2 surgeries-1 outcome

Hi! Im new here and just wanted to know if anyone else went through what I did. My Dr started out doing a LAVH and two hours into the procedure (when he should have been finishing up), something went wrong and he ended up doing a TAH. So basically I had two surgeries back to back....I lost a lot of blood...so much that I had no feeling in my hands for about 4 days. My BP was 70/40. I am 10 days post-op and I'm having a hard time with recovery. I've had a couple good days and a few bad days. I have to force myself to get out of bed each day, all I do is sleep or lay in bed like a vegetable. I have no appetite whatsoever....and all I do is pee!!! I can't even feel the urge to pee anymore....all I feel is painful pressure when I have to go, which is about every 15-20 minutes. And pooping? oh man what a hassle that has become. It is so painful, I dont know whether to flush it or name it. Leading up to going #2 is immense, excrutiating pain. I have a fairly high tolerence for pain...but going to the bathroom has me in tears and screaming. My tummy is an itchy mess, since the surgery I have developed a rash...I'm not sure where that came from but it itches like crazy. And most of my stomach is numb, so itching it is a very weird feeling. Did I mention that I am glued shut??!!! That kind of freaks me out...the only thing holding my insides in is GLUE and TAPE!!!! I don't know whats going on in there....I feel a lot of pressure and sometimes it feels like something is moving around...its probably gas...but it is annoying all the same.
Im dizzy all the time....Im sure that is partly due to blood loss...but its driving me crazy, when I do get up to go potty or to walk around a bit, I look like a drunk because my balance is off.
I realize this is a bit long winded....but I need to get this stuff out and see if others experienced the same things.
And don't get me wrong.....my Dr is wonderful and did what he needed to do... but I have yet to talk to him about the procedure to see exactly what happened, I see him on Monday and cant wait to ask all my questions.

You poor thing! I am sorry that your going through so much! I know before my surgery my Dr told me he would do the TVH but if for ANY reason he got in there and couldn't stop my bleeding or my uterus was too large to come out the V way then he would have to put my legs down and open me up. And he was able to do the TVH without any of the complications arising. I know in my own recovery I would sit here and the more i sat the worse I felt. I think my first three weeks were awful but compared to some other sisters posts mine was nothing. I know most of the pressure pains I felt was a post op bladder infection. It felt similiar to contractions and hurt so bad. The Dr said I was having Bladder Spasms. I know after I started taking antibiotics and they gave me something called Pyridium which was for the awful bladder spasms I got to feeling a LOT better. And of course I ended up taking two full rounds of different antibiotics and a shot before mine got better. And caffiene will make your Bladder Spasms worse. And the bladder spasm meds will turn your urine a dark orange so if you value your undies wear liners Then I got a female infection inside my va jj from all the antibiotics I had taken and now my vaginal cuff is still not healed and i'm inserting amino cerv creme which helps with the healing process.
It's normal to have some pain, gas, and trouble having a BM but if it's something you can't bear PLEASE call your Dr. I know my BM problems was alleviated by taking stool softners daily, drinking plenty of juice and water, and eating fruit.
I want you to know that you will get past this bad feelings and will look back and think wow I made it. My worst week was my 2nd and 3rd Post Op week. And since my 4th week I've felt a world of difference.
I will be praying for you and please let us know how your feeling.
Take care
Katrina

Hi there. My doctor started my surgery as a TVH but had to move to a TAH when he felt the "surprise" fibroids that had been hiding behind my organs. Once he opened me he was also able to see that I had extensive endo and he spent a couple of hours scraping my bladder and bowels. I lost alot of blood also and left the hospital anemic (I wasn't anemic going into surgery !).

I'm also dermabonded (glued) shut externally. The glue is holding the skin together - internally we're stitched up, so don't worry about exploding opened - it won't happen

I was a bit dizzy getting up for a few days but I learned to take it ALOT slower. My doctor has me on a daily stool softener along with a daily stool softener / laxative (Miralax). I also use Gas X for the gas pains (doc is aware). My first 2 BMs were a bit painful but have been "lovely" since then. In addition to the meds I drink alot of fluids and eat prunes a couple of times a day. I'm too lazy to fix myself normal meals during the day (DH makes dinner) so my daytime meals are yogurt and Ensure.

If your BMs are that painful you might want to call your doc and see if you might need to add a laxative to your regime.

My first week post-op was pretty HORRIBLE - I really questioned if I made the right decision to have the surgery. Things have gotten progressively better. Now that I'm a bit past 2 weeks post op the only issues I have are some lack of energy and normal post op discharge. Hang in there, it really does get better quickly.

Hi! So sorry you had to go through this! Your story is almost idential to mine. We started off performing a LAH and the DR could not remove the mass from my ovary. We then waited until an onocologist could arrive and both doctors then performed a TAH/BSO. Life was rough for a couple of weeks, but things do improve. I hope your recovery goes well and that you will see improvement in your health very soon.

Thank you all for your kind words!! I really appreciate it. I'm having a good but really emotional day today. It seems like every sad movie has been put on the air today, even the comedies are "happy sad" at the end. As far as I know, I still have my ovaries, so I'm not sure where this is coming from. I just feel like I could cry all night long for no reason. I think being confined to the house is getting to me already.

I also was severely anemic after surgery and had 3 blood transfusions. I also developed an itchy rash. If you are taking any anti biotics post op you may be allergic. you need to call your dr and let him know. they should take you off if you are having a reaction. i know between the pain and the itching you are miserable but it will get better.

Certainly talk to your doc about the BM's. There are things he can recommend that will give you relief. Sounds like you might have a bladder infection of some sort. Urinating shouldn't hurt (ever) so be sure to ask about that.
Pain medicine can make you itch.
Sounds like you need to make a list of questions/concerns so you don't forget anything at your appt!

Oh, and pain meds can make you moody, too. Not to mention that your ovary's were manipulated during the surgery so they may be giving off improper signals, so to speak. It took a few weeks for mine to wake up and get with the program after my LAVH.

Keep your chin up and I hope you feel better soon!

Winterinnewyork Sorry to hear you are going through so much. Your story sounds similar to mine in that it went from an hour surgery time to 4 1/2 hours but I didn't need the abdominal incision. He just cut me so far from front to back and repaired everything with sutures. If you read my long winded posts, post op then you will see all the similar events. I think I will be 7 weeks on Wednesday and was told last week it will be another 6 weeks of rest. Ah!I was 5 days in the hospital and still very sick at home. I have complicated preexiting health problems that have probably contributed to my lengthy recovery. As far as your itchy rash, you are probably allergic to the pain meds or something else. I am allergic to codiene and morphine as well as versed and latex, so I have to be careful which drugs I take. Most pain meds have one or the other in it so call your Dr and get something else. Or get the number to a pain manager to help you control the pain. Most gyn's want you off the pain meds right away, and that ok if you don't have much pain. I have other problems so my meds are pretty potent and bring me to a level where I can function. I found for about 5 weeks if I get up at night not fully awake I felt like one leg was shorter then the other and looked like I was drunk or walking across a mountain. I couldn't be out of bed for more then an hour or the pain would be so intense. I did go to a 4 day conference using a scooter and lying on a blanket when I got to each conference room. I had a leg bag for 3 weeks post op, I still have no urge to go and have to self cath to empty completely at least once a day. The rest of the time I just feel pressure but no urge to go. I'm still on MOM and lactulose. If I don't go loose I don't go at all. It still burns to have a BM, if I can't go, there is a lot of pain and pressure on my bottom, I am miserable with waiting to get my bodily functions back online. I do try to laugh every day, and my sister is great at making that happen. Try to get funny movies cause laughter makes you heal faster. I know I don't always feeling like laughing, like when my head is in the toilet but trust me it does seem to get me out of the bathroom, and feeling better. The sleepless nights also sucks. Since they took everything it force a surgical menopause and I am power surging all the time. Day and night. I don't sleep and I am hot and cold and sweaty all at once. I was given estrogen on week 2 and it helps but it has not taken away the symptoms. I just got a cat scan on Friday to see what else is going on cause I am still feeling so sick, have a low grade fever, a smelly discharge, and abdominal pain which I didn't have the few weeks. I know when you feel this sick it is hard to believe it will get better but I know it will come soon. I am waking up and feeling better until I get up and eat something, then it starts all over. I see the rheumatologist on Monday and the Gastroenterologist on Tuesday hopefully they will get my other problems under control. I know I had unrealistic expectations that it would be a simple surgery and back to daily activities over night but this type of surgery requires a lot more rest the most. If you read the posts you will see all the warnings and trust me these women are right. When you think you are better continue to rest and take it easy. I know it is hard but that is the only way to heal and get past this post op. I have seen my GYN weekly since Dec because of how extensive my problems were and the procedure became. You probably need to at least call yours and get some answers. Did he do an A&P with your HYST?

I'm taking lortabs for pain when i need them....I'm not allergic to them, although they do make you itch. But I have a rash, not just the itchies. I took a couple of benedryls last night and i slept like a log and the rash is a bit better today. The only drugs I am allergic too are sulpha drugs, and I stay clear from those. I see my dr tomorrow (I thought my appt was today), so I can't wait to ask him a million questions. My husband is insisting on going with me because he doesn't think I should do anything around the house and I want to!!!! I have a treadmill and want to use it a few minutes at a time and he won't hook it up for me until we see the dr. I know I shouldnt complain, he's been wonderful...but he wont let me do anything for myself. Im an independent woman so it kills me to have someone else doing everything for me.

I'm a bit confused on what A&P is....I thought that stood for anatomy and physiology!!!! If you mean an appendectomy....I had that done 10 years ago when I had my gall bladder removed.

I want to specify on one thing......when i pee it doesn't hurt...it's leading up to going that is weird. I dont feel the urge to pee, just pressure. It's not the same feeling as before my surgery. I work in a lab and not to be gross, but there is a distinctive odor and look to infected urine, and mine does not not have either.