TAH 2days post-op lots of pain

I had surgery on friday just came home today. TAH with tubes and ovaries removed. I am severely swellen everywhere and lots of pain. Also constipated. What can i d0

I'm so sorry to hear you aren't doing well right now. all I can suggest is to get in the most comfortable position you can and relax. Also, please make sure you are taking your pain meds on schedule, if not they won't work as well. In my experience the first few days home from the hospital were the worst, it will get better!!!

Thank you. Im trying a heating pad now.

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Originally Posted by kbrown21 I had surgery on friday just came home today. TAH with tubes and ovaries removed. I am severely swellen everywhere and lots of pain. Also constipated. What can i d0

I had my surgery 11 years ago, but still remember how sore I was for a few days or more. I had surgery on a Friday and also went home on Sunday. My doctor told me to try MotrinIB for pain, but to use the Percocet if it got bad. The pain medication can make you constipated. Also, if you can tolerate it, try stewed prunes or prune juice. I hadn't had stewed prunes for a long time, but I decided to do anything. I also made oatmeal for breakfast every day.

Years ago, they would not send you home from the hospital after abdominal surgery until you had a bowel movement. Not any more. I had my first one post-op late Sunday night/Monday morning. After that, I had no more problems.

The "swelly belly" will eventually go down. You are swollen from the procedure and it is nothing to worry about. Did your doctor discuss this with you?

If you have ANY concerns, you can always call your doctor's office and talk to a nurse. She can determine if you need to see the doctor or at least get a message to him.

Bottom line, as people have posted here continuously, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF SO THAT YOU CAN HEAL PROPERLY. NO VACUUMING, ETC. Also, driving is usually not permitted for at least 3-4 weeks, sometimes 6 weeks. If your doctor didn't tell you, ask.

Feel free to ask any more questions. For comfort, I purchased a body pillow to lay against since I was a tummy sleeper. It really helps.

If your pain is not being controlled by you taking your meds on time, let your doctor know so he or she can prescribe something that works. You will heal much better if you are not in pain. Let your doctor know about the swelling as well. Having a swollen tummy is normal but generalized body swelling is not or at least, I certainly didn't have that happen to me.

I am sorry you are dealing with this. I too had a TAH BSO, but was not sent home until I had a BM.

As Danni said, take you pain meds on time that were prescribed, and if they are not controlling the pain to call your doctor.

I took pain meds with my surgery for four weeks post op, but the first two weeks were the roughest where I knew it was time to take the next pill. I was also pretty swollen for several weeks.

It does get better with time. Hang in there. Healing hugs and thoughts...

:hugs2u:

Take your pain medication regularly until it gets built up in your system. Then alternate pain medication with Motrin. Try to find a comfortable position by putting pillows behind your back and legs. I used a heating pad for the first week. My doctor sent me home with colace to take 3 times a day and recommended that I get gas x from Walmart.

Try and stay in the bed an rest for the first few days limiting movement. For the first 5 days, I only got up to go to the bathroom and to sit in the chair. I also had a TAH, as of today I am 6 weeks my doctor recommended no sitting for longer than a hour and standing longer than 5 minutes for the first 2 works. I hope you feel better some. Remember pain medication, sleep and rest. Don't over do it. Make sure you use a pillow to splinter your stomach when coughing or sneezing to, decrease comfort.

Thanks again to everyone. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I am 4 weeks post op from TAH and ice packs were a blessing for me. My Dr also told me to take acetominofen with my pain meds or ibuprofen in place of them. I took stool softener every day as well as phazyme with each meal for gas. I was severely constipated and eventually had to resort to milk of magnesia. I am still taking the phazyme once a day and the stool softener. Things still don't move like before surgery, but its better than it was.

I slept a lot my first few days at home and when I wasn't sleeping I was just laying around either in bed or on the couch.

It does help to get up and walk around the house.

Best wishes!

Sherri

One word of caution: please read the info on what not to combine carefully. My doctor said not to take acetaminophen (aka Tylenol) at the same time as my pain meds because the hydrocodone already has acetaminophen in it, and too much can hurt your stomach. And I found applying arnica gel to be really helpful when the swelling and bruising were at their worst. Also, i thought my nurse's advice to keep taking the stool softener as long as i was taking pain meds was helpful. Those meds are constipating! I think the few days after surgery are the worst. Hang in there!