Still Out of Commission @ 5 wks Post-Op

I don't know if I've been overdoing it or what, but I don't feel much better than I did the first week. Doing even the smallest things not only takes everything out of me, it makes my body hurt physically. I'm still having pain around my incision and my doctor acted surprised when I saw her 2 weeks post op and told her I was still hurting. They said I shouldn't still be in pain, which baffled me, I mean I just had a major surgery. So, I don't really know what to tell them when I go for my 6 week check up on Jan 8. As far as specifics - I have crazy insomnia [which is evident by the fact that I'm posting this at 3:15 am, haha]. I don't think I've slept since I woke up in the recovery room on Nov 17 when I had my surgery. When I do sleep, its not restful and its usually wacky hours. Its extremely uncomfortable to sit. My stomach is still swollen, which is still hard for me to deal with, but I'm managing. I don't know if this is even possible, but could the abdominal pain be my nerves 'waking up' from the surgery? Pretty much my whole lower abdomen was numb post surgery [I had a TAH/BSO] and it still is kind of numb but also hurts. It doesn't really make sense to me why the pain in some ways is getting worse rather than better. I had a hysterectomy because of Endometriosis, so I have prescription pain meds for the endo pain, and I've actually been taking them for the surgery pain because over the counter stuff does not work at all for me, not even for minor stuff, and my doctor won't prescribe any more heavy duty stuff [I was on darvocet] because its a narcotic, so I've been taking my Ultram and it doesn't seem to be helping much. Is this pain normal? Maybe its because I've worn clothes that rub my incision? Or I've been on my feet too much? I've gone "shopping" a few times - it is Christmas season so it was virtually unavoidable, but I didn't think I did anything overwhelming. I'm already 5 weeks out and I don't feel much better, so I'm wondering if I have a VERY long recovery from this surgery ahead. Mostly I haven't even been doing anything, just lying around the house, which got old, oh...within the first week of the surgery? I'm not one to lay around, I always keep busy, but I haven't had a choice since the surgery obviously. I'll talk to my doctor when I see her. Has anyone else had a slow recovery? I didn't expect all to be well at 5 weeks necessarily, but I certainly thought I would be further along than I am.

Hi Angela, sorry to hear you're not feeling so great. It seems to take us all different times to recover. I'm almost 5 weeks post too, but had a LAVH. I still have bad days and sore bits, but couldn't compare that to how I felt 1-2 weeks post. It sounds like you are pretty mindful of overdoing things, and your activities doesn't seem outrageous. Hope you can work this out with your dr. Maybe the hormones are to blame for your lack sleep? Being a chronic insomniac, I know my body feels awful, and pain is always worse after a sleepless night.

The insomnia is normal, the pain is normal. Try to walk as much as you can, it takes up to a year. Oestrogen helps a little with sleep but still my sleep is poor though a little better the last month or so.

I am 9 weeks out TAH and still have pain, nausea, insomnia, and crying spellls. My doctor said it just takes time and he said mine was a bad surgery. Hang in there. It has been slow and fustrating, but I am getting there.

I'm 8 1/2 weeks out and last night at church I thought I was going to split in 2. Pain in my abdomen, just below my belly button radiating down my groin and legs. I just can't sit up straight that long. It is frustrating and it is taking way longer than I expected too.

When I was at 5 weeks, I couldn't imagine going back to work at 6 weeks, which is when I had planned on going back. So, I can relate to feeling like recovery will never come. Then between 6 and 7 weeks I started to feel much better. A TAH is just a slow recovery.

Last week I had some bleeding which dr didn't think anything about then on Wed. (of last week) I went to my 2 week post-op appt. The dr told me everything looked great and that I had just a little granulation tissue which he applied silver nitrate to. After a day or so of a brown discharge I completely stopped with any discharge. While there he told me that I could do ANYTHING except intercourse ( no weight or activity restriction). Well I did not follow his advice I have still been taking it very easy, not lifting, tugging etc. I have went shopping (with hubby driving me up to the door and getting everything). All I have done is ride and walk( with occasional resting). My back muscles and upper abdominal muscles got a little achy. Well, night before last I started spotting/bleeding again. So I just layed around the rest of the evening. Got up yesterday and still bleeding some when I sit or stir around, so I laid around a lot yesterday also. This morning the same thing, will stop bleeding if I lay down, but if I sit up or move around alot it starts back, it's not bright red, but it is red and pink when I go to the bathroom. I am also having dizzy spells every now and then, kind of feels like anxiety attacks. Anyway I don't feel that bad, I am just scared to get up and do anything, I was just wondering if anyone else has had this? If it is normal......I really wished I would not have had this done now.

Merry Christmas to all

Amy

LittleRed;
You didn't mention what type surgery or if you still have cervix. If you still have cervix the blood could be draining from the abdominal cavity, the stuff your body didn't reabsorb, so it's looking for a way out. That would explain why walking around causes you to notice it.
Just a thought

2 Beagles,

I'm sorry, I had a LAVH on Dec 2, and I did keep my ovaries and cervix.