TAH 02/04/08 - Belly still swollen belly and hard..Anyone else have this so long af?

Hi

I had a TAH 02/04/08 - my belly is still:
1) swollen
2) hard
3) sore to even the lightest touch
4) still requiring granny panties

CAT scan a few months ago showed no issues....

My Questions:
1) Anyone else have this experience so long after the surgery?
2) Do you know what it is?
3) Do you know when (if ever) it will go away???

Regards
Jax

jax

I'm sorry you're still experiencing this but you'll find you're not alone and I hope some of your ((sisters)) will be along soon to share.

In the meantime, if you try a Google Search of HysterSisters (towards the top right of this page), you'll find many threads to read through. Here's a link to one to start you off: http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...hlight=swollen.

Sending best wishes and I hope it all settles down, very soon.

Hi Jax -you are not alone. I had my surgery on 2/20. By the end of the day I still have some . There is still part of my lower abdomen that is sore to touch and numb. It really startles me when I forget and lean against something. My doctor told me it can take up to a year for everything to get back to normal when I had mentioned at my 6 week appt. about the numbness. He even told me it is possible that there may always be a numb area. They can't guarantee the nerve regeneration. I am nervous about this because I am going to disney world in 2 weeks. There are so many rides I like and am worried about the bars going across that area. I guess we just have to hang in there If you are concerned, call your doctor. Feel better soon.

My operation was on Feb 28th. I too am still swollen. I thought some of it was bloating from drinking too much diet soda so I cut back on drinking that and it has helped some. Sometimes my belly is hard to the touch too. When I went to the doctor 3 weeks ago he really didn't answer my question about being swollen.... he just said it would take a long time to recover from the type of surgery that I had. I go back next week for a pelvic exam... I hope I can get more information out of him.

kim

Thanks for the answers!

It is nice to know that I am not alone.

I cannot go back to the doctor as I'm the one with the doctor who told me not to come back - that he was only interested in surgery not the after surgery stuff and to find another doctor who was interested in after surgery. No other doctor wanted to touch me as they thought the surgeon should. So I was in no-mans land. My gyn would only say to find a good plastic surgeon!! No-one wants to address why it is there, why it is hard, why it is still sensitive etc.

So I am so happy (sorry i know that is wrong of me but I am...) to hear that there are others who feel this way after so long a time. I still do not understand what is making my belly so hard to the touch though...

If anyone finds out more info ...please share.

Heres best wishes to you all to fell better and softer soon!
Thanks
jax

I had my surgery on 5/19/08 (seems so long ago now) and still have the swollen belly ( it does seem to be getting a little better). Last week I went back to work and it was really bad - probably because I was up so much more.

Here's something weird - a friend of mine asked my doctor (we go to the same one) and he said "if you have a swollen belly after 6 weeks it is not from the surgery". I was really surprised to hear this as a lot of people on this site seem to have the swelly belly problem. I dont think it is from weight - I have actually lost some since the surgery and it seems like it is worse at the end of the day.

I think that the swelly belly is definitely from the surgery. Maybe once our bodies get used to us doing more it will kind of level off. We can hope. :-)

Hello Jax. I too have all the same symptoms . I had a TAH on Feb.26,2008. Your not alone as I read your questions and concerns, I can relate. My stomach is swelled, it seems like the better I feel , the more I do, and the more swelled I get . I still take Motrin, if I get too achy once in a while.. But I have found that at night, before bed or while sleeping , I use an ice pack. It feels very soothing, and when I wake up alot of the swelling is gone. Hope this helps. I love this website. It helps to know I'm not alone. Pink misty.

Thanks again for the answers!

Does anyone know why the belly is so hard????

Thx
Jax

I am so glad I found this thread as I am 3 months post op (4/17 TAH/BSO) and my belly is bigger than ever!! I had almost no swelling the first month or so. I lost 15 lbs post op and put 5 back on but my belly looks 20 lbs bigger than before! I am a professional belly dancer and have gone back to performing and rehersals I sometimes have a fair amount of pain after a tough show I am afraid all the commotion of dancing is aggrevating my abdomen but the Doc told me to go ahead and just stop when I feel discomfort. He told me it could be 6 months to a year befor the swelling completely leaves. I have still been feeling so strange. I guess I am not alone. I hope we all have flat tummies for the holidays!!

My TAH was 4/9/08 and i've got that tender to the touch abdomen too. I am careful not to lean against the cabinet when washing dishes or anything!
Had my 3 mo. check-up last week and the surgeon told me to put a heating pad on it and to take my choice of otc pain relievers. (although i see him as a great surgeon, I find it a bit difficult to talk with him as he seems somewhat impersonal and way too smart). I had to laugh at his response as i had jokingly said "he is going to tell me to put a heating pad on it!"
Luckily I had an appt with my RA doc and he took some time listening to me and answering questions. I listened as my mind was in a million other places but from what i think i understand, it is all related to nerve reconstruction in the abdominal muscle area. He prescribed cymbalta - which is also an anti-depressant. I am only on day 2 of it so i can not say if it is a cure-all or not. Regarding the anti-dep part of it, I have never taken one but am very open to try it - perhaps it will help with these crazy hormonal episodes.
I still kind of freak out at every new sensation, especially painful ones. Thank you for your post, it has helped me. LJSR