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Birth Stories
Did anyone get Morphine after c-section?
I had a horrible c-section experience and recovery. Shortened version of birth story.
I went in for an induction at 41w1d.
July 12th 9pm- had foley cath inserted.
4am- the foley fell out when I went to the bathroom, they checked me and I was 4cm.
6am- I was moved to L&D where they hooked me up to monitors.
9:30am- I was still at 4cm, Dr broke my water.
10:30am- I was 6cm and got my epidural.
I never went past 6cm. At 8:30pm, the Dr felt around my belly and said the baby was measuring approx. 8-8.5lbs, and if we wanted, I could wait a couple more hrs to see if I progressed, or do a c-section. Dr left the room and DH and I talked about it. We decided to go ahead with the c-section.
9:00pm- went into the OR. They gave me some more meds (which I don't remember the name now) and I was fine for the first few minutes, I was alert and everything, but couldn't feel anything because I was numb. Then it gets foggy.
9:30pm- Hunter was born (I do not remember anything about it whatsoever) I remember waking up in recovery and DH was there with me. I was very out of it in the recovery room. After a while, I was moved to my room to get some rest. My family was there and a nurse, who wanted to go over paperwork with us. After my family left, the nurse came back in to go over everything. The nurse had told me I could hit my morphine pump anytime I was in pain. (a light would come on when I could press it).
3:15am- I woke up and I was in pain near my incision. I called for the nurse and she came in. I told her I was in pain and she told me I could hit my pain pump every 10 min, and a light would come on the pump, to let me know when I could press it. So, due to the fact I was in pain, I pressed the pump every 10-15 min for 2 hrs.
5:30am, I was on the phone with my mom, DH was sitting next to me. I felt I was going to vomit, so I handed the phone to DH and the next thing he knew, I was passed out. I was white as a ghost, my eyes rolled back in my head, and my lips were blue. He was shouting for a nurse on the call button, they kept asking what was wrong. He finally ran out in the hall and screamed for a nurse to come in. Next thing I knew, I awoke to 10 nurses over me trying to get me to wake up.
I was in recovery most of the day, with a private nurse, who was the best. My family would take turns coming in my room, and DH was there by my side the entire time.
The next day, (Wednesday), my belly started to fill up really big. At first they thought I was bleeding internally. However, the x-ray I had done, showed that I had developed an ileus. (the bowels are blocked and can not move) I had to have an NG tube placed (hurt like HELL!) to remove the gas from my stomach. The tube was in for 4 days. I was NPO the entire time, and on IV liquids for 4 days.
Sat, July 18th
I was finally able to keep apple juice and graham crackers down (with the tube in), so they said I could be discharged later that day. We were finally discharged to go home around 5:30pm.
All the while, my baby wasn't allowed in our room overnight because I was not well enough to care for him. I didn't even see my baby or get to hold him until 1 and a half days after I had him. Seeing him for the first time, was the best feeling in the entire world!!!
Anyhow, back to my question...were any of you given morphine or any strong drugs after your c-section?
When I went for my 6 week checkup today, I asked about it today, and the Dr said that they automatically give morphine drip for the pain. When I told her I was given the drip before I was in pain, she said that is the normal protocol.
I don't really think I believe everything she's telling me. I have requested my medical records from the hospital (at $1.00 per page!) and I will see what is in there when I receive them. I just find it a little fishy and can't understand why I had such a horrible experience.
Thanks for listening, if you are still reading. I am sorry this is so long!!!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Did anyone get Morphine after c-section?
Sorry for your bad experience! I had a c-section and was hooked to a morphine drip right afterward for 24 hours. I wasn't in any real pain so I didn't push the button. The nurse finally told me that I should hit the button every 30 minutes so I did.
I did not have a reaction at all to the drip. I did question why I HAD to take the medicine, because I normally do not take any sort of pain medication especially something that strong and they said it was protocol also.
I would keep questioning it until you find something out. You seem to have a really bad reaction!!
I don't think so. I did have an IV but they told me it was for nutrition reasons, since I wasn't allowed to eat for two days. They gave me a drug that is normally used for arthritis for pain relief... I don't remember the name of it now. Diclofenac, maybe?
ETA: it was Diclofenac, I Googled it. And I definitely didn't have a morpine pump- I never did anything with my IV except pick at the tape. I really don't think I had any.
He was 8 lbs 9 oz and 21.5" long.
This exactly -- down to the zofran and benadryl.
I had morphine after mine. I had the little button to push whenever I wanted it. I think I only used it for about 12 hours off and on (I got the itches, too). Then they had me on Darvocet (sp), which made my face get beat red and itchy, so I tried Vicoden and that made me nauseous. By the time I got home, I quit taking all of it except the Ibuprofin 800.
I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. Mine was bad, too. Long story short: I was induced TWICE, had my water broken, never progressed past a 3, decided on a C/S, spinal didn't take after 30 minutes of trying, so I got put under for it. My H and I didn't get to see our daughter born
( But we are both healthy now and that's what counts.
The thing that happened with your bowels is one of the risks that my surgeon told me about. I would talk to your doctor with your next baby and see what could be done to make your experience better. My doctor and I have already had a long conversation about it. Some of us just aren't lucky enough to get the sunshine and rainbows deliveries like other people, but we do get beautiful, healthy babies and that's the goal.
Late info for you- but maybe it will still help you...your nurse should have explained to you (and more than once due to you being kind of out of it due to the surgery)- that you can hit the button every 10-15 minutes, but only if you need to. They should not tell you to hit it every time it is available to you. They call this a PCA- 'patient controlled analgesia'. The pump has lockouts to prevent overdose based on specific parameters- but depending on the person- you can overdose accidentally on a much lower quantity. Also- they will often have you on an oximeter to read your oxygen saturation while you are on a pump like that. Some hospitals it is policy, some it is not.
As far as the ileus- there is no way to predict who is going to get one and who isn't. Getting up and walking around soon after surgery can help- but with any surgery, the bowels are the last thing to "wake up"- and with narcotic medicine for pain relief- that actuall yslows bowels down. So it is a catch 22.
I am so sorry you had to experience that. You were very lucky your DH was in your room with you. That is incredible scary. I will bet they will have a policy change after that.
Glad to hear baby is doing ok- and you are too.