They took my appendix and now I'm terrified of childbirth

[Flossie_Aus]

Sunday night I was rushed to hospital, then transferred to our capital city, with acute appendicitis. I had the operation this morning (approx 12 hours ago), have maxed out my pain relief, and am still in excruciating pain. I am now terrified to have a baby, with being unable to handle the prospect of a c section! How do you ladies do it, I honestly don't know how I'll make it through the night, let alone taking care of a newborn on top of that! I must have such a low pain tolerance feeling pathetic and just had to sook/vent!

 

[hanni]

You'll find a whole new level of strength. Being on cloud 9 with your beautiful baby makes everything totally bareable.
Cross that bridge when and if it comes to it.

 

[MindUtopia]

I wouldn't try to compare the pain from a medical procedure to deal with a medical problem to birth. It's completely different. I've had 2 reconstructive knee operations and I had severe pneumonia which left me with fluid around my lung and in horrible pain every time I took a breath. Those were painful!! Giving birth was nothing at all like that. There is pain and discomfort (honestly, for me, more discomfort than pain), but it's fleeting, 30-60 seconds every few minutes. It's not constant pain like what you're experiencing and it's largely short-lived. The average first labour is about 9 hours. So imagine if you felt some of the pain your feeling now but only for at most a minute at a time, with a nice break after when you felt completely comfortable, and only for the first 9 hours and then you felt fine again. It's more like that. The constant, chronic pain from an operation or injury is completely different and I think much harder to deal with. I didn't use any pain relief when I was giving birth other than a TENS machine and the only time I'd say I felt "pain" like what I felt when I had my operations or when I had pneumonia was when they did a vaginal exam (that hurt!) or when I got stitches. The rest of it was really manageable. And again, I didn't use any sort of pharmaceutical pain relief. I was in labour for 12 hours (so longer than after for a first baby) and I pushed for 4 hours (again, longer than average!).

Now, yes, if you have a c-section, you will be in that sort of pain as if from an operation, but only about 10% of birthing women actually need a c-section (even though the rates in some places are as high as 35% or more, they are largely unnecessary or elective ones), so just make a real effort to reduce your risk of needing one - avoid an epidural unless you need it, be upright, don't be induced unless it's for a true medical reason, etc. You'll manage, with support from your partner or family, just like lots of women do. But I wouldn't stress about that now as you more than likely won't have to worry about it.

 

[krissie328]

I have to agree labor and childbirth is a very different experience. There is also a euphoria from having your newborn with you that carries you through. I haven't experienced a c-section but there are many things that can be done to prevent them.

I am sorry you are experiencing so much pain and I hope it passes soon. Try not to worry. If with the pain of childbirth it is fleeting and the bundle of joy you get for your efforts is very worth it!

 

[AnglophileAsh]

I had my appendix out a couple of years as well, and I can 100% sympathize with the pain! It's freaking awful, and coming out of recovery for the next couple of days was REALLY really hard. I've not given birth yet, obviously, but I feel like if I could handle that appendicitis pain for a couple of days (I waited almost too long to get it looked at), then I'm sure I'll be able to handle labor pains since there's going to be rushes of feel-good hormones to help THAT process. Plus, end result - BABY!

What REALLY hurt, was the cost. I'd waited so long to be seen as I didn't have health insurance (unemployed at the time), and it was upwards of $60,000 to have that appendix out, with just over 24 hours in the hospital. Babies are like $10,000 and at least you have something sweet to take home and snuggle and cherish. That was one expensive vestigial organ, I tell you!

 

[calm]

I'm a wimp for medical procedures and I had a c-section. It was painful after it was done for some hours, but it soon wore off to a manageable level and they do give you pain killers, they gave my a full breakfast 8 hours after the op and had me on my feet not long after, so its obviously no biggy. Come the time you will cope fine especially with your little bundle to spur you on X

 

[jtr2803]

Hope you are recovering Flossie!

I've not had appendicitis or a c section so can't compare pain but the other ladies are right, having a new baby will really carry you through

 

[busytulip]

Just wanted to say that I hope that your recovery is improving Flossie. I think the other ladies said it well enough. The euphoria and love for your new baby will bring you through any of the pain associated with birth.

 

[Flossie_Aus]

Thank you so much for your support and insight ladies! I'm so sorry it took me so long to respond, recovery week has been rough. But it's good to know childbirth is a different kettle of fish. Honestly I was in so much pain when I came out of surgery, one of the first things I said to my husband was "I'm sorry honey I can't risk going through this again" LOL oops... Poor hubby.

I'm definitely on the up and up now, still sore but definitely manageable. Just trying to kick a chest cold I picked up in recovery

Here's a question for the c-sect ladies: My week post-surgery has been a blur of opiates to stop me climbing the walls. When you have a c-section do they provide the same kind of relief, or is it dangerous when breastfeeding etc? I don't think I would have survived this week without narcotics

 

[Take2]

Why are you assuming you would need a c section?

 

[SoupDragon]

I had an emergency section after 2 days of labour (my baby was enormous and positioned back to back, so got stuck) and yes, there was pain and I found things like getting out of bed difficult. In hospital, once the epi had worn off, I was given oramorph, which was fantastic. I expected to feel totally out of it but I felt perfectly alert, with no pain (except when my DH gave me a giggle fit...good grief, that hurt!) I was sent home on diclofenac and paracetamol, which I took for a couple of weeks. By 3 weeks pp I was taking baby girl for walks in the pram.

The difference between the appendicectomy and a c section is that with appendicitis you were actually ILL. You had an infection and inflammation, which make you feel systemically a lot worse, and less able to handle the pain from the surgery. Even after a long labour, if you were to ned a section, you would be tired but you wouldn't have those same issues to contend with.

Having been through an obstructed labour and emergency section and recovery...I'm still planning another baby! I'm hoping for a vbac when I have baby #2, but I am not letting fear of a repeat section put me off...I'd go through it again in a heartbeat, because the end result, that amazing baby, is so much more than worth it!

 

[Flossie_Aus]

Why are you assuming you would need a c section?

I have lupus, so I am at higher risk for complications, some of which could result in a c-section. However I'm not assuming I will need one, in fact I hope to God I won't, but I just like to know all the information I can, and tend to be a worry wart.

 

[Take2]

My mum has lupus and had both my sister and I naturally no problems. If you work closely with your specialists and look after yourself fingers crossed everything will be fine. I think I read somewhere that some people had their lupus go into remission whilst pregnant so with any luck that may be you. Try not to stress too much about things that might never happen is my advice.

 

[SoupDragon]

Why are you assuming you would need a c section?

I have lupus, so I am at higher risk for complications, some of which could result in a c-section. However I'm not assuming I will need one, in fact I hope to God I won't, but I just like to know all the information I can, and tend to be a worry wart.

I have an AI condition very closely related to lupus, with a lot of the same problems, and had the potential for complications in both me and the baby. I was followed right through pregnancy by an obstetrician experienced with women with these problems, and had a plan in place with my rheumy right from the day after I got my .

Yes, I needed a section, but it was nothing to do with my condition at all, in fact as the above poster said, all my symptoms eased off so much that I barely noticed them, and only started coming back gradually about 3 months after the birth! I'm still off nearly all my meds at 8 months pp So it's not inevitable that things will go badly for you!

 

[Flossie_Aus]

Well that's pretty cool, I hope that happens for me too!

 

[SugarBeth]

I got my appendix, ovary and fallopian tube out at 19. It was weeks of horrible pain. I guess it just never occured to me to be scared of having children afterwards, I was just so happy to be able to have them. I do natural birth with no drugs, but if I need a csection, then I'll deal with it. Pain is temporary, the love of a baby is forever.

 

[broodymrs]

As the others have said you just get through it. I did the first 8 hours of labour on my own with no pain relief before hubby arrived and it was like I just went to a different place and drew on strength I never Knew I had. I did ultimately end up needing an emergency c sec which was fine. I can't take morphine but I had pethidine the day after then just paracetamol and ibuprofen. I had tea and toast 2 hours after my section and walked out of hospital carrying dyl in his car seat 2 days later. You'll be amazed how strong you are when it comes to it. My tonsillectomy next month however will be another story.... Absolutely terrified!

 

[gigglebox]

I had a c secrion with my son 3 years ago. I also had my appendix out last november. They both sucked, but honestly i think the appendix out was worse because i had trapped gas in my abdomen and had excruciating pain at times. With the c section, i was just so, so very sore. That said, I also refused narcotics and only took high doses of motrin. If that doesn't do it for you, they can prescribe you meds. I had percocet "just in case" but never used it. So in conclusion, if some women get by with just motrin, it can't be THAT painful, right? Plus you have that bundle of joy and you say to yourself, "for this kid, i'd do it all again". The pain will pass almost completely within a week or two.

 

[Flossie_Aus]

Oh gigglebox, that trapped gas is the worst, I couldn't breathe at one stage when it made its way up into my chest, awful!

All you ladies have really put my mind at ease Thank you

 

[gigglebox]

Isn't it?! I had it radiating to my should, and was having spasms of pain where i couldn't move or breathe.

If you can do that, recovery from a c section will be cake