some pain at 3 months

Hi there.

I had a TAH, BSO at the end of November 2005...you can read my signature to see what happened. After surgery, I had a pretty uneventful recovery...no major complications. I had a yeast infection from antibiotics, a VERY swollen belly, a sore bladder and the usual pain...other than those fairly "minor" things, I was okay.

I am now a bit over 3 months out from surgery. Sometimes I "forget" that I had surgery. The hormones are okay...some forgetfulness and "warmness". My belly is still a bit swollen, I still have a small amount of bladder pain and I am tired by the end of the day (all fairly "normal"). At my 6 week appointment, I was able to tell my doctor that I had "minimal" pain. My abdominal pain really improved...until a couple of weeks ago. I am now concerned about some pain in my abdomen. I have had LOTS of trouble with adhesions in the past. During my surgery, my doc found a belly of them that she had to deal with. I have heard that adhesions form pretty much right after surgery...so, if that's true, then why would I be having pain NOW from them (I am guessing that's what's causing my pain)? I know that doctors cannot see adhesions via ultrasound...so I just don't know what to do. The pain is not constant...some days I do not even have pain...the pain can vary from being dull to being sharp or pulling. I am taking things easy and trying not to over do it...although last week at the grocery store, I had a cart that didn't work right and it was heavy and I probably strained too hard. Ugh. Sorry this is so long but I wanted you to be informed of the situation...if you've had adhesions, did your pain start this far out? Also, if you had pain this far out, what did it turn out to be from? Thanks in advance and God bless.

OOOOPS...my surgery was in November 2004 NOT 2005...ugh...must be the hormones...LOL...

Hi sweettlc,

I'm sorry, I don't really know about the adhesions, but I do know that pushing a shopping cart that doesn't want to go can make you hurt, even at 3 months.
I had pain from moving furniture at about this same time as you are. I didn't have to go to the dr or anything. I had strained things that weren't completely healed and used muscles that weren't ready to what I was doing.
I still have what I think is bladder pain when I do major grocery shopping, where I load and unload heavy bags and boxes and put it all away by myself. It is an aching that says I have way overdone. It really has amazed me to find it really does take 6 to 12 months to heal. Some seem to be fortunate to feel better more quickly. I feel so much better than I did, but still know I had this done.
Hope is helps to hear you aren't alone.

's, Rita

Dear sweettic,
I don't know anything about adhesions but I was interested to read your e-mail. I'm at 11 wks. and have a pain spot (from time to time and it is dull, then pulling) which makes me think about adhesions. I think Preciouspear is right when she says it really does take some of us 6-12 mos.

I would like to know more about adhesions, too.

Take it easy. Take care of yourself. I, too, just try not to overdo (hard, though, isn't it?)

Hello.

Thank you so much for both replies. Thanks preciouspearl. It's so hard to know when you have a pain exactly what that pain is caused by. And we can sometimes be in a tough spot because adhesions do NOT show up on ultrasounds...so, the only way that you can know for sure if they're wrecking havoc is by looking inside. And who wants another surgery?? : ( It's hard to know if you over did things, slept wrong, have adhesions, etc. It DOES help SO much to know that I'm not alone in this whole thing. So, thanks so much for your reply to me...it was very helpful.

Thanks to you also silversis. I do know intellectually that it could take a full year to be feeling more "up to par"...but it's hard to come to terms with that in my heart. I was in pain before surgery and I didn't have much of a life due to monthly bedrests during my periods. I did NOT want to have this surgery (it was my fifth surgery) and I had a hard time coming to a decision to have it. Then, my condition became an emergency and I had to have the surgery. It's a bittersweet time for me...I no longer have female parts and I was never able to have kids...however, I have been looking forward SO much to life without bedrest and pain...being able to do what I want, when I want. So now after 3+ months out from surgery, I guess I have been hoping that I would be at a point where I wouldn't get pains from doing things like pushing carts and carrying my nieces. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to rest anymore because of pain.

*sigh* Anyway, sorry to "dump". This board has really been what I've needed...it fully prepared me for surgery and it has been so insightful and reasurring to my recovery. I am so grateful for it.

God bless.

I was sure glad to see this post. I'm 2 months out from a TAH and can still tell I had the surgery...sometimes more than others. I did some house cleaning this week because I had company coming and did a lot of bending, and picking up boxes from Christmas to take to the garage...yep, still had Christmas stuff around. Anyway, after all of that I was hurting! I am just soooo surprised that it still hurts, but I think it was from all of the bending, etc. So, I needed to see this thread to know that this is pretty normal after being active or bending, carrying stuff, etc. I figured it was.....but, I sure wasn't expecting this! My family are beginning to think I'm faking it! I'M NOT!!!!!!!!!!!