My c-section STILL HURTS....my son is THREE YRS OLD!?

Question

I had my c-section done at a military hospital and after i had my son I ended up having to get out of the army because my c-section wouldnt heal and i couldnt do the physical training or any lifting...well my son is 3 yrs oold now and I still cant rub soap directly on it because it hurts to touch....or if i wear low cut underwear it will actually bring me to tears becasue the rubbing and pressure hurts. I am absolutely terrified to go have the c0section checked out cuz if they messed it up once whos to say they wont mess up again.....what do you think it might be?? ADVICE PLEASE???

Answer 1

I think you should go to the doc and have it checked. Not to scare you or anything but the other day I was watching this tv program and some girl had an operation and her cut wouldn't heal and it turned out that she had the bacteria that eats the tissues and stuff. So I think you better have it checked before anything bad happens.
Best of luck

Answer 2

I've had three C sections...the last was just over 3 years ago...you shouldn't still be having pain to light pressure. Even with my first, I was pain free (weaker and would get sore from abdominal muscle use easier) after about 4 months.

You said that it would not heal...wound infection?? Is there any chance you could see a non-military OB-GYN? perhaps a civilian (for lack of a better word) practice would have better equipment.

Have you had this checked out since your postops from your son? Have you had physical exams with Pap and pelvic? What did they find?

Regardless...pain is a sign that something COULD be wrong, and I would get evaluated...military hospital or not. Could have been a not so experience OB who did your C section. I would not discount all doctors if I was still hurting from when I had my last C section.

An ultrasound and pelvic exam sounds to be in order here....to look at the "underside" of your scar. Could just be some adhesions from how the scar grew back. I have a few of those (keepin me from my tummy tuck! :( ), but they're not painful.

Go get checked out...good luck and I hope all goes well for you.

Answer 3

Most likely, there is some epiplon (anterior mesentery) trapped behind the C section scar..
By the time you had this operation, the possibilities of the cause of pain are :
left pieces of tissue in the surgical area (between the muscle and the fat), and poor surgical technique, with trapment of painful structures.
The most dfrequent structure trappeed in the area between muscle and fascia (the covering of the abdominal muscles) is the epiplon, that is painful when stretched ( coughing, thight dresses, or trying to stand too straight).....
The course of action in your case, should be, yo ask for an ultrasonogram (high definition. Stage 4) and look for the echoes of some foreign material behind the fat ...or in front of the rectus amdominal muscle, if they used a Pfannnenstiehl (transverse incision)
If such study is negative, a CATscan of the pelvic wall is the next thing to do,,,
That is more sensitive, and can be carried out only if yo are NOT pregnant, because it uses small amounts of radiation,,,
It is Odd, that the surgeon that attended you, hasnt had already ordered those test on your pelvic area...
The reason is there, and the means to know, are there too...
Now, in both possibilities (trapped epiplon, or foreign body. like a piece of swab or gauze), the bad news, is that, there is need to open the incision again to correct the problem....its the safest way to fix, any wrong doing that might be found.
Please keep me posted....

Answer 4

After stomach surgery, it is best to stand up as straight as you can, so that the muscles don't stay tight and you will be ABLE to stand up wihout soreness after its healed. Scar tissue does not stretch, so rub less hard and massage your stomach anyway, with Cocoa Butter or Vitamin E capsules.
You may have a hernia. Don't lift any 20 pound things- like kids. Stop doing any lifting until you see the doctor.
What is your diet and rest like? Sounds like you are run-down and needed to have a rest from the Service. Eat protein after a surgery, for healing. Also, Zinc, Vitamins C and the B-Complex Vitamins are depleted by surgery. Zinc helps' you heal- take 45 mg. after a surgery instead of the recommended 15 mg. If a person has two to three months' notice before a surgery, they should take a good Vitamin and Mineral supplement, with Iron.
I have Fibromyalgia, so a Cold or an injury takes an inordinately LONG time to heal. Go to a Rheumatologist if you don't get any answers from your doctor to get checked out.
Rule out Diabetes, also.
You are the one who knows' how you feel, and how you are affected by something, so you need to be the one in charge of your health to see that things get done and go back if you feel the same or nothing's changed.
Knowing what is wrong is a great relief, believe me- as is knowing everything is alright.
I tell you- a person almost has to exaggerate their symptoms to be listened to lately- because caregivers get burnt out on the more serious cases and are relieved when someone is not mentioning those, so they tune out!
At least be assertive to make sure the doctor follows' through on your complaints.
It is a lot easier- and much cheaper to talk about problems before they are big and have made yourself so stressed that your quality of life is affected.
The military has avenues to take on unsatisfactory medical care if it means enough for you to push the issue. Talk to an Ombudsman to help you through the process of them taking action on any complaints of which you are not satisfied with the outcome.
God forbid that they left a sponge or a surgical tool in there! Did they take an X-ray?
Also, a latent infection that is recurring could be the cause. Blood test for white count would rule out that and anything else that is going on. These are the bare minimum things that should have been done.
God Bless you and take care!

Answer 5

Scar tissue, adhesions,nerve entrapment,,something left inside that shouldn't have been(like a towel or an instrument) any number of possibilities.
I take from your question that you, yourself were in the service. If that is so, do you have your DD214 discharge paper and a copy of your medical records? if you were discharged, Medically, you should be eligible for V.A. medical care at very little cost to you. Many V.A . hospitals use the staff at the best teaching hospitals to oversee their staff's education. Thus you should get pretty advanced medical care. Listen to what they have to say after you see the doctor. X-rays and an MRI should give a pretty educated idea about what is going on. Take someone you trust with you to listen to what the doctor has to say. You won't have to make an immediate decision as to what they tell you ,and 3 years is way too long to suffer.

Answer 6

The same thing happened to me with my second c-section. In the beginning, my body rejected the surgical thread, so two stitches popped out, and left me with two circular scars on the c-section scar. I could not do sit-ups because i felt something was going to tear inside.
I went to the doctor and he told me the surgery was badly done, and had a ligament sown to the scar. So i had to have it re-done. If this is making you uncomfortable, i suggest you talk about it with your ob/gyn, to see what can be done.
Doctors are not infalible, mostly if your c-section was an emergency procedure, but this in no way means they will make the same mistake again.

Answer 7

it is scar tissue..when ever you are cut in the flesh it doesnt go back normal..most of the time when they stitch you the skins overlaps some which causes scar tissue.. there really isnt much you can do..but ask your gyn or your family doctor to see if they have any suggestions.

Answer 8

get a test to show the surgical site and see if it healed or if there is another problem, like a n infetcion ect.. it might be your sensitive to the scaring of the surgical site. get answers!

Answer 9

you should see a docter or go to the emergency room this is not normal. even scar tissue is not that painful.

Answer 10

your doctor must have accidentally left something in there. sorry.