dVH/RALH: Upcoming hysterectomy 8/1: The swelly belly

I have heard a lot of posts mentioning swelly belly.
I know that they put the gas in the abdomen to blow up the abdominal cavity for better visualization and maneuverability of the instruments.
How and where do you swell up and how long does this last ?

I didn't have swelling from gas, never had a problem with gas. The swelling is I guess from the area being battered from the surgery. Mine started to improve at around 6 weeks. The first days I was swollen all of the time, then I started being less swollen in the morning and more swollen as the day went on. I felt fine, the swelling was just annoying due to appearance and that clothes would get tight as the day wore on.

The gas they inflate you with is not part of the swelly belly you read about from Sisters. Like Coughy, I didn't have issues from the surgical gas (I had laparo surgery, so it was needed), but swelly belly is what brought me to this site.

We've had major surgery with lots of internal incisions that we can't see. If you think of any injury (broken arm, sprained ankle, burn), fluids gather around the inflammation as a part of the healing process. Swelling goes down, you do more, swelling goes up again. It's what happens to many of us around our tummies post surgery. Sometimes it's nothing more than daily living which makes it worse, and as we heal we seem to notice it more in the evenings. Here's an article where you can read more: Tummy Care - Swelly Belly. My favorite line is So, you ask, "How do I get rid of it?" You don't. It has to go away on it's own. Best thing when it got the better of me was to rest in a reclining position, allowing both my back, tummy and core to relax.

My doctor said by week 8 I should notice it less and he was right. I'm in week 10, and I may have had it 2-3 times since so it's less frequent and less severe. Some women are still dealing with it in month 3 and 4 - usually when they've done something they're not ready for. It will run its course. You're not alone, and yes, it will get better!

My surgery was also laparoscopic, where as you mentioned, gas is pumped into the abdomen, to allow for better visualization and maneuverability of the instruments. Afterwards, any remaining gas migrates up into the diaphragm, where it may cause shoulder or chest pain. Some abdominal swelling may be from bloating, especially during the first week or two, usually a combination of constipation and trapped gas. To work it out, be sure to take regular walks, which will help more than anything else; also try peppermint tea. Magnesium also works well to get your bowels moving; food sources include leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and dark chocolate. I would also recommend avoiding gassy foods until things return to normal; that includes legumes, onions and garlic, cruciferous vegetables, cucumbers, melons, pears, and artificial sweeteners. Also try massaging your abdomen, starting at the right hip, moving up to the waist, across your belly button to the left side, then down and across, back to the starting point. This follows the path of your colon, and should help to move everything through. Best wishes for a successful surgery and a smooth recovery!

I'm five months post hysterectomy, and I still have a paunch just above my incision. Initially I was told it was the 'swelly belly' syndrome causing it. And for the first few weeks, yes, it would feel larger during certain times of the day then subside a bit. I doubt it's swelly belly now. I never had a flat stomach before surgery so am beginning to feel that the fat in my belly has gathered there. Like a pouch. But it just looks terrible more than it had before surgery like if I am 3 mos. pregnant. I also read on another website that after the ligaments are cut during hysterectomy basically everything drops. Not sure what to believe that's causing my belly.

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Originally Posted by Suzymcguire I have heard a lot of posts mentioning swelly belly. I know that they put the gas in the abdomen to blow up the abdominal cavity for better visualization and maneuverability of the instruments. How and where do you swell up and how Iong does this last ?

I can only speak for myself, I had very little swelling from gas afterwards. My nurses commented that I probably didn't have as much discomfort because I didn't try to sit upright much after surgery, I reclined as often as I could. Sitting up just didn't feel good on my vaginal cuff.

So anyway, that meant the gas didn't go up into my shoulders. I felt it up around my diaphragm when I came home, but that was it. I made a point of walking around the house each time I got up to use the bathroom, and since I drank a lot of water that was at least once an hour. Moving around will help the gas dissipate.

Swelling also can be attributed to inflammation and healing. Too much activity before you're ready can aggravate healing internal areas.

Take things easy, drink lots of water, and walk soon after surgery is my advice.

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Originally Posted by CAL1 ...I also read on another website that after the ligaments are cut during hysterectomy basically everything drops. Not sure what to believe that's causing my belly.

The only thing that the uterine ligaments support is the uterus. They don't support anything else, so there's no reason for anything else to "drop." That's like saying that the walls of a building are going to collapse because someone cuts the cable holding up a chandelier inside the building.

I had an abdominal hysterectomy, so no CO2. I also didn't experience constipation afterwards. I got diarrhea instead. But I still had swelling from two causes:

1) The first few days after surgery, your body retains a lot of fluid. I had "gained" 17 lbs by the time I got home from the hospital three days after surgery. This flushed itself out over the next few days. Walking helps.

2) No matter what kind of surgery you have, the muscles and other soft tissues inside your abdomen are going to get discombobulated. The medical term is "traumatized." Traumatized tissue swells due to an inflammation reaction.

For me, this was the long-term contributor to my "swelly belly." It wasn't a bid deal for me - I just wore my looser pairs of pants and shorts. Altogether the swelly belly lasted about three months, but during the last month it was quite minor. All it meant was that I needed to pop the waistband of my pants in the evening.

I did notice that the swelling increased after activity - even activity that did not cause pain/discomfort or bleeding/spotting and which had been approved by my surgeon. So I just ignored the swelling. For me, it wasn't a good indicator as to whether or not I was doing too much.

Swelly belly is more than just gas from lap. I'm 1 1/2 yr post LAVH and I still swell. The uterus used to take up a lot of space and all the organs were snug and supported. With the uterus gone and that open space there nothing is snug. The intestines bladder Etc are getting knocked around and readjusting to a new position. I wake up with a flat hard tummy and by the end of the day I'm swollen and look pregnant. I used ice packs for the first 8 months po and now only occasionally as I've just gotten used to it. Swelly belly is real and it sucks.