"Phantom Period Pains" ?

Alright, I had to ask this, is there ANYone besides me that is having pain around when her period USED to be??

I'm 8 weeks post, and keep a journal of the days activities, and how I feel. Right at the times when I USED to have a period, I am getting the bloating/cramps/just getting ready to blled feelings that I had PRE-op. Only, there is nothing left to have a period WITH, no uterus, no cervix, nothing!

Don't even ask me if I've called my doctor, I ain't gonna. She's a nice lady, and a good surgeon, but shakes her head and gives me this totally mystified look whenever I ask her anything that even remotely does not seem like a classic problem free recovery.

Wierd smells? never heard of that.
Strange dreams? oh, how awful.
Swelly belly? none of her patients ever swell. swelled? swolled? WHATEVER.
Brain Fog? maybe I've just got a lot on my mind.

I could go on, but like I said, apparently everyone she ever did surgery on is just fine, and I am the only wierd one. So be it.

So, back to the question..is anyone out there having anything like this? My whole body is getting ready for a period that will never, ever happen. And it's happening right around the times when I WOULD have had a period. It's happened three times now, so I'm not imagining it.

My husband says maybe it's like the sensation amputees have, where they swear they can feel the missing leg or arm or whatever, even though it isn't there..he didn't know if that was true with reproductive organs.

So, I'm asking the wisest ladies I know, all of you on this site. Am I nuts, or have any of you gone thru this? And if you have, has it stopped??

Enquiring minds want to know

Cynthia

2nd paragraph, it should read, "getting ready to BLEED"

good grief, where are my bifocals....

Cynthia

Hi Cynthia,
I am 6 weeks post & had the same thing happen, cramps & all. I actually did spot a little too. I called the dr. & they told me that as long as I had ovaries I would probably get PMS. I had an SAH so they told me it was possible I could get a mini period as well(YUK!!!!). I'm hoping that was a fluke & that I over did something, but... You didn't mention if you still had your ovaries. I guess the PMS symptoms well linger every month. I've read posts that some have gotten them & they lesson with time. Hope that's the case with you & me! Hang in there!
Barb

Hi
I am post op 8 weeks tomorrow. Yes, I, too am having cramps. They let my overies and the doctor said many times to me that this would happen. i would be getting pms, cramps, bloating all of it except bleeding. I too have a question, is it normal too swell up and GAIN weight like how I am , that is not fun, I do not need any extra weight!!!!!!!

Barb, I have my right ovary left, and as far as I can tell, it's working. I don't have any hot flashes or anything, no night sweats..
I haven't spotted ever, from anything, during the whole postop phase.

I did have one saleslady tell me she had the same phantom pains for 6 months after her hyster, but they went away.

am not really bloating up except at those times, and am holding steady at 135--136 lbs, which is a lot compared to what I was. Don't think I'm ever going to see those days of size 5 jeans again, I'm currently a size 12.

Insert sound of BIG SIGH here.

Here's hoping it's all in my head, and will just vanish..............

Cynthia

Last week would have been the first time that my period was due after my surgery and I had those same feelings like I was having cramps, it was very weird!
Maybe your DH is right, here's hoping that it is just phantom pains and it will go away!!

I have phantom pain too and have been experiencing uterine cramping. Interesting. I have not had a period since 2000 so it is amazing that I can remember what they feel like!

See it is this kind of stuff doctors need to write a book about. All the recovery processes that happen that are normal. Just think about how many calls it would cut down on.

I bought two books on hysterectomy and none adequately addressed the recovery process. Any doctors or writers out there ready to take up this challenge?

Me too! Cynthia, I know exactly how you feel about not having the perfect recovery...I get that every single time! Like I am the only patient EVER to have any complications....Doctors are just too perfect aren't they?

They took my uterus, cervix, and appendix during hyst in Aug, and then they took my right ovary in December..have been on Premarin since then, and I have had cramps every single month without fail! Boy, my body sure is confused, and so am I!

Oh well...hang in there ladies, and let's hope this will go away soon!

Stacey

NOT SURE F THS WILL HELP ANY ONE...
I WAS TOLD YOUR BODY WILL STILL CYCLE IF YOU HAVE 1 OVARY...JUST AS IF THE UTERUS WAS STILL THERE.

AND THAT YOUR BODY DOES GO THRU PHANTAM PAIN AFTER SURGERY....MY NERVE ENDINGS ARE TELLING MY BRAIN THAT SOMEONE PLAYED WITH MY INSIDES (POST OP LAVH 5 DAYS)
AND THEY HURT EVEN THO' THEY ARE NOT THERE.

GEOSHEBAL

Yes,
I thought I was crazy and was not even able to figure it out. The first cycle I would have had was only a couple of weeks after surgery so I didnt think much of it. This time it got my attention tho and my insomnia was worse, my swelly belly worse, my temperment worse.....

I'm not on any HRT, but symptoms have been fairly mild so far for me. I use several suppliments and that seems to help.

Praying the phantom pains go away soon I have nothing left in there either

God Bless,
Elaine