Help-Is this normal at 3 months post op?

Glad to hear that I am not alone 3 months out.
Mrs.Bee- you are very reassuring and so happy that you responded! What you say makes a lot of sense. As far as the sex thing......things were great and then when I started feeling so bad the last couple of weeks is when it hurt. I really think that there is some swelling going on in there with all of this cramping and that what must be causing it. We also so have using lubrication so I do not think that was the issue. I will let you know how the next time goes (if you want) but I don't think that will be for a little while because I have almost constant cramps.
Nepetablossom- I too get a lot of pain left of my belly button incision. I have heard that complaint from a few other sisters. I wonder why it is on the left? I have only worn jeans 2 x' for a couple of hours. I don't even bother anymore.
I'm learning to celebrate the daily victories. Yesterday I did not get swelly belly until bedtime! Hooray!

Hoping for pain free/swelly belly free days ahead for all of us!

OCt1- I found this post, thanks for telling me about it- Ladies, I am in the same boat, 12 weeks out (Oct. 1, 2009 was my surgery) and still very tired/ low energy and dull pain quite often. I swell still too, some days jeans are tighter than others, and I should use the ice pack more often than I do (it REALLY helped- cold/hot pack- it was a life saver before and after surgery!). Do any of you take any special vitamins or supplements for energy? I start back at my work outs next week (taking it easy obviously) and am going to do a "clean eating" week next week and a colon cleanse the following, so I hope that helps me boost the energy, but its always nice to know if anyone who has also had a hyster recently is doing anything that is helping with energy levels, pain, sleeping etc. I take an estrogen/testosterone mix daily and feel well balanced with that and a multi- vitamin with vitamin c daily. Thanks for all your support!

Good Morning October1 and everyone. Sorry It has taken me so long to respond. I did see my doc on Thurs. We found that my "tender" spot was on my bladder. He thought maybe a bladder infection that is negative so far. His second thought is scar tissue being disturbed with my activity.

My husband and I have been intimate 3x's never having deep penetration. No pain during but, pain that comes later, lasting for days. On said day that I "overdid", I walked 1.5miles, danced for 5 minutes, cleaned my floors (one room), then got intimate with my hubby. The pain I suffered thereafter was the worst that I have had so far. It was not controlled with pain meds.

I believe I made my insides really angry and just did too much in one day. Now, my plan is only one activity per day. Yesterday my walk around the block ended up being 2 miles. I ended up with that same pain but, with rest, ice, and a soak, I am feeling better aside from some fatigue.

It is very frustrating to not be able to do simple things like making dinner with out needing a recovery rest...

On that day that I felt great and overdid, I had-had tuna salad for two days - the whole thing without sharing. I am gonna try this again to see if it does give me energy. I will keep you all posted and share my tuna recipe if you would like

Sure october1, let me know how it goes next time!

And it is weird how we have been having pain on either side of our belly buttons...my tenderness is on both sides and right below. I don't get it, my cut was a few inches down at the bikini line, and that doesn't bother me at all. My husband is a nurse and he thinks it's because I was significantly stretched out with surgical retractors. He has seen hysterectomy surgery and he says they open the incision real wide. That makes sense since I didn't have any surgery all the way up there.

Definitely let me know how you progress!

Oh, by the way...I have found great jeans! I haven't been able to wear any of my old jeans that are cut below the waist b/c of the tenderness and swelling, they kill me. Macy's has "Style & Co." jeans that sit at the natural waist and have a tummy control panel...so they sit right above where my pain and swelling is and give me "swelly belly" support...they are very comfortable! It's an interesting story how I found them...about a month ago I was in the changing room trying on track suits since all I could tolerate were elastic waists. A pair of jeans my exact size (12 short) that had been abondoned were hanging on a hook...I noticed they had a tummy control panel, tried them on and they were perfect! How weird is that? I wasn't even thinking about buying jeans. I bought three pair in different colors!

HI Ladies,
Hope you all had a good weekend. I got some much needed sleep which I believe is the key to recovery. Yesterday morning for about 2 hrs I felt like the old me. I was full of energy, no significant pain and antsy to get out of the house. It was incredible. Pain & swelly belly did not set in until we were watching the Packer game My mom was a surgical nurse & she too has commented about how much goes on in our insides during this surgery. I just can't figure out why some people are more affected than others.
Mrs. Bee- thanks for the jeans tip. our nearest Macy's is about 45 minutes away but i think it may be worth the trip. I have noticed though I don't like jeans that go near my bellybutton (the 2 x's I wore them) because that is where my main incision(I only have 2) and when you sit down it kind of digs on there. I think those pants were meant for you though!
Hys- sorry you had a bad day when you started out feeling so good. Like I sd I am holding off on sex for a few days. DH is sick anyways. And yes, would love the tuna salad recipe. That reminds me of a recovery story. I was in the 1st week and DH was home and decided to try diff recipes. He grew up learning how to cook but since I am the stay at home mom i do all the cooking. So anyways he decided to make hot tuna cassorole (sp). One of my kids does not like tuna and the other does not like anything creamy. It was absolutely horrible. But the funny part is they all ate it because I think the DS's were trying to keep peace in the house and not hurt DH feelings. It was very funny. i personally like tuna so I would be happy to try it out.
I'm going to try the treadmill today and maybe go in by the gym tomorrow to get out of the house. I'll keep you updated. So happy to have found you all.

I am so glad to hear you are feeling better today Oct1. Loved the tuna story. LOL.

Here is the recipe I am using now.

Tropical Tuna Salad

1 can tuna (6oz)
2 Tbsp Miracle Whip *free (I like Mayo)
1 Tbs crushed pineapple
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 Tbs sweek pickle relish (don't have and haven't used)
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

This recipe is from Eating for Life and makes 2 servings. I can eat the whole thing. Of course I deviate it a bit. My recommendations are to add:

chopped pecans
1 boiled egg
chopped fresh spinach
chopped lettuce
2Tbsp fat free yogurt

I eat with wheat crackers. I hope you all enjoy this one as much as I do.

Good luck on the treadmill and at the gym tomorow. I like to get in the sauna and get all hot and sweaty. It makes me feel like I just had a really good workout

Hys, you crack me up with the sauna comment.
Do you follow Eating for Life? I have the same book and followed it for a while. I think the recipes are easy and really tasty. I'll let you know how the treadmill goes. I gained back the 5 lbs i lost after the surgery and gained 1more so I am ready to get started again but now tired and lazy. I know I will feel better once I get going but it will be hard to watch everyone around me lifting weights, getting yelled at by trainers and want to be one of them. All in good time! Maybe I will try the sauna advice

Hello Oct1, I'm glad you like the sauna thing. The only thing I don't miss about the gym is the dirty hair (mine is long) and having to wash it frequently or just have it looking awful.

I don't really follow any diet plan but do try to eat healthy now and especially try to avoid fat because I am so sedentary and feel it goes right to my bum. I was actually able to lose 13 lbs pre surgery using South Beach. This was mostly because the week before my surgery, I got a bright idea (well, I had been thinking of it) to have a tummy tuck with my hys. I had not really looked into it because I was over weight. Sure enough, plastic surgeon said loose 10 lbs and do it in a month. Well, my adenexal cyst would not wait so, I went drastic and did it in 2 1/2 weeks. It really works and I never felt deprived, hungry, or weak. My hgb was 14 pre surgery. I was truly afraid that I would be anemic. I guess all that spinach I ate really helped. The PS took 2 1/2 pounds of "skin" and I lost a few more that first week post op and, I am proud to say that they have not come back. I however have "NO" muscle tone. It is bad. I'll probabley gain all my weight back when I start working out. I will try to find a balance then.


Go the gym and only pay attention to your work out. You can get your trainer abuse when your time comes. That will be soon. We are almost there. I have been told that muscle has a good memory and that it will come back quick.

I have thought of maybe asking my surgeon for some physical therapy appts. Maybe this would help us recover with fewer set backs. Just a thought. A physical therapist at work today said they do have Pt's that do this.

Let me know how your work out went.

Hys,
Did not get to the gym. My DH was kind enough to share his stomach flu with me. My sister made the comment "well, it is the complete opposite of your constipation you had for a long time after surgery". Anyways, I will try to get on our treadmill today just so very tired. One benefit of sitting around yesterday I did not have any hyst side effects until I lifted laundry baskets late in the afternoon. Then I had the usual left belly pain. I celebrate that. Weird thing is this morning I already woke up w/ it and swelly belly.
Now as far as the tummy tuck. I had joked about it with my Family doctor and never knew it was possible. I read about it here after the fact. I would have been all over that in a heart beat. Lucky you! Have a geat day!