Swelling after TAH

[32Lu]

Hello, what are your experiences of swelling? I had a total abdominal hysterectomy nearly 7 weeks ago to remove a large fibroid. My tummy was very numb which is now wearing off and being replaced with soreness but I expected this. It's the continued swelling that I didn't expect. I look bigger than I was before the fibroid was removed, look pregnant and can still only wear elasticated waists. The swelling is sort of bulging over the incision. We all heal at different rates but did anyone else experience this and did it finally go?

[riceandpeas567]

Hi 32lu

I am 7months post TAH /BSO and I am still experiencing swelling just the same .It really has changed my body shape and my stomach is really distorted especially towards the end of the .It seems the more active I am the more I swell .Having read a lot of the posts over the seven months it appears to be normal after abdominal surgery .Its really getting me down because before this all happened I had a flat tummy .I am still numb to touch and tender and feel very unattractive which is stopping me living my life to the full ,trying to do more exercise in the hope it will disappear eventually .Its early days for you so take it easy and listen to your body .Take care .x

[32Lu in reply to riceandpeas567]

Hi riceandpeas567

I am sorry to hear that you're feeling this way.

I must say no-one had warned me that swelling was a long-term possibility. The reason I had the hysterectomy in the first place was because my stomach was protruding and I felt pressure on my insides, which turned out to be because of a huge fibroid.

I know it's early days so I will have to wait and see what happens but thank you for your reply as it has at least reassured me there isn't anything 'wrong' as such.

Sending you all my best wishes, stay strong and continue your recovery which I've heard can take many months. xx

[officelady]

Hi there - I also had a total abdominal hysterectomy due to a huge (and growing) fibroid. I'm only 2 weeks post op so a bit behind you but my tummy is also quite swollen and seems to swell over the incision site. My tummy is definitely bigger than before the op but I'm hoping it will go down over time when I'm able to do a bit of exercise again. A friend of mine told me that when she had the same op her tummy was very swollen for a few months but did then go down so I'm hoping that will be the case for me. I think we do have to accept that our flat stomach days are probably behind us now but focus on the fact that the operation has taken away and solved a number of other issues - Best wishes for a speedy recovery x

[32Lu in reply to officelady]

Thanks officelady. I will be very depressed if I'm left with this stomach because the discomfort of a protruding stomach (along with back ache) was the main reason I had the hysterectomy in the first place. But still early days so hopefully it will go down.

[4dogs81]

Hi 32Lu, I’m just about 6 months post TAH and wanted to share a few tips my doctor offered in hopes they may work for you as well. First was Ice, I was told to ice my stomach for 20 min every couple of hours to help with the swelling. Second was wrap or compression there was a pair of post operation underwear that I purchased to help with the compression. Third was food, certain foods like dairy and beans could cause gas and bloating which increase swelling. Overall, I did these things for 12 weeks before I noticed my stomach starting to go back to normal.

[32Lu]

Thank you 4dogs81, you're giving me hope that this may not be my new permanent shape. I bought some support pants from M&S but it sounds like the ones you bought were more serious. Where did you get them from?

[Katmatty]

I had a hysterectomy 7 months ago now due to a womb full of pre cancerous polyps. Just like another lady on this site, months down the line I still get a swollen belly. The more I do the more it swells. But it is getting better. I used to look like a pot bellied pig by the end of the day lol but not any more. At my 6 week check I saw a physio who told me more than my surgeon had and answered so many questions. One of the things she said was to expect my belly to swell up to 12 months after the op. And the day I do everything and go to bed without a swelly belly, is the day I’m fully healed. Good luck with your recovery and don’t expect too much of yourself too quickly. X

[32Lu]

Thank you Katmatty, you have also given me hope! I can't believe I don't have a post-op follow-up appointment for 3.5 months but I guess that's the NHS at the moment, it's very stretched. Good luck too, I hope you reach the day without a swelly belly very soon. x

[4dogs81]

Here is the link Incase anyone is interested in trying these.

Post Op Panty Compression Hysterectomy and Myomectomy Recovery Panty

amazon.com/dp/B00WIU5K3C/re...

[LouiseD1]

Hi there, I had a TAH 14 months ago for an enormous fibroid. I had swelling for many many months after the op, but I can happily say it is all gone now and I feel normal again. Don’t be surprised how long it may take, there is a huge amount of healing going on inside, especially if you have had an abdominal incision and a huge mass removed. I thought there would never be a day that I did not swell and feel pain at the end of each day, but it does go away eventually. Be patient and just take it day by day x

[32Lu in reply to LouiseD1]

Thank you LouiseD1. Again it's good to hear this is the case for another woman too. Nothing in the literature or meetings with the medical staff mentioned this so I wasn't prepared for it. I'm swollen all the time, not just at the end of the day if I've overdone it, but I feel more reassured. Take care LouiseD1 and all you ladies going through this.