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Original poster

Is my C-S scar normal?

20 replies

ghosty · 30/01/2005 00:09

Hello ...
This has been playing on my mind for a while now .... this may be a long post as it is difficult to describe ....
Anyway, on Thursday it will be DD's first birthday (bless ) and I am getting increasingly worried about my scar.
After DS, by 6 months it was unnoticeable ... flat, white, hidden amongst pubes etc.
Admittedly I have a bit more weight (about 3/4 of a stone) to shift this time but I have a really ugly overhang that I have heard is normal.
BUT, my scar is like an ugly red smile, still itchy, still red and bobbly. On the right side it pulls in tightly and if I pull in my stomach muscles the right side pulls in too .... almost like it is attached.
I am still numb from my belly button down ... the skin is puffy ....
It hurts and aches if I go for a long walk ....
Is this normal after a year?
Thanks oh wise ones ....
Ghosty xxx
(I didn't have a 6 week post op check - they don't do that in NZ, I was signed off by my midwife who, as lovely as she was, was inexperienced and had only been practising for two months when I signed up with her, so when DD was born she had only been a midwife for 11 months)

OP posts:
suzywong · 30/01/2005 00:12

Um... I don' think that sounds quite right and not very comfy either, Best go and get it checked by a gynae.

My two scars healed so well that you can't tell there are two, so you shouldn't have to be in discomfort

Nice weather with you? It's a 34 today, a bit too hot for the beach with the little one

and happy birthday dd next week

charlie01 · 30/01/2005 00:13

I am defo not a wise one (!) but my cs scar from DS (1 last week) is still raised and I am still numb. I was told that my muscles were strong when they cut through them so it would take a long time to heal. So mine sounds the same. But why not ask the doc to check? Mine always gets ingrowing hairs (uurggghhhh!) and is generally disgusting!

Original poster
ghosty · 30/01/2005 00:21

Suzy, very nice weather here thanks ... we have finally got a summer (was pants up until mid Jan) ... just in time for DS to go back to school next week and me to sun worship (with Factor 100 on of course ) when DD is napping!!!
Charlie01 ... no chance of my tummy muscles being strong when they did my C-S ....
Hmmmmmm .... will go to doc's next week I think ...
G xxx

OP posts:
Gwenick · 30/01/2005 00:22

hmmm lets see how would I describe mine?? Well I can't see it properly as I have an overhang too

But - I have a 'numb' area around the middle of my bikini line which doesn't seem to have gone. Isn't red and bobbly anymore - but was a for a long time. Also still feels 'tight' if I pull on the actual skin around it (although I can do situps - well can when I'm feeling like it). Also although it's not 'too' visible anymore it certainly doesn't look very 'nice'....

oh and did I mention that I had my CS over 4yrs ago and have since had another baby???

On a more serious note - if you're really worried about it go and see your dr. you 'may' have got an infection in it.

charlie01 · 30/01/2005 00:23

Believe me, no one was more shocked than me when they commented on tummy muscles! I didn't even think I had any! Report back what the doc says!

JanH · 30/01/2005 00:26

That doesn't sound right, ghosty. The overhang and some numbness are normal but the scar itself should have healed up reasonably flat and pale as it did the time before. I've had 4; the scar itself is tucked in much more than it was with the first, and I have to heave the overhang out of the way to look at it, but it is fine.

Definitely get a doctor or midwife to have a look at it.

jabberwocky · 30/01/2005 00:47

Hmmm, I had numbness etc. for quite a long time but it was definitely cleared up when I went in for my one year check-up. I think it's worthwhile to get it checked out.

SueW · 30/01/2005 01:26

For pictures see here and click on Caesarean Scar Pictures on the menu.

nightowl · 30/01/2005 02:08

ive got numbness, overhang and the scar is still pink if thats any help? dd is one but i still get a couple of twinges every now and again. scar is quite flat now but still very visible...its nothing like my first one was at this time. first one went white, flat and not noticable (i mean no itchyness, wierd feeling apart from the numbness which never went away in 6 years). if youre worried then ask the gp though, i havent a clue if it makes a difference with first second scar etc.

wanda · 30/01/2005 09:27

My second scar is much neater than the first. First time around my scar remained bumpy and I experienced a similar pulling senstation at times. This time the scar is smoother. I agree with Gwenick that you may have an infection, perhaps not in the scar itself but in the surrounding area. This time around I got a yeast infection probably due to the horrible overhang and the area not getting any daylight!! This cleared up really quickly and I doubt that what you describe is anything more than that!get it checked tho, even if just to put your mind at rest.

Jimjams · 30/01/2005 11:25

I had numb bits 3 years after my second secion. having said that- 3rd time round- and only 3 weeks later- this scar is far more comfortable and neater than my second one (although I seem to have the mark of another one- not that I can see very well- think they may have cut through the skin in a different place). I was complimented a lot on my scar by several different midwives though- I put it down to the calenula and hypericum I took

Jimjams · 30/01/2005 11:25

calendula even

Original poster
ghosty · 30/01/2005 19:18

Jimjams, I hope you aren't suggesting I need to have a 3rd baby to fix my scar????????????

OP posts:
nutcracker · 30/01/2005 19:29

Hmmmm i would get it checked. I have had 3 sections and although very very ocasionally mine will teinge if i am doing heavy lifitng or something, generally, i wouldn't know it was there.

My scar is flat and not red at all, although it did take until about 6/8 mths to look completely normal.

Twiglett · 30/01/2005 19:48

8 months after 2nd section mine is quite flat but still red with a small'ish numb area (I think if I were you ghosty I'd get it checked out, though don't think there's anything to worry about))

the thing that confuses me on mine is they went through the first scar for the second operation YET my first scar was hidden in my pubic hair and this one (the only one) is about an inch above my pubic hair .. How did that happen?

JanH · 30/01/2005 19:51

They actually remove the original scar tissue, I think twiggy - that's why it gets pulled in.

Oh, hang on, that doesn't make sense, I read your message the wrong way round - dunno then! [confused too]

Merlot · 30/01/2005 19:59

My scar 16 months on is like a red slug (yuk). It, too, was fine when it was first done, but has got worse as time has gone on.

My first caesarian resulted in a similar scar which did fade (after 5 years!)

wanda · 30/01/2005 21:02

Twiglet, maybe they gave you a body transplant. Just a thought.

kid · 30/01/2005 21:06

After my first section, I got an infection but it healed quite quickly. I had a 2nd section after 3.3 years and got another infection!
The 2nd one has faded (DS now 2.10) but numb feeling from scar down. The scar itself isn't really noticable. They did the 2nd incision very very close to the 1st so they kind of joined as it was healing.

Twiglett · 30/01/2005 23:18

gawd wanda ya think so, you'd have thought they'd have given me a better body then wouldn't you

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