Slow c-section recovery - anyone else?

[freneticfox]

So I feel like I'm the only person who is having such a rough time with section recovery..

I had my DS by ELCS - due to severe SPD - on 12th February (5 weeks ago tomorrow). I was wheelchair bound by the time I had the op. The surgery was a little complicated, DS ended up being 9lb 10oz (at 39+5!! -no GD or excessive weight gain) and he was wedged near my ribs so there was a lot of pulling around to get him out. I then had a "brisk and dramatic blood loss" according to an anaesthetist. I wound up having a transfusion and have only just stopped taking iron tablets.

I also had a uterine infection in the first week apparently caused by having had such a large placenta but ABs cleared it up nicely. However I'm now five weeks into recovery and I'm still struggling. I saw my GP today about swelling and soreness, there was no evidence of infection and I feel ok in myself, but I'm still in quite a bit of pain and finding that even walking a short distance completely floors me with fatigue and I'm very tender the next day. Bleeding has tapered to almost nothing now at least, which is nice.

Given the position of DS and his size in addition to the severity of my SPD, I was told I'd have been likely to end up with an EMCS anyway so I don't have a sense of regret, especially since my care was top notch - but I'm feeling frustrated and upset that so many people seem to be almost back to normal by week three, and I'm still having to rely heavily on DH for help especially with lifting DS.

Anyone else have a bit of a rocky recovery?

Hi frenetic. I recognise you from the hg thread. I am 4 months in and still hurting. Took dihydrocodeine and diclofenac until 8 weeks. Didn't do walking beyond 5 minutes until approx 10 weeks. Carried baby in sling 1 week ago and have had to crack out the prescription pain killers again.

I had an elcs. It went well. No issues whatsoever but still loads of pain. I had a v slow recovery from my first vaginal delivery too...that was about 6 weeks on prescription pain killers. Some of us don't heal so well!

I wonder if the hg has an impact...malnutrition affecting recovery?

Fox - Hang in there... I had spd with my ds (and have it again now with #2) but not as severe as you from the sounds of it, I can still walk. I ended up having an emcs with ds, he was 2 weeks late and not budging... And when they pulled him out he was 11lbs 15oz! I still cannot believe I made a baby that big... Again no gd so it was a shock for everyone. Anyway, I struggled a bit with recovery - my scar got infected repeatedly and I had to do 3 courses of ab's to sort that... Then the most upsetting part for me was that the spd didn't disappear the moment ds was born, I was still in pain walking, couldn't sleep on side etc etc. it took me months to really start feeling like myself again - now don't let that get you down as everyone is different and some people recovered from spd much faster than me... I just wanted to share my story as it sounds like you are frustrated, and understandably so!!

I'm now getting ready to do it all again and hoping this time the recovery is smoother...

Hope you feel better soon, and take it easy...

Thank you both so much, I have to admit I was starting to wonder if I was a gigantic wuss... I'm usually really stubborn with pushing through pain and have a high tolerance for discomfort, but I see so many people sailing through section recovery and I feel cheated.

Underwood - weird how some people make big babies. I'm not a big person, and am of average height. Just overcooked!

Elle - I didn't think about the HG.. I felt nauseated right up until I had anti emetics in recovery but it tapered off quite quickly. I was knocked for six by a horrible pregnancy, I do wonder if that had a hand in dealing a rough recovery.

Not a wuss. It's different for everyone and recovery varies. I thought I'd never be ok again after my emcs with ds1. I got sick of people telling me that they were driving again after a couple of weeks - I could barely handle being a passenger at by then. I had a planned cs with ds2 as he was 11 days late and it was completely different. Hang in there and give yourself time to recover x

I have never felt so unwell as when I was pregnant frenetic. I really do think having an op right at the end is being kicked when you are already down!

Somewhere I read that if you normally have strong abs / engage your core in activities then you actually often have a tougher time recovery wise. This sounds very flattering so I believe it to be true...

Hope you have a quicker recovery than me.

I also have a weird tugging sensation on one side of my scar on the inside, but only when walking upstairs. Is that normal too?

All normal - at about 5 1/2 weeks post-op I suddenly felt like something had knitted back together but until then I couldn't walk for more than a few minutes at a time...
The one-sided pulling pain I remember too - I put it down to where my drain had been which hurt like buggery when they pulled it out
Second time around (also emcs) was MUCH easier
Take it easy