Left Sided Abdominal Swelling And Pain After C Section

511 Replies
heatherbaxter - September 15

It seems that we all have the same problem. I have had 3 c-section. I can't figure out what is going on in my abdominal either. I completely relate to the pain, swelling, feeling like there is a lump in my abdominal. I have had several ultrasounds and by several different doctors and they have found zero. The one doctor I had thought it might be endometriosis. It makes it difficult to work my abs at the gym. I can't work out my lower abdominal muscles at all. It does get worse when my period is coming and that is why my doctor thought of Endo but I shouldn't have pain right now if that was the case? I am confused and just venting. Thanks for listening.

 

bra__syblondee - September 27

I am so glad I found this site.I had a c-section 3yrs ago for the third time.Since then I have had a pain in my left side.I have also been suffering from anxiety and loosing hanfuls of hair.I go in for a CT scan tomorrow after being to several doctors.I am staring to think I am crazy!I just hope I find something out soon!

 

mominthepark - October 31

All of these posts are typical of what I am currently going through. I have had 3 c-sections, the last one 8 years ago. About 3 months ago, I started having pain in my left lower side, the pain was stabbing and pretty much constant-my lower abdomin would also burn and get crampy if I would stand for extended periods of time. During this time, I met with my OB, who ordered an ultra-sound which showed that I had a small cyst-a repeat ultra-sound 8 weeks later showed that the cyst was gone. In the meantime I also had microscopic blood in my urine, so I had a test to check for kidney stones, which was negative. I also had a CT scan which was negative. I also had a colonoscopy which was also negative. I was starting to get depressed, because the pain was still there, but no one could give me a diagnosis for it. A few days ago, the pain started out bad in the morning and kept getting worse. I tried to ignore it and stupidly kept very busy doing laundry and housework, well the pain got so severe, buring and all over my whole abdomin every step I took hurt. I thought something was serious wrong and only my youngest was home with me-so I called 911. They took me to the hospital where they did yet another CT scan to look for kidney stones. Well, they could NOT find anything "life threatening" so they sent me home with pain pills. I did get an appoitment with a surgeon the next day because they did think that possibly I had an incisional hernia. Thank goodness, that is what he diagnosed! He couldn't do my surgery for another week, so I sit here in pain, if I am on my feet for too long, I have severe pain, cramping and burning. Hopefully the surgery will not be that bad and the recovery will be easy-any advice out there? Good luck to the rest of you. I hope you get results soon.

 

kitkatsmom - November 10

I'm having this problem also. Mine starts towards the middle and goes to my right side. It literally feels like I have a banana above my incision. I had my daughter almost 5 wks ago (third child,first c- section) and noticed this large rope-like lump above my incision a day after my c section. The nurse in the hospital told me it was just swelling. 5 days later when I went in to get my staples removed I asked another nurse about it and she said the same thing. I finally called the doctor at 3wks pp and she told me to come in. I've been going in weekly since and I get different stories everytime. Fluid, swelling, scar tissue...I'm getting an ultrasound tomorrow and hope to get some real answers. I doubt very much that it could be scar tissue that formed 1 day after the c section. If I'm not satisfied with the diagnosis I will def. be getting a second opinion. I feel for everyone on this forum. How can this be happening to all of us and no one knows any real answers?

 

shelly6623 - November 17

Wow!! I did not know this was so common. My OB told me I was crazy when I told him I had stabbing burning pain and i either thought my inner scar was herniated or they left something in there. I had exploratory lap surgery and they found NOTHING but scar tissue and I have had x-rays and ultrasounds...it's exhausting! The doctors have told me countless times that they can't do anything for it. It is like they think I am making it up! I had my son 5 years ago, I have been dealing with this for so long. You can even feel a lump when it gets inflamed (around the time of my period). They say no cysts or endometriosis just scar tissue. I cannot believe so many people have this problem. Something should be done about the doctors making people think they are crazy when you go to them at your most vulnerable I can now see that I am not the only one that has had this problem.

 

shani g 123 - December 16

iam 48 year old and have had 3 c sections the last one 19 years ago at the same time i was sterilized i have suffererd from ibs and crippling pain since its always in my left side which swells and i find it hard to do every day things i have to hold my stomache when i cough the problem is alot worse afti er a period and can take up to 3weeks to settle but by then im due again i have had tests and scans and at one scan was told it sounded like muscle damage but the more i have read on here i wonder if it cauld be adhesions i am shocked at how many women are suffering the same problems and drs dismiss it i am lucky i have a good dr who has tried alot of pain meds for me but they dont help i was wondering whether to explore the possibility of surgery but have read that it can come back worse which obs i wouldnt want all i do know is i would like to be pain free what do other people think

 

frawgeegurl - August 29

I have the same problem with my left side. It started almost as soon as I got home. At first the pain was so horrible I couldn't move...now I can function with it for the most part. I also have a feeling of fullness and sometimes a pulsating under my left ribcage. I went to the hospital with severe pain in that area and vomiting etc. They diagnosed me with H.PYLORI and I'm on two dif antibiotics for it. The pain is somewhat less but still have the fullness and pulse feeling. Sometimes its so strong it reminds me of when my son was kicking in my belly. Also I have not had a period in two years and sometimes I get pains in my lower abdomen around the bottom of my csection scar. I don't understand what is going on. I've been told its because my weight and all different things.

 

Lmerino - November 15

Can someone Who has had a laparoscopy after left side pain please give update! I'm experiencing the same issues and I'm considering the said procedure as well. Thank u in advance!

 

lilysmum - December 18

omg, been googling lookin for answers to whats wrong with me as my gp is clueless, and found all this. Im 37 and have just had my little girl,by emergency cesarean 6 weeks ago, ive been ill since swollen on left side, crippling pains, bowel problems, womb infections to name a few... ive been on 9 courses of antibiotics trimethoprim,cefalexin,metronidazole,nitrofurantoin co-amoxiclav to name a few. im convinced they have left something inside me from the op, my scar is healing fine (other than the stiches popping out and having to be cut) but no redness etc. i honestly feel like im gonna drop dead before someone takes me serious and finds out whats goin on. i seen my gp 3 times in the last week,at his request (he thought right side stabbing pain was possibly my appendix but that pa__sed) he said i had debris in my water sample, blood nitrates protein basically everything on the test strip, he diagnosed a water-kidney infection but felt there was 'more to it' he took bloods on friday and wants to see me monday. sorry if ive rambled, just thought id get it off my chest! gonna have a good read on here now and see if i can pick up some pointers from monday....

 

sechau1 - January 10

Hi, After reading this forum, I realized I am not the only one facing the abdominal pain due to C-section. I had a C-section last Feb (2010) and healed pretty well on the incision. But 2 months after C-section, I started feeling abdominal pain that would start out low in the morning but would get more and more intense as the day progressed. I lived on Ibuoprofen for 6 months but couldn't take it anymore and started Pain Management (peripheral nerve block procedures). But nothing has helped. By now (~11 months postpartum) I have gone to 2 general surgeons, 2 Ob-Gyns, 2 months of physical therapy, 2 peripheral nerve block injections but nothing has helped. I got CT scan, Ultrasound and again nothing showed up. M life is not same anymore. I can't play with my 11 month old infant, I can't exercise and thus can't shed my pregnancy weight. I hate living in this pain. Does anybody has any suggestion?

 

Momof5boyz - July 1

You shouldnt be lifting your 2 yr old or ur baby n its car seat! I had 5 c sections. If ur not following post op instructions thats probably y ur n pain!

 

Nadia.A. - September 8

Its been 10mnths since my c-section, I am experiencing burning pain on and around my caesar cut, I have no idea what it could, if anyone has had any success with finding painkillas that help OR has fpund some kind of medical solution plz post, I've had a scary caesar, and donot wish to have any more sergical procedures done...

 

arverma76 - March 27

I have a simillar issue , where I have a lump in the left side of bikini line where I have had two C sections , my last c section was in 2010 , and i developed this painful lump after a year from my last c section , I have got two sonography which rules out cysts , also the pain intensifies during periods and then sometimes decreases and then returns again ..

 

Mikaela - July 8

It's amazing to know that I am not the only one experiencing these problems. I had 2 c sections , the first one was last 2006 and the latest was February 2012. The first operation didn't have any complications and I recovered within a month but the latest was terrible. 3 days after my operation there were some watery discharge oozing on the lower side of the incision, it went on for a month all my doctor gave me was stafloxin, somehow I felt that the insides were not properly st_tched. Recently I noticed the right side of my abdomen protruding and hard, then there was v____al heaviness, just propping up from the bed felt like my uterus would drop out of my v____a-- though my pract_tioner a__sured me that it was intact. Then there's this sharp pain that I feel on the right side of the incision line, though it's tolerable... I don't know how to address these problems, I went to 4 different gynecologists and 2 different surgeons, on sez it is hernia, another sez it's a very thin abdominal wall. I am so confused...

 

IntoDust11 - August 31

Hi ladies, 

I'm sorry to hear about all of your discomfort. I've had 2 c-sections. The first was in September of 2013 and my second was in February of this year. I have had the pain you've all described after my first c-section, but it was on the right side. What I was told is that the surgeon uses one side as an anchor point. For me it was my right. I had more swelling, more pain and also a stinging, pinching feeling for 8 months. It started becoming less noticeable after 8 months. I found out during my second c-section that I had a bunch of adhesions. They took care of them, but there's a chance I'll still have some from this recent c-section. I'm 6 months post-op, but I still have some discomfort and swelling after going for walks. I have 6 months to a year to go before I'll be completely healed from this. It takes time for our bodies to recover from major surgery. Try not to worry yourselves too much and don't be afraid to get the reassurance you need from your doctors. Here's my email, if you want a comrade to talk with about your experience. N2U_22 at yahoo dot com.

Wishing you all the best. 

?Trisha 

 

IntoDust11 - August 31

Hi ladies, 

I'm sorry to hear about all of your discomfort. I've had 2 c-sections. The first was in September of 2013 and my second was in February of this year. I have had the pain you've all described after my first c-section, but it was on the right side. What I was told is that the surgeon uses one side as an anchor point. For me it was my right. I had more swelling, more pain and also a stinging, pinching feeling for 8 months. It started becoming less noticeable after 8 months. I found out during my second c-section that I had a bunch of adhesions. They took care of them, but there's a chance I'll still have some from this recent c-section. I'm 6 months post-op, but I still have some discomfort and swelling after going for walks. I have 6 months to a year to go before I'll be completely healed from this. It takes time for our bodies to recover from major surgery. Try not to worry yourselves too much and don't be afraid to get the reassurance you need from your doctors. Here's my email, if you want a comrade to talk with about your experience. N2U_22 at yahoo dot com.

Wishing you all the best. 

?Trisha 

 

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