2 weeks post op Davinci and still in pain?

I am exactly two weeks post op Davinci total hysterectomy and I am still in more pain than I expected according to the experiences I read about here and elsewhere on the net. One of my incisions is still so painful I have trouble getting up and down from the bed, chair, or potty. I am still having to take pain medication, not quite as much but still every night to sleep and at least one time during the day. The pain is a burning pain as if a hot knife is being stuck through the incision right to the middle of me. My doctor did say this particular incision is where there was a lot of "in and out," but I just feel like I should be better than this by now. I read that some women feel like they had no procedure at all by now and one women said she threw a birthday party four days after her surgery. I thought you heal quicker from laproscopic surgery but I don't remember having this much pain when I had my c-section 10 years ago. Am I just being a big baby here or what? Have anyone else had this experience?

I was comPletelyvdelusional regarding my recovery post davinci. I too had a c- section and it was a walk in the park. My pain from the davinci was due to the CO2 gas. Once that passed, my main complaint was extreme fatigue and generally feeling like poo. I just did as my dr ordered and rested. I did start driving at wk 2....it was good to get out. My energy level was much better by wk 3. I did do short errands but not many and only if necessary. Now wk 4 is even better. I can tell at night I am not fully recovered as I am somewhat tired. Hang in there it does get better. You can't compare yourself to anyone else.

I will be two weeks post op this Tuesday, and I can say I really thought I would be feeling alot better at this point. I had to start taking Motrin again, every six hours, and my painful incision is the one over my right hipbone. I have been feeling very frustrated the last couple days because I am not one of those blessed systers who were able to get up and going within one or two weeks. I know we are all different and should not compare ourselves to others but it is so hard, when you want to be one of the ones feeling so good!! I am still waking up two to three times a night with night sweats and I have hot flashes during the day, not to mention a uti!! I am still trying to be positive though, because I know it could always be worse.

Seems like you have to adjust your expectations, sweetie. You are not those other women. Who knows what the particular facts of their situations were. I read about the good experiences, too, but I was more focused on what the doctor took out of me. I had a DA Vinci hysterectomy. A HUGE uterus. And 5 weeks out, my right side where they had a lot of in/out is still tender and bruised.

I just take it in stride. I use heat to soothe. I do a light massage. I take pain medications. And a Csection is sooooooooo not a hysterectomy. A major organ was removed. Veins and arteries were severed and cauterized. Stitches were made. Hundreds of stitches or cauterizations. Surgery was done INSIDE your body and your body is healing.

So, adjust those expectations. Don't think of healing as weeks. Focus on your symptoms and manage those. Take the pain meds you need. Walk as much as you can. Drink lots of fluids. Report any anomalies to the doctor. It's been ONLY two weeks.

Each woman is different. Seems like your healing is on course for you.

back...thanks Sassine...!!!

Hi Hon,
I'm at 4 months and still have occasional pain. Last weekend I needed the heavy pain meds. We all heal differently. It will get better with time. You are still in the early stages of recovery. I realized last week that I finaly felt almost normal again. I was beguinning to think that would never happen. I still have aches, twinges, pulling and other hurts due to the sx. For the most part I'm not using anything other than motrin occasionaly. Just hang in there.

I am 3 weeks post Davinci, and I know that it is a day to day healing. Some days are good and some days I don't get out of bed. I am supposed to return to work on 4/11, but I don't see that happening.

Take of your self and don't feel bad for still being on pain meds, you won't get addicted. You have to rest and let your body heal. You just went through major surgery, even though on the outside it doesn't look like it. I think that's the hardest part, because you can't "see" anything.

Please take care of your self and don't rush anything.

Thank you to all you ladies for your responses. I feel better now knowing that it's not just me that is taking longer to recover. I am still frustrated with the pain and bored to tears at not being able to do much. I never wanted to clean my house more than I want to now! Figures I get that urge when I CAN'T do it! LOL! I wonder if any of your doctors were honest with you that it can take so long to recover. I love my doctor, but 3 days after my surgery he said I could do what I wanted, drive if I felt up to it, and at my 10 day post op appt I told him the pain I was having and he said I could do whatever activities I wanted (except sex) and even go back to the gym?! I thinking "Did you not just hear me? I can barely get up without help?!" So between reading about the quick healings and my doctor thinking I was ready for exercise equipment, I think my expectations were just too high. Now I have also started bleeding fresh red blood, which freaks me out, but the nurse at the office said don't be too concerned unless it becomes heavy enough that I need a pad. I thought I would be done with bleeding after this surgery! I just can't wait to feel normal again!

Just like all the other sisters said, "We all heal in our own way and own timing!" Each surgery is so unique, but it doesn't matter that we had Davinci.....it doesn't give us a "No problems, no pain, heal quickly pass!!" I am 17 days post-op and still having problems! I am trying to get rid of a UTI that is driving me crazy, extremely fatigued, Not driving because the antibiotics make me dizzy, and I had a excessive bleeding on day 9, and day 11 doc had to repair a "hole" in vaginal cuff with silver nitrate! As far as my incisions-NOT one bit of trouble! My ovaries both removed (thank God because I had an unknown carcinoid tumor) and NO hormonal problems so far! So that is to say that we each deal with different struggles, and sometimes a few people get through recovery with minimal problems. But, I believe, for the most part, we all do struggle with something whether it is hormones, incision pain, internal bleeding/infections, back pain, abdominal pain, or whatever. No matter what TYPE of procedure, there will always be some type of problem, and NO, with davinci, that does NOT mean it will be an easier road to recovery! I am true testament to that fact-and I have not lifted a finger since day 1-truly been UNDERdoing it sisters! When my doctor examined me this past Tuesday, he told me to keep taking it VERY easy as I am a SLOW internal healer! he was very honest with me from the beginning, told me at least 6-8 weeks for recovery. Now he said I can't do hardly anything until he examines me again in 4 weeks so I am thinking for me it might be an 8 week recovery and longer! I know most sisters on this website say it REALLY takes them 6-8 MONTHS to fully and completely heal.

I am literally speechless that your doctor would tell you 3 days after surgery "you can do whatever you want including driving?" Then at 10 days cleared you for GYM even though you were in horrible PAIN!! WHAT?!?! It might be time for a SECOND opinion doctor! It is normal for a doctor to clear patients to drive at 2 weeks after checking them internally to make sure vaginal cuff is healing well, and checking that their incisions are ok and NO pain! I also am shocked that some docs don't do an internal exam at 2 weeks. This is when we need to speak up and be our own doctor! We have to listen to our bodies (for example, pain or bleeding-medium pads) demand to be examined! Something does not sound right since you just started bleeding fresh blood-please be careful and demand to be examined internally and externally again this week if you don't feel better by tomorrow! I myself went from bleeding pinkish blood to gushing out red blood and clot, and rushed to ER on day 9. It was so scary and I never expected THAT to happen! I'm not trying to scare anyone, but only to say we are our own best doctor-know what I mean! We know our individual bodies and God made us special and unique in our healing process. So be your own health advocate and speak UP for yourself and demand the BEST care because you are so deserving of that! Hang in there-I am with you! robyn
PS....My surgery was also the 18th so I am REALLY with you!

Hi Sisters! I'm with you. I had DiVinci TLH/BSO on 3/22/10. I hate it that everyone keeps telling me I should be ready to go back to work after 4 weeks, especially since I have a "sedentary" job. I may not have to do a lot of heaving lifing but I do have to move around! It is also a very stressful job that generally requires me to work 45-50 hours in addition to a 40 minute commute in heavy traffic. I don't feel like I will be ready. As you state, we all heal differently and have different situations to deal with.