Feels like a setback

Hello folks! I hope someone can reassure me.

I had my hysterectomy (uterus, both tubes, both ovaries, left the cervix) on March 13, so I'll be nine weeks post-op tomorrow.

I was doing GREAT until I went to Costco this past Tuesday and picked up a 40 lb. kitty litter container and put it in the cart. Since then, I've got "swelly belly" again, and soreness and fatigue. I don't think I did any *damage*, but it really feels like a setback and I don't have the support system in place to just crash for a week and let it recover like I did earlier in the recovery process.

I've been cleared to "resume normal activity" since the four-week mark, and I've picked up my 40 lb. kid several times, but I guess she "holds" much of her weight.

I'm discouraged, and sore and swollen and ACK. Help?

I'm a couple of weeks behind you and just got cleared this week. The doc said to ease back into usual activities and to listen to my body to tell me when things are too much. I still get swelly belly and soreness after doing too much or lifting anything. He said this would be normal for a while and to use Aleve when needed to help. According to a lot of ladies on this site, it takes a good year to get completely back to normal. Take it easy and get help from the store clerks to get that big kitty litter bag. I have four cats and three dogs. I've had no trouble getting help with big bags of food and litter. When I get them home, I drag them instead of trying to carry them. Hope you're feeling better soon and take care.

Hi, well, I'm between you two at 7 1/2 weeks. My granddaughter fell the other day and I picked her up (33 lbs) and I felt a tug that bothered me the rest of the day. Slowed up a few days and it is better. I have trouble "easing" into things. I know I push myself too hard and stay active but we do need to get back into things slowly. I actually haven't been cleared yet because there was a small section of my vaginal cuff that wasn't quite healed yet and had a slight infection. I go back Mon. and hopefully that will be it. You girls take care and keep posting!

Thanks for your response! Reading on down the topic to other threads, it does appear that we are still in the early stages of this journey, and that patience and continuing to take it easy are the best ways to keep healing. Hard to do with a 4-year-old, that's for sure! You take care!

Thanks, ashrn. I will definitely be getting help from now on with the kitty litter. I felt SO STUPID! I should know better. ::sigh::

gingging--Well all i have to say is....bad woman...dont pick up anything like that again. I hope that you take it easy from here on in. You don't want to have a set back. I'm about 14 or 15 (close to 15 weeks) post op...and i have to say...even now...i still get sore and swellybelly. My problem is...is I stand to much...then i sit to much....Aleve is a great pain reliever.

I have to say...when the pain isn't there (I can only speak for myself) I tend to do more...then pay for it later. If you can get help, with the heavy lifting thing....don't hesitate to ask. Other than this incident....everything else ok? and if so....i hope you continue to be doing well. Take care.

AnnRuthie

	Quote:
Originally Posted by AnnRuthie I have to say...when the pain isn't there (I can only speak for myself) I tend to do more...then pay for it later. If you can get help, with the heavy lifting thing....don't hesitate to ask. Other than this incident....everything else ok? and if so....i hope you continue to be doing well. Take care. AnnRuthie

I definitely do more when I feel good, and then I don't feel good later! I'm sure there is some magic balance that I've yet to achieve between taking it easy and pushing myself to do a little more.

I really was feeling pretty darn good right up to that point, and I imagine that in a couple of weeks, I'll be at that point again. I hope so, anyway!

I'm working on getting to a proper HRT dosage, which I understand takes trial, error, patience, time, and a willing doctor.

Thanks for your note.

HI there.,
I am ahead of you a few weeks. This past week I was planning and shopping for my boyfriends Birthday party. I went to Walmart and bought him a real nice stainless steal grill. Well, the stockman rolls it out to the vehicle " alone". He kinda stood there and looked at me. I asked him if he had help or if I was suppose to help him lift it, he said "well if you don't mind". Well, I did help. Right then it was not so bad , but with in an hour I could feel the soreness coming. I was at a mandatory meeting at work and asked a couple of co workers to meet me to unload it. Well, due to unforseen circumstances neither showed up. So there was his father and I to get it out of the vehicle.
Needless to say I was alittle sore, but actually not as bad as I thought I would be !! I word to the wise. Make sure we have enough help.... we should not be lifting such things ....
Take Care
Danette

	Quote:
Originally Posted by greenpea111 Make sure we have enough help.... we should not be lifting such things .... Take Care Danette

Ouch, Danette! A GRILL? yeeps. And yes, I'm being much more cautious these days. this morning when I woke up I wasn't as swollen, but as soon as I got up and moved around, BAM, there it went again, pooking out.

::sigh::. I hope to do NOTHING this afternoon.

I am over 7 months out and still am being careful about what I lift. I still occasionally get twinges and tugging feelings. I was told by my gyn that it really takes up to a year or more to get fully back to normal.

Even though you may be "cleared" to resume some normal activity, it will be a while before you are truly able to do what you could before your surgery.

Please take it easy if you can so early in your recovery. You will be amazed how quickly the time does fly and soon you will be able to do more and more.