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Gas Pain and Other C-Section Surprises

by Kara P.
(Racine, WI)

Cesarean Surprise #1:


For me, the MOST painful part after the c-section was the gas as my body started to get back to normal.

The doctor suggested that I take a suppository, and as soon as I had one I started passing gas and relief was in my sights. No one ever told me about the gas pain I might have. Who would have guessed that the inability to pass gas was more painful than recovering from major abdominal surgery!

------------Useful Tip!------------
Purchase some low-riding underwear ahead of time and bring it with you to the hospital. The loose-netting hospital underwear is fine, but the low-riding underwear is MUCH better.

So, once you get home, plan on using low-riding underwear and one-piece pajamas. Anything to avoid touching the incision!
-----------------------------------

Cesarean Surprise # 2

Another big cesarean surprise was my feet and ankles swelled AFTER the surgery so badly I couldn't wear shoes. I didn't have much swelling while I was pregnant, so I assumed I was home-free. Wrong! They swelled to 3-4 times their normal size after surgery.

My husband Rob had to purchase slipons with velcro so I could leave the hospital in something other than socks (it was January).

Cesarean Surprise #3

I got my period after the delivery. I wasn't TOO surprised about this (since you do mention it here), but it still seemed odd.

Cesarean Surprise #4

The final cesarean surprise, for me, was my reaction to the pain medicine they gave me, Percocet. At first I was fine, but after taking the meds for 5 days I developed a rash that covered pretty much my entire body. As soon as I stopped the meds, it went away. It was seriously itchy, very red, and pretty unattractive all around.

Of course, all of this was worth it for my beautiful baby Cooper!

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Nov 26, 2012
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starstarstar 		. NEW
by: Anonymous

I agree it was not your period but normal bleeding after the surgery.I just had a c section last week and the gas way more painful than the whole labor and i also gained a itchy reaction from the same medicine. I even itched on the bottom of my feet. I agree low rider panties are a must have!! And try not to eat anything that causes you gas once you get home
Sep 30, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Period after c-section?
by: Anonymous

Hi there,
I just want to say that what you had after your c-section was NOT your period, but the normal bleeding that indicates your womb is contracting to its regular size after been emptied of the baby and the placenta. This bleeding is not related to your menstrual cicle but just a part of the healing process. If you exclusively breastfeed are not likely to have your menstrual period back until you introduce supplementary food to your baby's diet.

Cheers!
Aug 12, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		I suffered very very bad gas pain too!
by: Kaylan

I can relate to the gas pain very much so. After my pregnancy (this was my 4th c-section so I wasn't expecting it to be easy) I had horrific gas pains after I left the hospital. They decrease your pain meds after you leave and the gas built up and up despite all my attempts to stop it.

It basically puts pressure on your insides, incision, everywhere, I could not sit down, lay down or stand. I was in utter agony. I ended up going to the ER just to get increase in pain meds again. I went home and was told to take laxatives, anti-gas tabs and eat lots of fiber, as well as enema (which really didn't seem to help).

I think the oral laxatives helped me the most, as well as the anti-gas tabs. But the pain was so long and intense. I was in tears for hours and couldn't even take care of the baby. My husband had to take care of all the children. All I wanted to do was be a mom and cuddle with my baby but I was suffering so much for the c-section recovery.

When I called my OB to ask what they would do if the laxatives don't work, they said they would have to put a tube down my throat to release the gas. I thought this was cruel because I had gas problems in my first c-section (though not as bad as this) and they had used a tube in your rectum (yes, not pretty but it worked)...so I figured she would offer something like that.

But when I mentioned that, she just said the tube down the throat (while your awake too!)...your already suffering greatly and they want to torture you.

I am going to contact a doctor who specializes in intestinal issues and ask why this has happened to me. I fear that my intestines might be twisted or something since having c-sections. I still suffer very bad gas pains so I know something is still not right.
Feb 14, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Better Than Vaginal Birth
by: Anonymous

My baby was born 1 month early, my doctor had told me I would probably need to have a c-section since my placenta was in front of the baby, so I was a little prepared.

I have never been more scared of anything in my life. I started bleeding and did not stop for about 20 minutes, when I finally got to the hospital the on call doctor said he wanted to keep me for 2 weeks. ( I thought he was crazy.)

When my doctor came on duty, he decided to do a c-section because I had lost so much blood. The nurse told me I was having a contraction every 2 minutes which I never felt. The only pain I had up until that point was when the IV was put into my hand. The surgery was faster than I thought.

It took 5 days for all the pain to stop and for me to be able to do everything as normal again. During my pregnancy I was nervous about the pain. The worst part about having a c-section is the ugly scar I'm left with, but the reward was sure worth it.
Sep 03, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		VERY similar to my ectopic pregnancy removal/surgery
by: Anonymous

Everything this woman has gone through after the c-section is pretty much everything that I had gone through after my surgery.

You can find many stories and tips about c-sections, but I was never given information to read about my post ectopic pregnancy removal/surgery.

I know that I'm not the only person that has had this type of surgery, but the stories are very comforting to know that there is someone out there that has experienced the same roller coaster that I am currently experiencing.

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