt do arnica cream.

I have always found them our local chemist or indeed Sainsburys. I used the tablets - started the day before elective was booked with DD1 and when I went into labour with DD2. Carried on for abour 3/4 weeks afterwards. I am convinced they help.

Oh good luck Zephyr - not long now. Are you the first of the June 2004 to have their next one?

hiya Gomez - due april 12th but going in a week early on the 5th for the CS .... bloody scared now even though it's the 3rd one!!!!

I got some arnica cream for bruising but I'm too much of a wimp to even look at the wound let alone put cream on it...tablets sound good to me!!!

Think I'm the first of the june 2004 (sorry read it june 2006 - pg brain is well and truly back!!) I don't thin kanyone else was silly enough to do it again yet!!

Arnica is good for bruising but you may be better with Staphisagria or Hypericum for the scar. Don't use arnica cream on broken skin (can cause a rash) but a tincture can be used over the scar. You can get Arnica 6c and 30c from health food shops - if you want 220c then you can get it from Helios or Ainsworths online (google them).

forgot to say don't mix remedies - decide what you need help for more and concentrate on that. If arnica does not work bellis perennis is a good alternative.

I got arnica tablets from Boots

I used a few drops of tea tree oil in warm water for the wound. Simply dipped cotton wool balls in the mixture, patted my wound and then dried it off with paper towels.

Arnica tablets I got were from my health food shop. Not sure what strength they were. I actually started taking mine the minute I got back to my room from the surgery - as I wasn't sure when to start taking them so figured as soon as possible after the op was okay.

Hi, I went to a homeopath and she gave me a set of different remedies for me to use depending on the circumstances. I'd really recommend this as different acute symptoms respond to different treatments. Cost about £30 altogether but well worth it as I had absolutely no pain whatsoever from my scar and was mobile again v quickly! Good luck.

I used arnica 30c (got it from Tesco) and I am absolutely certain it made a difference. My recovery was a million times better than with for my first cs. Started taking it 2 days before my section and carried on for 5 days afterwards.

i'd try to go to a homeopath. they will charge you about £5 for arnica remedy. if you tell them what it is for they may have some other suggestions as well.

eidsvold - what kind of paper towels did you use to dry the wound? I had problems keeping mine dry last time, but I've been told not to use normal paper towels because of the lint getting stuck in the wound. Sorry to hijack!

hockeymum - I used a hairdryer on cool setting to dry my stiches

I also took arnica 30c & it was great. And when stiches healed over a bit but still had lots of bruising, I got DH to apply the arnica cream. i was too scared to look

Another yah here for Arnica got mine from a haelth food shop - my mw's were very impressed at how quickly my scar healed.

Thanks everyone :) Sounds like it's definately worth getting - I did have another look in Boots and Tesco but couldn't find any - will try the health shop - sounds a better bet!