I had a abdominal Hysterectomy last year on April 5th. On April 12, I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and the emergency room doctor pissed me off by asking if I was having sexual intercourse before my 6 week time period to cause this excruciating pain. After I called him just about every name but a child of God, he sent me to get a CT scan and the results revealed that I had a large abcess due to the previous surgeon nicking my small intestine. I became septic and had to have 8" of my small intestines removed. After they loaded me up with 2 kinds of anti-biotics and burned me with potassium they sent me home. Two weeks later, I was again rushed to the emergency room with a Gallbladder infection (Acute Colecystitis) and was old that I would lose my Gallbladder. Because my stomach wound needed to heal up they wanted me to wait to get my gallbladder removed. I have been through Hell in a gasoline soaked handbasket for over a year suffering with extreme heartburn 1-3 times every day that feels like I'm having a heart attack, a Heart Murmer, COPD, and heartbreak because I have unsuccessfully tried to find an attorney in this town who will help me sue the doctor who did this to me. Ohio has a 1 year time limit to file a suit and a cap on the amount that a patient can receive. The first attorney held onto my files for almost a year, filed a 180 day extention to file, said he would not take my case and gave me my files back. I have been to 3 other attorneys who also told me no. I will be getting my Gallbladder out in a few days but no relief to bring me some justice.%-)
Twenty years ago I had a partial hysterectomy and had my bladder put back in place. Since that time, I had no problems associated with the surgery. However, for the past 10 years I have had chronic diarrhea and after reading these posts I'm wondering if it was all associated with the surgery. I've tried changing my diet, adding fiber, losing weight and everything else I could think of. I had a colonoscopy several years ago which came out clean. In January of this year, I felt a huge bulge in my vaginal area and had some bleeding associated with it. Not having had a period for twenty years the bleeding sent me into a panic. I saw my gyn shortly thereafter and was told my vaginal walls had collapsed and had a large rectocele (rectum protruding into the vagina). I have since been sent to a urogyn. I have had several tests including cystoscopy and defacography and found that I have a cystocele (bladder prolapse), rectocele (rectum prolapse), simoidocele (sigmoid colon prolapse) along with the collapsed vaginal walls. I'm seeing a colorectal specialist tomorrow. Without even knowing what he will say, I am already looking at some major surgery for the bladder, rectum and vaginal walls. During the defacography the doctor explained what was going on. Because of my hysterectomy 20 years ago, the sigmoid colon has now collapsed into the area where the uterus used to be. They call it a redundant colon because it's been stretched out and is now much longer than it needs to be or should be. I know that there will be setbacks during my recovery but I am hoping that at some point down the road things get back to normal. If there were alternatives to the surgery, trust me, I would jumping on those but I cannot keep living my life around a bathroom. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude about all of this. Whenever anyone ask me what the problem is I just tell them I give the term "bottoming out" a whole new meaning. I wish everyone on this page well and please know that you are not alone.
My symptoms are all of the above and more. All the doctor talked about prior to surgery was leaving my ovaries. Three years later, I find out I've had a complete. Talk about a shocker. We never discussed complete, I never researched complete, as I knew leaving the ovaries was best. Paperwork says complete. Wow.
Now, three years later, I haven't slept since. The insomnia is unbearable. I don't get sleepy. I carry a brick around in my abdomen, and if I don't keep on my evacuation pill schedule, I'm stuck manually removing the grapefruit in my rectum. I consented to the procedure due to pelvic floor prolapse, bowel and bladder problems. I was ok bowel-wise for one month. Then it started happening again. No one knows why. My Gen Pract. immediately said that my brain and bowel were not communicating.
I also keep being told I'm "constipated." NO I'M NOT!! The message for my bowel to work has been damaged, and my nerves don't move my colon any more!! While I understand the collapsed colon theory, I've also recently heard that vessels that were clamped during surgery (mine was 6.5 hours) can become pinched off and die. Sounds exactly like what has happened to me.
Also, the physical exhaustion is ridiculous. Not tired, physically unbearable. The migraines have been constant, and if I take a single pill less, I immediately get another. Also, my frequent urination is coming back. The bloating, all the time, yes, I look pregnant all the time, too. This is crazy. Why aren't women TRULY informed about the cost of this procedure? Not to mention the lack of fulfilling orgasm from no longer having the organ. Oh, yeah, depressed from being 40 and knowing I'll never poop again, who wouldn't be, lack of hormones or not?
Had I known all this, I'd have stuck with peeing my pants when I sneezed.
Firstly, I'd like to state my weight is almost perfect for my height and age. I'm 5'2" 48 years old and 122lbs. I like being between 118-122lbs and have never been more than 20lbs overweight my entire life.
I had a hysterectomy 10/10/12 and what was supposed to have been a robotics small incision turned into a 4" below the bikini incision due to size and location. (which was not discussed beforehand) either way, my bowels were a problem before also, but I have changed my diet completely and have felt much better. If I divert off the healthy plan, I feel it.
I went off of pain killers 2 days ago and after getting the go ahead to start working out lightly I purchased a choc-peanut butter cup milkshake to celebrate. What a mistake that was. The cramping was unbelievable and I still woke up nauseous this morning and still in pain. My Dr says to get off pain killers but I took one this morning because I was like f**k this!
The main question I'd like to ask is how many of the women who replied are overweight? I'm guessing weight and healthy eating may be the solution.
I'm hoping this nausea will discontinue soon. I'm not digging the sick feeling all the time. Also my Dr informs me i will not feel like there's a "tight pair of jeans" feeling when I try to urinate in a few months. But honestly, after reading your posts, I'm not believing my Doc.
I'm hoping you're all overweight and that is the reason.
you are funny! Gosh, I don't have these symptoms yet. So far I just need to watch that I eat healthy. My bowels are fine as long as i eat kale and veggies and watch the chocolate. My surgery was 6 hours also and i wonder if the vessel died? Cause it feels like I can't move my colon unless it does naturally. Thank goodness it does! But it's not even been a month yet.
My communication has been damaged too. Going is very difficult unless I use Senna, but I do not want to be on a laxative long term. I am 29 and have had a butt load, lol, of problems. I am 5 months post op, 3 surgeries total. One to remove a hematoma same day at the vah since they nicked a vein, then 7 wks later for a torn cuff. I started exercising like crazy, daily, even 2x a days. 20-30 mins each time, light jog, fast walk, doesn't matter. It really helps move your food and pushes your poo where it needs to go. That is my only advice at this point. I assume you have had biofeedback? It really helps. Visceral physical therapy helps too. Good luck to both of us!
Roller dirby may be too much of a work out for your pelvic floor. Biofeedback is relaxation of the pelvic floor. My floor essentially decided to unlearn everything about defecation post op. pushing caused clenching vs relaxation. They also did trigger point therapy. I hvae just now gotten everything to relax. Pelvic floor physical thrapy works, but it takes time. They literally massage you from the onside out. The relaxation is now letting the muscles get the blood, oxygen and nutrients they need. I actually got a small urge to defecate back that I did not have before. Warm baths help to relax the floor too, but thats temporary. Theres a book i found helpful. A headache in the pelvis. Look under levator ani syndrome. Its $ but worth it.
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OMG, glad I found this! I had an abdominal hyst just over 3 years ago, keeping my ovaries. I haven't had pains or bloating, but it's like my bowels have gone to sleep! I'm very active, gym 6 days a week, horse riding, good vegetarian diet, and pre-surgery had an irritable bowel. I.e. exam stress, eating anything unusual etc used to give me diarrhoea. Now despite taking 2 Fybogel a day, plus all the fruit, veg & porridge, it takes so much effort & planning to make sure I go every day. I'm 41. I've already had an anal fissure as a result, which is about the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I don't know what to do as I don't fancy a lot of invasive investigative procedures & suspect the doctors will just trot out some nonsense re eating more fibre. But something has def stopped working.
I do not know if you have an ipad but they have an app called hystersisters
it is all about hystorectomies.
I would start there for answers.
I found a great application on the ipad called Hystersisters
it is a support app for women who have gone through hystorectomis
GREAT APPLICATION
I have done a ton of research on Hystersisters. It is awesome. I found the best results for my condition through diet, exercise and biofeedback. Biofeedback is a physical therapy that releases spasms in the rectal area. There is also Visceral pt, it helps move everything back where it's supposed to be. Like I said before, diana underscore peel at hotmail and I can answer questions and describe my horrible journey, including the 3 surgeries in 2 months... Good luck ladies!