Cesearean Section & Post-Traumatic Fibromyalgia

I had 4 children vaginally using the Lamaze Method, and I didnt have Fibro until peri-menopause, then the Fibro went full-blown after a total Hysterectomy. So hormonal changes most likely are a part of this disease in women. Good article A.

I had a large ovarian cyst removed, and had a typical bikini-cut incision, similar to C section – about 9 years ago. I was definitely unwell long before that, but not yet familiar with FM/CFS. The first week was excruciating, and I do often wonder how this surgery ultimately affected me. All my symptoms have progressively gotten worse since then.

It’s a good thing to think about. If I ever do have a child, I’ll probably be insistent on no C-section.

Interesting thought. I have had two C-sections. The first, I felt like they stitched me up too tight on the right side and I developed an infection at the stitching site on the right, also. And I had horrendous pain in my back where the spinal anesthesia ad been administered. Later, I had adhesions behind the incision site. Every time I had a gyn exam and they pressed down I would jump a mile and the doctor would always comment that I shouldn’t hurt like that. I would also double over with pain from the right side of the scar if I laughed or sneezed and hadn’t braced myself first. 15 years later when I had another C-section, they cleaned up the old scar and things improved. All surgery is a serious trauma to the body. I think at the basis of all fibro symptoms is something that affected the nervous system and seriously raised the body’s sensitivity while lowering the defenses. In my case, I know it was repeated exposure to a seriously dangerous and toxic pesticide. I suspect the overall toxicity of our environment and the use of plastics in food packaging and preparation may keep the body off kilter and be too much for some people.

I wouldn’t say “no” to a C-section merely because you’re afraid it might trigger fibromyalgia … in my own experience, I had a c-section but it wasn’t until later, after a microdiscectomy to relieve sciatica three months after that c-section, that I developed fibro. In other words, I think it’s the traumatic cutting event of the surgery — not the c-section itself.

Interesting to think about, though.

I have a a few thoughts on this. Firstly, I am a Labor/Delivery RN, so I’ve seen countless births, c/s & vaginal. In my last pregnancy, which was 2 1/2 yrs. after the previous one, I began to experience many aches & pains pretty early on. I was put on bed rest @ 22 wks. for preterm contractions. (The drs. were being very cautious, since I had miscarried twice in a row a couple years prior.). I was on bed rest until I developed PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) @ 36 wks., & had to be induced & delivered within a day. It was a very difficult labor, & I was nearly sent for c/s a few times due toy baby’s heart rate fluctuations, but I was spared that trauma, & the baby was delivered safely.

Within about 9 mo. after delivery, the aches & pains returned with a vengance. It took TWO years after this to be diagnosed & begin treatment for the Fibro. It has now been almost six years since being diagnosed. I notice when my monthly cycles are near, the Fibro picks up.

I definately believe the hormonal changes with pregnancy & monthly cycles play a big role in Fibro.

I had my first child 3 days before my 18th birthday. She was born natural. My 2nd child was born 1 year to the very day later and I had a block. At 35 I had a full hysterectomy cut along the bikini line. The hysterectomy was the worse pain I have every experienced.

This is a good question. It’s because of my concerns re: the impact of surgery on my body that I’m avoiding getting a fibroid surgically removed. Unfortunately if I don’t get it removed I won’t be able to have children, so I’m seeing what I can do naturally to shrink it.

The hormones question is something that needs further study. I’ve had CFS/ME since cancer treatment when I was a teenager, but fibro didn’t show up ’til a few years ago. Coincidentally it was at the time that I started to enter perimenopause at 34 (early menopause being another side effect of chemotherapy). This makes sense to me – I had thought it was simply because I was overly stressed and not eating well (which no doubt didn’t help) but hormonal fluctuations could be a contributing factor for the fibromyalgia pain.

I have the SAME situation as you. Never felt “right” after my first section. Early menopause and just missed how I was so energized and pain-free before. I think you’re on to something.

I had one surgery which involved a d&c and a TVT to “tighten up” my leaky bladder. It was about one month after that when I got my first symptoms. That was 6 yrs. ago. I KNEW IT!

I have had Fibro for 9 years and I am 66. I had early menopause at age 39. I think I probably had the Fibro longer, but didn’t realize it until the pains came on. I had fatigue first…like half way through grocery shopping in the afternoon, I would get so fatigued, I didn’t know how I was going to make it home! Nothing has worked except recently I tried Savella and it took all my pain and stiffness away, but my blood pressure spiked, pulsed raced, blurred vision and it was so disappointing to have to discontinue taking it! Anyway, the hormones might play a part in all this. I still take hormone therapy.

I had a c-section for the first delivery and 2 regular deliveries. My thought is what if the spinal/epideral has caused problems in our system????? Never even thought of that.

Very interesting, my wife got fibromyalgia right after the birth of our first child, via c-section. She also had pre-eclampsia. My thought was the physical or emotional stress, of any of the three could have contributed to getting fibromyalgia

This is slightly off topic, but I believe I developed Fibromyalgia during or as a result of a very traumatic and trying pregnancy (my 2nd) during which I experienced hyperemesis gravidarum, PIH, preterm labor and severe depression/anxiety…to quickly summarize.

I did not go through a c-section but the trauma of the pregnancy itself was enough.

I would definitely agree that I was “predisposed” to developing Fibromyalgia in my lifetime, in retrospect. My symptoms easily could have started prior to the birth, but who knows as I was in such discomfort, but most definitely after the pregnancy…and since, my body has never been the same.

It’s been 5 years and I am still on this journey to living well with Fibromyalgia. I have hopes that one day it will limit my life very little.

Thanks for the great topic and article.

OMG, your story sounds so familiar.

I had two caesarians. After my second son arrived, all was well until he was about a year old… I stopped breastfeeding… we both caught a cold, baby got better but mine worsened into fibromyalgia.

I became very sensitive to medications (yes, including the pill) and tried to find out what was happening. What followed was 18 months of full-on FMS, then some level of recovery, then a decline back to the symptoms I’ve been living with this time for 18 months. I’ve had fibro now for just over 4 years.

I do suspect I was predisposed to FMS and certainly had related conditions (eg IBS) since I was a teenager.

I’m also a “highly sensitive person” and have been all my life. I’m very interested in whether other CFS/FMS patients would consider themselves “highly sensitive”. Perhaps you could do an article on this? Elaine Aron has a website on the topic of highly sensitive people which has more detail.

I also felt that I needed more thyroid hormone but my tests said I was at the right level too. That is when I discovered http://www.drlowe.com and realized I needed high dose Cytomel instead of Synthroid. Dr. Lowe explains how thyroid tests are unreliable at that point because they will show hyperthyroid when I am really hypothyroid. That is when you adjust meds to your pulse rate and other symptoms of overstimulation and too much/too little hormone versus relying on blood tests and ignoring physical symptoms. Pain and spasms have been soooo much better since then and no signs of overstimulation.

I had one c-section and then two ectopic pregnancies, all of which required surgery, of course. When I think back on it, my various symptoms (initial trips to the dr for pain and fatigue) began within that same time period.

I think a study on this would be very interesting!

It wouldn’t surprise me if it were linked somehow to fibromaylgia. I too, had a C-Section, and even though it went relatively well, i also experienced certain things such as problems with the epidural..they went in too deep that I had a migraine headache so bad I couldn’t even lift my head off the pillow because of spinal fluid leakage. they then had to give me what they call an “epidural blood patch”, take out blood from my arm and re-inject it through my back to stop the leaking and it stopped the headaches completely. I was in the hospital for a week because of that..I also wonder if that has also played a major role of my headaches till today.

This is a little off topic, I never had a caeserean but, I think that anyone that endures traumatic physical or emotional stress is at risk of getting Fibromyalgia. My husband was diagnosed with PTSD after serving in a heavy combat zone in Afghanistan. We had a really tough time at first, his condition was spiraling out of control, and I almost lost my husband. I was under constant emotional stress for 1 year as I struggled to take care of him, get him on the right meds, and get him into counseling. We finally got him on the right combo and he got better. As soon as he got better I got sick. I was told by my doctor that the stress was to blame for my Fibromyalgia. I wonder if you have ever considered writing about the link between PTSD, being a caretaker of someone with PTSD, and Fibro. I did some research on this and found out that they are studying the connection between the two at Fort Hood.

I had my first child by c-section, breast-fed her for five months, and came down with CFIDS as I was weaning her. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

My life has been one long stressfull spiral. Starting with being drug by a car at age of 5, raised in a home with horrible tensions, due to alcohol useage, to a marriage to a man that was very controlling. During all this I was pregnant 4 times, delivered 3 healthy children naturally. suffered endometrious, finally having a hysterectomy at age of 29. I hit and missed with the RHT. until I finally stopped it with the cancer scare a few years ago. I have always been a sensitive person, but at the age of 45 I began a job in a factory under extreme stressful situations on the job site. At age 50 I took a job with more responsiblity on third shift. Soon after that I began to really noticed the fms and was diagnosed.. I can look back over my life and see the symptoms were there even earlier but once I was on that sleep deprived shift did they become full blown. During those years I was a caretaker of an elderly mother and went through 2 heart by pass surgeries with my husband who is now disabled. After 4 years I ended up on disablity and no longer work but still suffer. I am still the care giver for my husband and under stress. So people, I believe that stress is the bottom line for FMS, no matter what else we have wrong with us. Why everyone doesn’t develope it I can’t say because I can only look at what I lived through and what I read on here about others with FMS.
I would like to end this on a positive note. I am still married to the same man for 44 years and he is become a wonderful supportive husband that loves and values me very much.

This is something I have wondered about, because my symptoms really started after I had an emergency appendectomy. It was definitely traumatic because I believe that although I had appendicitis, that it was the 4, yes, 4 pelvic exams I was put through in the emergency room, followed by the abdominal CT scan (I was forced to drink a huge quantity of liquid which I threw up, more pressure on the abdomen, hello!) that caused my appendix to burst. By the time they thought they had “figured out” what was wrong and that I needed surgery, I was told that I had only a few hours to live without surgery. The pelvic exams were not gentle. Besides the ER doctors repeatedly put alot of pressure on me manually trying to “diagnose” the pain. Amazing how barbaric the whole process was. Anyway, when I woke up from the surgery, I was in tremendous pain literally everywhere…..my throat from the intubation, my legs from the gel packs, and obviously, my abdomen from the incision. I was told that they also had to “aspirate” my insides because the appendix had ruptured. I don’t want to think about how my body reacted to that.
I just never seemed to recover. I got repeated allergies, infections, and had considerable fatigue afterwards. As an ex-dancer and a yogini, I thought stepping up my exercise routines would help…….but of course, curiously, I felt worse afterwards! And started injuring myself unwittingly while exercising. I also taught elementary school, so was under considerable stress, physically and mentally, from the job. Taking care of 25-25 young ones for 7 hours a day is a tall order. I seemed to catch every cold that came into the classroom. My doctors couldn’t figure out what was going on. Finally after years of symptoms, I was diagnosed with both fibromyalgia and CFIDS, although I think the fibro came first.

38 years ago I had a therapeutic abortion, and 2 years later I developed chronic fatigue syndrome. I’ve always wondered if the abortion could have caused the illness – dirty instruments? transfer of pathogen from operating room and/or doctors? It was a D&C. I never thought about the physical stress factor, but psychologically I was not stressed at all, nor did I become stressed at anytime afterword. I still wonder about the CFS, though.

I have just recently come on board here and have found comfort in the words of everyone here. I, too, had a c-section. I was 38 and he was my 4th. I had problems during pregnancy, preclampsia, high blood pressure, and pre-term loss of water. They rushed me to hospital that had access to a neonatal intensive care across the street. I was given magnesium sulfate in bolus amounts (forgive spelling here) and I was barely hanging on with bp 200/100. I was in stroke range when they decided to do an emergency c-sect.. I was laid on cross of metal and the epideral was slammed into my back as i was bent over my legs. They prepped me for surgery and when they put the clamps on my skin I about came unglued. They whipped everything off and slammed my back again. The doctor said the baby had to come out whether I was numbed or not. He came out after the most violent thrashing to my body. He was healthy tho, thank God!Within a span of six years there were six scars on my stomach, gall bladder removal, belly button piercing that never healed, c-section, and lyphoma and hernia repair. I also had raise a son with cerebral palsy and during the time of the six years my back resulted in a herniated disc, a bulged disc and one where there was no disc. The pain from this was mind blowing. At the end of that six years I had thirteen highly infected teeth removed at once leaving me with two for posts and then false teeth. I think the infection from that hitting my system all at once was what closed the deal. I live with fibro on flexiril and tylenol. I’ve been the other drugs but it all ulcerated my stomach. Before all of this, starting with my last (c-section) delivery, I was a seven mile a day walker. I was in good physical health. Now I am over weight, high blood pressure, fibro, blown lower back and i’m almost 50. Add menopause (six months and fingers crossed). I am a firm believer that PTSD is at the root of fibro and I would strongly support ANY research into the connection.

I had a similar experience. I am 29. Before pregnancy: Healthy and happy……Four months ago, I went from all natural birth ( to the point of pushing), when the midwife found he was facial presenting and I was rushed by ambulance to the hospital and directly into c-section. Even the Dr himself admitted it was a hasty job. A week later I was hospitalized AGAIN due to an out of control infection. After being released, I had a recurring abcsess in the c-section area that for 3 months needed daily treatment. After many many antibiotics and 3 months, the abscess finally healed. However, a month after the c-section, I was experiencing numbness, tingling, raised veins and twitching in all of my limbs, and horrible all over pain. I’ve been diagnosed with fibro. In addition (don’t know if it is fibro) but, my lower abdomen swells (near the c-section area) 3 or more times it’s normal size with lotss of pain. Normal CT scan results : ( Right now I’m so despondent. As a mother of 2, I had dreams of taking them swimming, being active, taking them to the zoo, etc. Now my world is spinning out of control. NO ONE can understand expect those who experience it. I need a sign on my back that says, Don’t judge, I have a disease you can’t SEE. My friends don’t get it. My spouse tries too, I feel like I’m mourning the loss of my life and I’m in the denial stage. I don’t want my life to “end” at age 29!!!

I went through two C-sections for ovarian cancer tumors. I have always wondered if my fibro was triggered by them. A car accident was a few months after my first surgery so it is too hard to tell. I would say my symptoms have greatly worsened after the second surgery.

I am 35 years old and have had FM for 14 years. It was mild to moderate for 11 years, then became severe. I did not get fibromyalgia from an accident or injury. I believe it was hereditary or stress related or environmental. I conceived my first child (by IVF) at 34, just gave birth last week via c-section due to failure to progress during labor. I am definitely sleep deprived. I have not gotten even 20 hours in the past 8 days. I am confused and have major brain fog all the time. My recovery is spectacular. My FM did not seem to have increased at all during pregnancy or after cesearean, but I realize it is very early to make a judgment about how cesearean may have affected my FM. I am breastfeeding, just wanted to add that, since the author of this article mentioned that she was breastfeeding. Positioning myself during breastfeeding and pumping is definitely painful with FM. I find this and the lack of sleep to be the only difficulties in having a newborn. I anticipated worse pain during diaper changing, carrying child around and just general care of him.

Wow…after reading this article and posts…I KNEW I felt worse after having a hysterectomy and now, I KNOW it MUST BE COMMON! At 34-36 years, I began having symptoms of FMS from an injury to my ribs and it became “full blown” after an infection from a brown recluse spider bite. By age 48 I had a hysterectomy, for multiple issues, one being unbelievable cramping during periods since age 16. Although the surgery healed well and the pain (during recovery) was not as bad as the menstrual cramps I experienced for 30 years…I never recovered from extreme exhaustion and some other (fibro) symptoms became worse. A year ago, soon after I was laid off at work, I had to have surgery for a rotator cuff and biceps tears from an auto accident. For 10 months, this recovery was absolutely the longest lasting and most extreme pain that I have ever experienced. Today, my shoulder feels great…although, once again, I have reached an even worse level of exhaustion and (fibro) pain. Today, I am 54 and (finally) realize that my previous professional life is over and will be applying for Disability as soon as Unemployment ends.
Sorry about getting off the subject of C-Sections…
However, a hysterectomy removes organs and is (also) a traumatic surgical procedure. I have felt all along, each surgery, had to be a reason for the continuous decline in my state of health, not to mention, a good dose of emotional stress.
Great job and thank you, Adrienne, for bringing this subject to light and letting us know…WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR STRUGGLE WITH FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC FATIGUE!!! This is a wonderful platform for us FIBROMITES to share information and help each other. We all have a “special language”, when it comes to discussing our issues, that “outsiders” cannot comprehend.
Peace and Gentle Hugs

I have had fibro. since my c-section with twins. I have to say that i defiently think thats what caused it.

I was diagnosed in 2005 after having a c-section 5/2001 and then a very tramatic c-section 8/2003. I had gestational diabetes during both pregnancies and then my thyroid stopped working after each birth. After taking thyroid meds for 1 year after my 2nd child, my levels were normal but I felt aweful!! My 2nd c-section turned into an emergency because when they were trying to do an amnio to check to see if her lungs were ready, the doctors noticed that I had a very low amount of fluid. They took her by c-section the next morning but the spinal did not work so I was put completely asleep!! When I came out of surgery, I was in extreme pain and I heard the nurses say ” she doesn’t have any pain meds in her system yet, the anastiaolgist screwed up!” It was a harder recovery with the 2nd c-section! My systems of fatigue and all over pain and tenderness just continued to get worse. I really feel like this was the beginning of my life with fibromyalgia!! Now 7 years later, I’m unable to work and have been fighting the disability system for 3 years. I go to the doctor tomorrow to change my pain meds so hopefully it will get better!

I too can relate to alot of things said in this post. I have had 2 c/s with a tubal on the last. I nursed my youngest for almost 3 years and within 4 months of stopping my body did a 180* change. For 5 years I have suffered with aches, pains and hormonal problems only to the likes of being told that I was “getting old”, I was only 38! I thought for awhile it was Post-tubal ligation syndrome. I was tested for lupus at least a half-dozen times. I finally found ob/gyn who would listen and she found that I was estrogen dominant (3x normal), no progst/test/dhea and that my andrenals had stopped functioning. My autoimmune system was in complete shut-down! After a few years of natural HRT I felt a little better until returning to teaching this past year. Things took such a turn for the worse that I am physically disabled and can not work. I was “formally” diagnosed with Fibro and RA this past spring thank God b/c of a tick bite and thinking I had Lyme!!!! I currently have 26 tender points and have lost about 75% use of my left side and both hands. Migraines are unbearable, pains, aches, no sleep…..I could go on but Fibros know already

Reading this, I want to cry. I was in labor for 18 hours with my first baby and couldn’t have her. I had an emergency c-section. I came home with a baby with colic, I broke out in hives from my pain meds and then to top it off I had 2nd degree burns on my left hand. I was a mess and under great stress. I never recovered. Prob a couple months after my daughter was born I started having unexplained pains all over my body. It’s all I can do to walk up the steps most times. My migraines which I have had since I was 10 were so much worse and I actually went to see a neurologist. Still 17 months later I am dealing with this horrible pain and have just recently begun to question whether it could be fibromyalgia.

I just had my third child about a month ago. She came via c-section. The other two were vaginal. It was tramatic and painful. A week later, at home I broke a sewing needle off in my foot and had to have it removed by a surgeon, which resulted in another spinal. I have always had pain and headaches, but have pretty much been told it is in my head. Now, I am in so much pain I just cry. I am nursing though the pain is so bad I don’t know if I will be able to continue. I need help. How do I get the dr to take me seriously. I feel like my life is falling apart.

This is a fantastic article! Since my c section for twins in December 2011, i have been having severe aches and pains all over my body, especially my joints. There are days i can barely walk, or pick up my babies. I am generally of a sturdy disposition, with a very high pain threshold, hardly ever having to see my GP throughout my life. I am now 35 yrs old, and it is since the birth, that i have started feeling chronic physical pain. It was only last night whilst lying in bed thinking about why i could be feeling like this, that i thought that perhaps the c section had triggered some sort of auto immune response in my body. As a former registered nurse, i have no doubt that i have fibromyalgia. I wish i had been forewarned that fibro was a possible outcome of the c section surgery – specifically the spinal anaesthesia. I still would have had to have had it done (my daughter was breech), but at least i would have been prepared for its possible eventuality. It’s very frustrating that something so important was not discussed with me. As a result, i now have a partner that doesn’t quite appreciate what i am experiencing physically, because i have had no surgical complications post partum – wound has healed beautifully, i have had no infections. However, i now have this diffuse pain all over, and i feel that because it’s not something that can be scanned or tested for per se, that it’s not taken seriously. I truly believe the spinal anaesthetic caused my fibro symptoms.