"phantom pain"

Here is a weird scenerio... I am 19 days post op and this morning I noticed that my belly felt hard and swollen. It reminded me of uterine contractions without the release. First I thought, maybe i need to go to the bathroom - wasn't it. While it wasn't pain, it was definately uncomfortable. It reminded me of when i was in labor and my uterus would contract. Kinda freaked me out a bit. I then thought of the "phantom" pain/itch etc, some people experience - like with an amputation - I thought my body was having those phantom like symptoms. Ultimately what I decided to do was to lay down with my feet up and use a heating pad. Which seemed to work. It released the pressure feeling I was having and relaxed my stomach. Maybe I just overdid it and thats the way my body is telling me to slow down !! Anybody else have this happen to them? TIA

I haven't experienced this but my dr. warned me of it. She said that she had phantom pains for up to 6 months after her hyster and not to be suprised if I did too.

6/24/08 - LAVH adenomyosis
age 38

On a side note I LOVE have a dr. who too has experienced a hyster - she has given me so many pointers.

Thanks, my dr never mentioned that to me and I thought maybe I was going crazy or that maybe I still had my uterus...lol. Thats good info to have.

Thank you for the info. Maybe that is why i am having pains there. I was getting concerned since there should be nothing in there.

It is so funny to see this because I have had some of the same feelings!! I even called them "phantom" pains!!! I wondered if they actually took anything out!! Thye took pictures but I haven't seen them yet! I have had feelings like cramps and even feelings like I had when I was pregnant and first feeling the baby kick!! Totally weird!!! So happy to hear I am not alone!! Some days seem to be worse than others...

I've been feeling the same thing for the past couple of days (I'm on week four of recovery from TAH). What's more, today I felt the exact spot where an especially old and nasty fibroid used to hurt. I thought maybe there are more stitches there or something.

This is good to know!
I actually had pain today in my bottom like when you are coming along in pregnancy and the pressure starts "down below."
I had to pinch myself and remember what happened.
In the evenings, after I'm up all day, I get swelled up like this...and it pains like labor a little. I wonder why since I thought contractions were uterus...
Thanks for the tip on the heating pad. I needed to know what to do about it.

WOW me too. I'm 20 days post op and have felt pains like when I was in fertility treatment. The Dr. had to clamp onto my cervix (which is now gone) and force it to open 1mm to perform the procedure... not a pleasant feeling nor one you forget and I certainly felt it again several times this week....though my cervix is now gone with every thing else (except my left ovry - got to keep that)!! Thanks for sharing!
J