LAVH 4 days post hysterectomy: First Bowel Movement Concerns

Hi sisters - had my lavh on Tues 12/16. My surgery was very long 5 hours instead of 2 that was planned, due to very large fibroids (one was the size of a newborns head...yikes that was inside me! Freaked when my husband told me.) 2nd one was large too.
They took my left ovary, as the cyst was to large and covered it. My right ovary looks good-but, everything else has been removed.
Since I had such a long lavh, the gas was in me for a long time. My shoulders and gut still hurt a lot.
Worried about my first bm. How many days for you and how did it go? So far, I've just peed and passed gas. Worried It Might Be painful. I am also bleeding lightly...anyone else? It was spotting h 1st 2 days then today some bright red blood...more than spotting.
I'm Taking percocet for the pain several times a day...followed by a stool softener - but no bm yet. I also chew on gas x several times a day.
Any suggestions so the 1st bm won't be as Painful as I fear? I'm so tender in my middle. I have 3 holes in abdomen from Laproscopic and sewn inside from removal.
Thanks, sisters.

I had loose stools the 3rd day, then about 3 more days. Seems 5 days is about average. My first firmer bm I felt like I was pushing my vagina out. Doctor said that was a norm feeling due to vagina being swollen. Stool softener helped except I would get backed up at the rectum and would dig out the firm stuff to get it moving. I could have strained until the sphincter muscle would open enough but I was and still terrified of rectocele. Doctor suggested milk of magnesium which was helping. At my checkup last month he gave me a rx for miralax which took 6 days to work good. I have not taken it for about 4days instead taking extra magnesium supplements (different from milk of magnesium). So far so good!

You are very early in your recovery and your symptoms sound completely normal.

If I can remember right, my first bowel movement was approximately 6 days after my surgery and I was given nothing in the hospital for it apart from my pain meds. They didn't offer Gas X ect. When I got home I tried to eat fruits including prunes and drank lots of liquids. It wasn't painful and I didn't have to strain at all. Everyone will be different and try to worry about it too much.

Gentle ((hugs))

I had the shoulder/diaphragm pain for nearly a week! It was awful! I would have felt a lot better overall if I hadn't had that. It got slowly better but the first 3-4 days was bad. Some suggest a heating pad. I didn't find that helped me any. At this point, day 9, I still feel achy in my shoulders but don't have the sharp throbbing pain anymore.

I started preparing for my first BM 5 days before my surgery, I was so concerned. I tend towards constipation under the best of circumstances and I didn't have a BM until day 6. Keep up the high fiber and drinking lots and lots of water. The water will help with the BM as well as getting the CO2 and anesthesia out of your body. I was taking Senekot but that did nothing for me. At 5 days my doc gave me Miralax samples and that did the trick. If what you're taking doesn't work, it may be time to switch. As with pain meds, we all react differently to them and sometimes we need to change them up to get good results.

When you feel it's time to "go", put your feet up on a stool when sitting on the toilet. Relax your muscles in your legs and bottom and gently push/encourage the BM but do not strain. If nothing happens after a few minutes, walk around the house for a bit then try again. Always check with your doctor before trying anything like an enema or suppository.

CO2 pains can be rough! Here is an article on this: C02 Pain

I had my lavh on the 15th. Started taking one softener a day on hospital and increased to one in am and one in pm once home. This morning day 6 I had small bm so I feel relieved things are moving in there. Anesthesia really messes up the bowels and the pain meds also.

Just wanted to update you all. I'm 4 days post op and just had my 1st bowel movement (I went poo poo!) What a relief. I was so worried of when it would happen. The gas pains were extreme and then all of a sudden I said I think I gotta go poop.
Sorry if tmi.
Hope my fellow sisters have great success in going poop.
I've been taking stool softener with percocet and after meals. Also chewing gas x after meals.
Gentle Hugs. Hope soreness ceases soon.

Who has continued to take calcium with vitamin d after their hysterectomy? I am 4 days post op and started all my regular multivitamin and calcium plus d and vitamin c 2 days post op.
Does it constipated anyone? I made my 1st poop today 4 days post op and didn't think calcium contributed to constipation.
Lots to think about...so tell me your thoughts. Hugs.

I read alot that it can cause constipation. I'm on a multi vitamins for the over 50. With plenty of water and lots of fruit and veg I'm normally ok....but if not now and then use a stolll softener.

Hi stressed1, I had my surgery on 12/16 also and just had first bm yesterday. I was also worried about it hurting but it didn't hurt so bad. It's passing gas that hurts, lol! and laughing, coughing, and God forbid I have to sneeze. I hope you continue to recover well. I'm noticing numbness/tingling on my upper thigh, probably due to the few lymph nodes they removed for pathology. I hope it goes away some day.