Pain after Hysterectomy

jldbarbe

Hello,
I wanted to get some advise on some pain that I am having. I usually call me doctor when I have concerns, but I don't want to be that patient to call for every pain. I had a radical hysterectomy on May 14th from Adenocarcinoma (endo-cervical cancer). Stage 1B. I also had a vertical incision from my belly button down. On the right side of my belly button, I have been having this pain maybe associated with muscles. It wakes me up at night and I can't sneeze without screaming in pain. It has been 11 weeks since surgery and this is new. It only started 3 weeks ago. It's not constant. Could it just be my muscles trying to build back up? Or could it be scar tissue? Please let me know what you think. I will probably call the doctor, but just thought I would maybe hear about someone else having the same problems.
Thanks for all of your support. This is a great place to get support from.

kmygil

Hi,

I'm so sorry you are having this pain. I don't know if it is scar tissue or adhesions, but it is worth checking out. If it is not that, you should have further diagnostics done.

I had a radical hysterectomy on July 18 (Stage IA), and my surgeon removed my previous scar from the colon cancer surgery last August so I still have just one scar. He used some sort of "rice paper" to prevent adhesions and cleaned up the scar tissue/adhesions from last year's surgery. His nurse actually told me that due to a bowel surgery she had when she was 14, she has had 8 additional surgeries just to clean up adhesions and scar tissue that were causing pain. Ask your surgeon if he used the new stuff to minimize adhesions. If he did not, perhaps you might consider a "clean-up surgery" using this new stuff to help you out; that is, of course if that is the problem.

I don't know if this helps you out, but you should not be having this kind of pain. Definitely call your doctor.

Take care,
Kirsten

groundeffect

I'd guess it may be from your bowels getting back into action. I had occasional bouts of unbelievable pain after my hysterectomy, and when I asked my doctors about it, they all agreed it was probably gas pain, and that I should take a mild laxative to help it. I've gotten by that now, but know now (after a colonoscopy) that there is a narrowed portion of my bowel.

You should talk to your doctor about such extreme pain. You're probably not having any problems from adhesions, but that's something to be mindful of in the long run, but not so soon after surgery. Adhesions can actually shut down the bowels and cause a huge problem.

jldbarbe

kmygil said:

Hi,

I'm so sorry you are having this pain. I don't know if it is scar tissue or adhesions, but it is worth checking out. If it is not that, you should have further diagnostics done.

I had a radical hysterectomy on July 18 (Stage IA), and my surgeon removed my previous scar from the colon cancer surgery last August so I still have just one scar. He used some sort of "rice paper" to prevent adhesions and cleaned up the scar tissue/adhesions from last year's surgery. His nurse actually told me that due to a bowel surgery she had when she was 14, she has had 8 additional surgeries just to clean up adhesions and scar tissue that were causing pain. Ask your surgeon if he used the new stuff to minimize adhesions. If he did not, perhaps you might consider a "clean-up surgery" using this new stuff to help you out; that is, of course if that is the problem.

I don't know if this helps you out, but you should not be having this kind of pain. Definitely call your doctor.

Take care,
Kirsten

Thank you. I will run this by my doctor.
Jessica