Major Pain

Hi,

I'm a bodyworker with 15 yrs experience. I had two c-sections and I had pain as well. My teacher/bodyworker helped me a lot and I can possibly do the same for you. Let me know if you want to schedule an appointment. ###-###-####

N.

I have a 9 1/2 yr old and a 3 yr old. in my history, I had never had many "PMS" symptoms..I actually thought women of the world were being melodramatic. After weaning my second daughter at 13 months and my cycle returned to "normal" I began experiencing terrible cramps, back pain (nearly as bad as my back pain during labor)and fatigue so terrible I could barely stay awake at my desk at work. It has slowly returned to normal (but it took me about a year). I never asked anyone about it or questioned why...just figured it was my pennance for never believing my gal pals when they said they were having it rough =).

Hi A.!

With my first son, after he was delivered, and we were done breastfeeding, my period started like normal and I never "missed a beat". However, with my second child, after we were done breastfeeding, things were WAY out of control with my period!

Sometimes I had severe pain without any flow. Sometimes just a 1-2 day flow with abdominal pain the whole 7 days. This went on for months! AND I was told it was normal for my period to "come back" in different ways after a baby.

My youngest son is 5 yrs old now, and my period has been mostly chaotic for the last 5 years since his birth, until this last year, it finally has a pattern.

Anyway, I believe what you're going through is normal, at least according to what I went through :o) I always thought of it this way.....My period stopped all together for 9 months. Then it stopped for another hormonal reason...breastfeeding. After all that was over( a year and half later), my period was just supposed to start backup again???? No, I guess it takes a couple of cycles to "get things moving" again..

I must say, because of the abdominal cramping, I finally broke down and bought some Pamprin....I couldn't beleive how much it helped my cramps. You might want to try it. To think...all these years I thought that Pamprin was just trying to market off us women and our unavoidable periods! So, I would never buy it, because Advil was enough relief. But, I swear on Pamprin now!

My cramps came in many differnt "forms" and pains, not always the typical cramps. I think that's what you might be experiencing.

If you think it's something other than cramping, then you may have to go in to be checked. I'd hate for you to have an infection or something. I've had my Appendix removed, and it takes place on the lower right side. The uncomfortable pain in that area will be nothing you can stand if it is an Appendicitis. I was crunched over and could not stand. There are no real early and "simple signs" of an appendicitis, only sudden and extremely painful signs are most common. So, if you have had these pains for a few days, then it probably is not your Appendix. But Be aware, and if you think it might be your Appendix, the pain will get worse as the minutes go on, and you should NOT WAIT to go to the ER, as they could burst inside. Good Luck A.!

:o) N.

Hi: you could maybe just have a cyst in your falopian tubes, I've had then once, they eventually go away after a few months, but since you had a c-section I would advice to go and see a doctor or maybe go to planned parenthood, that's were i went.
Just to be sure.

Obviously your doctor will know more about this.

I had c-section too, and the first one took forever to heal from.

I think the appendix is on the right lower side, but again I'm not a doctor. It might however be an ovarian cyst which may be harmless. I had one during my whole pregnancy, the doctor said we get it sometimes when we drop eggs, and since you have your period again, it might just be that. He was able to release the liquid from the cyst during my c-section, so I was lucky enough to have that done and gone at the same time.

Have your doctor check it out.

Also, remember c-section is a major surgical procedure you might have some kind of indication of a larger problem (or it could just be nothing... just the body healing). For your sake, I hope it's the latter. :-)

Hi A.,

First off your appendix is on the right side...so it is not that!

Ovarian cysts are very common and exactly as you have explained your pain and location. I happen to have a bilateral cyst in my left ovary that is re-occurring. It is excruciatingly painful at times but usually goes away in about three days. Your Dr. should know about your pain and keep an eye on them. If they do burst as the one lady talked about, it will be to the ER for you! What they do is an ultrasound to measure it so they can keep an eye on it so if it comes back they will know if it is growing or if it is a different one, etc.

You don’t want to wait too long to have it checked out, but it also may dissipate on its own. If it does, then keep a log of your cycle and its reoccurrence. Depending on the type of birth control you are on too may also play a part it its habits.

Hi A.,

After two C-sections and nursing, my periods came back with a VENGENCE. I hadn't had cramps that bad since highschool. I ended up using prescription motrin which helped a lot. The fact that your pain was only on one side was odd though--perhaps there is an advice nurse you could call without actually going in?

Good luck,

K.

I had the same issue after my c-section. all that it was, was nerves "growing" back together. It gets less and less as time goes on. It's more intense once monthly cycles start because your uterus and lower ab muscles are being used more compared to while you were breast feeding. midol or hot compresses usually relax the muscles enough.

i think seeing a doctor would be best.

It may just be ovulation pain, the area being sensitive after starting everything up again. But if you are in real pain that is not subsiding you should see your doctor. Don't take chances with your health.

I think you should probably see a doctor. I am no medical expert, but I think if your appendix is rupturing, you feel very bad pain in your lower left stomach area? You could be right and it could just be cramps or something, but it seems weird that it is a sharp pain on one half of your stomach only... good luck and please let us know what happens!

Dear A.,
I never had to have a c-section with either of my two children, but I did have about a million surgeries related to my reproductive system aside from that. You could be experiencing pain just due to your system trying to get back to normal after having a baby by c-section. Periods cause cramps when shedding the lining of the uterus each month so perhaps you had more stitching on your left side when they got your baby out. I had terrible pains from scar tissue from my surgeries. My other guess would be that it could be your ovary. Once you begin ovulating again, you could be experiencing tenderness. Keep track of your temperature, because if you have a fever, you could have an infection. In which case you can get antibiotics. If the pain subsides it should be nothing to worry about, even if it comes back the next month. But definitely keep track of the days you are in discomfort, how long it lasts, and when it subsides in correlation with your periods. Your body is just trying to get back to "normal" so this information will help your doctor if you need to go. I was plagued by ovarian cysts and they always hurt in my back, not in my tummy. There are things you can take for pain that won't hurt your baby while breastfeeding and try a heating pad. Also, try exercise if you can stand to because often that can help "get the kinks out". The pain will most likely go away, but if it doesn't, you should definitely at least call your doctor's office and explain your symptoms. In the meantime, try to relax, know that your body has been through an awful lot of changes. Don't panic....but if you really feel something is wrong....a simple exam can alleviate your fears.

Take care!

Hi A.,

I am sorry to hear you are in pain. I had a c-section also and had lots of pain afterwards for months. I did have a couple ovarian cysts that burst- it was extremely painful. I don't think you should wait. Go see your ob-gyn before the pain gets any worse. I ended up in the ER with mine because the pain was so bad. I hope that you are ok.

Molly

Hi A., if you're really looking for something that will help with the pain I have a suggestion that you might be interested in hearing about. It's an all natural antioxidant-rich delicious tasting juice that contains the Brazillian Acai berry. If you'd like to hear more about it, let me know and I can get you more information. I've taken it after surgery and the healing process was so much faster and I had so much natural energy and best of all I was able to stay asleep during the night and upon awaking and drinking 2 ounces, I could get up without that internal pain associated with stitches or healing. My email address is ____@____.com and my phone number is ###-###-####.

Hi A.,

I just wanted to let you know, that I used to have very light and mild periods, until after I had a C-section. Since then they've changed quite a bit... much heavier and with more cramping pain. So I'm not sure exactly what the change was... but clearly as someone else stated, c-sections are major surgery, and at least with me affected the way in which my monthly cycles behaved afterwards. But othere than that, there were no changes and no complications. But if your pain is intense, concentrated in one area, and not relenting... I think you should see a doctor just in case. That's probably a safe thing to do no matter where you're experiencing pain.

Good luck... and enjoy your little girl!

Keep an eye on it - its probably just cramps. My cramps were far worse after having a baby for a while.

A., you should go to see a doctor. The pain could be a problem with the ovary. And - unless you are 100% sure that you are not pregnant - it could even be an ectopic pregnancy, one that starts in the tube between the ovary and the uterus. That tube can rupture and that would be an extreme emergency with massive blood loss.

If you still have the pain, please call your doctor or an advice nurse.

I., a retired OB/GYN nurse.

I think you should seek medical advice. Try the advice nurse first and go in for an appointment if necessary. Sometimes when c-sections are performed scar tissue grows where the incisions were made. It is also possible that you can have a hernia or are not healing properly.
If you feel like something is wrong, go with your "guts" and find out what is happening. If it is nothing then you can relax. If it is something, then you can relax because you know you did the right thing. Good luck!

I don't think it is caused by the c-section, but merely having a baby. I have tried both, first a c-section and with my second, I delivered vaginally. After stopping breastfeeding number two, I also got some unusual pains in my side. Not quite like cramps, and they weren't at the time of my period, but between. I saw a doctor who told me it was my ovulation. I thought it sounded crazy that I had to go through pain during and between periods. When can I just be comfortable??? But I started noticing that the pain alternated sides from month to month and have gradually become weaker.
Hope that is just what is going on with you too.
S.

If it's like cramping pain, you might try lying on your tummy for awhile. When you're in that position, the ligaments holding the uterus in place can relax to some degree and they ease up. I've noticed that when I get up from lying on my tummy, they do come back in awhile, but it does help, at least for me!

I have had the same sort of pains ever since I started back on my period. Mine are about when I should be ovulating and they last about an hour. I don't know for sure that the pains are ovulation related, but it makes sense to me. If yours are the same I would think they are too. Or it could just be your body getting back into the swing of things again. Isn't being a woman grand!
S. R.