TVH 8 weeks post hysterectomy, bruised cuff?

Hi

I had a total laparoscopic hysterectomy where they took everything out via my vagina (does that make it a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy?!)

Anyway, I recovered pretty well although I bled quite a lot for the first 3-4 weeks. I may have overdone it a bit during recovery but I felt very well considering with very little pain after 2 weeks.

It’s now been 8 weeks since I had my operation. I had sex at 6 weeks and it was ok. I had sex again this weekend though my partner must have hit the cuff as I had a sudden sharp pain and started bleeding. He said that he felt it pop and the shape changed. I was in a lot of pain so took some pain meds and called the doctor who advised I go to a&e.

6 hours later when the hospital doctor finally saw me, the pain had lessened considerably and it turns out I hadn’t bled that much. Just when it happened.

Since then, I’ve had low grumbling pain that sometimes gets a lot sharper, especially when I’m gassy. I was walking lots before but now find that I need to take breaks again as it gets low level painful. I also find peeing uncomfortable and I *may* have more vaginal discharge than normal although I’m not really sure what’s normal post hysterectomy- anyone?

I’ve looked for info on a bruised cuff. Has anyone else experienced this?

Thank you! I’m so grateful that there’s a forum for this!

and

Since everything was removed vaginally and your incisions are laparoscopic, it'd be a lap assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH).

The pop, shape change, pain and bleeding after sex would be enough to go to the emergency room, which you did upon your doctor's advisement - good move. It's a relief to hear that your vaginal cuff is intact for that would've required restitching and would've rewound the clock on healing. Still... something happened.

My thought is that you had a hematoma, a collection of blood, at the top of your cuff and that during sex that was broken open at which point it had to drain out. The other possibility is that if you had longer lasting stitches, one of them popped. A bruised cuff is not something I've read about here before, so I wouldn't venture a guess on that one way or another. The discharge you're experiencing might be normal as the cuff cleans up the debris from whatever happened, but I think it'd be worth getting your doctor's take since it sounds like you'd been past having a discharge.

The low grumbling and pain when you're gassy may be some inflammation which got triggered from this event. Our cells release prostaglandins wherever there's inflammation; they caused our old menstrual cramps and contribute to digestive cramps. We can experience digestive cramps from inflammation even beyond 8 weeks post-op if we do more than our bodies are ready to handle, or when something odd like this happens. Also, with the bladder right there in the midst, it too could be irritated. If you call your doctor about the discharge, you can go ahead and ask about both of these as well.

Update us when you can. Your experience may help someone else down the road.

Hey I am about 9 weeks post op and my husband says he feels the stitches when we have sex. Not sure if this is normal or not, but I too had lots of bleeding and have that grumbling pain and lots of pressure low when walking now, and have had to wear panty liners now because I dribble pee randomly.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms_Jones Hi I had a total laparoscopic hysterectomy where they took everything out via my vagina (does that make it a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy?!) Anyway, I recovered pretty well although I bled quite a lot for the first 3-4 weeks. I may have overdone it a bit during recovery but I felt very well considering with very little pain after 2 weeks. It’s now been 8 weeks since I had my operation. I had sex at 6 weeks and it was ok. I had sex again this weekend though my partner must have hit the cuff as I had a sudden sharp pain and started bleeding. He said that he felt it pop and the shape changed. I was in a lot of pain so took some pain meds and called the doctor who advised I go to a&e. 6 hours later when the hospital doctor finally saw me, the pain had lessened considerably and it turns out I hadn’t bled that much. Just when it happened. Since then, I’ve had low grumbling pain that sometimes gets a lot sharper, especially when I’m gassy. I was walking lots before but now find that I need to take breaks again as it gets low level painful. I also find peeing uncomfortable and I *may* have more vaginal discharge than normal although I’m not really sure what’s normal post hysterectomy- anyone? I’ve looked for info on a bruised cuff. Has anyone else experienced this? Thank you! I’m so grateful that there’s a forum for this!

I just past the date when dr told me that my husband and I can resume sex - but I am still scared to try! Sorry to hear about the cuff problems. I know that I will have to get past this somehow.

Hi Kelli

That sounds very distressing for you both!

I’m going to book an appointment with my normal doctor so she can take a look. If you haven’t already, it might be worth you speaking to your doctor to check?

My general pain is already easing and I mostly only feel it when I walk, get gas or go to the toilet. It’s a real blow mentally to feel like my healing has taken a knock.

I’ll let you know how I get on with the doc! Please update me when you speak to yours. We’re all on such individual journeys but there’s so much we can share

Hi CPL

Yeah I won’t lie, it was a bit of a shock but please don’t let that put you off. I had successfully had sex once before and perhaps we were just enjoying it too much this time

As all of the advice says, I’d take it very easy and be very gentle so you can explore what works for you. I completely understand where you are coming from tho - it feels like a scary move but I’m glad that I did it and I’m hoping to be able to do it again in the not too distant future!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by CPL I just past the date when dr told me that my husband and I can resume sex - but I am still scared to try! Sorry to hear about the cuff problems. I know that I will have to get past this somehow.