Questions post TVH

Hello! First I would just like to say how helpful this site was in preparing me for my surgery...it is a wonderful place to take refuge when you are nervous!!
I had a TVH Thursday morning (the 5th). Everything went well...my anest. and recovery nurses were super nice, and I adore my doctor...she is the best! The hospital was full, so they sent me to the maternity ward for my stay, which was interesting because I just had a baby there 6 months ago!
The first few hours was fine, but I kept telling them that I was still in pain and the meds weren't helping. I was on percoset and Toderol (sp?)...and they were just making me VERY fuzzy, but I still had a great deal of pain in my abdomen and lower back. They finally put me on the morph pump, but it really only took the edge off. Then they added the percoset and the toderol back again...so flying high, needless to say, but still not much pain relief. I was getting a little upset because I would ring my buzzer and not see them the nurses for 20 minutes afterward...then when I would ask for a heating pad or something, I wouldn't see them for an hour or two!! My doctor thought I should keep the catheter in and stay a second night, but yesterday, as I was walking the halls, my nurse cornered me and told me that a vag hyst was usually an outpatient procedure, that I was lucky to have had one night's stay and that since I had no incision I shouldn't have the pain or restrictions of other surgery patients. Needless to say, I called my Dr in tears! She told me that vag hysts are never done as an outpatient and that of course I have had an insicion..it's just inside. She offered to let me stay b/c of my pain but I knew I could not be comfortable staying when the nurses obviously thought I was a burden. Funnily enough I had looked forward to my Castle stay b/c I have 3 children (6 month, 3 years and 8 years) and I thought it would be nice to have the peace for a couple of days.
I guess my question...after all of this rambling...is, is it normal to have this much pain in the lower ab and back that doesn't seem to be helped by meds.? I am now on hydrocodone which takes the edge off...but I am suprised that my lower back hurst so much. It is like having really bad menstrual cramps (which I would recognize! LOL), but they didn't seem to believe me at the hospital. I am also extremely puffy...I have gained 10 pounds since I went in for surgery 48 hours ago...is this normal? And while I was in the hospital my blood pressure never went above 95/55 or my temp over 96.5...I thought this seemed a little low.
Any thoughts would be appreciated...so that I know I'm not going crazy...or something is wrong, and I don't know it?!
PS - I am not a whiner or complainer...I have had natural childbirth...so I know what pain is, and when to expect it! LOL

I had TVH with repairs for uterine prolapse, and rectocele and cystocele repair. Insurance had okayed a one night stay. After the surgery (which was long, about 5 hours) the surgeon said he did a lot of repair and he would get the insurance company to okay a second night. But the lady in the bed next to me had the stomach flu and kept throwing up, so I left after one night...I wanted to get out of there before I caught it, LOL.

I didn't have a lot of severe pain...I think I quit pain meds after about a week at home (I was taking Percocet...probably one or two a day.) My pain was mostly in the lower abdomen.

My thought about the back pain, I wonder if the "positioning" of the surgery caused your back pain.

As to the 10 lb weight gain, that seems a little odd.

Does your BP always run that low? Other than the pain, how do you feel? I think I'd be putting a call into my doc if your pain doesn't seem to be getting any better. Just to be on the safe side!

T&MY, No you're not over-reacting. This is MAJOR surgery. Can't believe maternity nurses would be so insensitive to this sort of thing. The weight gain is "probably" water. They pumped me full with over 6 liters of fluids in the 40 min. of the surgery. It took several days for me to pee all that out of my system. Swelling is also very normal for this surgery, No matter which method was used. For the first week or so, I kept feeling like there was this cylinder of ache in my lower body. Back, stomache, surgery site, everything ached. Stay on TOP of the pain meds for the first few days!!!! The trick is to not let the pain start and then take the meds. but to stay ahead of it. You'll probably have A LOT of gas until your bowels settle down (this can take a while) and all that hurts too. Not only does the moving gas hurt, but as it moves it rubs the areas of the surgery causing more pain. (That's how my Dr. explained it). For the first few days, I couldn't tell which was surgical pain and which was gas pain, but could tell there were two distinct types.

There's a section here called Checkpoints (pink tab at top of home page). It's very good for getting information specific to the stage you're in.

Some hints (you'll find these other places here too). If your Dr. did not say anything about stool softeners, call and ask. Colace, or something like it helps a lot. Many of us found that peppermint or chamomile tea also help with the gas. There's something called SmoothMoves tea. There's debate here about whether to take it (laxitive vs. softener). My Dr. liked it, other folks Docs didn't. I used it (chocolate variety UM, UM) and it helped a lot. Peppermint tea was what finally brought the gas under control for me.

Welcome to the otherside and good healing. LJC

Hi tea&milkyway!

I had a TVH and had the exact same experience with pain that you described, the terrible pain in back and abs. I was on a morphine pump, they kept on giving me booster shots, tovadol, percadan, but nothing would really help. Finally, they give me finigrin for being sick on my stomach from all pain meds. and that strangely enough brought the most relief. The nurses bless thier hearts kept on trying to help me, but finally I was so sick I had to tell them to just leave me alone and bring me a heating pad! I had to stay on 2 tablets of vicodin every 3 hrs for pretty much the first 2 weeks before the pain died down. Now I"m not a wimp either, I've had pain before too but this just really kicked my behind, so at least we know we were not alone heh! And like your dr. said, TVH is not outpatient, there is still something removed and still an incision.

What helped me was to stay on top the pain with the meds for as long as I needed it. I tried to go without and ended up miserable. Both my gyn and GP told me not to worry about taking too much, you just had major surgery. Do what you need to keep up with the pain so your body can heal better.

As the others suggested, it is also impt. to keep your bowels moving properly, because the gas and constipation can be a cause of lots of pain too. I used GasX, drank lots of water, and used stool softners. I found though that the stool softners made me really nauseus though, so I started to use Aloe Vera caps and that was wonderful and didn't make me sick at all. I also took aspirin 3 x's a day on my dr. reccommendation to reduce and inflammation and swelling. That helped me loose the "extra" weight (which really is more just fluid retention and the tissues swelling).

I hope this helps since we had similar experiences with pain and such! I"m six weeks out now, and good news it the pain doesn't last forever. Feel free to send me a PM if you want to chat. Hope you are doing well! Jen

Hi tea&milkyway, As a nurse I am very disappointed that this nurse would make such a comment. We know ever persons pain and surgery are different. Truly the only difference between TAH and TVH is the abdominal surgery. They are still removing the uterus, moving things around, adding gas to see better, etc. Some people (me) have episiotomies, so there is any outer incision also. You positioning in the surgery will definetily affect he back. Be prepared for some leg aches to. Take head about the stool softner and keeping up on pain meds because the first BM can be painful. Also don't expect one for a few days. It has been 3 wks and 3 days now and the pain is much better but still has days of discomfort. Hang in there! Ophelia

i had my surgery on march 20 with A&P repairs...i've never heard of a vag hyst as outpatient..actually i was in the hospital 4 days. i am so sorry your experience was disappointing...

yes, the lower back pain is normal. it took me 12 days before i felt semi-human. i eased off the percocet around the 2 week mark. i was bloated and crampy for that time also. not sure about the weight gain..i know i looked extremely bloated the first week. i agree, try to get the bowels moving...you've received great advice.

hope you feel better.

While I don't understand it and certainly don't agree, my TVH was done in the Out-patient Surgery Center at the hospital and because my insurance company covers one night's stay, they admitted me from OPtx recovery to the Women's Center for one night only. My doc said if I had complications (fever, etc...) the hospital would have to seek approval from the insurance company for a 2nd night. That being said... my experience, both in the OPtx Surgery Center and the Women's Center, were excellent and I know I'm lucky. Responsive, kind nurses; comfortable accommodations; private room; etc. But, yes, it was considered out-patient. Amazing...
colls