Pain 3 months post op : Hi I had a... - Endometriosis UK

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Pain 3 months post op

cathhomer profile image
6 Replies

Hi

I had a laparoscopic excision of severe endometriosis around the bowel and uterus area and a hysterectomy but with ovaries left in I had this done beginning of October 2020 so 3 months ago

I’m worried as I’m still in constant pain since recovering from my operation my consultant initially said it would be a 3 month recovery which should be now but I’m worried as even strong painkillers often don’t take the pain away fully

I still get pain down both sides near excision sites and often a strong period pain type pain which I suffered pre op due to endometriosis

Do you think it’s normal to still be in this pain 3 months after op?

Would appreciate any advice ?

My consultant just reckons it’s taking me longer to heal than others but I am worried when I try not taking any painkillers the pain is so strong

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cathhomer
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6 Replies
Lindle profile image
Lindle

They usually say to give a good 6 months after excision for severe endo, but if you are concerned and are in the UK I should contact the specialist endo nurse at your endo centre.

TennisAM profile image
TennisAM

I had a fixed colon released at my last op and a fixed urethra, it hurt for 3 months after but it wasn't strong endo type pain. The bowel is very sensitive and takes three months to adjust to the surgery performed on it. That's why the pain continues. I don't remember strong pain though. Worth chatting with your endo nurse if in the UK. x

Jgooderh profile image
Jgooderh

Hi there - I had the exact same thing happen to me. I got surgery in August and was told that I’d probably need 2 weeks off of work, but after my surgery (I had a bowel resection) ended up needing 2 full months + a couple weeks off instead. The first 3-4 periods were horrendous and I actually thought the surgery was for naught and endo had come back, but now I am feeling amazing. Just had 2 menses and didn’t even need Tylenol or any painkillers. These were the things I noticed that took the longest to heal for me: incisions (I still have pain sometimes), bloating, spasms. I also would just have days where my whole entire abdomen felt like I’d done a massive workout and I needed to lay down and was just really fatigued. I know I googled a bunch about why I was taking so long to recover and never really saw much.

One thing that helped was going for pelvic floor physio therapy. Initially, it made things worse, but I noticed my recovery sped up once I began that.

cathhomer profile image
cathhomer in reply to Jgooderh

Thank you so much for your reply

The hospital I had the operation at have been doing physio with me too doing pelvic floor exercises and core muscle exercise each time i do them I definitely feel more pain after though is that normal?

And yes I’m also worried if endo has come back again so soon too as some of the pain I get does feel like bad period pain which was the endo pain I had before the operation

My consultant said on Friday it couldn’t return that quickly

What do u think?

He just says to me he thinks another 2 months maybe till fully recovered and he will see me again in 2 months

Does that sound realistic to you?

Jgooderh profile image
Jgooderh in reply to cathhomer

I only know from experience, it sounds normal to me. I definitely was so sore for a few days after physio every time. But the longer you go, the better you feel over time. And yeah, I think you’re still recovering! Scar tissue can also form and be a source of pain for a while.

KimJL profile image
KimJL

Hi Cathomer

Please see your doctor about the pain. But this is my experience. I had a partial hysterectomy, one ovary & tube removed, my surgeon had to shave the bowel off the uterus due to adhesions. I kept my cervix & one ovary. Scarring removed from bladder & Pouch of Douglas. I had suffered for decades severe pain, prolonged periods, ibs & heavy bleeding during periods. And I was diagnosed with Adenomyosis back in 2005, had surgery in 2019.

Post surgery, I took painkillers for up to 3 months almost daily, then after that I took less and less. The pain & discomfort from the surgery was still felt up to 6-9 months post surgery. The pain and discomfort in the bladder was felt for up to 3 months post-op. As the year anniversary came, I felt better, also I started exercising again, but there was still some discomfort, esp when doing abs, planks, etc.. I have to use a waist trainer as the extra skin pulls on the incision. Even now I feel stronger and better as time goes by. Wishing you all the best.

Kim

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