C section aftercare: a warning

[kellygok]

@diaryofasuperchamp You’re absolutely right. My brain is a gd mess right now and all the differences with my proscribed medications are getting jumbled I’m to be taking the ibuprofen every 6 hours; will fix post.

 

[diaryofasuperchamp]

@kellygok My brain is still a jumble with a 2 year old and 8 month old. You learn to live with it!

 

[leiamni]

@kellygok Yes taking your meds on time helps so much! I will say though it was a lot harder recovering from an emergency c section from my first child than a planned one where I already had kids at home.

 

[patrickburwell]

@kellygok I can definitely vouch for making sure you take your pain medication on time!

I had an emergency C-section with my first daughter in 2014, and whilst the urgency of it was traumatic, the recovery was pretty good and I was up and about the next day.

It was so good in fact that I stupidly thought "this isn't so bad, I feel great. I don't need my meds right now!"... Oh, how wrong I was! I was feeling so great because of the pain meds, and missing a dose was a huge mistake!

They give you pain relief for a reason. Please, please, please make sure you take them and definitely set an alarm to make sure you don't miss any!

Good luck to any future C-section mothers!

 

[kellygok]

@patrickburwell Oh bless that lie your body tells you during the drug induced “hey, I’m perfectly fine!”. Its so difficult not to take that feeling and run with it. It must be remembered that you only feel that way because of medication.

Sage wisdom here. Y’all take your meds .

 

[patrickburwell]

@kellygok Take all the meds!!

 

[philj]

@kellygok Yes yes yes

 

[seekingsister]

@kellygok I made this exact same mistake with my first, the pain is indescribable but you've managed to sum it up really well.

 

[irishfarmer]

@kellygok Yes!!! 3 weeks from an unplanned c section and the nurses were not on top of my pain meds and OMG. Horrible!!!

 

[scaredycat]

@kellygok I was on cloud nine until they removed my staples......remember, research shows moms who REST after c-section recover quicker.

I know this time around I’m not going to try being cool supermom.

 

[semperfimom]

@kellygok Oh 100%. I almost made this mistake in the hospital and the nurse was like, girl trust me you want to take it. Better to stop the pin in its tracks before you’re chasing it away!!!

 

[jesusjesusjesus]

@kellygok I didn't need any pain meds but that might be because I was too busy thinking about the pulmonary embolism I got right after my csection lol.. it is major surgery and it can cause some serious side effects. I could barley breath while standing. I had to take warfrin for about 3 months

 

[kellygok]

@jesusjesusjesus Holy hell that sounds awful. I’m so sorry that happened to you.

 

[elrefale]

@kellygok Add on that not everyone experiences the same level of pain post c-section. It’s okay to listen to your body if you don’t feel you need it. I took the Tylenol and Motrin around the clock in the hospital and once we were discharged I took them maybe every 12 hours? I didnt have too much pain.

 

[vicky583]

@kellygok I haven't been through pregnancy yet, but the fact that tylenol, advil, etc doesn't work on me scares me so much in regards to a situation like this, what would I take? Aspirin works, kinda, but I dont think that's a good idea during a time like that

 

[tonyt316]

@vicky583 Just explain this to your nurses and they will prescribe you something

 

[vicky583]

@tonyt316 Ty, I know it's silly to worry about stuff like this when I'm not even pregnant but I swear im just a ball of anxiety sometimes

 

[tonyt316]

@vicky583 Hey, I get it! Definitely good to plan ahead, especially for something so big. But medical teams know their stuff. If you explain your situation they will work with you to find a solution that works for you. Nobody wants you to be in pain through your experience birthing a child

 

[kiwisteve]

@vicky583 I am the same with the Tylenol, Advil, etc. Also, weirdly, drugs that make other people drowsy totally keep me awake like NyQuil and Tylenol PM. Makes me feel like I’m on crack, and I can’t sleep for days.

So what does work? Percocet. It’s what my doctor prescribed after my two c-sections and honestly, it’s the bomb. I’ve taken lots of types of painkillers after various surgeries and Percocet is just the best. Only drug I’ve ever thought “Hmm, this is why people get addicted to drugs.” Luckily, my doctor only gave me one refill and that under pretty close watch. Then I was done. But I’m not going to lie - I’m due in 9 weeks and I’m terrified of having to go through another c-section, but at least I know there’s Percocet at the end. I will be setting my timer and taking each one exactly as prescribed to make it last as long as possible. You truly never want to skip your meds in a tired baby fog because you will PAY in pain.

For that reason, I kept a log of everything - what drugs, when, when I pumped, when I fed the babies, when I changed the babies, when I fed myself. Otherwise I would have had no idea what was what.

 

[ack128]

@kellygok It hurts. Its hurts like hell. I was given pain medication still it was hurting.