C-Section Tenderness

[linley]

Hey all! FTM here who had to have an emergency c-section. It’s been 3 weeks, and I’m feeling almost 100%, my incision is healing nicely, but I’m still experiencing quite a bit of tenderness/burning feeling on my skin down there. It isn’t the scar itself, that’s basically numb, but the skin on my abdomen hurts any time anything touches it. Is that normal? I’m thinking it may be because of nerve damage down there, or something, but I just wanted to see if this was something anyone else experienced post c-section. Thanks!

 

[secretniqabi]

@linley Did you happen to have stretch marks? Mine felt like road rash for a while after.

 

[elijah_ride]

@secretniqabi Yes!! Same. Tender to the touch where my stretch marks are too

 

[secretniqabi]

@elijah_ride It will keep getting better!

 

[linley]

@secretniqabi Yes!! Now that you mention it, it is in the area where my stretch marks are

 

[secretniqabi]

@linley If it's on the surface like that, that's likely what it is. It should keep getting better and hurting less. I think that pain was completely gone for sure by 3ish months for me, but it definitely kept getting better and was probably the worst about where you are at 3w pp.

 

[johnathan_d_hill]

@linley The nerves take up to a year to heal, there’s weird sensations as they do. I had phantom burning and shooting pains in a numb area on my abdomen around the incision for many months. Eventually the weirdness subsided but some of the numbness did remain permanently. It doesn’t bother me though.

 

[brian7777]

@johnathan_d_hill Yep yep. I’m at 9 months out and for the last 8 weeks or so I’ve been randomly VERY itchy in certain parts of my scar AND only at night. But in the last couple weeks, it’s totally gone away. Nerve healing is weird.

I started taking gabapentin (Neurontin) for sleep-related anxiety, and it has unintentionally REALLY helped the scar itchies.

 

[duodokkans]

@linley Totally normal. Mine burned with light touch for months but slowly got better.

 

[avnk89]

@linley I experienced this, 4mos out it’s much much better. You can look into desensitization exercises and scar tissue massage to help but a lot of it is just time.

 

[favorfromonhigh]

@linley Normal. Took probably 3-4 months before I stopped getting that tender feeling at and around the scar. When you feel ready a light scar tissue massage can also help with healing underneath your skin.

 

[harrantion]

@linley I was told by my midwife that the internal incision is above the external incision, which is why it often hurts above the scar.

 

[ninjax]

@linley I had it too. Asked my doctor and he said it was normal. I am now 11 weeks pp and it’s better but I’m still feeling it.

 

[surveyor1951]

@linley I had this, took ages to go away. Struggled wearing pants as was too sore so wore a lot of dresses. Took about 6/7 months before it cleared up completely but was much better after about 3. Now 2 years later I can still have a flare up and that skin is more sensitive.

 

[kiraman]

@linley I had this with both of my c-sections. Took longer to go away the first time (many months), but funny enough after my second c section it only took about 6 weeks to fully go away.

 

[evanga76]

@linley Honestly it’s been over two years since mine and it still feels uncomfortable with pressure. I can’t do the stretches with my pelvis against the handle bars after cycling classes because of the discomfort.

But the burning you describe lasted only a few months PP though.

 

[dtp]

@linley It took me almost 6 months for that kind of sensation to completely subside. At this point I just get occational very itchy at the c section scar.

 

[dbendinelli777]

@linley 12 weeks post and my lower abdomen is still tender. I think bc not only is your skin and uterus sutured, but your fascia and muscle are as well- yes, FOUR layers of stitches . I believe the tenderness is the muscle and facial sutures healing…that will be in a different area than your skin and uterus scarring based on how swollen your belly was at birth, and how much your uterus contracts.

Edit: Stitches not Staples

 

[secretniqabi]

@linley Lol replied to your post not comment

 

[alfielove]

@linley 10months pp from a c-section. The numbness has subsided significantly but is still there. When my baby kicked or stood on my c-section scar it felt like fire? It takes a while for nerves to come back.