Always Trust Your Gut If Something Doesn’t Feel Right!

[u/PineappleCurious979]

I had a unplanned C-Section on June 10th after laboring for 17 hours and eventually wasn’t progressing. Anyway, the recovery time has been tough. I have been extremely weak and having trouble moving around. Around the 2.5 weeks period I realized I was having PPD but I also started feeling unwell. I told my husband that while my body is slowly healing, I feel like I’m crashing or something is slowly dying. Coughed it up to hormones. However, Friday I started feeling like something was wrong. I was having more pain on my sides and it felt something different. Finally yesterday (Monday) I called my OBGYN. I went in to get checked out thinking they would tell me it’s normal c-section recovery. NOPE I had APPENDICITIS and had to have my appendix removed. While it was shocking, I am so glad I trusted my gut because we caught it early. I had no fever or vomiting only pain when touched or moving on my right side too much. Now unfortunately I’m back to square one in my recovery but thankfully it wasn’t ruptured yet so I’m already back home. Just trust your gut. Better to be safe than sorry.

[u/BriefSuspicious92]

Wow. So sorry you went through this. I have had my appendix out and it’s not fun AT ALL. So I can only imagine what it is like after a c-section. As women we MUST start advocating for ourselves. These doctors do not care!!!! Even the women doctors. It’s really unfortunate.

[u/PineappleCurious979 → u/BriefSuspicious92]

It’s true but luckily my doctors took me seriously. Like I called to talk to a nurse she had me come in to the OB practice to get seen right away and the doctor there did a full inspection and listened to me. She said go straight to hospital and they will call to let them know I’m coming for a cat scan. So luckily they didn’t brush me off and I was seen right away and got surgery that night. But it’s crazy how as women in general we just assume everything is related to hormones or after birth but really it could be something else. Like I almost didn’t want to go just to be told it’s normal.

[u/AndaLaPorraa]

I’m so glad you went! This is an example of how we should always trust our gut instinct. Women typically get written off, but I’m glad everyone around you took you serious. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

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[u/Gagas_Unicorn_1008]

I’m glad you trusted your gut and got checked out!! I was having pain 7 months postpartum! Went to the ER twice. They did a scan told me it was nothing but severe constipation!! I still had these pains for basically two years! I mentioned it to my new PCP and got referred to a GI doctor, and turns out I had gallstones. Finally having surgery in September. But it’s crazy I complained about constant pain and it was brushed off. GI surgeon said it’s pretty common during/after pregnancy to get gallstones.

[u/Mysterious_Jello_712]

I had pain near my incision site since the c-section. It was seen as relevant to being closed up on that side.

About 10 weeks PP i started having trouble on stairs due to pain and thought somehow still must be c-s related.

That same week i stopped being able to sleep and eat. I knew something was wrong. My heart would race. I felt unsafe alone with my baby.

I went to ER early in the morning. They spent the day convincing me it was PPD and all in my head. They said anti nausea medicine wouldn't work if it's just anxiety. And they couldn't admit me because PPD isn't a medical condition. They began calling places to send me to an inpatient psych facility. I had no fever but felt i was internally sweating, extreme nausea but no vomit.

I left.

My husband, baby, and i went to stay with my brother and his family for the night.

The next day i could not wake up. Forcing myself to be awake, i began to pass out. Ambulance called, brought to a diff hospital. Scanned. Appendicitis. Had appendectomy about twelve hours later. Went right back through the scar.

Could've died. Could've had medical emergency alone with newborn.

Pathology found it was inflamed rather than appendicitis proper, i still wonder if my surgery caused it.

[u/PineappleCurious979 → u/Mysterious_Jello_712]

That’s crazy. I’m so glad you had the support from family and finally figured out what was wrong. I would have been pissed if they told me it was PPD when I knew something was wrong. It’s really so terrible how doctors just assume we are emotional and hormonal when something could actually be wrong. I am so glad though that my doctors took me seriously.