OT-For those that have had c-sections....

[jennilouwho]

I had a c-section about 8 1/2 months ago. It is still sometimes a bit tender and "stingy" in that area. Usually if I accidently bump into something where my incision was or bend just right. Is this normal? I have a Dr's appt in a couple of weeks, but just wanted others opinions that have had one. It's certainly not like it was the few weeks after, but I thought it would be pretty much healed by now. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

jen

 

[lorimc]

I had the self-absorbing stiches and really experienced no pain issues, but did take about the time frame you are mentioning to get any kind of sensation along the incision. I just felt really numb there. When I eventually regained feeling, it would be slightly stingy but that lasted for maybe a week or two. Just check with your doctor, he/she will know best because they have probably seen it all.



Also, congrats (belated) on your little one!

 

[ilovejack02]

I remember "feeling" my incision for longer than i thought i would. It wasnt painful, just sometimes i noticed it. If I touched it , it kinda felt numb. That lasted a for several months if not up to a yr. Its been 4 yrs and no numbness anymore.

 

[karenTX]

The "stingy" feeling is the nerve endings. I had that feeling for at 8-9 months after the c-sect. The problem I'm having is numbness from about 1-2 inches above and below the incision. It's been almost 2 years from the c-sect. But I also had 3 surgeries in 1 year that all went in through that same incision, so I guess a little numbness is pretty normal. At least, according to my OB/GYN it is.

 

[all4fun]

My OB told me that my incision could take up to a year to fully heal and that I could expect to feel some tingling or tenderness in that area. Basically right after surgery (or a major injury) your body quickly "knits" itself back together - this is it's natural defense against bleeding out. It can take months though for all the nerves that were cut to fully heal. So anyone who says that a c/s is the "easy" way to deliver, well, maybe, but it's certainly not always the fastest road to recovery. Btw, I'd say my OB's prediction was fairly accurate. Hth.

 

[kellyg403]

I had an emergancy c-section and about 2 years later another surgery for an ectopic through the same incision. Its been five years and I still have numbness in the corners on both sides. As for the pain, I don't remember there being much pain or being tender for more than a year.

Kelly

 

[Jaymie]

I had a c-section 2 1/2 yrs ago and it's still a little numb, but no pain. And I don't really remember any pain 8 or 9 months afterwards. Of course, I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast this morning!

 

[pha1226]

My c-sections were 3/00 and 12/01 and I still have numbness and slight discomfort along my entire incision. My second dd was a surprise breach and I had a lot of adhesions from my first c-section so it took them a while to get her out (so long my spinal started to wear off!) so I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

 

[jakoky]

hi there, my section was almost 16 years ago..i was lucky and healed very quickly but today, still, if i sneeze wrong or make a sudden movement i get a very strong pain right where my scar is...i have asked the doctor and he said this is normal, and sometimes it happens 1 or 2 times a month, but i bet i havent had it now in at least 6 months...another interesting thing, when my daughter was 6, i had severe pain in my scar area...i went to the doctor who told me somehow i had torn my internal incision, he could feel it...OUCH...oh well, it healed quickly and hasnt happened again..i think anytime you have major surgery, some numbness and discomfort can happen, but if yours is really bothering you after 9 months, you may want to ask...it may be just adhesions but the doc may have some suggestions....
sharon

 

[rt2dz]

I've had three 3 sections, my first two emergency and the last planned (because of the first two). This is my experience:

By far, the worst recovery was the first (6 years ago). I couldn't even stand up straight for close to three weeks. At five weeks I still had excess swelling and pain, but by twelve weeks things were on track to being back to normal. By eight months, everything was definetly back to normal, minus stomach muscles in perfect shape. My OB said this was a very slow recovery, but I was progressing and it was probably complicated by the long labor I had (24 hours of hard labor) and the complications that I underwent during labor & delivery (it was a truly life & death situation). I wasn't out of the hospital for over a week because of that.

My second (3 years ago) was the easiest recovery (at the first sign of the same problems I had the first time, we did the c-section--not quite a truee ememrgency like the first); I felt like I could have run a marathon within a couple of days. My OB said that this was highly unusual. By my two week check-up the healing process was well underway.

My third (1 1/2 years ago) was what my OB called typical. I hurt for a couple of weeks and by 6 weeks things were on track for recovery.

Everybody's body is different though. Your Dr. is the best place to get information. It's probably like childhood milestones in there is a wide range of normal; what is normal for one person might be off-kilter for another.

 

[almburr]

I have had 3 c-sections and I am numb from the belly button to scar. I itch like crazy at night right above the scar. It does still feel alittle stingy if I tap on my belly. Last C-section was 2 yrs ago. I guess I could get a belly ring and not feel it.

There is another thread about C-sections in community board. Alot of people have said the same thing, numbness, itchy.

 

[louise']

I had c-sections in 97 and 99. My first c-section was fine . The second c-section never healed properly. It was always very tender and sore. After five years, the incision started to open. I had surgery to redo part of the c-section. Six months later the incision started to open again. I had surgery again to redo the entire the c-section with a plastic surgeon. It has been over a year and my incision no longer is painful. I do still feel a little bit of numbness.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I had a c sec in 2002. And for about a year after our dd was born, I felt some pain and tenderness when bumping into something, or rubbing clothing too hard against the cut. It does still feel a bit numb to me in that area in different spots. But I was told that is normal. Itchy as well.

 

[reelmom]

I had c-sections in 5/2002 and 6/2003, still have numbness at the incision scar.

 

[jenseib]

C-sections are supposed to take AT LEAST a year to fully heal.
I ahd one 18 years ago, and one 2 years ago. I never regained any feeling in that area at all. I also have no muscle control there either.

 

[MNT568]

I had my c-section 8 years ago. It was closed up with staples. When the doctor was taking out the staples, one of them broke. It took a little pulling to get part of the staple out. Well, 2 days later the half of the incision split open. Since the area was too tender, the doctor just packed the incision and I ended up with visiting nurses for about two weeks to clean and repack the opening. The doctor said it would be about a year before it totally healed and felt normal again.

Well 8 years later, if I move a certain way I still feel stab of pain. I also notice some months during my time of the month, it feels like something is pulling on the incision. My aunt who had 3 c-sections said she also felt this.

 

[pweyl36]

I had an emergancy c-section and about 2 years later another surgery for an ectopic through the same incision. Its been five years and I still have numbness in the corners on both sides. As for the pain, I don't remember there being much pain or being tender for more than a year.

Kelly

I was told you will always have numbness,I had 2 cs 5 yrs apart.my sister had her cs 11 yrs ago and still has the numbness.

 

[gottalovethem]

I remember "feeling" my incision for longer than i thought i would. It wasnt painful, just sometimes i noticed it. If I touched it , it kinda felt numb. That lasted a for several months if not up to a yr. Its been 4 yrs and no numbness anymore.

I second the above!

 

[5starmom]

(and last! LOL) 8 months ago. I'd say the numb sensation at this point has been reduced to about half of what it was in the first month after having the section. I do sometimes have a little tingly feeling but it isn't uncomfortable or painful at all. I assume it's the nerve endings finally reconnecting or something like that.

It's just very gradually going away. It's a different experience than I thought it would be, that's for sure! Not terrible but I just want to get my body back! When I look at how nicely my incision has healed, I'm grateful; when I notice that my stretch marks don't line up quite perfectly above and below the incision...not so thrilled. LOL!!!

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Its been 18 mths since my last c-section and my incision still feels a little numb but it seems much better then before. This was my 3rd and last c-section. The first c-s was very painful - I couldn't stand up straight for a couple of days and actually I hurt all over like I had been hit by a truck. DS was breech thus the first c-section and then I voluntarily had the next one by c-section and then the third had to be c-section because I had had 2 previoius c-sections.

The 2nd c-s was the easiest - I was up walking around as soon as they let me and no pain whatsoever. The doc and nurses seemed surprised - my doc said they usually get worse the more cs you have. My doc also said usually the babies get larger. Well my 1st was the largest at 9lbs 1 oz and my third was the smallest at 8 lbs. The 3rd c-s was the same as the 2nd except I had incision issues - gaps in the incision but it healed finally just took longer.

Good luck to you. Go to your doc and I'm sure he (she) will reassure you.