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Is this normal?
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08-04-2006, 02:38 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 37
Hysterectomy: September 4th, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Is this normal?
Hi. I'm about 5 weeks away from my operation for a TVH and removal of ovaries. I'm not a thin woman by any stretch of the imagination but but tummy feels like I'm about 6 months pregnant. I find it hard to bend down and do simple things like put my socks on and I tire quickly. Has anyone else experienced this pre-op? After the op can I expect my tummy to shrink after the initial swelling goes away? What were other ladies experiences?
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08-04-2006, 03:45 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 1,186
Hysterectomy: June 2nd, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Is this normal?
I had trouble with this due to medical complications we didn't know about yet (bleeding disorder - thankfully you wouldn't have this) and a D&C that I hemorrhaged from for 13 days. I had been bleeding heavily daily for 11 months and had a bleeding history, too, and my body was sooooo worn out. This was before the hyst and I had the same experiences you did. I slept all day, dh had to help with socks and shoes, my tummy was bigger. IMHO your fibroids and the toll they take on your body might be a good part of what is wearing you out and causing your tummy to be bigger, making it hard to bend down. Especially since they are large fibroids!
I read today in the post-op board about a woman who had a uterus the size of a 5-month pregnancy when they did the hyst, and this is not unheard of. I humbly tell you that you will likely have SwellyBelly after surgery. There is a great article on this site about that. Your tummy can fill with fluids (like a sprained ankle would) and/or gas, etc. Some women don't get it. Many do, and it can take a few weeks to a year to go away. I'm at 9 weeks today and I still have it, but it's getting smaller. YAY! I don't mind if it takes a long time to go away as I feel it's the least of my medical issues...and it will go away without dieting eventually...
Keep in mind when you're healing that it took a while for those fibroids to grow, and it might take a while for you to heal up. Some gals are practically on roller skates right after surgery (not really -but close! ) and some people like me are EXTREMELY slow healers. It's different for everyone. BTW, the best advice I got, and the advice I keep getting from my very awesome doctor, is "listen to your body." It never fails...never.
Good luck and I'm sure all will go very well!!! Take it as easy as you can now and after surgery - this isn't the time to be pushing yourself too much.
Julia
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08-04-2006, 06:20 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 120
Hysterectomy: June 20th, 2006
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Is this normal?
Mine was 10 x the weight it should be and the size of a basketball. I too looked round and pregnant. While I am smaller now through the waist the entire area that was once being held up by the tumor now has lapped over differently than it had been and I experienced some discomfort while my body acclimated to the shift of external tissue and skin movement. In other words, I had a belly that was full and now it is not at the skin and flab are still there they just shifted down due to gravity. I still get swelly belly but not all day. I fit into my regular clothes right away. Good luck!
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08-04-2006, 07:31 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 17
Hysterectomy: December 5th, 2006
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Is this normal?
Hi Helen,
What size is your fibroid?? Mine is the size of a cantaloupe and makes my stomach protrude. The week before and the week of my period it seems to be extremely large and then goes down the other two weeks....I can't wait to get it out!!
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08-06-2006, 01:41 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 37
Hysterectomy: September 4th, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Many Thanks!
I'm not sure exactly how big my alien is...my sister is a midwife and she palpated my tummy and said that it feels like a 6 month pregnancy!! A few weeks ago it sat nicely in my partners hand when he felt my tummy...last night he said it had changed and shifted. I think, no I know, it's bigger and seems to be growing at a rapid rate. I too can't wait to be rid of it...I sooooo want to feel 'different' afterwards. I say 'different' because if I'm honest I don't feel ill as such, but I'm sure that I'm not firing on all cylinders. My GP told me that she fully expected me to have a new lease of life once I had healed from the op. Can't say as I'm looking forward to the surgery, I have all the normal worries and fears, but I am looking forward to it all being gone. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, it's great to be able to chat with ladies who understand.
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08-06-2006, 02:34 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 194
Hysterectomy: September 5th, 2006
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Is this normal?
I have the same issue. I do not know if it is my endo, adeno, or fibroids (I have all three) but my swelling goes from bad to worse during the month. Some days my stomache is as much in the way as it was when I was 7-8 mos pregnant. Other days, it is more like a mid-sized beer gut (I don't drink beer). I also find that the more it swells, the greater my pain, and the less tolerance I have to having anything touch me. I have taken to wearing very loose fitting, stretchy clothes, and can rarley tolerate anything with zippers or buttons.
The only thing that helps my swelling is getting off my feet, using a heating pad, and avoiding activity, especially lifting, bending, or walking. After a full day being horizontal the swelling will diminish.... until I start moving again. I can actually watch the swelling increase before my very eyes as the day wears on.
My surgery is the day after yours, so we can compare notes about post-op swelling too! Good luck!
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08-06-2006, 02:44 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 28
Hysterectomy: August 1st, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Is this normal?
Hello sisters,
I'm 5 days post-op and feeling pretty good. My fibroid weighed in at 5 lb 11 oz! My uterus was classified as full term. I didn't notice it so much until I lost weight (WW since March 05) and then it was protruding and made me look pg. Now everything looks "even" although there is still a lot of swelling and fluid retention. The skin is sort of sagging but not much. Feels like I need a sling to walk around with. But each day it gets better and smaller. My weight is going down so I know the fluid is slowing going away. The best advice I can give anyone going into this surgery is to prepare your body beforehand. I changed my diet, tooks lots of supplements, exercised, and was well prepared for surgery. I knew since January that I would have surgery so I started "preparing" right away. I'm back on my supplements and walking around the house and feeling better every day. The incision looks good (if one can say that) and my "bottom" feels fine. (TVH to TAH, fibroids, kept overies.)
Bonnie
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08-15-2006, 08:31 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 1
Hysterectomy: September 6th, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Is this normal?
Hi there,
my surgery is scheduled the 6th of sept.. we may keep an ovary, but, everything else is going. I'm glad to see that my HUGE belly by the end of the day, while annoying and painful, is "normal". I've been tentatively diagnosed with adeno, but, I've wondered if I have fibroids, too, as my belly just seems to be getting larger. I'm a thin woman and there's no way to hide it. I just wear baggy clothes and hope noone asks if I'm preg. weird thing is, in the morning, its only noticeable to me. in the evening it feel huge. thanks for your post.
kathy
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