Lower Abdomen & Back Pain - 3 years after c-section

[dds_twu]

I'm 33, and I have had two c-sections, the first on 11/20/2009 and the second on 12/12/2011. After the first I continued to have a dulling and annoying pain in my entire lower abdomen, and it bothered me for two years, all the way up until I delived my second baby. I hoped that after having the surgery for my second that the pain might possibly go away. My second child is now over three years old and the pain is still so weird and troubling. The area still feels numb, but at the same time I can still feel sharper and constant pain. It feels like I have been punched in the lower stomach and like I have an awful bruise that just won't go away. The last time I went to my OBGY (last year) I asked once again, why my stomach was hurting, and she said I'm still healing. But I have talked to a lot of other women who have gone through c-sections and they are not experiencing what I am after so long. Also, within the last 6 months I've started to experience dull and chronic pain in my lower right back (closer to my tail bone). I used to think the occasional on and off pain had come from my epidural, my first c-section went smoothly, but I didn't get completely numbed for my second. The lower back sensation has become constant and it sometimes radiates all the way up to my shoulders. From my waist to my lower back, the whole area hurts constantly. I'm healthy otherwise, I love running, I manage our dental practice, I take care of our kiddos, I'm fixing to open a restaurant franchise and like many other women I'm just super busy. I try to just work through the pain and ignore, but lately it's getting really hard to ignore it. I can't take pain killers or NSAIDs because I am allergic to them (my heart starts to race and I can't catch my breath), so those are out of the question. What could this be?????

[TheLightSeeker]

There are a couple possibilities.
Your OBGYN could be partially correct.
Should there have been nerve involvement during the C-section(s)
and/or post C-section scar tissue build-up pressing upon nerves, would easily explain the chronic nature of your abdominal pains.
Nerve tissue injury in the second degree is very slow to heal , and in the third degree is extremely slow, and these injuries do take place in C-sections.
There's likelihood of re-injury, if extra care is not taken, while healing, which I suspect more than the slow healing, in light of the absence of symptom improvement.

You did not mention if you got a nerve block-a test to rule out nerve pain from the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric and genitofemoral nerves.
If your OBGYN does not have the specialized training to evaluate your
situation properly, you would benefit more, if you would see a pain medicine specialist.

The back pains can be attributed partially to the same above causes and a few more factors, fairly common following C-sections and giving birth, like epidural effects, imbalance between abdominal and back muscles, the effects of caring for an infant (and a toddler in your case) and other.

You may have more options than what you think.

Should you have any questions,  let me know, however, please note that my comments and suggestions are not intended as a substitute for medical advice.

Best wishes.
Niko

[3girl555]

Hi! I too have under gone 2 c-sections for my two boys and the youngest is already two years old. I used to feel pain in my lower abdomen on the first year after operation but it slowly subsided after a year. The pain I experienced from time to time is caused by uncomfortable position during sex or when my husband hits the part of my uterus that is still healing. Other than that, I'm fine. The constant pain in your tailbone that radiates towards your shoulder is something I've not felt before. You might need to see an orthopedic doctor as the problem maybe in your spinal column.

Hope this helps.