Silly Concerns - But very important to me

My surgey is scheduled for Wednesday morning (11/1/06) and numerous sisters have complained and spoken about swelly belly and that they have had it for many months after their surgery and that they can't seem to get rid of it and can't pin point the reason it is there. My concern is I have two weddings I will be attending as well as many holiday parties during the 8 weeks after my surgery. I have an extremely flat stomach right now and I work hard to have it that way. I really would like to keep it that way. Can I hear from some of you who have not had any problems with swelly belly or if some of you have any secrets on how to deal with it or make it go away quicker - be it an exercise or diet trick. My surgery is scheduled to be a LAVH/BSO with a big possibility of it turning into an open surgery if the frozen sections are at all suspisious or my gyn/onc has any problems. Thanks for all your help. Lynn

Congrats on the flat stomach! I will be 7 weeks postop on Monday. Yesterday I wore jeans to work. When I put them on they were loose, but by noon I had to unzip them. By the time I got home from work, I could not even get them to come together at the top. And I did not even eat lunch! Unfortunately, persistant pain has kept me from working out with my trainer, but I'm not even sure that would help as the swelling seems to get worse the more I bend and move. My stomach feels so small each morning because I'm so used to looking 5 or 6 months pregnant by the evening.

However, this website has taught me that everyone's experience is different. So, here's hoping that you will escape the curse of the swelly belly!

Rhonda

I am fortunate that I did not have swelly belly. After my surgery I loss a few pounds and now I am one size smaller. Good luck with your surgery.

I had a LAVH/BSO over 4 weeks ago. Monday will be 5 weeks post op. I have had the swelly belly. I still get it, but not as bad now. I have noticed it gets worse the more you're on your feet and by the end of day. So I would suggest the days you have things going on to stay off your feet and rest until you go to the party, etc. Other than that there really isn't anything more to do that I now of. You will have swelling such as this, after all you're having surgery, and it will its own time healing..we all heal at different rates.

I have noticed though, eating lighter helps. So don't eat heavy meals either. I hope these couple suggestions help you.

Great on the flat stomach..I'm so jealous...I don't think I ever had a flat belly my whole life..lol.

Enjoy the holidays and Good luck with the sugery. I pray it's not cancer.

Best of luck to you

I can wear my jeans in the morning too, along with all my slim fitting pants, but have them unzipped and my top over them by 2pm! I go to bed with a swelly belly every night and wake up rubbing my nice flat tummy in the morning again!! It doesn't bother me, I know that it won't last forever. The benefits of my surgery outweigh this by far. I feel great. physically and emotionally. No more mood swings, pms, pain!!!

Ever since I had my exploratory laproscopy 10/12, I've had swelly belly. So I expect it will be the same after my 10/31 surgery.

I just don't know how long it will last, but this swelly belly has been over two weeks now, so I'm expecting to continue the problem. Jeans are what get me - I can't wear them throughout the day, I start not that bad, but get uncomfortable by 2pm wearing anything form-fitting. Loose dresses/jumpers and overlarge sweatpants have been my savior.

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Originally Posted by falldc I can wear my jeans in the morning too, along with all my slim fitting pants, but have them unzipped and my top over them by 2pm! I go to bed with a swelly belly every night and wake up rubbing my nice flat tummy in the morning again!! It doesn't bother me, I know that it won't last forever. The benefits of my surgery outweigh this by far. I feel great. physically and emotionally. No more mood swings, pms, pain!!!

I have a job that requires me to wear a suit several times each week. I've got to tell you that skirts saved me- especially full skirts with slim tops or jackets. None of my co-workers have ever suspected I had abdominal surgery, let alone a tah.
I'm having a lap on Oct 31, and I just picked up a few more skirts and tights (great belly support) and leggings to wear to work until my belly gets back to normal.

Except for this TAH recovery period, I work out six out of 7 days a week, and have a fairly flat tummy for my age. I do now have swelly belly, which for me is a swell above the incision line which makes it appear as if I now have a tummy. This week the swelling is just a little bit less, but like others I do notice that it is larger in the evening. Once I am able to work out my abs again, I hope (and my doctor believes) that my belly will look more like it did before. We'll see. In the meantime, I can still fit in my old clothes, jeans included, but tummy area is just more rounded. Last weekend was my first day out of the house, except for doctor visits, and I had to wear a formal dress for a special occasion. The dress is long and satin and shows every sin on the body (I bought it before the TAH). I wore controlled top pantyhose underneath, and no one could see the swelly belly. A few hours later the pantyhose began to feel very uncomfortable as I began to swell a bit more, so I simply excused myself, changed into a more comfy outfit, and put my feet up for the rest of the evening. I believe that since you are in good shape now, you'll hopefully have an easier time dealing with swelly belly later. But, just in case, please be prepared to see a change in your shape afterwards. I wasn't prepared but, I agree with the other ladies: swelly belly is a small price to pay for feeling good. Being a bit vain, I will say this, too: Looking at the photos of myself in the satin dress, I look great. I expected to look like "Death Warmed Over With a Tummy Bulge", but instead I look healthy because for once I am not bleeding to death anymore as I was before the TAH. Yes, swelly belly is a small price to pay . Best wishes.

Thanks for all your input. I am still concernes about the swelly belly. Almost considered cancelling the surgery over it - if you can believe that. I just can't imagine having a belly. I worked for years as a pe teacher, health and fitness teacher and sports coach so I am known for my tight body and figure so it is important for me to get it back asap. I don't know what I will do if it doesn't go flat again.

I had my surgery on 7/11 and still have a little pooch. I work out 4-5 days a week. It kind of feels like an air balloon just above the scar. You can press on it and it's hard but resists like a balloon. That's the best way to describe it. My clothes do not fit well and that's depressing! But my doctor says I'm heathy, doing well and that it will go down when the abdominals get strong again. So, I'm focusing on cardio, ab exercises and reading others' experiences so I know I'm not crazy Oh, and she also said that the intestines and other organs are resettling in to their new homes with the uterus gone...