Hospital gives only paracetamol+ibuprofen for C-section recovery?!???!

[Scaredmama1023]

I just learnt that my hospital only gives paracetamol and ibuprofen after C-section :(. And for anything else you need to ask and ad-hoc they might give morphine if doctor agrees...

They are such weak medication, I take those for headaches and period pains. To think that's what you get after being literally cut open and stitched back?!?!?! I though I'll be sick hearing this.

I'm panicking, not sure how I'll stick the pain of my C-section recovery. I'm a massive wimp when it comes to pain :(

Ladies... how bad is the pain in like on 1-10 scale where 10 is absolute agony? I guess it changes by day too? And then there is this shoulder tip pain and all. Jeez how did you all cope????

So if you are in too much pain after the first line drugs they will prescribe you something else, morphine might be a leap, probably codeine would be next?

I didn’t have a section but two weeks ago there was a woman next to me crying in pain everytime she got up to go to toilet. Made me really sad for her & absolutely do not think she had enough pain relief!

To be honest I didn't really have any pain and I'm a real wuss. Up and walking the next day, didn't need any painkillers once home.

I was not fine with just paracetamol and ibuprofen. I had morphine, oramorph, then cocodamol and naproxen. But this was over 20 years ago, maybe the procedure and skills are different now?

Also everyone is different so if you are in pain, ask for stronger pain relief.

Your body needs to have the pain managed effectively to heal.

If you are breastfeeding they need to be very careful. We do all feel pain differently, I gave birth vaginally without pain relief and it didn’t hurt hardly at all but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt for someone else

You’re not in sharp pain all the time, more dull achy pain.

I had one dose of oramorph on day one and after that paracetamol and ibuprofen. They forgot about me though on day 2 and I didn’t have anything for about 6 hours which was annoying especially as I also had trapped wind pain and the after pain you get when breastfeeding. It’s not comfortable but it’s not agony and hopefully you’ll find paracetemol and ibuprofen ok. If not, I’m sure you could ask for something stronger. Bet men would get it if their stomachs had to be cut open for something!

I'm not saying that to scare you but rather help validate your concerns. Yes some women might be fine with paracetamol but also not everyone will be!

Not that case at all. I had paracetamol and ibuprofen for both my C-sections, and was absolutely fine, no pain. Of course I was uncomfortable and struggled with bending to start with, but that's because the wound was healing - but that doesn't mean it hurt, per se.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are very, very good analgesics. People think it's mild because it's easily available and they take it for headaches, but that's not all they can do. They're an appropriate and effective choice for surgical recovery, don't worry ❤️

I'm not good with NSAIDs so I got morphine and codeine, but that caused its own issues with vicious constipation which I recommend avoiding. But IV paracetamol is very effective.

They actually don’t give you those to get home. You have to buy them yourself

I was also given one dose of morphine initially, but it made me nauseous (as did the anaesthetic used for the c section). I bought my own codeine prior to both my two c sections but didn’t end up using it either time, the pain wasn’t that bad, much less than I expected and I was fine with paracetamol and ibuprofen, think I stopped taking anything after the first couple of days. Anyway, I would recommend you get some codeine ahead of time just for peace of mind and also bring your own paracetamol as my first c section the ward was chaotic and I waited 8 hours in between doses the first night, that was the only time I was in a lot of pain. You’ll probably be fine but if not you should absolutely insist on something stronger.

They gave me oramorph in the hospital, which I declined as I didn't want it going into my breastmilk. They gave me something else instead, then just paracetamol and ibuprofen. Once you're up and about the paracetamol is fine x

We all handle pain differently. Personally there is no way I could have coped on just paracetamol and ibuprofen after my c sections.

if you need more pain relief, you may need to be assertive even though you shouldn’t have to be.

I had other day surgery a few years back and spoke to the anaesthetist beforehand who agreed on tramadol. The nurses then said no, didn’t you bring paracetamol. I had to insist that I was given the tramadol the anaesthetist had prescribed. They were very grumpy and I had to be very assertive. It’s shit, I nearly put in a PALS complaint but didn’t have the emotional energy in the end.

Do you realise that you will have a spinal? You won’t feel anything for about 8hrs or be able to move your legs. That takes the worst of it out tbh.

First section I had dihydrocodiene.

Second section I only had ibuprofen & paracetamol and even then, it was my own which I had to bring in.

Can’t say I noticed much difference with the pain. One thing I will say is whatever you take make sure you’re taking it round the clock, don’t miss any painkillers. For the first week or so at least.

I don’t know what they gave me post-op but I’m pretty sure it was just paracetamol and ibuprofen once I was on the ward and then at home, and I don’t remember being in any pain as such. (Definitely nothing like the 48 hours of contractions before I had the section!) Hopefully you’ll be fine but if not then do speak up and ask for more.

Dihydrocodeine + paracetamol is very good, ask for that. The diclofenac suppository is also very effective. I work on a post natal ward and lots of women have oramorph. Oramorph is very short-acting and makes lots of people sick.

They give you paracetamol and ibuprofen doses in the hospital, often you need to request after the first 2/3 doses in my experience, then you obviously need to rely on your own supplies at home.

I had to have my MIL run out and buy paracetamol and ibuprofen when I was on my way home from an EMCS. I took both for several weeks after coming home.

Second time around I refused to be discharged without them prescribing dihydrocodeine as I wasn’t taking the risk the second time at struggling to cope with the pain and my GP was rubbish.

I was given codiene and I was constipated as a result - at a time when it was extremely painful to be constipated. The constipation was worse than the pain. In my 2nd and 3rd pregnancy I declined the codiene.

I mostly was on just ibuprofen and paracetamol, but was given a dose each time of oramorph (more it was offered, rather than needed). I asked for and was discharged with some coedine but I didn't take it much as wasn't needed.

I'm a total wimp for pain. I don't go anywhere without a packet of ibuprofen and I'm quick to take them if needed. I couldn't see how they could possibly be enough, but they were. I took them on schedule (day and night) as it's easier to stop pain from returning then getting rid of it in the first place. I didn't take them because I was in pain but because I was afraid I would end up in pain if in didn't.

My sections really didn't hurt. With my first I literally googled 'when do c sections start to hurt' berry I was expecting it to suddenly arrive, but it didn't. I had no incision pain whatsoever. I did have the trapped gas pain and recommend peppermint water for that.

With my second I had a very mild lift burning pain across my incision occasionally for a few days. No worse than holding a slightly too hot bag of chips on your lap. My abdomen felt a bit bruised and it was softly sore if I poked it hard.

I was out and about shopping on day 3, on painkillers yes, but in no pain.

I know I'm lucky though and some women do get pain. But it's not inevitable.

1st one - additional morphine after I came round, then paracetamol/ibuprofen. Dr had signed off on tramadol, took one and had night terrors for the first and only time in my life. Went back to paracetamol and ibuprofen. Was up and about less than 12 hours later, gentle movement seemed to help with the pain

I'm a wimp and I had morphine. I just had to tell them that paracetamol and Ibuprofen weren't doing the job

Had an EMC. Was given all the drugs whilst recovering ( 4 days DD on billibed).
Then I got a bag of goodies , including oralmorph,to take home.
Fast forward 12 years and after surgery for bowel cancer I was given paracetamol to take home.

I had two planned sections and didn't need more than paracetamol and ibuprofen (and I'm usually very soft when it comes to pain!).

Obviously everyone is different, but my experience was a kind of dull ache. I expected sharp pain but that only happened once when I woke to my baby crying and tried to jump up instead of getting up gingerly. Period pain is definitely worse for me.

Follow the advice about not carrying anything heavy but try to move around. I'm sure walking around helped my recovery.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen worked well for me. Recovery was swift and painless but maybe I was lucky. If you are suffering with discomfort, they will probably offer morphine. They won’t let you suffer. Happy Mum, content baby.