Hi
Can anyone help please. I had a total hysterectomy on 4th August, leaving the ovaries. I feel like im recovering well but keep getting awful stomach cramps. Ive tried all sorts but still not easing. Can anyone offer any advice on getting rid of these cramps? They are worse on a morning and an evening, my bladder and bowels seem to be working fine.
Thanks
Becky
Xx
Hi Bex.
I hope you don't mind but I'm going to watch here for responses as I'm booked for a radical hysterectomy (keyhole) on 30th August and I want to be prepared for it and the post-op recovery. Did you have keyhole?
Kath x
Hi Kath
I dont mind at all hun.
Yeah it was keyhole. Scars are healing well, only pain i really have is this cramping :-(
xx
Very mysterious! Have you tried going for a gentle walk. I believe the pace of which is referred to as 'romantic stroll'
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
Not sure hun as i had chemoradio instead of a hyst. However, ive had cramping. My oncologist prescribed buscopan. That and throwing paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine at it worked.
Teresa, are you around??? Can you help?
If it doesn't ease up i would ring your doc hun, just for advice and to put your mind at rest. Or do you have a macmillan nurse? xxx
Hi guys
I went to the docs on Friday and they gave me buscopan and codeine. I did a little walking yesterday and it seems a bit better today. Probably just need to do the exercises they advised and get my stomach muscles strengthened.
Thank you xx
Hi Bex:
Sorry - don't know how I missed your post.
So, you're 2 weeks post surgery - how much are you doing?
I think that it's very very easy post laparoscopy to do too much. My doc said no lifting of anything heavier than 5lbs for the first 2 weeks and then 10lbs for the next 4. No hoovering, no lifting of heavy pots etc. Exercise should be a gentle walk, the romantic stroll speed" 10 minutes for the first week and slowly building up to maybe 20 or so.
I'm saying all this because when I didn't follow these instructions I got cramps. In fact, 9 weeks post surgery I had a massive cramp that lasted a couple of days. I had started exercising again at 8 weeks and instead of easing myself in, I leapt in like a crazy fool. I swam every day, played 3 tennis matches and went to pilates. Got the worse cramping. I took to my bed. Hot water bottle helped, Ibuprofen and generally loafed around doing nothing. The cramp eased slowly and then disappeared.
Don't forget that although the outside looks just tiny and fab, the inside has some huge healing to do. There is apparently a 4 inch vertical incision inside that is trying very hard to heal.
Now, your cramping maybe something different, but if your bowels and bladder are working OK, I'm guessing you're not taking it easy enough. So, get back on the sofa and relax!
love t x
Hi
Im doing very little, staying with my mum so little walks and no lifting. She's been fab.
I think it was the Laxido they gave me, i think i was taking it when didnt really need to so had to get it out my system.
Buscapan and light walking plus my pelvic exercises seems to ease it. They havent been as bad today.
Todays issue seems to be heartburn :-(
xx
There's a forum on another site (dedicated to hysterectomy) detailing the cramping expected, etc post hysterectomy. Would it be a good idea to link this site to theirs? Or is there already such a link? Or is every woman's experience different?
Hi I am new to this site and have just come across this forum looking for some advice! I also had laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, salpingectomy (ovaries had been left due to my age) and lymph node removal on 4th August.
I was home with a catheter and antibiotics for a UTI after 3 nights but due to the chronic constipation ended up with a rectal prolapse (tmi sorry!) I had the catheter removed one week post surgery and came away with family for a quiet farm break - my husband plus 8 other adults to help with my 3 kids!!
First couple of days of holiday went great, I had a trip out to the coast for a couple of hours, meal out the next day and yesterday (day 10 post surgery) had a trip to the city centre where I took it easy but did a fair bit of walking.
Yesterday evening I started to 'leak' pink fluid, I was rushing to the toilet every 20 min and has to use pads, is this normal?? Today this has continued and I have been in agony with stomach pain underneath my ribs. I have had to take pain relief again (paracetamol and ibuprofen) but it doesnt seem to be relieving it in anyway! I have had a warm bath and then spent the rest of the afternoon in bed in a lot of pain and feeling very sorry for myself. Has anybody else experienced this pain? Know what it is or how to ease it??
Thank you!
Hi Maelise,
Not sure because I'm not a doctor but I think you may have been overdoing things a bit too soon after surgery. While your laparoscopic surgery leaves very little evidence on the outside, what has gone on inside is massive. You must take it slowly and gently for a full recovery. Healing is tiring work so rest as often as you feel like it.
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
Hi Bex, just reading your post and noticed they have given you the Buscopan. ...great keep on it ,it will sort out the stomach cramps.I noticed also that you said heartburn now,I think you will need something to protect your stomach from all the tablets you may be on .as i think thats what's causing the heartburn as you may be creating to much acid they gave me Omeprozole. It's worth a call to local GP.In the meantime try peppermint oil or gaviscon..although just check with your pharmacy if you can have it when you take buscopan.Hope you can knock this on the head as it will help towards your recovery. Best of luck to you .big hug. Lynne
I found I had cramps for a few weeks after my surgery and also pain when my bladder was full. Not UTI sort of pain, something different. I'm now six weeks post surgery and the cramps have almost completely stopped.
Thank you,
I had the news a couple of days ago that my lymph nodes were all clear so no further treatment required, that has of course put a smile on my face and been a huge relief for myself and my family I just wish I was up ro celebrating!! I feel worse now than I did a few days post op. Been taking it very easy but now in constant back and stomach pain, leaking clear fluid on and off and I have started bleeding for the first time post op. I hope this is all just part of recovery as I am struggling to find the answers online. The sleepless nights are also getting me down. My nurse specialist does not work Fridays so I will maybe ring her Monday and see what she thinks.
Thanks again.
Hi all,
Sorry been a while since I have posted. I have been concentrating on my recovery.
I am doing loads better and now back home (no longer staying at my mum's). My appetite is slowly coming back and heartburn has eased a lot! I am still having to wear pads as have some pinky fluid leaking (watery blood), i spoke to the nurse yesterday and she told me this is normal. I still have some cramping but not as bad - little walks and buscopan have helped with this! Cramping and it being hard to poop is also normal. Been three weeks since my op and everything I am experiencing - cramps, bleeding, struggling to poop, tenderness are all normal and part of the healing process. Hope this helps anyone else in this situation.
I haven't started driving yet, hoping to gradually start trying next week.
I was given the all clear yesterday so I am over the moon with this news!! Now I just have to concentrate on getting back to "normal".
If anybody knows how to make pooping easier then I would appreciate it (and i dont mean laxatives) as this is the only thing really causing me any discomfort.
Thanks :-)
Hi Bex :-)
You might try Duphalac, it's not a laxative in the traditional sense but it makes your stools much softer and easier to pass. They sort of slide out :-)
You might be a bit early to start driving just yet, there are far more abdominal muscles used in operating the pedals than you might imagine.
Be lucky :-)
Tivoli
Hi Tivoli
I might just try that thank you!
Im not going to drive till i feel ready to, i keep sittinh in the car and starting it but thats it for now.
Hope your ok.
:-)
You could get someone to make you a chocolate and prune cake :-)
Great news that you have got the all clear.
Autumn x
