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9 replies

37 weeks, worried about c-section and possible NG tube

Jodi BJodi BMember
I am 37 weeks pregnant and just met the person that will deliver my son ( if I make it to the delivery date that is.) I will have a planned csection May 19th due to having a fistula and the drs all agreeing that it is the best option since I have a 2nd sore down there that will not heal but is not a fistula.

So far everything has gone pretty smooth during my pregnancy. I am so thankful because I was very worried. Baby is right on track and this has helped tremendously because I dont know how Id handle if something was wrong with him. I pray daily that there will be no complications with pregnancy, the baby and surgery/post surgery.

3 1/2 years ago (Oct 2009) I had my colon removed, j-pouch created and temporary ileostomy. Jan 2010 I had my take down and then in March 2010 I had an emergency surgery for a perforated small bowel. The last surgery was very traumatic for me because I was so sick and in an induced coma for almost a week. After each surgery I had to have an NG tube and it is the one part of my stays that terrify me.

My questions are....
1) With a c-section how common is an illeus or bowel obstruction? The doctors say this is not an issue because the bowel and j-pouch are behind the uterus and not touched unless they see a problem. These are regular OB's and have never had a patient with a j-pouch so Im not sure how accurate this is.

2) Did anyone have any delayed complications after a csection? Blockages, infection, jpouch issues?

3) Is the bloating the same as the bowel surgeries? My stomach was as large as it could get with horrible gas and pain after each bowel surgery.Of course it took almost the whole week for my bowels to wake up.

4) How does the pain after a c-section compare to that of intestinal surgeries? I was able to lessen my pain meds pretty quickly after my first 2 surgeries and Im hoping to try to get off the pain meds ASAP to hopefully keep my bowel from slowing down too much.

5)Did you have old scar tissue removed and did this add to your recovery time/complications? I will have adhesions cut and scar tissue removed after the csection. My scar is vertical from my pubic bone to just below my ribs and about 2 inches wide because it did not heal properly due to infection.

6) I have to stay on flagyl and doctors say flagyl is ok when breastfeeding. Did anyone have issue with breastfeeding or did the baby have any reactions to BF with flagyl? Anything I should prepare for or ask about? I take 1000mg a day.
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ksrksrMember
I have had my j-pouch for 12 years now. I had my baby girl 2 1/2 years ago via c-section. My incision was up and down. My colorectal surgeon was present at birth. Two days after the surgery, I started vomiting bile and was diagnosed with an ilius so I ended up with an NG tube. I was in for 7 days and my daughter was released before me. My colorectal surgeon never had this problem with a j-pouch patient and pregnancy before.
Everything ended up fine.
J JillMMember
I had my j-pouch removed and had a perm ileo for my 2 c-sections.

Pain was NOTHING compared to j-pouch surgery. With baby 2 I was up and moving around the room the next morning (delivered at 3:30pm) I was more cautious with the first delivery, but by #2 I was getting baby out of the bassinet on my own pretty quick...

I had no complications from a GI perspective. Was eating normally within 24 hours. No bloating.

It is scary I know but just remember unlike your other surgeries, you have a wonderful reward awaiting you :-)
GinLynGinLynMember
I can't answer any of the delivery questions as I had both my kids before my J-pouch, but as to the NG tube:

Will they be knocking you out for the C? If so, tell them beforehand that if they even think you MIGHT need the NG tube to put it in while you're out. The removal is so much better than the placement! Also, a trick they do here (never had it done in Canada and was always a difficult placement process) is that they make the bed completely flat and tilt it actually slightly down. They run the tube under REALLY warm water and spray a numbing spray in the nose, then run the tube in immediately. Last time I had one placed while awake I seriously didn't even feel it!

Hope everything goes well,
Gin
ksrksrMember
Honestly, I would not worry too much about the NG tube part. My surgeon and the other doctors in his practice said he has never that that happen after delivery until me. The reason I ended up with one is because the nursing staff was not watching me carefully and gave me too much pain medicine. That is the reason I ended up with the ilius and NG tube.
clz81clz81Member
To avoid slowing bowels, yes, keep your pain meds to the minimum you need. Try to get off any bowel slowing drugs as quick as possible. Talk about what meds you want with your docs and nurses ahead of time as I assume it's typical to give some kind of narcotics after a C-section. Toradol and Tramadol are better choices in terms of not slowing bowels, but not sure how compatible they are with breastfeeding. I've never had a C-section so I don't know if the spinal will affect you and I also don't how much pain you would be in after, but the quicker you can get onto Tylenol/Ibuprofin, the better off you'll be to keep bowels moving well. Those are also best options to take with breastfeeding. I can only weigh in that the epidural didn't have any effect on me bowel-wise (which I think is similar to a spinal). Best of luck to you!
clz81clz81Member
Also, to add to your Flagyl question...I also needed to be on antibioitics pregnant and nursing. I was able to be on a very low dose of a different med. I've never needed that high of a dose with Flagyl though. Have you tried 250mg tabs instead of 500mg? Just an idea if you want to decrease the amount you are taking now. It may be just as effective for you.
rachelravenrachelravenMember
Had one C section, never had an NGT or ileus with it. Did with the J pouch, though. C section was nothing like J pouch surgery. No complications here. They don't mess with your bowels much if at all with the C section, and bowels hate to be touched, which is one of the reasons they sometimes go into an ileus.

I had a spinal. The effects of the spinal wear off pretty quickly, though. Should not be a cause of an ileus, as it's not systemic.

Best advice is get up and start moving, quickly.

I found it harder to "go" only because I use a lot of abdominal muscles to push the stool out, and a sore belly made that hard to do, but otherwise, no issues. It certainly wasn't bloat like with an ileus, but it wasn't comfortable, either.
Jodi BJodi BMember
Update:
On May 7thh I gave birth via c-section to a healthy 6 lb baby boy. Funny thing was I didnt even realize I was in labor lol. The night before I started getting cramping in my pouch which made me feel like I had to use teh restroom. This continued all night and in teh morning I jokingly timed the pouch cramping and was surprised to see that they were happening every 3 1/2 minutes and lasted 45 seconds each! I called and the doctor said to come in to be checked. I went to labor and delivery (still not thinking I was in labor lol) and the doctor asked for a urine sample. As I went to do teh urine sample I noticed I was bleeding. The doctor checked me nad sure enough I was in labor and 3 cm dialated. It was 10:45am and teh next thing I knew there were surgeons and nurses everywhere. They said at 11:30 I would be in the OR. They werent kidding. The spinal was amazing and did not hurt at all going in. I felt absolutely nothing (not even movement) during the surgery and it happened so fast I could not believe it! He was born at 12:17pm! Recovery was easy and 2 hours later I was in my room with my baby greeting family members. I felt great! I was in the hospital for 4 days and never needed an NG tube (Thank God). During my entire recovery I hardly had any pain. It was nothing like my other abdominal surgeries. I was walking a lot the 2nd day, so much in fact that I made the nurses nervous nad they kept making me get back in to bed lol. I really was not in much pain at all. Didnt even need pain meds except for the fact that my boobs hurt soooooo bad! No one prepares you for that! LOL. My mom planned to stay with me my second week home but I was taking care of myself and baby with ease. She came anyway just to spend time with me and her new grandson Smiler Recovery was easy. I feel so blessed for having such a great pregnancy, delivery, recovery and now a wonderful little baby boy that is also very easy to take care of. He is such a good boy and already an over achiever according to his doctors. I can pray that all my pregnancies and deliveries are this good Smiler Thanks for all the advice ladies!!!

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