Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Postnatal health

As with all health-related issues, please seek advice from a RL health professional if you're worried about anything.

Flip

Original poster

pain relief after c section - help!!!;;

19 replies

Doublebubblebubble · 24/10/2015 15:34

I had an emcs 8 days ago and I was discharged on day 4 (its all a bit of a blur) with paracetamol and diclofenic (sp??) I have 1 tablet left. I cant walk (well, not more than 40 yards) I'm having a tough time bfing. Is there anyway (I understand that diclofenic js somewhat addictive) that I can ask for more, can I just take normal ibuprofen (because DD has asthma I've never given her ibuprofen - wouldn't want it to affect ds through the breastmilk

OP posts:

sianihedgehog · 25/10/2015 16:48

They sent me home with paracetamol and ibuprofen, so I'm assuming that they are fine while breastfeeding. I also had cocodamol while in hospital. If you are still in really severe pain, I might raise it with your doctor, though. I felt mostly okay by that stage and could walk about a mile, although very slowly.

poocatcherchampion · 26/10/2015 18:51

You can have ibuprofen.

You dont sound well though. I am on day 6 and nearly cut out all meds, been doing short walks and light housework.

Are you discharged from midwife yet? Can you ask for help?

YesICanHearYouClemFandango · 26/10/2015 19:12

Phone your GP. I was discharged on day 4 after EMCS with just paracetamol, having been on regular tramadol and dicloflenac as well while i was in hospital. There was no way I could manage on just paracetamol but that's all the hospital would prescribe. So I phoned the GP and she was happy to prescribe me more tramadol and actually said that she couldn't believe they'd only given me paracetamol. I don't any reason your GP wouldn't prescribe you more dicloflenac if you're finding that helpful. That's what painkillers are for - pain relief when it's needed. I haven't heard anything about it being addictive; I've been prescribed it a couple of times for short periods. But I would have thought you only need to worry about addiction if you're taking painkillers long-term, anyway. There's no reason to just put up with pain in this day and age when you can be prescribed safe and effective painkillers. You are recovering from major surgery, after all.

myotherusernameisbetter · 26/10/2015 19:18

I would definitely speak to the Dr or midwife. I know everyone's pain threshold and medical circumstances are different, as can be seen on this thread, but i only had paracetamol after both sections and checked out after 2 days both times and honestly I am a woos.

With DS1 I had a 36 hour labour prior to the section and also suffered from sacroiliac hip dysfunction and was borderline for a blood transfusion and I was still fine to walk into town a mile away and back to register the baby on day 7. honestly not trying to boast or anything, just trying to show that if you are in so much pain still that it needs investigating.

MerdeAlor · 26/10/2015 19:22

Diclofenac the anti inflammatory is addictive? News to me.

Paracetamol is very effective. Are you looking for an alternative anti inflammatory to ibuprofen or a pure pain reliever.

Don't rush your recovery, take your time. It's still such early days.

megletthesecond · 26/10/2015 19:26

Call your gp and get something else and rest for a while longer..

After my EMCS I was on 4 - 6 hourly voltarol / ibuprofen / paracetamol for over 2 weeks. EMCS can really bloody hurt.

MilkyChops · 26/10/2015 19:28

The management of post c-section pain is awful. I'm a nurse and was mortified how they go about pain management after what is essentially major abdominal surgery. How they can give you Tramadol in hospital then send you home just on paracetamol is beyond me. I asked to go home 24hrs post c-section as the midwives were to busy to pass me LO out of the crib and I was in too much pain to reach up and get him. At least at home OH helped out as much as I needed.

Have you had your wound checked lately? Is it warm or smelly or anything? or is it healing okay?

Definitely go back to the GP. Take regular paracetamol and Ibuprofen until you are seen. Addiction is usually due to long term use not short term and not with diclofenac. Usually with opiate based analgesics. Don't suffer, no need to!

myotherusernameisbetter · 26/10/2015 19:41

Milky I was the same in hospital - plus my bed was broken so wouldn't raise up high enough, they left the open tube from the epidural in my spine, half the time they didn't even turn up fo rthe drugs round with the paracetamol - so i checked out.

Singsongsungagain · 26/10/2015 19:46

I was on pain relief for at least two weeks after a crash section last year. Paracetamol and Brufen despite bfeeding.

Take it easy and don't expect more of yourself than you can manage. I was still very much bent double and staggering around at that stage and yep dh did all the early nappies.

You've been through it- if you'd had such surgery for any other reason you'd probably still be in bed half the day!

hugsarealwaysneededhere1 · 26/10/2015 19:54

You poor thing! I'd call out of hours and get a home visit.

TomHaverford · 26/10/2015 19:59

Ibuprofen is from the same family of drugs as diclofenac (NSAIDS) and is step down from it. At 7 days I would be taking the maximum avaliable doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen together, regardless of how you were feeling at the time, but more on a schedule. Wean them down when you feel able.

I was discharged with dihydracodeine as well as paracetamol and ibuprofen. Ask you gp if they will prescribe you some as it is stronger and you can take all three together.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 26/10/2015 20:02

I believe you can actually buy diclofenac over the counter now.

But I agree you should see your GP tomorrow to get checked out and get stuff prescribed.

WorkingBling · 26/10/2015 20:05

I he a wonderful community midwife who bullied the hospital midwives to give me more codeine on a Sunday, 5 days after dd was born. Her view was that anyone else having major abdominal surgery would be sent home with major painkillers and instructions to do nothing for two weeks but with a section they give you paracetamol and make you care for a baby!!

Call your doctor. The midwives often can't give more but your doctor probably will be willing to orescribe another week or so.

Also, send dh out to buy lavender oil and tea tree oil. Put about 6 or 7 drops of each in a bath each night. It's surprisingly helpful and helps to ensure no infection. I was really surprised how soothing I found it but without a doubt it helped a lot (alongside the drugs!!)

WorkingBling · 26/10/2015 20:06

Actually, that's a good point. You can buy paracetamol and codeine over the counter. It's a lower dose but not that much and still better than just paracetamol.

LorelaiDanes · 26/10/2015 20:21

Just a note my midwife told me that cocodomol can travel through the breast milk so not good if your feeding maybe check with the pharmacist what is best? I agree with taking what you have on a schedule rather than when you start to feel pain. That always helped me at least start moving shuffling which helped me feel more comfortable.

blackteaplease · 28/10/2015 06:38

You poor thing. You can ask for more pain relief if you need it. I was discharged on Sunday after a c-section with nothing. Told to buy paracetamol and ibuprofen on the way home. I was told to take pain relief for as long as I need it which could be 2/3 weeks.

The drugs are not quite enough for me so my lovely community midwife has sorted me a prescription for diclofenac really quickly.

All you need to do is ask. I hope you feel better soon.

confusedandemployed · 28/10/2015 06:47

Did you have stitches? If so have you had them out?
I had stitches which were agony until midwife took them out on day 6. Turns out they were slightly infected. The wound healed perfectly after they came out.
I too had tramadol in hospital and was sent home with just paracetamol. As if some magical analgesia fairy visits when you get home.

bimandbam · 28/10/2015 06:50

I would be getting checked again op. My last c section 2 years ago was not painful after 2 days really. Take paro and ibuprofen alternatively until you can get checked.

I did find though that getting up and moving did help. I was more sore if I just sat for hours. I was really shocked by being ordered out of bed 16 hours post op. But as soon as the cathater was out they made me get up and use the toilet. I was discharged 6 hours later and walking around the supermarket a few days after that and did the school run with the pram a few more days after.

My first c section 11 years ago was different. In bed about 24 hours, not encouraged to move about, lots of codeine and morphine early on. In hospital a week and still holding the wall and few days later to get to the bathroom.

I do think getting up and moving was the difference but obviously get checked out too.

Original poster

Doublebubblebubble · 28/10/2015 08:58

Thank you all x

I have dissolvable stitches - they are fairly low down (they shaved me too) I didn't ask for the incision to be sooooo low down - it does look pretty good though - there has been some regrowth so basically it doesn't look like I've had a section at all... No oozing. No redness ect. I am surprised how good it looks considering it was emergency surgery. I got discharged from the midwives day 10 (they came round and checked everything - id normally lie and say "oh im fine" but i made a point of making them know how much pain I was in I cant have codeine unfortunately as it gives me heart palpitations so paracetamol is all I can take and they suggested I keep doing that regularly which I have been.

I was told by the midwife at the hospital (as i was being discharged from the hospital) that diclofenac was addictive - id not heard of it before my admission at all...

anyway yesterday (day 11) was flu jab day so I had to get up and walk and I felt/feel all the better for it. I dont understand how they expect people to go from oramorph to paracetamol after this sort of surgery...

OP posts:

Flip