Stomach pain and soreness, 3 weeks post-op?

I was 3 weeks post-op yesterday and for the past few days my stomach has hurt more and been more sore than it was. It's further up around my belly button now. I had a bikini cut. This past Sunday I did a little too much and was pooped that night. I leaned over on the bar in the kitchen and felt a sharp feeling in my stomach. I told my daughter that it felt like something tore so I better sit down. I had some twinges in that area the rest of the night. As each day this week has passed, my stomach has gotten a little more sore in this area. Yesterday, I went to my school to eat lunch on the last day of school. My principal had someone come and get me, haven't been released to drive yet. It wasn't too bad. My right side hurt a lot yesterday and I have thought about calling the doctor about both of these issues. My right side has hurt the whole time, which is where most of my bruising still is and down into my right leg. I figured that is why it hurts and is sore. I went to Belk with my daughter a little while ago and now that I am back home, my stomach is so sore. I go for another visit on Tuesday. I thought if it continues I would just tell him then. I wasn't sure if I should be feeling this at this point or not. Is there anyone else who feels this in their stomach, not where the incision is? Or has anyone torn anything that they know of?

I still have to take my pain meds at night. I take 2 advil in the morning. I feel better if I go ahead and take the advil then. At night I take advil and my pain med. Anybody else still needing pain med at 3 weeks? The doctor told me last week it was still ok for me to be taking them, that I am understandly having a harder recovery because of all the bruising. Some of the area that hurts now is not where the bruising is though.

I am also 3 weeks post-op (tah on 5/18). Recovery has been going well but I also have had more tenderness on my belly especially under my belly button the last couple days. I can't think of much that I have been doing different and it isn't unbearable but it is there! I haven't needed any pain meds but everyone is different and all surgeries are different! I have read other posts and it doesn't seem uncommon to have a few new tender areas around this point. Good luck to you! Stormy

Had TAH/BSO on 18/5 ,,,, also am getting discomfort on the left side of the incision... one of the nurses told me that the surgeon ripped rather than cut in that area because ripped muscle knits back together and cut muscle needs stitching ,,, not had any sharp pain like you discribe though chay..... and not needed pain killers frequently ....

Since we have had surgery on the same day I have been following your posts (and others around the same surgery date) .. my recovery has been very good although I do have an infection in a small part of my wound .... keepings tabs on that one.....

Hope you get reassurance soon ...

I found week 3 to be one of the hardest weeks, and I still took my pain meds. I had read somewhere on here that week 3 is when all the numbing meds start to wear off.
Just try and relax (I know it is hard) and things will get better.
Hugs!!

Yeah, wk 3 is a very tricky one...you begin to feel differently. For me, I thought I felt *better*, so did some things that I had not been doing...boy was that a mistake! Ended up setting me back a couple of days. So, be very careful during this point of your recovery. I agree with you...anytime you have pain that can not be controlled with rest and/or pain meds, you really should check with your dr just to be safe. Hope you feel better very soon!

posts from last week. I have been having problems too... TVH 5/18
I went to
get blood drawn for hormone levels on Thurs. 5/26.Dr. said it was
fine to ride in the suburban to get to lab and he wanted me to
walk. I was doing great so to speak, not bending, no lifting, etc.,
had to go to grocery store and rode in cart to get a few things.
Still thought I did good.
On Fri 5/27 I was exausted and slept all day.
I went out on Sat. with MIL to do some errands. Did not drive.
Went to Wal Mart, I know but I had cabin fever and did ride the cart
again, but I think I walked too much that day, and got in and out of
truck alot. Hit Barnes and noble too. Then rode again later that
evening to go hear a friend of DH sing at a restaurant.
On Sun. I had to go visit my mom in another town in the
hospital. Rode in wheelchair to her room and laid in her bed with
her. On the way we stopped at an antique store so I could pee and
stretch . It only takes 45 min to get there and I had to go. My Dad
invited us for dinner so I went, ate and sat some more, which Dr.
said would be fine. Went home and fell into bed and slept ALL DAY
LONG on Mon. Memorial Day.
Tues.5/31 Mom had to undergo a cath again, she had triple
bypass in '97 (at age 50) and I had to go back to Hosp. Walked in
to kiss her and got to sit with her during her pre op. Got a
wheelchair due to some cramping and rode to cafeteria. Walked
through line with DD's X 2 to get them fed (10 and just turned 13).
Had lunch and was waiting on the Dr to get done with mom. Was
sitting in wheelchair ans all of a sudden I gushed,a LOT,LOT LOT,
Bright red. Asked MIL to please get me to a bathroom Quick! I
ruined my panties and jeans. Flooded the toilet, I thought. While
she was looking for a pad, several nurses came in. Every time the
door opened I would cry MOM? They asked if I was ok, I said no...
told them I was post op and bleeding heavily. They got me a pad and
wheeled me to ER. I was trying like crazy to get hold of my DR.
Gushed in the chair again and got to bathroom in time to have a BM
(nerves, and the first time it did not hurt,LOL) and pass a huge
clot. Scary!! I was shaking pretty bad at this point and didn't
want to go through that particular ER. Dr finally got on phone and
told me to go to him instead, so I checked out, got into truck, and
headed to his office. Got there and he had to go to Hosp he had an
emergency and told me to wait! 30 min later he came in to tell me
it was normal. I pulled a stitch, my hemaglobin was 12. I would be
fine. I have a hematoma in there and prob. would do it again!!! But
do not panic he says! LOL I guess if he isn't worried, I shouldn't
be. Man, he got angry when he found out I went "shopping". I told
him I was good, and he did say I could ride in the car. He said he
meant short rides and walks... oops! I misunderstood. I thought I
should be doing more, I guess. My Aunt asked me at the hosp. why
was I not moving fast enough... she had hyst too many moons ago and
was up and running by then, yay her! Any way he put silver nitrate
in there and told me I needed to bleed it out, if not then he would
have to go in and get it. Also put me on antibiotics and told me to
watch for fever.


Tvh on 5/18. Went in for a hemmorahge prob. last Tues. to be
checked, was due to see him the next day. Said I may have lost a
stitch, did silver nitrate. Told me if the rest did not come out he
would have to go in and get it! That means back to sleep. I bled
sooooooo much that day! Passed a huge clot too, much bigger than a
golf ball. Where is the blood pooling??? No uterus to pool in! I
asked if I could be bleeding internally... he said no, it was old
blood from the surgery and me doing too much in late week 2. I was told to rest all this
week. I do not know
what to expect next Wed. when I go back. I hate the thought of
having to go back in. He said it might absorb on it's own. I hurt more now too. Said the hematoma is on my right side.

I went back to Dr. on Wed. to find out if he has to go back in to drain this hematoma thing. He took a look in there (had TVH) and said it was better than last week but i have gotten infected. I have vaginal cuff cellulitis, with a possible abcess on the cuff. I did some research and one site said only 1% of women get this infection. Of course murphy's law! I am still in a lot of pain. Taking Dilaudid from time to time. He sent me for an ultrasound yesterday to see if there is a lot of blood in there. If not then he will leave it alone. If so then I go back for more surgery. The site I did the research on said that infections usually occur about 10 days out. I started cramping bad on my 12th day and did the hemorraghe thing on day 13 while at the hosp. for my mom's cath. So I guess that was in the time frame. He put me on clarithromycin for 5 days, hope it works.


Dr. just called... looks good from the ultrasound, the hematoma didn't show up. No abcess on the cuff. I have a cyst on one of my ovaries. I have to be on the antibiotic for 10 days for the infection. If I develop a fever he will admit me for IV therapy. Looks like I don't have to go back in for now. Will go back to Dr. on next Tues. Woo Hoo!

Cheryl,
I had my TAH for endo on May 16, 2005. I am also finding this third week more difficult that before. I think I have been trying to do to much since I was feeling so good. I did hurt myself a couple of nights ago. I could feel it at the time. That same sharp burning pain. It has been tender again inside since then. I have a lot of swelling above and below my belly button and it is hard. I haven't taken any pain meds since week one though. Good luck. If in doubt and pain continues to increase I would go and see your doctor.
Kat