Recovery without pain meds?

VineyardMel · February 2012

I'm not due until September but I'm planning ahead.

I already know that I'm going to have to have a c/s but I'm not able to take pain meds stronger than Ibuprofen. (I've had multiple surgeries and tried every class of narcotics and they all make me violently ill. Taking them with some sort of anti-nausea med can keep me from throwing up, but I'm still beyond miserable wanting to puke.)

Has anyone else faced this or have info on post-op pain management that doesn't use pain meds? Could you have tolerated it with just high doses of ibuprofen? I want to do as much research as I can to be prepared. And to be less terrified.

candi2912 · February 2012

I just had my LO last week. While at the hospital they gave my Percocet and 600mg ibuprofen. The ibuprofen really helped, but since they would only give me one every 6 hours the Percocet was nice. I know you can't take anything but the ibuprofen and you will probably be uncomfortable in between doses but depending on your pain tolerance it can be tolerable. One thing that I found to help was an ice pack (this is my 4th c-section and I just learned this). To me the most uncomfortable things are the uterus contracting afterwards (they say the more kids you have the more that hurts) and there is a burning/stinging feeling and that is where the ice pack really helped! I have been home for 2 days now and I think I have only taken 3 of my percocets (usually I only need them after I try to do to much, like making brownies for my SO last night for v-day, to much stretching and reaching and bending for things) but other than that my ibuprofen work just fine, I just make sure I take them before I start hurting to much, just getting uncomfortable. Well I hope this helps. And good luck!

JenJH923 · February 2012

I have never taken pain medication before so I was nervous to take anything post-op. I took Naproxen for the pain and opted not to take the Percocet. The Naproxen was great and I was never in great pain.

I am also a nurse on a Maternity unit and I have patients all the time who do not tolerate pain medication. If you know of a medication you can tolerate and take for pain then talk to your doctor about it (once you get to the hospital for your c/s) and ask them to order that. Most doctors are very understanding, especially when you are asking for a more mild medication versus asking for stronger meds. Ibuprofen is great because it helps with swelling and will help keep your uterus and incision a bit more comfortable. Of course you are going to have some tenderness.
THe pain was never anything I couldn't tolerate. Before they take your epidural catheter out they will probably put a stronger medication in it to help keep you pain free for a while (I got morphine). Make sure you talk about that with the anesthesiologist once you get to the hospital, especially if you can't handle morphine because that is usually a per protocol thing and not necessarily something they will discuss with you ahead of time.

jb2rn · February 2012

I only had ibuprofen (600mg every 8 hours I think) and paracetamol (tylenol) after they pulled my epidural. Not by choice, that was all they gave me here (I am in Germany). It was do able, but not great. The worst was post op day two and three. Getting in and out of bed was tough, as was breastfeeding. It can be done, though.

Mrs. Alice · February 2012

I also am very sensitive to narcotic painkillers so I was given an extended epidural for pain management post op. They just left in the catheter from the spinal anethesia and hooked it up to a pain pump. The first bag of medicine still contained the numbing medicine which gave me a small steady hourly dose and I could press a button to receive extra doses as needed. After that bag, it just contained Fentanyl to control pain. I had this in addition to IV Toradol every 6 hours as needed (non narcotic similar to Ibuprofen) which especially helps relieve cramping. With the epidural I was able to get up and walk around after 12 hours. I had it until the 2nd morning after surgery and then I transitioned to taking 1 Vicodin (which I could tolerate) alternating with Ibuprofen 600mg. Besides the pain in the intial recovery, it was great and very manageable. I would totally ask for this again.

JG362009 · February 2012

I had Duramorph in my spinal and was given a percocet script to take home. I hated the duramorph so I'm going to ask not to have that and I took one percocet when I was discharged and it was the worst so I never took another one. I was in a LOT of pain but managed with only ibuprofen. You can do it, but you'll be in a lot of pain. After the duramorph wore off (around 24 hours) I felt like death because I was only taking ibuprofen but you just have to tell yourself it's temprorary.

I'm doing this again but also for breastfeeding reasons (no narcotics if at all possible) -- my husband is a pediatrician and he said obviously nothing they give you will kill your baby, but it is very possible that it will make it harder for your baby to breastfeed because they'll be more tired and have a harder time coordinating their suck/swallow. I had a kid that didn't latch for 10 weeks and it was NOT fun to EP so I'm also doing this to try to get bf off on a better start.

Christine&Mario · February 2012

Congrats on your little one on the way!

I was able to receive the stronger pain meds, but opted for just ibuprofin after half a day or so because the pain medicines knocked me out and I wanted to be more alert. The ibuprofin in the high dose did work well, and I continued taking 3-4 advil every 4 hours when I returned home for another week or two. Just try not to do that on an empty stomach because the last thing you want is to give yourself an ulcer

You may read or already have read that the worst pain that a lot of ladies have from their c-section is intense shoulder pain 1-3 days after giving birth, caused by gas bubbles. It's excruciating. The best way to prevent this is to get out of bed as soon as you physically can and walk around. Take your baby on a stroll around the hospital corridor as often as you can, and you should hopefully be able to avoid this.

GL! And a H&H 7 more months!

katmacwv · February 2012

Other than what they put in my IV, I really didn't need anything stronger than Motrin for pain after my c/s. I did take 3 prescription pills, though 2 of them were because I was afraid there would be pain (removing the tape from the staples and getting the staples removed). The 1 time I truly felt I needed it was after I was home and overdid it shopping and running around too soon. I don't have a particularly high pain threshold, but I just wasn't in much pain.

luckibrat · February 2012

Same boat here but narcotics make me super hyper/rapid heart beat/shaky/sweaty and my mind races. I've had two major surgeries (breast reconstruction and CS) and only took extra stregnth tylenol. I think my pain tolerance is higher than most, but I had no problems. With my CS, my doctor inserted a little pump/tube thing that gave me a local anesthetic for 24 hours following surgery. That probably helped a lot as well, perhaps you can ask your Doc if they know about that?

Like a PP said, my worst pain was the referred shoulder pain from gas. A heating pad and warm towels helped that and it was gone in a few hours. Getting up to move as soon as you can and tkaing short walks will help alot.

Good luck!

pepomntpat · February 2012

I had a super ibuprofen (that's how the nurse described it-it was not a narcotic) in my IV after my surgery and just alternated double doses of Tylenol and Advil every 2-3 hours once I was home. I really never needed the narcotics though I did take the percocet the first few nights at home.

I think you will be fine.

JAP09-02 · February 2012

My friend had a scheduled c/s and only took IBU for her recovery. There is hope!

VineyardMel · February 2012

Thanks so much, ladies!! This is really helpful--especially for my anxiety!

+diana82+ · February 2012

Other than what was in my IV or spinal or whatever initially - I never took more than the motrin with either of my c/s. My nurses argued with me but I've had surgery before, I know my pain tolerance and honest to god the ONLY time I was in pain is if I was late getting my motrin (which I was often with #2 because she was in the NICU so I walked there alot and wasn't around when the nurses came by).

Ardmhs83 · February 2012

Congrats! I hope everything works out for you and that your dr can find something you can take and tolerate. I can't really be much of a help b/c I NEEDED my percoset and took every last pill. It worked amazingly! I don't think I could have done it with just Advil. :-(

Shawnee11507 · February 2012

I think it is probably do-able. I had an emergency c-section last Monday. I was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon. If they gave me anything besides the spinal, I am not aware and was not asked. I have been taking Ibuprofen 800mg every 8 hours. I took 1 percocet the day after surgery when I had a sucky nurse that let me go all day without bringing me meds and then took 1.5hrs to come after I realized I was hurting (I realized around 3pm), hadn't had meds since 6am, and called for them. Other than that, I took 1/2 a Percocet maybe 3 more times at the hospital during Tue and Wed. I did not take any the Thur I was being discharged and have not taken any since I've been home.

ChristinaDawn · February 2012

I did it with only motrin and it wasn't that bad. Heating pads helped a lot as well as very comfy underwear and loose fitting pants. I also kept a large gauze pad between my undies and my stomach because it minimized the pressure of the waist band on my stomach too. I'm trying to think of what other non-med solutions I used during my hospital stay and throughout early recovery. "Bracing" helped a lot - I just used a pillow or rolled up towel and held it tight against my stomach, especially when it came to laughing or coughing or sneezing!

cg0112358 · February 2012

Just out of curiosity, why do you know you'll have a c/s?

Also, to answer your question, I have known several people who took nothing but ibuprofen after their c/s, however, I was not one of them. I was still on high doses of pain meds almost 2 weeks after my surgery. What helped get me off the pain meds was something I wish someone had recommended sooner...a sacral belt (pretty much the same as a belly binder). Once I put it on it helped me so much I needed no more pain meds. It made an incredibly difference in my recovery and, as I said, I only wish I'd known about it sooner. Mine did not come from my OB or my hospital, though. I had gotten one from my chiropractor the same morning that I unexpectedly went into the hospital. I had the d@mn thing in my house the whole time...

ETA: I also really recommend getting some c/s panties. The ones I got were tight around the incision. Putting pressure on my incision was one of the few things that helped reduce my pain. I think these might be the ones I got (https://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=938990111&Mastercategory_Id=MC32). They got great reviews from both postpartum mommas as well as c/s mommas.

pottermommy · February 2012

TORADOL!!! I got violently ill after the Csection due to the narcotics. THe nurse kicked out all of my visitors, my inscision started bleeding, I couldn't hold DS. I puked for twelve hours straight. They pulled all the pain pump meds and put toradol into my IV.

It is non narcotic and was WONDERFUL!!! Took the pain away and I got it every six hours with xtra strength Tylenol every 4!

Ask your DR ahead of time and they should be able to do it!

snoopy3319 · February 2012

I didn't have anything other than Ibuprofen, which turned out to be a big no no for me with my other problems I had going on, so it was only Tylenol around the clock from there on out. The nurses thought I was nuts, but it honestly only hurt to get in and out of bed, and even then I just banged on something until the pain stopped. Sounds crazy, but it worked. I also had a big pad to put pressure on the incision while I moved which really helped.

mamameg11 · February 2012

I had iv pain killers for about 48 hours after my surgery, not sure exactly which ones. After that my doctor said she only wanted me taking ibuprofen and tylenol - she said taking them together would help and it did. So I was taking 1-2 ibuprofen and 2 tylenol every 4-6 hours for about 2 weeks. I definitely still had pain, but was able to manage through it without the drowsiness of painkillers.

Recovery without pain meds?

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