Post C Section - I can't feel my bladder!

[TallulahTaboo]

Sounds so odd but I can't feel my bladder (if that's even how I describe it). I have no sensation that my bladder is full or I need to pee and trust me I do.

I drank a litre of water between 6-9pm last night and fell asleep. It was only after I was doing the first feed of the night I realised I hadn't pee'd. And right enough went to the toilet, managed to pee (great sign everything is working!) and it was a big pee.

Should I be concerned at all? Is this a normal side effect from a c section? I'll be 17 days post op tomorrow and it was a fairly straight forward section (little haemorrhaging but that's all)

I found this post emergency c section for me, I'd go purely because I realised I hasn't been and it was clear I really needed to! It got better for me over time but I think by 17 days I had quite a lot of feeling back. Maybe speak to your midwife about it?

Yes if you've no sensation of when you need to pee and are just going out of habit, I'd go and get checked out.

Have you been like this since the c sec?

I've had three sections and had a dodgy bladder feeling for a few days but was feeling OK after 17. Worth ringing the mat unit or midwife. You don't want to end up with a uti you can't feel.

Thanks both for your reply, I appreciate it!

I don't think so but I actually can't think if I have or not. It's only really occurred to me over the last couple of days.

I've got the health visitor tomorrow so will mention it and then follow up with who I need too but wanted to check if this was normal or not.

I've got bad health anxiety so trying to remain calm and not do my usual and overthink 😵‍💫

Mine was like that for around 4 weeks after my c section, DD is now 9 weeks and all normal again.

I also had this. Took about 3 months to come back for me. I got a nasty infection from not weeing for over a day because I just didn’t feel the need. After that I set timers to remind myself.
I saw a physio and dr about the sensation who told me it likely will come back. Very scary not ‘feeling’ it but it did come back!

@Ineedsleep2024 @ShinyWorthKeeping oh that's comforting to know, thank you!!

I've just phoned the MW office and they said to phone the GP in the morning to be seen and check my urine etc. so will do that.

I actually can't remember if this has been like this since I got home or not, I don't think so but the last two weeks have been a blur.

Thank you all for your replies, really helpful and will manifest my bladder sensation!

I had this and didn't have a c section, took a little while for the feeling to come back properly, I just kept making sure I sat on the loo regularly so that I wasn't holding it in

@TallulahTaboo

I was like this, the only way I knew I needed to go was because I couldn't stand up straight. I started going to the toilet on a timer and eventually months later the feeling came back. I reported it to my midwife and they advised that they would refer me to physio after 12 weeks if it had not returned to normal x

Did this ever come back for you? I’m in the same position right now

Happened to me. I had to get DH to remind me to go every time he went to pee. Started to get sensation back at around 6 weeks. GP didn't seem concerned when I told her at my 6 week check up, just said let me know if not better within next month.

my hospital checked I felt the sensation to pee before discharging me. Definitely contact your hospital/ health visitor.

I had a catheter in after my last C-section for two weeks because my bladder wasn't emptying fully due to lack of sensation. They checked once after a week and then left it longer again. It did eventually return but I still found it took a few more weeks for the full awareness to return. I would speak to the post-natal Midwife helpline or the GP.

I had similar after a vaginal birth and was discharged with a leg bag catheter. I actually couldn’t wee at all without it. The sensation returned gradually. I second getting this checked with the maternity unit.

Hi, how long did you have the leg bag for? I’m currently in the same position after a vaginal delivery and really panicking

I had it for about 10 days and then things got better gradually. It wasn’t a smooth process at all. When the catheter was removed at 10 days, l I failed several urine tests and ended up readmitted to the post natal ward for a night. I then finally managed to wee and was discharged, but I still didn’t have proper feeling for a good week or so. I just took myself to the loo regularly and hoped for the best, but there were lots of accidents. After sensation did return, I then had a good month or so of uncontrollable weeing, especially when walking. But - it did get better and I only have very very occasional and very minor leaking now (e.g. when pregnant, or when standing, with a full bladder, and coughing very violently at the same time).

What really helped was pelvic floor exercises, and drinking lots of water. The water sounds counter intuitive, but a nurse pointed out I’d become scared of drinking because of the urinary issues, and that wasn’t helping.

I started very basic pelvic squeezes even when I had barely any sensation at all, and then at a few months I saw a women’s physio pelvic floor specialist who was amazing and really sorted me out long term. If budget permits it and you can manage that, I would recommend it. I appreciate I was very lucky though and my health insurance through work covered that.

I am so sorry you are in this position. I remember it well, and it’s so scary and upsetting. I don’t know about you, but none of the doctors were able to tell me what was happening or if it was going to get better. That really did scare me. The best explanation I got was a few months later from the women’s physio, who thought there had been trauma and bruising of the bladder and some temporary nerve damage. My daughter was back to back and then half turned, so I think my poor bladder was battered when I was pushing, and when they were pulling at her with the ventouse and forceps.

I had it for about 10 days and then things got better gradually. It wasn’t a smooth process at all. When the catheter was removed at 10 days, l I failed several urine tests and ended up readmitted to the post natal ward for a night. I then finally managed to wee and was discharged, but I still didn’t have proper feeling for a good week or so. I just took myself to the loo regularly and hoped for the best, but there were lots of accidents. After sensation did return, I then had a good month or so of uncontrollable weeing, especially when walking. But - it did get better and I only have very very occasional and very minor leaking now (e.g. when pregnant, or when standing, with a full bladder, and coughing very violently at the same time).

What really helped was pelvic floor exercises, and drinking lots of water. The water sounds counter intuitive, but a nurse pointed out I’d become scared of drinking because of the urinary issues, and that wasn’t helping.

I started very basic pelvic squeezes even when I had barely any sensation at all, and then at a few months I saw a women’s physio pelvic floor specialist who was amazing and really sorted me out long term. If budget permits it and you can manage that, I would recommend it. I appreciate I was very lucky though and my health insurance through work covered that.

I am so sorry you are in this position. I remember it well, and it’s so scary and upsetting. I don’t know about you, but none of the doctors were able to tell me what was happening or if it was going to get better. That really did scare me. The best explanation I got was a few months later from the women’s physio, who thought there had been trauma and bruising of the bladder and some temporary nerve damage. My daughter was back to back and then half turned, so I think my poor bladder was battered when I was pushing, and when they were pulling at her with the ventouse and forceps.

I had an EMCS with both my children nearly 30 years ago now and was told by the post op nurses to make sure I went to the loo every hour to pee as my bladder had been knocked about so much it would be numb. I was in hospital for a week each time so admittedly it was easier to nip to the loo every hour than it would have been at home.
Still struggle to understand why women who have had a huge abdominal surgery are allowed home less than a week afterwards!

Thanks for taking the time to respond to me. I’ve been scrolling and searching for people who’ve experienced similar and it’s left me feeling even more isolated and scared. I do think the lack of an explanation from the hospital staff hasnt helped

I had exactly this. No one told me this would happen or helped in any way. But I'd say it took about 6 to 8 weeks for the 'urge' to fully return. It's normal now