Let's talk about opiods and c-sections...

[Anonymous]

I've had four surgeries and was always prescribed an opioid for pain. Slipped a disc but the muscle relaxant was enough. Never needed them. I even used to have cavities filled without novicaine. Had shingles, called the doctor begging for opioid. I imagine that in addition to people feeling pain differently, they feel pain in different places differently. I am very curious how I will do with labor!

[Anonymous]

Opioids make me vomit. I’ve actually been quite nervous about cs recovery because of that (baby is currently breech and I will have a cs if ECV is not successful next week). This makes me feel a bit better that ibuprofen may be sufficient. Thanks for sharing your experience, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They gave me percocet after my first vaginal birth. I was surprised and didn't use them. When I asked the pharmacy if they would take them back they told me to just flush it down the toilet. It's shocking.

+1. They prescribed it for me with both vaginal births, 7 and 4 years ago. I only used ibuprofen.

[Anonymous]

I generally have a high pain tolerance, but I recall after my second planned c/s a few years ago that I tried stopping Percocet a few days after surgery and regretting it mightily. I think I needed it for about a week. It really is different for different people.

[Anonymous]

I have an extremely high pain threshold and I happily accepted the Percocet prescription after my c-section. Keeping ahead of the pain was very nessecary for me and I think helped me heal and enjoy my baby better. After two or three days, I cut the dose in half and relied more on the Advil, but I kept taking the Percocet for about a week after my surgery.

If you take it responsibly, aren’t dealing with addiction issues, and are in extreme pain, I see no reason to be a martyr and not take it.

[Anonymous]

Opiods do nothing for me, and just make me feel gross and sleepy. Valium, otoh ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had an emergency c section a few years ago and they tried to give me opiods to stay ahead of the pain. I opted for ibuprofen, and the nurses thought it was weird but the opioids they put in my epidural caused me such insane itching, it was absolutely terrible and I suffered all night waiting for the effects to wear off.

Anyhow, I felt absolutely fine using ibuprofen and the pain wasn’t enough to warrent more but maybe my threshold for pain is more than for others.

+1

I vomited during my first c-section as a result of the IV pain meds. Then I had that intense itchy skin feeling for about 24 hours after. It was horrid. I only needed ibuprofen after surgery and had no desire to take any additional opioids. The pain was manageable for me, but I think I have a high tolerance and also had a lot help (my husband in the hospital, and then my mother at home when my husband had to return to work within the week). When I had my second DC, they took note of my previous reaction and adjusted the dose and it was much better (no vomiting, less itching). And the ibuprofen was sufficient. Since we had first DC already, I didn’t have husband to help in the hospital over night. So this time, I was not shy about sending baby to nursery and asking for all the help I needed. I did have help once I got home, because this time husband was able to take leave for a couple weeks.

I think in general, take only what you need. Try the ibuprofen first, but if it’s not enough, then it’s not enough.

[Anonymous]

I had two c-sections and declined them. The pain wasn't that bad and I didn't like feeling loopy.

[Anonymous]

If you don’t want/need them, don’t take them. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

I took them for the 5 days I was in the hospital and then the day I got home I decided not to take them anymore because I was trying to lose weight and they were making me retain fluid. I didn’t feel loopy or any ill effects, nor did I feel any pleasant effect that would make me want to continue ur taking them. It seems the meds did exactly what they were supposed to do.

[Anonymous]

While I didn't use opiods after birth, it was important to stay ahead of the pain. I forgot to take my ibuprofen and woke up in extreme pain and was having trouble getting to them. I felt the soreness and pain in every part of me (3 day, difficult labor).

I didn't want opiods because of the constipation. I'm always constipated and didn't want hemorrhoids from opiods when extra strength ibuprofen was good enough.

[Anonymous]

I just had a baby. They were not giving out opiods like candy. In fact I had to say my pain was a 9 to get any. A 9 to me is like the ring of fire and a 10 is dying. I was having trouble moving and was crying from the pain though. Finally I just said it was a 9 so I could get some. You had to do that every 3 hours if you wanted more meds.

[Anonymous]

When they provided meds after my c-sec, they did warn that it was addictive and that I should only really be taking it if the ibuprofen wasn't touching the pain. And that's exactly how I handled it. No issues. I didn't end up needing the full bottle (they gave me a very small, one-time prescription anyway), and returned what I didn't use to the pharmacy.

[Anonymous]

I was also surprised at how percocets were pushed on me after my c section. A labor delivery nurse and also a pediatric nurse at my baby’s first appt the following week both urged me to take the percocets to stay ahead of the pain. I took both motrin and percocets in the hospital but stopped the percocets when I was discharged 4 days post delivery. I did have the most terrible constipation despite taking colace, drinking tons of water, etc. I’m due with my second soon. I almost don’t want to take a bottle of percocets home bc now that I’ve been a SAHM for over 2 years, a little opioid haze sounds a little too tempting.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t have constipation at all. Weird.