Tugging, Pulling, Aching in the Vagina 3 1/2 months after surgery ?

Wondered if anyone else had some of the tugging, pulling, aching symptoms ? I had a TAH (kept ovaries) on 9/16/02. So I am currently approximately 31/2 months post op. Everything I wanted fixed... got fixed by the surgery... ie. horrible monthly bleeding, cramping, and pressure on my bladder. But I now have a tugging, pulling, aching sensation in the vagina. It starts off fine in the morning and then tends to get worse and worse during the day so that I'm very uncomfortable at night. Unless..... I've had sex... then it hurts all day ... (but not during). The doctor did have to give me 3 silver nitrate treatments to stop some lingering spotting.... but I've not had any bleeding (knock on wood) for a month now. Have any of you experienced this ?.... if so what was your problem and/or experiences. Thanks !

Hi (((((Jean))))

I'm so sorry you're still having problems this long into your recovery. You've probably heard this before: while initial recovery from a hyst is from 6 to 8 weeks, full recovery takes from 6 months to 1 year. I know that it was a full 8 months before I stopped feeling daily residuals from my hyst!!!

I remember the aching, pulling and tugging at the top of the vagina!!! I had a TVH with posterior repair and put down the achiness to that procedure. I also needed to have a bit of granulation cauterized at my 6 week follow-up and I remember that I had that brownish/yellowish discharge until the end of the 11th week post-op!!! So, the discomfort you're having could still be part of normal recovery.

One thing I remember is that this discomfort would increase if sat upright a lot... and I tended to do a lot of that since most of my work-day is spent sitting at a computer work-station. I found that getting up often and walking around would remove a lot of pressure from my still-healing internal stitches and relieve the lower back pain that I would also get.

Still, since that has been going on for a while, I would still have your doctor check you out, just to be on the safe side.

Sending lots of healing s your way. Please keep us posted.

Thanks for your thoughts. I do plan to see the Doctor this week. This seems to be getting worse not better and I'm not doing that much different than a month or so ago in terms of activity level. I was wondering what complications could happen in the vaginal cuff area that might cause this ? I'm not spotting so that is a good sign... but the aching, pulling, tugging feeling is definitely getting worse .

I don't have any answers, but am experiencing the same thing. I feel worse now than I did 6 weeks after my surgery. I had some light spotting this morning, the first since 4 or 5 weeks after my surgery. I felt so bad after Christmas activities, it took a week of laying low to recover. I attributed it to standing 12 hours Christmas day; but, I talked with the nurse last week and she said she didn't think standing should have affected me that way 10 weeks post surgergy. And since I was feeling better now it probably wouldn't help to see the doctor. I am planning on calling tomorrow also.

I have noticed that it helps to vary my activities, not too much sitting, standing or walking at one time.

Hope you get some answers from your doc. I think the worst part is not knowing what is going on or why.

Jean,

I had my TAH/LSO on Oct. 17th and have those same symptoms except they are in my LLQ not vagina. They are intensified by sex, a full bladder or need for a BM. My gyn guessed that it was adhesions or endo returning or possibility of a muscle caught in a stitch that hadn't completely disolved. Just ideas for you to throw at your doc. Let us know what you find out. Good luck!

Well went to the Doctor today and he checked things out. Didn't fing anything wrong. He was pretty thorough also.... But the pain is definitely there and is worse now than in the first 8 weeks of recovery. As a matter of fact it has been worse since the pelvic exam . Don't you just love those ? So... I'm pondering what is gong on......Hmmmmm..... He suggested I keep a diary and call him in 2 weeks..... ie. put a lime in the coconut and call me in the morning ... ha ha ha.

(((Jean)))) So sorry your doctor's appointment didn't shed any

However, the journaling is actually a good It's a technique I use on a regular basis and really helps both myself and the doctor pinpoint what is happening.

Sweetie, guess it's time to rest when you can, keep that journal and hope that this is all part of normal healing. Hope you feel better real soon.