post op side effects ....... any advice?

Hello ladies, it's been such a help reading through things on this site.

I was diagnosed July 11th and had a radical hysterectomy 4th of this month. I came home last Friday and am making slow steady progress with the support of family and friends. I have terrible pains in the top of the front of my legs, it feels like severe sunburn. I'm told this is nerve damage and am trying different meds to manage the pain. I also seem to have lumps and bumps all around my derrier and hips making lying down or sitting so uncomfortable. I had 27 lymph nodes removed from my pelvis so is this fluid retention? I had my surgery keyhole so my tummy is fine, it's just this uncomfortableness that is driving me nuts. Has anyone else got similar, tried relief that has worked? I wondered about massage but don't think a local beauty therapist will do the trick.

My bowels are working with medication but my bladder is not. I have come home able to self catheterise 4 times a day. Has anyone else experience of this. Did your bladder function come back? The doc said it may work on its own again in the future, I s'pose it 's early days.

I'm hoping to get to Let's Meet in Newcastle on Saturday. It will be a good opportunity to get some more information. Is anyone else on this site going? 

If you have read this I send you a big hug...........you can beat this horrible disease, you will be amazed at how strong you are. X

Hi,

I can't help with any of the questions you've asked (sorry) as I haven't had the same treatment but just wanted to say that I am going to Let's Meet

Soph x

Hi

its amazing in some ways how this surgery effects us all differently.

i came home with a catheter for a week but bladder functionality returned pretty much to what it was once it was removed.

Would pelvic floor exercises help?

Also in regards to fluid retention maybe a lymphatic massage would help to assist drainage. You could search your local area for a therapist or even a local cancer support centre.  I'm not sure where you are but i found a place near to myself in the midlands.

Enjoy let's meet, i won't be attending its just too far for me to travel and i'm still pretty exhausted from all this.

 

Pat

Hello,  pkjpi2013

I had a radical hysterectomy back in Dec 2012, and although I didn't have the pains in your legs as you described - I had pains right up in my shoulders believe it or not! I had these before I even got out of hospital and someone on the ward told me it's gas from when they do the keyhole surgery. Apparently they fill your abdomen with it so they can  get at your organs etc and that the pains & aches we feel afterwrds are down to the gas travelling through your body!! Now - I've never heard of this nor seen it anywhere on this site so I don't know how much truth there is in it. 

As for your 'lumps & bumps' - I have some fluid buildup in the pubic area due to removal of lymph nodes but I suppose you could have these anywhere in that region and if they feel 'flabby' like mine does then I'd guess it's  fluid.

I also came home having to self catheterise 4 times a day.  This went on in my case for a lot of months right through my chemo & radiation treatment which started in Jan this year & ended 1st July. By this time however I was down to catheterising only once a day - first thing in the morning. About 6 weeks ago I became fed up with it & stopped completely and have been ok since.  The 'urge' to go pee hasn't come back, I haven't got that feeling of 'bursting for a pee' that we all kow of, I don't think that's gonna come back now.  

Everybody's different so you may not have exactly the same experience as I've had, but I hope this gives you an idea of what it can be like.  It is early days so hang in there!

Sharon