Shivering and achey one week after c-section

[melissa1215]

Hi,

I had a c-section a week ago, scar looks to be healing okay and isn't hurting - just general discomfort after surgery.

Tonight around 10pm I started shivering intensely and feeling so freezing, I went the loo and I was physically shivering to the point where my body was aching.

I got back into bed, slept for an hour and woke up covered in sweat.

This has kept happening, we have our heating on and our temperature is ideal for baby so the room isn't too hot or cold. Also when I wrap up warm I quickly get too warm but any air at all makes me ache

Im phoning the GP as soon as they open but I'm wondering if anyone has any idea what this could be?

I am breast feeding too. I have also had loose stools but I've had those since I had the section.

Hope you're ok

Hope you are ok OP. I had sepsis diagnosed 3 days after a natural childbirth with my first and was very much like you described. Luckily I was already in hospital, as DS was also unwell so I was treated quickly, back on delivery as I was still under the care of the midwife team.
If this isn't the case, please make sure you make it known you think you may have sepsis. There has been a big push on education around this recently, but you can't be too careful.

Hope you called the maternity ward. I had similar recently and had some retained placenta causing an infection.

My husband nearly died of Sepsis. Ended up on a life support machine in a coma. I have done a fair bit of public awareness campaigning. When my husband developed Sepsis, he would n't have been able to use social media. His symptoms were extreme. I say this to reassure you a little. You may be a little under the weather, just recovering from the csection, extremely tired etc which could all cause symptoms. However, you may also have a UTI, or an infection, both of which could lead to Sepsis or be in the early stages of it. For this reason you must get checked out asap. So you need to call your midwife/GP or 111 right now. If your symptoms worsen at all ( which could include severe flu like/gastric symptoms/mottled or changes to skin colour/severe vomiting/diarrhea/confusion/dizziness), then you need to call 999.

I used to get shivers and sweats a lot in the early days after my section. Not sure if it was breastfeeding related but I was always fine during the day and then it flared up at night. No idea what it was. I'd get checked but I just wanted to reassure it might be nothing serious.

Hi, I'm no longer shivering after taking paracetamol and my midwife is on her way to see me as the GP is to busy to even call me back. My temperature is okay at present but if it rises I will head straight to A&E

Why haven’t you phoned 111? A midwife isn’t going to be able to do anything for you at home. You need to be seen by a dr in hospital.

Hello OP hope all is ok.

I would call your post natal ward ASAP (they will be 24 hours) and they will almost certainly tell you to come straight in (that’s what happened in my case anyway)

I had an infection after a c section with DD1. I didn’t even realise until I nearly collapsed at the changing unit when changing her. Some very strong antibiotics sorted me out. Please get yourself looked at by someone in the medical profession urgently!

Sepsis kills because people don't realise how serious it is until they are too ill to get help, it is not worth the risk, get help now.
Every hospital would take you seriously with those symptoms.

OP, GP here; I’m really hoping by this stage you’ve been seen and are getting appropriate treatment. Of course your temp came down with Paracetamol - that’s what Paracetamol does. What it doesn’t do is treat the underlying infection. If you’re having rigors (those shakes you get with a high temperature) one week after a C section, you most likely have endometritis (infection of the uterus) and you need antibiotics urgently. This cannot wait. Please, if you’re not already there, bring the baby with you and go to the postnatal ward.

Hope you’re ok OP and congratulations on new baby

Call 111 now! It may be viral but you're at massive risk of sepsis post surgery

Please do seek appropriate medical attention. However, to offer a different experience, i did have a period of feeling shivery during the first couple of weeks after giving birth, and woke up drenched in sweat on a couple of occasions. I didn't have sepsis or any other type of infection. Your body has been through a lot and your hormones will be all over the place so it could just be your body readjusting to not being pregnant anymore.

Please stop dithering and get proper medical attention.

@melissa1215 This is an old thread, but may I ask what happened? Were you alright or did you have an infection? I'm experiencing the same, just a few days after a c section, but don't feel otherwise unwell at all, and am trying to work out whether I need to be seen. Thank you.

melissa1215 And everyone else , this is me
Now . Do we know what the outcome was for melissa1215.?

I’ve treid 111 and was told to someone would call me bk, they did advice was speak to gp and they didn’t think infection .

I was treated for mrsa prior to c section and was given meds as tested pos but after reading swinging over several days was given the all clear .

I’ve had 2 Episodes of this shaking within the last 24 hours but feel ok within myself . I do t know what to do or who to call.

May try the ward as 111 wasn’t veery useful. All I know is shouldn’t be happening , right !

@nicola3679 - Try anyone who’ll listen. Call the ward, but if they don’t answer, go to A&E. you’ve had major surgery and have symptoms of infection; that’s a medical emergency. Hope you get it sorted soon

@Nicola3679

melissa1215 And everyone else , this is me Now . Do we know what the outcome was for melissa1215.?

I’ve treid 111 and was told to someone would call me bk, they did advice was speak to gp and they didn’t think infection .

I was treated for mrsa prior to c section and was given meds as tested pos but after reading swinging over several days was given the all clear .

I’ve had 2 Episodes of this shaking within the last 24 hours but feel ok within myself . I do t know what to do or who to call.

May try the ward as 111 wasn’t veery useful. All I know is shouldn’t be happening , right !

You need to go to A&E. You've got an infection. I had this, I felt ok but had severe shivering and sudden coldness. It was frightening so I went to A&E. I had endometritis, an infection of the womb. I had to have 2 lots of strong antibiotics to clear it up but it was raging and could have killed me if I left it. I had a section too. They will take you very seriously at A&E, I was seen almost instantly.

@mathanxiety

They may have left a sponge or other surgical item inside you.

Oh wow ... shut up! Why would you try to scare someone so much?!

I also had this after c section, birth shivering and the night sweats. The night sweats especially are very very common post partum so I wouldn’t panic. Obviously speak to someone but I bet it’s just to do with your postpartum hormones.