What's worse? Giving birth or crohns pain?

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In my opinion, there is no comparison. The pain of giving birth is so much easier. In addition, at the end of it, you get your baby. With Crohn's pain, at the end of it, you don't get anything but a little relief. Also, with having a baby, you expect the pain, and you prepare for it, taking classes to learn breathing exercises, best positions and such. And, at least for me, my husband was helping to keep my pain levels low by massaging me and such.

As for contractions vs. Crohn's pain, the contractions are sharp, but not like the Crohn's pain. Think of the worst menstrual cramps. That is what contractions are like.
 
I went through labor without the drugs and I was fortunate that it only lasted 6 hours. It felt like I was being torn apart in the end (I had a big baby) but I would still go through labor over having another small bowel obstruction. Like Linda said, it's psychological. You get a baby and it's a wonderful, happy, although scary moment. Crohn's is just never-ending and downright depressing. (Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything!!)
 
I haven't given birth yet but I sure hope the pain isn't as intense as Crohn's pain. Linda is so right, at least with childbirth you get a sweet little prize at the end:p...Either way women are awesome!!!
 
for sheer in the moment intensity, i'm going with childbirth. for long term, obviously, the crohn's. at least you get a baby out of the deal with childbirth.
 
No competition, Crohn's is definitely worse. There doesn't seem to be an end to the pain with Crohn's, but with childbirth you know the end is close and you get a gorgeous little bundle of joy afterwards. If you are fortunate enough to get a reprieve from the pain you're on edge waiting for it to return all the time, especially after eating :(
 
I was thinking of starting a thread on this a while ago! I love watching 'One Born Every Minute' and often think of this! Do people who have had children feel like they were better prepared for their pain knowing they go through a lot of pain often anyway?
 
I totally agree with you guys. In labor for over 40 hrs, 16 of which, every min and a half contractions, and I didn't need morphine, I wanted all natural, and yes it's painful, but I agree it's like the mist intense period pain.
But full on obstructions, ouch. And perforation.... That was by far the worst pain i could ever imagine. In hosp, because at home infrint of my daughter I didn't want to show just how sore I was(couldn't get off the floor), so by the time I was in hosp, I literally screamed a few times till I passed out, and had emergency surgery.
NO COMPARISSON- give me labor any day!!!
 
I managed both my children with gas and air....not so with crohn's and its complications. Pain from a perforation is like nothing on earth..and no baby at the end either.
 
Well, as a member of the other sex, all I can say is wow! Do you think that having nine months to prepare for the time makes a difference?

Not to diminish the pain of childbirth, but next time someone makes me feel like a whiner, I'm going to come read this thread.
 
I have had a completely drug free childbirth BEFORE I had a Crohn's flare and I can honestly say that Crohn's pain is worse. I had my first "official" flare during my third pregnancy and kepy telling every Dr. and nurse that I saw that I've had natural childbirth before and this is TOTALLY different and WAY worse! Isn't that crazy?!?

I do agree that there is a huge benefir of a great outcome at the end of childbirth. But having had the pains WHILE pregnant, I can say that Crohn's is definitely worse. I could not even breathe deeply. I wanted to cry so bad, but didn't because it would hurt more than it was worth to let the emotions loose.

Good question!
 
Three kids- no pain meds even after an emergency c-section with an emergency during that!

Crohns is BY FAR worse, and you are right it is very much like labor in that it starts out and gets progessivly worse- cramps closer and stronger until you have no control! Unlike labor its bound to start all over again. Why some docs say they dont treat Crohns with pain meds tells me they really dont get it!!
 
I have 2 children and i have to say that crohn's is by far the worst of pains. During my last flare up i remember telling my husband that i would rather be in labor than go through that again...and i meant it.
 
I wont object, having had a full obstruction I believe that crohns pain is about the worst thing ever...but I gotta say back labor was pretty close.
 
Two kids with no drugs at all and hands down, crohns is way worse.

At least when you're in labor, you know there is an end in sight. And it hurts, but you don't feel so ungodly ill on top of it.
 
No doubt about it...labor pains are the worst. I was screaming and crying and felt like I would have no releif. I also didn;t prep very well(no classes on breathing) and my son was close to 9 lbs and I weighed maybe 100. My OB also had to cut me and then after it he still tore me and to top it off I kept bleeding after giving birth so much I had to stay on potocine for 3 hours after. I didn;t even get to see my son after giving birth because after he was passed around through family the doctors took him right to a special care nursary because he had trouble breathing.

Crohns pain felt like something tearing up my insides but it would be a pain that lasted roughly half an hour before I got completly releif. I was indeed very sick though. I was loosing more blood than I could produce and food went straigt through me. I was better preped for this though and controlled most of the pain via breathing and focasing on something else.
 
Granted I was induced so I didn;t get the gradual lead up to the pain...it was just intense pain and after they broke my water that pain inensified by 10
 
The Crohn's pain was by far way worse than childbirth. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that childbirth pain is something you are supposed to go through and has a real purpose. Yet, Crohn's pain is a signal that something is wrong inside.
 
How funny, I was just asking myself this exact question the other day when I was doubled over in the bathroom with crazy painful Crohn's intestinal pain. Good to know that if I ever have a child, the pain factor will probably be a a walk in the park compared to what I've already experienced with this horrid disease.

Now, I wonder if passing kidney stones is more painful than Crohn's pain?
 
SOOOOOoo funny you say this. I always say this to my doctor and he thinks I'm crazy!! I always say the pain feels like I'm having a baby( I've had four ).. He always says nooo. He wont even give me pain medication.. He never will.. EVer! I still have 2 inches left of mine still connected to my rectum and I always tell him I'm having contractions and I can't take it anymore. I can even bleed oncall a toilet full of blood at any given time. I bleed everyday all the time. I even take pictures to show my doctor before I go and he just says... Gosh I think about you all the time. I really do.??????????????? I just want to scream out.. I'm in painnnn!. Please take me out of my misory.. PLEASE!.
I'd much rather have a baby because it was a breeze compared to this pain. It's never ending and constant.
 
:rof:I have always said my cd pains is like labour pains! I have 2 kiddies and can now say yes they are that intense, but yes I feel Crohns to be worse at times! It's a very cruel thing!

Labour pains are much more exciting though as you have the adrenalin to help you through :rof:
 
lookame said:
Granted I was induced so I didn;t get the gradual lead up to the pain...it was just intense pain and after they broke my water that pain inensified by 10
Click to expand...

Was diagnosed with crohn's before I had either of my 2 children. I always said the cramps were like contractions, so I would be prepared. Also made me realize why they tell you to "breathe" thru the contractions, I always wanted to hold my breath when a cramp hit. Had both of my kids with no pain meds, although with my first, they induced so the yeah, no build up, just straight into hard, intense labor which was more intense than would have been had they waited and let me go into labor naturally. Contractions are harder when they induce. With my son, 7 years later, I laughed with every contraction, back labor, back contractions. I was always pretty "tough" about pain, grew up a tomboy. But I also think the Crohn's pain made it easier for me to get thru childbirth drug free.
 
I haven't given birth, but I did pass a kidney stone a few years ago. The doctors told me then that passing kidney stones is a pain worse than giving birth [actually somewhat relieving to think about if/when I ever have kids]. My Crohn's pain, at first, wasn't too bad, but when they cut into me after only giving me a shot of lidocaine and without any pain meds to place a drain... Words cannot describe how painful that was. My daily Crohn's pain isn't as bad as the kidney stone or the drain, but I think it comes close sometimes!
 
Question about pain

What is the end result when you have intense crohns pain? Do the contractions or intense pain pass on their own ? Or have you had to go to the hospital and they give you meds to stop the pain?

Also what does the pain mean? That you have a stricture or obstruction? Or is it simply fom having crohns?
 
i cant believe giving birth is easier then crohns pain.... i see moms giving birth and they are yelling, screaming, panting, turning red, swearing at their husbands, yelling for the lord, crying for pain meds.. i had my appendix rupture and perforated intestines but i never looked like a woman giving birth. looks like just about the most pain anyone could be in.

..now talk to me about kidney stones? i hear thats even worse!
 
I had two c sections they were painfull but not awfully painfull. I had bowel obstruction it was painfull but I managed to work half day before going to the hospital. I had resection and took every drug under the sun so I wasnt "technically in pain" I flared again after a year (with three mild episodes in between) and it wasnt THE pain either. I have broken my leg-arm, had teeth pulled out and stitches when I cut my middle finger in a beach chair, none of those pains was unbearable. Maybe I have a high pain tolerance but I dont think I have ever experienced excruciating pain.
 
I can't believe everyone is saying crohns pain is worse! Although I'm a boy so I can't exactly I've given birth, I've never been in so much pain I've been screaming my lungs out and turning red from crohns pain.
 
I have wondered this for 5 years since i got sick and I'm actually happy to see women say that Crohn's is worse because I try and tell people this all the time what the pain feels like and i don't really have a comparison being male, however the screams, faces and movements of someone in labour were a lot like what i was doing, except i was able to flail more, also with my Crohn's being at a sever stage, i have never felt more pain, when i have flair ups i have to goto the hospital to stop vomitting and the pain otherwise it doesn't go away, not taking anything away from having a baby and actually feel bad for anyone who gos through any pain similar to Crohn's, just makes me happy knowing that I can somewhat say i know what their pain feels like, even though its a different kind of pain.
 
I have had 2 emergency c-sections after full labour and 1 was back to back and the most intense pain i hhad ever had. Even compared to breaking my fingers.
That was until recently. The pain i get ffrom eating food, not even solid food, is so much more worse than the labour pains. With the labour pains I could at least draw in enough oxygen to breathe through it. But with this pain I can only pant/gasp.
Also it seems to be never ending. With my first child I was in labour for 2 whole days, he was back to back, and i would rather do that again that be in constant pain day in day out for 2 months.
Plus at the end ofof labour you get a baby and the pain goes plus they give you pain relief, not just paracetamol, with Crohns and Colitis you just get the never ending pain.
 
I've not given birth but kidney stone pain is the worst pain I've ever experienced. Not passing it though, I never even felt that.

The awful thing with kidney stone pain is that there is literally nothing you can do to lessen the pain. No matter what position you get in, how you lay, what you do, the pain is still exactly the same.

I live in fear of ever getting a kidney stone again!!!
 
My first baby was 9lb 13 and the pain was EVIL!

i crossed my legs when i was supposed to push as it was so painful!

I have also had peritonitis and blockages - yes the pain with them is bad BUT childbirth for me was not like bad period pains, it felt like my body was being ripped apart!
 
i was induced for both my girls....my first girl i had an epidural fairly early on but without getting into details, i was induced for 4 days before something worked so i was actually having contractions for over a week.

My second i went into labour naturally but then endedup having to be induced as it slowed, so it kinda hit me hard.

I have also had 5 gallbladder attacks.....and they were the worst pain ever!

I havent had any perforation or obstructions yet, so i cant speak for that, but for the flares and abdominal pain, i would take that over a gallbladder attack anyday.

The way some of you describe your crohns pain is how i describe my gallbladder attacks. And i did 5 of them with no pain killers.....i tried T3 for the last one, but they did nothing.

Now i can take T3 for my abdominal pain and it doesnt take the pain away, but does lessen it slightly .

Personally i would still take giving birth over any of this......at least there is a reason for it at the end.
 
They put me on tramadol in the ER :( I have my appt on 18th ughhhhhhhhhh I hate these pills I have sporadic pain and I don' know why :( I just can't stop crying... Does this medication constipate anyone? I wanna eat but I can't :'( I just keep drinking water ... My life partner is gonna bake some chicken and rice with string beans is this good? :'( I just got off my cycle (tmi I'm sorry guys) And I thought my pain would subside... They gave me the Depo shot for my period pains... Does this affect my CD :'( Please don't judge me I am still new to this and just got the proper help to manage my CD.. :'( I just wanna lay down </3
 
I've never given birth, but uterine contractions from endometriosis was some of the worst pain I have ever experienced, even more than intestinal pain I've had or obstructions.

Every person is different, however, and some women don't have that much pain during labor either.
 
I had entirely back labor, which went too quickly to even contemplate having drugs, and it definitely did hurt. BUT, I do have to say that I think having gone through a lot of pain over the years from Crohn's made pregnancy and labor seem like less of a big deal to me than it might have been otherwise. I could cope. However, I was also healthy (not flaring) when I delivered, which I think helped a lot.

The thing about labor is that it doesn't hurt the same amount the whole time. It's in stages, and so certain stages hurt MUCH more than others. I'd say that transition labor (the toughest, but also the shortest) definitely was much more intense than Crohn's pain I've experienced, but active labor felt very similar to some of the cramping I've had with Crohn's before.
 

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