My ds is nearly 3 and I've managed to avoid thinking about this experience since it happened. But it's been playing on my mind lately and I'd like to know if this has a name or if the experience was just one of those things.
So my pregnancy was OK, had gd but managed without any complications or insulin. Planned section at 38 weeks.
After ds was born the surgeon said my bladder had fused to my uterus after my first c section and he would have to repair it. So he did a good job, no problems with bladder before or after. It did take time though, about 30 mins all in I think.
After moving to recovery I felt the same as after my first. Had lost quite a bit of blood but didn't need a transfusion in the end. Pain wise was OK and was allowed to go home the next day.
When I got home the pain intensified severely, but it wasn't a pain I'd felt before and was totally different to my recovery after my first. It just kept getting worse and worse to the point I couldn't take a breath. We went back to the hospital and by that point I couldn't stand.
It felt like my insides were on fire, I could feel the outline of my diaphragm because above it there was no pain but below was excruciating.
The midwives said it was trapped wind, it absolutely wasn't and I told them this was the worst imaginable pain I'd ever felt. They gave me paracetamol.
Came back later, I hadn't moved at this point and was convinced I was going to die. I remember having some sort of suppository at this point, not sure if it was pain meds or something for the wind they kept saying it was.
I asked for the surgeon to check and a different consultant came, said he'd checked my notes and there was nothing to be concerned about in there and again, just wind. He said he could prescribe oramorph but I wouldn't be able to breastfeed my ds if I took it so he said I could have a bit of time to choose. Came back, I chose the oramorph because I'd felt like I was being burned alive for hours and I needed some relief. It literally did nothing.
The health care assistant came in and tried to get me to lie down but I couldn't move. So she put a blanket around my shoulders and went home. Through the night I just sat there on the side, not moving, not feeding or holding ds. Just sitting hunched over. The midwife came in but I don't think she realised I hadn't moved between her visits.
The next morning the hca started her shift and realised I hadn't moved and was the only person up until then that showed care. I'll never forget her face, it was so kind.
The pain just sort of faded over the next few hours and had massively subsided by lunchtime. I wasn't allowed to go home as the surgeon who did my section wanted to see me.
Early afternoon he came in to the room with 3 other people, two were midwives I think and and someone in a shirt and asked about my dd. I said I'd had a ds and he checked the notes and said oh yes so you did. He then explained that I'd been in pain because the amniotic fluid had overflowed into my abdominal cavity and irritated the organs in there. He said I might have heard him talk about 'cleaning the gutters' which is when they suction it out. But because of the bladder surgery it was delayed.
I mentioned this to a friend and I got the feeling she didn't believe it was as bad as I said because 'how does it not irritate the womb for months'.
I hadn't considered that before and accepted what the consultant said. So would that be the cause?
I didn't have any follow up from it, I was just grateful to have a healthy ds and to be alive myself after being so sure there was something horrifically wrong. I was never given anti biotics or anything like that, which looking back could have been a risk?
I feel better writing this out and I'm not sure what I want from this thread just to vent I guess.