Hurting 12 days post -op

Hi sisters,
I want to begin by saying thank you for this wonderful site. I have read and reread so many articles and there is a true sense of community here. I am 12 days post -op for abdominal hysterectomy. Left ovary and uterus removed. I am fine as long as I am sitting or lying down, but standing /walking / moving is very painful. Pain is worst, like a searing deep inside on my left. I had a c-section 18 years ago, but this is much harder. Is it normal to feel so bad? I am Canadian born, living in Israel, and supposed to start teaching, again in november 9th, cant even imagine that I will be ready. Thanks-Karen

Hi Karen!
Welcome! Only 12 days post-op, yes you should be hurting. Hopefully you have some pain medication??? You may feel up to your teaching by November, but you may also want to discuss options with your employer ahead of time. For instance after seven weeks post-op, I went back to work half days for the first two weeks. That was quite enough for starting. As a teacher, I expect you will be standing alot...You may want to work out a plan for sitting periodically. Until that time, keep doing what you are doing and move only as what you can tolerate.

Hi Karen
I hope you are feeling better.
How has your recovery been so far? Has the pain suddenly increased? or have you been experiencing this pain all along?
If the pain is getting worse, please see your health practitioner as soon as possible. Don't mask the pain with narcotics.
I was diagnosed with an abcess on day 12 post-op.
Everyone has a different healing rate and tolerance to pain. Please get a professional opinion on this.

Wishing you an uneventful recovery,
Autumn

Dear Autumn and Robin,
Thank you both for responding to my post so quicky.
The pain has not increased, it just hasn't decreased, which is what surprised me so. Since I have been home, I have taken Ibuprofen that I nothing stronger, and basically only after moving around.
As for teaching, I am the starting the semester 2 weeks later,
and teach college courses,so my schedule of 12 hours is spaced over 3 days. Two morningand one evening course.
Glad to hear you were able to manage Robin, cuz sounds like I will be able to. As for my consulting hours, my own biz be on hold till I can manage without wincing.: )

Hope Iwill be able to comfort others as you have comforted me.
Karen

Hi Karen,
Please keep us posted on your progress. I have every confidence that you will be able to comfort others very well!
Be well and take it easy until you have to start back to the rat-race!

Love & hugs to you!

Hi Robin
Today I managed to work at my desk for a few hours. I was so happy but tonight there was a big wet circle stain on the waste band of my panties, from my scar. I can't see where it is coming from but it must be oozing from somewhere. Is that normal?
I put some idiodine on it.
Thanks
Karen

Oh Karen, that doesn't sound quite right. If it is just fluid, it may not be a problem. Call your doctor and ask, if you haven't already. Do you have a vertical incision?

I had some drainage last week that turned out not to be a big deal. But I was glad I checked with my doc, as he made some changes. My incision had opened a bit. He removed the steri-strips & told me how to clean it. It is healing nicely now, just uneven - it looks like a pouty lip. So...CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR!
Good luck & keep us posted.

Thank you ladies!
HOpe you are both feeling well.

Bee, you surgery was only a few days before mine. How are you feeling now???

Robin, I have a horizontal incision, hip to hip
I did call the doctor and he explained how to clean it and to watch for fever, which I didnt have anymore. I did have 38C or 100.4 for the first 10 days which he also said was normal. He aid only over 38C , was cause for concern. Anyway, I have my check up on Sunday ( 6 day work week here in Israel) and I hope he says that everything is looking good.

Notice that I have an hour, when I first get out of bed in the morning, with minimal pain. Then as the day progresses, I am bending over, more and more and by night time I am miserable. It is 2 weeks post op now and I am at home , basically reading, working on my courses on the computer and in bed and nothing more. So i am disappointed night after night that it is taking so long.

Karen Eini, 44, TAH, LSO


By the way I just looked again at my letter of release from the hospital and it said my uterus was equivalent to 16 weeks. I was shocked. Before that it was just measurements and I didnt really compare it to anything.

Overall, I'm feeling much better. Last week was complicated by a stomach virus followed by a bad cold that turned into a sinus infection. That set me back a good bit. I went to work yesterday & today for a few hours & am pretty wiped out this evening. My abdominals are more sore today but I had to do some overhead reaching...am going to find a way to avoid that next time! I don't go back to the doc until the 28th. A couple of my steri-strips fell off today...I'm glad of that.
Hope you continue to progress. Keep me posted.