Hysterectomy and bowel problems:are they connected?

New trick just discovered and it works: drink two packets of Benefiber before bed (just like a big shooter) then in the morning a capful of Miralax. It truly is magic for me. I'm the one that posted about having to do gymnastics on the toilet to get BM's out. I'll do this for the rest of my life.

Thru trial and error my gas pains have developed because my stomach (it does with age) no longer produce the lactose, and I have become lactose intolerant. ANY milk products and I am bloating and farting like crazy. With the backed up bowel, extremely painful for the gas to get out. Try a supplemental product, but best is avoidance.

The answer to the question"does having a hysterectomy cause howel problems" is a definate yes. I had a hysterectomy aged 38 in november 09 due to large fibroids. I had a c section type cut and everything removed. In june 2012 I was admitted to hospital with severe stomach cramps and 50 hours later they x rayed me and I then had emergency surgery for a small bowel volvulus caused by scar tissue from the hysterectomy forming a band around the bowel and then completely blocking it. The pain and. Op was an experience far worse than the hysterectomy but months on I get much less pain than before the op , not tnight though thats why im awake at 1am, I just lived with it and just didn't eat much as I bloated so much and had stomach cramps. Sex was very painful too. I'm much better now but wish I had been informed about this complication and there is still a risk that surgery may be needed again in the future. If anyone is worried, demand an xray, I wish I had rather than just believing it was irritable bowel :)

The answer to the question"does having a hysterectomy cause howel problems" is a definate yes. I had a hysterectomy aged 38 in november 09 due to large fibroids. I had a c section type cut and everything removed. In june 2012 I was admitted to hospital with severe stomach cramps and 50 hours later they x rayed me and I then had emergency surgery for a small bowel volvulus caused by scar tissue from the hysterectomy forming a band around the bowel and then completely blocking it. The pain and. Op was an experience far worse than the hysterectomy but months on I get much less pain than before the op , not tnight though thats why im awake at 1am, I just lived with it and just didn't eat much as I bloated so much and had stomach cramps. Sex was very painful too. I'm much better now but wish I had been informed about this complication and there is still a risk that surgery may be needed again in the future. If anyone is worried, demand an xray, I wish I had rather than just believing it was irritable bowel :)

Thank you for your reply. After years of dealing with this issue, and researching posts, I have come to the conclusion, that I believe I understand what happened. While no one in medical will outright admit that the procedure is damaging, it essentially is. Why the insomnia, I haven't figured out yet. After the procedure, my Dr/surgeon said I was to take colace, and was not to "push" my urine out, but just to let it fall. (I'm guessing that pushing would stress and tear things?) When I asked her how long I was to take the stool softener, she replied, "Forever." That shocked me, but still no explanation. Logically, when you take the item (uterus) out, you are removing an integral "wall" internally. One that holds the intestines in their place. Once this item is no longer there, I believe the intestines have no option, but to fall into that opening. I believe my colon has become stretched out, possible some scar tissue, and the flow hampered without the uterus. I have tried the "squatty potty" position by stepping on my overturned bathroom trash can, and it IS helpful, shockingly. This I believe proves that the tubes are kinked. If you look at the picture provided at the product support page for the item, it shows how the position straightens out the inner tubes. I just wish someone would have been honest about the after problems.

I would love to know also. i just had a hysterectomy 2 and 1/2 weeks ago and I have the same symptons.

I had a radical hysterectomy 18 months ago without any complications.  After a few months I started getting bad ab. pains and constipation.

I ended up needing my colon resected and have had major problems since.

The colon surgery went horribly wrong and I am now a physical wreck.

I had a hysterectom and bladder repair about 3 years ago and my bowel problem started right away. I have no pain but going to the bath room is hell. As soon as I sit on the toilet I will go little bit and then even though I feel like I have to go nothing will come out. I will start wiping and wiping and small amount of feces will keep coming. This will go on for more than 1/2 hrs and I feel dizzy by pushing and feet goes numb and I hate this. I never feel like I have emptied my bowl. I always feel bloated. Some times when I am not in the bath room. I will spoil my underwear. So when I am trying I can't go and when I am doing something else it comes out, I am very embarrased by this leakage.

So, I have posted here a few times and will now update.  After 8 months of suffering I forced my military doctor to refer me out to a civilian at ucsd.  My mil dr always seemed to think it was in my head.  Come to find out I either have a redundant colon or a colorectal stricture, maybe both!   Either way some stool gets into my rectum, but not all.  I am having another defecography done this thursday and am optimistic that I will find relief one way or another.  Good luck to us all!

So, come to find out, I was right!  Do not listen to your doctor, if something feels wrong get it checked by a xray, sitting up defecography.  My doctor refused to listen to me for 8 months, I self diagnosed and described the problem endlessly and finally insisted on a second opinion.  I demanded a sitting up defecography at the new physician.  They agreed!  Turns out I do have a sigmoidocele, which is less than 5% of all hysterectomies.  I think that most doctors just don't listen to their patients since its so rare.  Do not get a laying down mri defecography, if it is a sigmoidocele hey won't find it.  After all, who poops laying down?  Google it.  Please find relief and demand the care you deserve.  It's not in your head!

I recently to had a laparoscopic hysterectomy and I am experienceing the same bowel issues constipation terrible bloating after I eat even if the bowels are empty does anyone no why this happens?

I'm experiencing the same thing - probiotics seems to help - I was also told fiber is helpful - just to keep everything as soft (but not too soft) as possible

Had mine in January and reading all these posts... I am not alone ... sounds like I need to keep up with the stool softener on a daily basis or try the colon cleanse that was mentioned above.. Good to know I am not alone. This is painful...

I to am having horrible problems with my bowels after my hysterectomy four years ago. Since then not only did I have to get a second Hysterectomy to remove my tubes due to massive amounts of cysts but have been to ER for what I thought was Appendisitis. The pain continued for a couple of years but now the pain has become no action with BM's. Just nothing I take huge amounts of fiber, water and excercise never eat dairy and only eat fruits and vegetables along with jalepenos. These things would have normally given me extreme diarrhea, but now just nothing. If I do go every three or four days it is small amounts of hard stool. I have to generally take mag citrate to get myself to go and the pain is unbearable. I to feel faint, have bled from my vagina from constipation and get shooting pains up my spine. I was told by my family dr to see the surgeon because it can be quite serious and you can get fistulas which would create a tunnel from your bowel to your vagina and stool would be coming out of the vagina. She also said that the adhesions once seperated will just grow back and generally more. I got brain damage and lost my career after my first surgery due to the anesthesiologist and the drs and nurses not listening to me in the hosp  when I knew something was wrong. Since my first surgery it has turned into a nightmare of one medical condition after another. I would tell any woman that needed a hysterectomy see if there is any other treatments, because after surgery you only add to the problems you initailly had. The medical profession is not kidding when they say it is just a practice.

Have you had a defecography?  My posts are further up, check them out and ask for a xray, sitting up defecography.  I have a sigmoidocele.