Progress report - trip to the ER

I just returned from a trip to the ER, my progress for the first week post-op was wonderful, minimal pain, mostly gas - then a hematoma began to grow around the right outer quadrant lap incision, it started out about the size of a golf ball (and was as hard as one, too). I called my doc., he said to use warm moist heat (I had been using an ice pack) to help it reabsorb. So I switched to heat. two days later it had grown to tennis ball size. Then yesterday, I began vaginal bleeding - the first I have seen since before surgery. Again I called my doc. just to let him know what was happening. We decided to do a wait and see approach. during the night I began bleeding more profusely, with large clots thrown in to boot. My partner and I got dressed and went to the ER. I called the doc on my way to let him know the change in progress. We spent 6 hours there, blood work, IV, ABD CT. Scan showed no active bleeding at time of scan,(thank goodness) but a blood clot 7.5 x 4.4 cm under the incision. They sent me home saying it is normal post-op bleeding and to return if symptoms reappear or increase. Due to the complication of my Coumadin therapy they said it will be difficult to guess when this will subside. It is a balancing act to get my clotting issue/post-op bleeding normalized.
What bothered me about the visit is that I didn't feel heard. They insisted that I was doing too much and that was the reason this happened, when in fact I spend most of my time either in bed sleeping or reading as I have no energy to do elsewise. I am wondering how the rest of our week group is coping and recuperating? I haven't learned where to go to follow your posts, I hope this is in the right area! I am sending loving, healing thoughts to all of you - we will get through this and come out better than ever on the other side I truly believe. Until next time, Breathe!!!

NaNaSuSu hi
Go to the blue bar with the User CP choice. You should get the link to your week group. And lots of prayer and hugs for this problem to clear up.
Anndy

Thank you Anndy I appreciate your help in navigating. Also thank you for your prayers and hugs. It is now 0351 and it has been 2 and a half hours since I've passed a clot, so I am hoping things are moving in the right direction.

Glad the clotting is slowing down. Remember this recovery can be a bit of a rolling coaster. I am all most 5months and if I do too much for a day or two I get pretty tired. So keep taking care of yourself like you are and don't worry about the "professionals". Many know there stuff but just don't always understand we have good instincts and are also taking care of ourselves. Just use them when you need to.
Hugs,
Anndy

Just remember also, that it is your body and you know it best. I also have a clot issue and am taking Xarelto for it. Kicker is, it is the result of the original hysterectomy 6 months ago.
Not that I am a doctor by any means, but what you're going through doesn't sound "normal" at all. If you don't feel right about it, go to another hospital for a second opinion. I went to my local ER 3 times and was sent home with a clean bill of health before going to another ER out of state and finding out about the clot and the state of my abdomen being in total disarray. I spent 2 hours in emergency surgery that day, and just got out of my 4th surgery (3 wks post oopherectemy) and to fix the mess my gut was in. Don''t take the doctor's word for it if it doesn't feel right. Especially if you have a clotting disorder. Best of luck to you! Sending you good energy...

So far so good, no more bleeding. I am disappointed with myself, after over 25 years as nurse I thought I would deal with this better than I am <g> just goes to show that when it happens to *you* its a whole different matter! I hear some of the teaching I have given to my patients over the years and now I need to apply them to myself. Much easier said than done! Thank you for reminding me that I am the expert in my body's feelings. I will never go back to that ER even though the oncology department is superb, the ER is awful!! I am lucky that I live in an area that has multiple hospitals to choose from, next time I will choose according to reviews given on line by patients using their services and not because that is where I had my hysterectomy.