# IBS after Cesarean?



## Sk8ermaiden (Feb 13, 2008)

Does anyone know if having a cesarean can lead to irritable bowel syndrome? I started having symptoms maybe a month after mine and didn't really think too much of it until now.

I don't even know if it's IBS, but something is gastro-intestinally wrong, and I never had any problems until after the surgery.









My awesome Google ninja powers are failing me tonight.


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## KatWrangler (Mar 21, 2005)

I have had 3 CS. The only thing that comes to mind is it felt like my guts were still moving back into place 30-60 days after having it. I am a side sleeper and I noticed when I would roll over or get out of bed, everything inside me would shift.

Have you changed your diet since having your baby from when you were pregnant?


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## Sk8ermaiden (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks for responding. My diet hasn't changed very much - in the third trimester and 1st 3 months postpartum I abandoned cooking in favor of "convenience" meals (hamburger helper, skillet meals, etc) but am back to my normal cooking now.


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

Did they do antibiotics in the IV? They did with mine and I think prophylactic antibiotics in sections is very common. If they did with yours I'd be thinking you have issues from the antibiotics. In other words they killed off the good bacteria and not so good ones or yeasts took over. I'd treat from that standpoint--trying probiotics first (good ones, I like Klaire labs but culturelle and florsator every day are another option). If that doesn't help kill off everything (we use P73 oregano oil by NHS--and only that form--for that) as you do probiotics heavily to try to repopulate with good guys.


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## kl5 (Sep 21, 2007)

Just an idea: both childbirth and surgery can trigger previously undetected celiac disease. (See here.) There was no obvious trigger for me, but I suffered from "IBS" (for lack of any definitive diagnosis, told to avoid tomatoes, chocolate, prescribed acid blockers, etc.) for years and only felt better once I realized gluten and dairy (huge elements in my former vegetarian diet) were a problem and took them out. I miss gluten less than I enjoy feeling better!

Good luck.


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

If you suspect celiac do a test before you remove gluten. We removed first for my son and then didn't know whether the improvement was because he had celiac or something else. The tests aren't 100% so it might be worth removing regardless but can't test at all if you're not consuming gluten.


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## Sk8ermaiden (Feb 13, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sbgrace* 
Did they do antibiotics in the IV? They did with mine and I think prophylactic antibiotics in sections is very common. If they did with yours I'd be thinking you have issues from the antibiotics. In other words they killed off the good bacteria and not so good ones or yeasts took over. I'd treat from that standpoint--trying probiotics first (good ones, I like Klaire labs but culturelle and florsator every day are another option). If that doesn't help kill off everything (we use P73 oregano oil by NHS--and only that form--for that) as you do probiotics heavily to try to repopulate with good guys.

They did lots of antibiotics. I was GBS+. I refused to let them put the IV back in when it went empty and backed up, but that was at least 24 hours after surgery.

I have a bottle of really good probiotics (my midwife is particular, so I assume they're really good). I have never taken probiotics and know very little about them. Anything special I should know or just follow the dosage?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kl5* 
Just an idea: both childbirth and surgery can trigger previously undetected celiac disease. (See here.) There was no obvious trigger for me, but I suffered from "IBS" (for lack of any definitive diagnosis, told to avoid tomatoes, chocolate, prescribed acid blockers, etc.) for years and only felt better once I realized gluten and dairy (huge elements in my former vegetarian diet) were a problem and took them out. I miss gluten less than I enjoy feeling better!

Good luck.

Blaaaah, I so do not want to have to avoid gluten. I will read up on that. Thank you.


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## WuWei (Oct 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sbgrace* 
Did they do antibiotics in the IV? They did with mine and I think prophylactic antibiotics in sections is very common. If they did with yours I'd be thinking you have issues from the antibiotics. In other words they killed off the good bacteria and not so good ones or yeasts took over. I'd treat from that standpoint--trying probiotics first (good ones, I like Klaire labs but culturelle and florsator every day are another option). If that doesn't help kill off everything (we use P73 oregano oil by NHS--and only that form--for that) as you do probiotics heavily to try to repopulate with good guys.











Try whole food probiotics.









Pat


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## attachedmama (Jan 16, 2003)

I started having IBS symptoms 6 months after my section. I was diagnosed IBS almost 2 years into my misery and many wrong diagnoses later. I went through hell. It got so bad I almost couldnt leave the house. It actually led to the first anxiety issue of my life. Never had anxiety issues before. I had been experiencing horrible IBS issues while away from home and unable to get to a bathroom. You can imagine what caused the mental breakdown after years of this.







I was, at that point, associating the onset of the symptoms with absolute panic. After trying the cleansing, enzymes, probios, visits to homeopath etc (it helped a trivial amount.) I finally hired a hypnotherapist. Sounds crazy (even I thought it was) but I was desperate. She helped me overcome my mental stuff with relation to the csection, and kind of reconditioned my brain. I immediately had 75% relief. She gave me suggestions to hypnotize myself when I felt the IBS returning and it worked. I have been 95% IBS free for 9 years now.
Oh, and when I got preg. w/ #2 my HB MW explained to me about the nerves being cut during the section and the bowel issues associated. (The only immediate relief I was able to have when the symptoms flared up before the hypno was to rhythmically tap my diaphragm area...apparently I was stimulating my nerves to work) I also have MANY adhesions attaching my scar area to my bowel, bladder etc







This causes severe tearing pain if I sneeze the wrong way, twist the wrong way, or even get out of bed wrong. But I was almost dysfunctional before the hypno








Hope this helps someone! I feel your misery!


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