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????

Mine wasn't too bad at all. Had paracetamol and an ibuprofen on the first night. It was a bit sore but no where near painful in my experience. Paracetamol at home when discharged home the next morning. I just started mobilising as soon as my epidural wore off which I think helps a lot.

“historical”?

Everyone else I know who had a c-section managed fine on paracetamol and ibuprofen. That’s all I had after my gallbladder removal too which was absolutely fine. But for my c-section I had to have a lot of oramorph afterwards. It was not a straight forward operation as my DD was completely stuck in a way they weren't expecting so I needed a much larger incision than they normally give and it wasn’t all in one straight cut if that makes sense? So yes the recovery was abysmal for that. But if yours is planned you’ll be fine. And if something unexpected happens like it did with me they will give you the oramorph if you need it. And don’t let my story scare you, it’s pretty rare but I was looked after. If it had happened a few decades ago I’d almost certainly be dead so it’s helps put things in perspective.

Take your own in - when i had mine they were a bit slow with coming round

Also, get peppermint capsules on amazon - take as soon as you are able and that will help with shoulder pain and trapped gas

Ive had 2 c-sections. Cant remember what medication i was given but it honestly wasnt that painful. Definitely wasnt in constant discomfort. What hurts most is laughing, coughing and doing poos..

Yes absolutely millions of women have painful periods. But there's always a reason. And if you push, something can be done about it. Merely releasing an egg and shedding womb lining should not be more painful than having major abdominal surgery. Maybe it's endometriosis or adenomyosis or maybe something else but if you're in that kind of pain every month, there's something going on.

Remember you can buy co-codamol over the counter - (but never combine with paracetamol as it already contains paracetamol)

They only offer very mild options as standard because anything stronger could interfere with breastfeeding. But if you ask for opiates and can give informed consent and have no contra-indications they will.

The spinal block they give you for the c-section covers the worst of the pain. By the time it wears off you are stitched up and starting to heal and the pain should be reasonably tolerable unless there is inflammation which would be indicative of potential infection.

I wasn’t fine at all on paracetamol and ibuprofen at all. We are all different and have different experiences. The hospital, and afterwards the GP, recommended higher strength cocodemol for a week or two. The point is, if you need higher strength pain relief you can get it. I hope that is reassuring.

theyll give you morphine, just be firm.

Literally all of that is wrong!
co-codamol is not safe if you’re planning to breastfeed.

dihydrocodeine, morphine etc are safe for the neonate but can cause maternal side effects.

the spinal is still working even after the numbness has worn off because there’s diamorphine in it.

My hospital give paracetamol, ibuprofen and dihydrocodeine- is it worth asking if you can have this?

I don't think you're necessarily getting what some if us mean. I used period pain because a regular thing, but equally:

Things worse than my c sections

• most colds I've ever had
• the flu (by a long way)
• injuring my knee
• sinus infection

Put it this way, if I experienced the level of pain I did after section (due to the operation), didn't have a tiny baby to look at, and knew to exist or, I'd be fully capable of doing a day at work. I'd probably go for working at home rather than a commute, but it was in no way debilitating.

In reality I'd have struggled a bit with that in the first 2 days due to the afterpains and trapped gas, which was 95% of my pain, but even then it wasn't that bad. The actual incision - virtually nothing.

Some of us got very lucky, though I have no idea why. But I'm very grateful I was in that camp because I'm a wimp.

I was up and about within 3hrs of my first emcs, home within 12hrs. I had paracetamol and ibuprofen but didn't really need them. There were 5 other women on my bay and they all had different experiences. Some needed v little and others asked for and were given more. I think most women only need paracetamol and ibuprofen and then you ask if you need more.

I've just had a pretty brutal hysterectomy with 5 incisions, one hip to hip and I came home with paracetamol and ibuprofen and dihydrocodeine if I needed it. I took the dihydrocodeine for 2 days but haven't needed it since.

Taken consistently and alternated, paracetamol and ibuprofen can be highly effective.

I was given codeine after my emcs, which was before they changed the guidelines. It was super effective BUT made me horrifically constipated. I cried with the constipation and subsequent poo babies, so gave it up after a few days. If you keep up the paracetamol it will take the edge off. Never miss a dose thinking you'll be ok.

I had an emergency section, baby out in 7 minutes so I had no epidural etc and was asleep on a morphine drip afterwards. Had morphine drip for 24 hours, pressed when wanted it.

2nd section also not planned but managed on iv paracetamol then oral at home. Very different taking it regularly to a one off dose.

Not a section but I had a 8.5hr endo removal with 7 incisions. No pain relief after
The worst was sneezing, had to hold a pillow to my stomach, and getting out of bed I had to log roll for a while then sit up using my elbow/arm. Drive home over speed bumps I took a pillow to put between myself and the seatbelt
it felt like a combination of doing too many sit ups but also having no muscles at the same time!

I had a complicated c section - was in a high depends unit with one midwife attending me - I was her only patient. I had a morphine drip which allowed me to top up as needed. By 8am I’d run out and I asked for more - she told me I wasn’t getting anymore pain relief. I was in so much pain when my consultant arrived an hour later - she asked why I was crying and I told her - she said it was nonsense that I was entitled to be comfortable and she asked an anaesthetic to look after me. With the NHS if you don’t make a fuss you get nothing - over and over again I have seen it. Ask for pain relief and hot yoga the loo don’t can leave asap - hospital is an awful place to me.

2 sections, had only paracetamol & ibuprofen for both, completely refused morphine as I hate the stuff. By day 4 I was forgetting to take them as didn’t feel in pain. Diagnostic laparoscopy I had was worse in my opinion

I am genuinely surprised by that. I had vaginal birth with episiotomy and then manual removal of placenta in theatre and I was discharged with tramadol

My natural first & second birth was more painful than the c-section.
Had a planned c-section 3rd time around as was advised not to attempt a natural delivery again and was given paracetamol/ibuprofen and advised to let them know if I needed anything else.
I didn’t need anything else but everyone is different so ask if you need something else in addition.

I needed morphine throughout my time in hospital (5 days for first and 10 days for second) and was then on cocodamol for several weeks.

well done to the folk who are running around after a couple of paracetamol but some of us need stronger meds after major abdominal surgery

i was in a lot of pain

You will probably be ok with paracetamol and ibuprofen but if you can, ask for dihydrocodeine? to take home with you as I did find this really effective for the first week or so. Work out a round the clock painkiller schedule for first few days so that you keep on top of your ibuprofen/ paracetamol, I only found it really painful if I’d missed a dose.

For my first c section I was given morphine regularly as we were in the hospital for a few days with DS so they were happy to give it to me, they seemed to not like to give it before you were going home if that makes sense so if it looks like you’ll be in for a couple of days there’s no harm in asking for some.

More of an unpleasant but manageable pain in my experience, I’d recommend having something next to the bed to help you pull yourself up and if you need to cough or sneeze holding a pillow to your tummy helps with both sections I found the first few days quite painful but then not bad at all after maybe day 5/6. I also found c section knickers really comfortable and helped everything feel supported, I just got them from amazon.

The thing about any of the opiates - if you tolerate them straight off hmmm Lovely - if you don’t the side effects are awful, include extreme nausea.
Either way you have nasty constipation.
really better off without unless no choice.

I was absolutely off my tits on painkillers in the 24 hours that followed my planned CS.

Gave birth towards the end of the final covid lockdown, and the maternity ward was quiet. Midwives were handing the good painkillers out like sweeties and in all honesty, it never occurred to me not to take the oromorph that I hadn’t asked for.

I had a lovely time in the hospital.

I don’t remember it being an issue at all. Obviously I had the anaesthetic which took a while to wear off, I don’t remember being in any pain and wasn’t on morphine or anything like that.