I was just wondering whether anyone else has suffered with something like this and if so, how they dealt with it/what it was?
I gave birth last Thursday to a beautiful baby boy but unfortunately had a rather difficult birth. I had an epidural which was wonderful but baby's heartbeat kept slowing down. I ended up having a ventouse delivery and had a rather serious episiotomy. I was told however, that my pushing technique was extremely effective despite the epidural and I delivered Henry in record time! I think this may be where the problem started. Shortly after the delivery I was told that I had haemorrhaged and lost 700ml of blood. Didn't have a transfusion but was put on iron tablets and antibiotics.
Now I am at home and although expect the aches and pains from birth, have been having some serious difficulties opening my bowels. I put this down to the co-codamol they gave me in hospital afterwards and the iron tablets I'm now taking. To combat this I've been taking small amounts of Lactulose to soften stools but today have been experiencing some extremely sharp stabbing pains in my lower abdomen on my left side every time I open my bowels or pass wind. The pain is so extreme I would liken it to that of the labour pains I experienced. They are so bad I have come near to throwing up and passing out.
I called the doctors who told me that it was just constipation and that I should take some paracetamol and stop taking the iron tablets and antibiotics I was prescribed by the hospital as they could be aggravating it.
I am now getting desperate as I'm terrified of going to the toilet and no amount of paracetamol in the world will combat the pain opening my bowels is causing me.
Any thoughts?