Feeling discouraged

I would not mind this swelly belly so much if it was not painful. I have read it will be here awhile...months or a year and I am braced for that but tell me are your swelly bellies still painful? Please tell me this will get better faster. I am so tired. Matter of fact I am soooo tired the last two days too. I can barely keep functioning the afternoons/evenings. Is this normal?
Looking for some hope for today...
juliane

I am three weeks post op, and my belly has gone back to normal. I only get swelly belly if I stand for to long, or sit for to long. I can't say it hurts, as it is still numb, if anything including clothes touches it though, I am in pain. Be naked, it is the only way to go!

Hi,

I concure with cabowoman, I am 3 1/2 weeks post-op and my belly is pretty close to being back to normal and I am a "full figure" girl:-)

What kind of pain are you having? Pressure or sharp pains? The only time I really have pain is if I try to do to much or get trapped gas and that is painful.

The tiredness can be overwhelming sometimes too. Are you trying to do to much? I did that at about 2 weeks and learned that overdoing is a big, big mistake. The pain could be telling you to slow down a bit. Make sure you are not overdoing it and make sure you get plenty of rest.

Don't get discouraged juliane, as the lovely ladies on this board keep reminding us we just had very major surgery and our bodies need time to heal. Just give it a little more time you will get to feeling better. Be kind to yourself!

Sending healing light and good thoughts!
MsH

Cabowoman you just gave me a good laugh!! i needed it.
I did have some pain free mornings moments and three mornings ago my tummy almost looked normal..Yipee. But now it is swollen sore almost all the time. The last two days have been very hard. It is not a really bad make you cry pain unless I keep doing things or I just get tired of it! Then like last night it hurt to even try to walk. It hurts just as I am sitting here. And it has always hurt to touch..not my inscision but my belly above. I had no belly before. I am small/petite. It is a burning pain.
WEll, you two are a little farther along than me and if I take it easy I now hope by next week my belly will not bother me so much.
thanks for relplying and encouraging...let me know what you think now that I gave you more details...

I, too, am a full figured girl and my swelly belly seems almost normal again (3 weeks post op). I get tired by the end of the day, the bottom half of my body feels "heavy" when I get up to walk, and I'm swollen again. I think it's just your body telling you to take it a little easier. We are all different and heal at a different pace. However, my Dr told me that the pain should be better every day so if you're feeling worse than better, you really should check with your Dr. Good luck!

Everyone heals differently. I "hit the wall" at five weeks. I was discouraged because I thought I should feel better and I couldn't imagine how I'd go back to work a week later. Well, it was as if I turned a corner and was on a new street! By week six, I was sleeping fine, and all seemed great. Take care of yourself, get some exercise (mild, walking) and look to the future.

I'm almost 6 weeks and though I still have swelly belly (worse as the day goes on) I can say that it is not so bothersome with annoying pain anymore. I feel that I have turned to the closer to be healthy side a couple of days ago. Hang in there..it will get better.

I don't know what kind of surgery you had, but I had a TAH 7 weeks ago, and my belly is still very sore & no one can hug me close yet (side hugs only, please!) I still have swelly-belly, but it is a little better now. Some people say it takes a whole 6 mo. to a year to go away. I get discourage, too, some days...but I do feel a little better every day. I had a blood transfusion the second day and am told my red blood count won't replenish itself until around Christmas time, so I can totally relate to the tiredness! It makes me feel better when other hystersisters tell me they feel the same as me, I don't feel so alone, or like I'm the only one, ya know? Hope it helps to know there's someone out here who feels similarly to you and I'm praying for you! It takes TIME, so rest while you can...in a year we won't have a good excuse

First of all I hope you feel better soon. Also I get tired easily.

Thanks all. I feel better after resting much more today. And knowing others feel the same.