Back pain before and after hyster.

I am new here and just read some interesting posts on back pain. I have been near the end of my ropes with my back pain. I have a history of bad disks but MRIs have shown nothing now after my 2 succesful disk hernation surgeries. I have sciatica pain and buttock pain that will sometimes go into my right leg. The pain was worse when i'd menstrate and my cycle was at an 8 day interval. On and off again. I had my total hysterectomy on March 31 2006. Had mild endo, enlarged ovary, fibroids, cysts, scar tissue and my uteras was very thick. so its all gone including the cervix. I am a DES daughter also.
I was doing great with the back pain until I started moving more today and it feels like my whole pelvis is going to move out of wack or is already out of wack. I have been to the chiropractor is the past and they are the ones that suggested I see if anything was going on internally since they could not help me.
Could I still be swollen inside and that causes the nerves to be pinched? How long can I expect the back pain and when do I seek other medical advice?
I was relieved to read others have had back pain but is there anyone that had pain prior to surgery? We were hoping the surgery would help illiminate some of the pain.
HELP, I'm also getting the crying jags, depression and I do take an anti depressant right now.

I had pain pain to surger and have also had discectomy/laminotomy, have degenerative disc disease. My back hurt after surgery until yesterday. My doctors said my post-op pain was because of positioning and laying around recovering. Hopefully yours will subside as you recover. Mine will come back if I lay in the same position for too long but other than that it is gone.

I know how frustrated you must feel. I hope it get's better.

Thanks for the reply! Sounds like you have had the same type of back surgery as me. do you take any pain meds for the back yet? How long did the pain last you after surgery? I'm only 2 weeks post op and just now starting to walk around more.

I had back pain and sciatica prior to my surgery. I left work early one day last fall due to the extreme pain and sometimes during lunch I would close the door to my office and lie on my back to try to stop the pain.

When I awoke from surgery - I was in severe pain - all in my back. The morphine didn't even help. Once they started the anti-inflamatory (forgot the name) it helped so much!

What I have done since surgery is sleep with a wedge pillow under my head (purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond) and a firm king size pillow under my knee. If I sleep in any other position I don't get relief. I also take a hot shower and let it hit right on my back AND sleep with a heating pad under my back. On top of that - I take mobic for arthritis which I had to stop for several weeks prior to surgery. Now that I'm back on it - it seems to help. One more thing. During the day I walk and move around - gently - as much as I can. All of this has helped relieve my back pain so much.

I do hope you find relief. Good Luck!!

Hello from License,
I have had back pain ever since my hysterectomy.
I had an abdominal hyst. I have not been the same since.

I cannot bend over without back pain. I cannot get answers from the doctors either on what is the source.
My next step is to have a laprascopy done. I was wondering about your anti-depress. meds. Does that
help? I sleep with a heating pad on my abdominal area
since the hyst. I am in pain there, and fatigued all the
time since the surgery. I gag when I brush my teeth.
None of this happened before.

Do you realize the same symptoms?

License

	Quote:
Originally Posted by New Me I am new here and just read some interesting posts on back pain. I have been near the end of my ropes with my back pain. I have a history of bad disks but MRIs have shown nothing now after my 2 succesful disk hernation surgeries. I have sciatica pain and buttock pain that will sometimes go into my right leg. The pain was worse when i'd menstrate and my cycle was at an 8 day interval. On and off again. I had my total hysterectomy on March 31 2006. Had mild endo, enlarged ovary, fibroids, cysts, scar tissue and my uteras was very thick. so its all gone including the cervix. I am a DES daughter also. I was doing great with the back pain until I started moving more today and it feels like my whole pelvis is going to move out of wack or is already out of wack. I have been to the chiropractor is the past and they are the ones that suggested I see if anything was going on internally since they could not help me. Could I still be swollen inside and that causes the nerves to be pinched? How long can I expect the back pain and when do I seek other medical advice? I was relieved to read others have had back pain but is there anyone that had pain prior to surgery? We were hoping the surgery would help illiminate some of the pain. HELP, I'm also getting the crying jags, depression and I do take an anti depressant right now.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by MyMacey I had back pain and sciatica prior to my surgery. I left work early one day last fall due to the extreme pain and sometimes during lunch I would close the door to my office and lie on my back to try to stop the pain. When I awoke from surgery - I was in severe pain - all in my back. The morphine didn't even help. Once they started the anti-inflamatory (forgot the name) it helped so much! What I have done since surgery is sleep with a wedge pillow under my head (purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond) and a firm king size pillow under my knee. If I sleep in any other position I don't get relief. I also take a hot shower and let it hit right on my back AND sleep with a heating pad under my back. On top of that - I take mobic for arthritis which I had to stop for several weeks prior to surgery. Now that I'm back on it - it seems to help. One more thing. During the day I walk and move around - gently - as much as I can. All of this has helped relieve my back pain so much. I do hope you find relief. Good Luck!!

I havent had to use a heating pad. I have used ice at the hospital for swelling. That seemed to help in the abdomin area. The anti depressants I think are really helping and I am on a the lowest dose possible. I had an abdominal hyst too. I had a lap done prior and that is when the endo, fibroids, cysts, enlarged ovary and thickened uteras was found. My back pain starts when I move around. It stops when I lay down. It doesnt seem to make a difference on position.
I have not had any gagging feelings yet but I have read that upset stomachs can occur with menopause. I would talk to your doctor.
When did you have your surgery?
New Me

New Me,

I am taking pain meds for my abdonimal pain but my back pain is completely resolved at this point. Prior to the hysterectomy, I was taking Vicodin and night or I couldn't sleep and ibuprophen around the clock. After my histerectomy they had me on Morphine and Toradol and then on Percocet and ibuprophen which I am still taking. When it starts wearing off my abdominal pain comes back but the past three days I have had no back pain.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by New Me I havent had to use a heating pad. I have used ice at the hospital for swelling. That seemed to help in the abdomin area. The anti depressants I think are really helping and I am on a the lowest dose possible. I had an abdominal hyst too. I had a lap done prior and that is when the endo, fibroids, cysts, enlarged ovary and thickened uteras was found. My back pain starts when I move around. It stops when I lay down. It doesnt seem to make a difference on position. I have not had any gagging feelings yet but I have read that upset stomachs can occur with menopause. I would talk to your doctor. When did you have your surgery? New Me

I had my surgery on Dec, 29th, 2003 (Let's say out
of the hospital first part of Jan., 2004). Ever since
then, I have had these symptoms. The doctor kept saying to me, "It will take time. It might take six to
eight to even a year before you will feel better." So I
waited, and waited, and waited. I am now so regretful to the wait time; in that, things still aren't right. I then pursued a second opinion through my Primary Care
Physician. He suggested seeing a Gastro doctor. I did
and had an upper and lower GI done. Nothing detected. Then it was suggested to see a different GYN doctor. I did. An ultrasound was done. Nothing
abnormal. He then suggested a laprascopy. That is my
next step to see what is wrong. I am nervous about having this laprascopy done; in that, it means being cut open again. Can anyone advise on this procedure - who has had it done, and what the feelings are on it? I would like to know what they can detect - truly from a person who has gone through it before. New Me, you
had one done. What are your thoughts on this, and how much can they show? Please help. I really need
input.

Hello New Me

I can relate. I have had back pains what seems to be my entire life and it was the worse @Aunt Flo visits. My back pains would sometimes over-ride the menstral cramps. Couldn't tell which hurt the worse sometimes. I do have the sciatic nerve pinching & I do have extra bones in my lower back. Extra bones are hereditary from my Dad's side of the family. My brother had some removed from his feet.

Anyway the back pain has subsided substantially since my hyst. The Dr and I was hoping it would. I do still have some lower back pain though. It usually comes when I am in one position too long (ex: sitting, standing, liing and sitting @the cmptr). I have to change my positioning a lot still. I'm praying it all gets better through my recovery period before I go back to work!! I will be praying the same for you.

Re: Could I still be swollen inside and that causes the nerves to be pinched? This sounds like a possibility but I am not sure.

Best of Luck to YOU

Dear New Me.......

My heart goes out to you, dear lady. I know only too well how bad this back pain can make you feel. I too wrote in a few days ago wondering if anyone else has experienced really bad back pain. I didn't get but one answer so I thought maybe my excruciating back pain was unique. I can see from your post that it's not. Although some others had experienced back pain, it didn't seem to be to the point that it completely kept them down. I can fully relate to you on how bad this pain is although I have never had a history of back trouble. I would get a monthly backache that would come along with my period. Like Hanks47, sometimes the back pain was worse than the menstral cramping. But after my period was over, I was fine. Then twice in my life, I threw my back completely out and was down with it for about four or five days. Other than that, my back has always been fine. I really, really sympathize with you having had to go thru this pain for so long!!! Back pain is truly dehabilitating as I've found out lately.

I don't know if I have anything of value to tell you or not but here is what I've experienced so far. I did not have any backache right after surgery. (was on the operating table 4 1/2 hours) My backache didn't start until day 6 after my surgery. I have had it every since. I don't know why it took six days to start in but I've read that sometimes being on the operating table in an uncomfortable postiton for so long can cause back pain. I also know that I'm walking in a tensed up way due to my stomach being sore and feeling like it has a brick pulling it down. So I know that these two things most likely have something to do with how I feel. Maybe you experienced these two things too? I usually feel pretty good when I get up but I'm not up walking around long before the pain starts in. The only way to relieve it is to walk bending forward which takes the pressure off my back. Not a pretty picture:-) I can tell you that:-)
The pain gets so bad that all I can do is go sit down. After an hour or so I'm able to get up and walk some more.

Some of the other ladies have given you some great advice. Like trying to sleep with a pillow under your legs and a pillow under your neck. Also taking the hot showers. I too find all of this helps me. I am lucky that we have an adjustable bed. I don't know what I would do without it. I raise the head up and place a formed memory foam pillow under my neck. Then I place another pillow under my knees and raise up the foot of the bed until the pulling pressure is gone from my back. I also stand under the hot shower everyday. All of this has helped me so much. I take ibuprophen that was prescribed by my gyn for pain relief. It is 800 mg but you can use four over the counter regular 200 mg pills and it will be the exact same thing. I also have been making myself get out and walk as long as I can. (which has not been long by any means but I know walking does help) Each day I've been able to walk a little more.

Today for the first time my back is feeling better so hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel. I wanted to write to let you know that maybe this will be the same for you. You had your hysterectomy 3 days after mine. Hopefully in the next 3 days you too will reach a turning point for the better. So keep your chin up!!!! And know that there are lots of us out there sympathizing with you and praying for you. I wish I had more advice I could give you that would miraculously make you feel better instantly. Unfortunately I don't.

If you don't start feeling better in a few more days, I'd call your doctor. With your history of back pain, you may have to go to a back doctor to get the relief you need. I hope it doesn't come to that but please don't hesitate to do that if you have to. Please keep us informed of how you come out with this, okay? And if I come up with anything that helps that I or someone else hasn't already suggested, I'll write in and share it with you. Take care and may God bless you.

Luanne