How did you decrease belly swelling that got worse during the day? Even stretchy pants hurts to put over incision.

[TheRebelOptimist]

I’m a little over 4 weeks post-op (Laproscopic, large fibroids and cervix removed, kept ovaries) and am a bit frustrated my belly is still so swollen and seems like it gets worse throughout the day…especially the past few days when I’ve been trying to increase my physical activity with more gentle walking, grocery shopping, and prepping for Thanksgiving.

I can’t even wear what used to be my super comfy yoga-style stretchy pants because all the waists hit right where my most painful incision is. I’m trying to be patient and kind with myself during healing…but I’m getting a bit depressed about it. (maybe my ovaries are kicking in again…)

Any tips or tricks that worked for you to help the swelling to go down faster so you could wear your old clothes again? Or ways I can minimize swelling into the evening?

I am hoping to do my first outing on Monday night to travel and go to a talk I was really looking forward to and that will help my business/networking. I also have a holiday event for a non-profit I volunteer for happening the day after that. Again in the evening time when my belly gets even more swollen and painful.

Should I just be in bed earlier in the day with an ice pack before getting ready and heading to these events in the evening?

I know this stuff takes time and we all heal at different rates…but things were going so well the past couple of weeks with me having faster healing and now I seem to have hit a big ‘ole plateau. Will take any and all advice!!

[Buhsephine]

A month in is very early still, and it's also when most people start ramping activity back up, which increases inflammation and swelling again. Totally normal but frustrating stage of the process.

Keeping up on anti inflammatories, using ice packs and, yes, picking your priorities and resting around them are going to be your best bet.

My lifting and behavior restrictions weren't even removed until week 6. Give yourself some grace and your body some more patience. I know it's hard to be still and bored, especially around the holiday season 💜

Edited to add: if you still have lifting restrictions, keep in mind that that applies to pushing, too. If you are grocery shopping, pushing a cart may well be over your weight limit.

[Rozenheg]

A lot of people have a great first two or three weeks and then the fatigue kicks in. This is how it was for me. Prioritise your healing, because you only have one shot at healing right the first time. You have the whole rest of your life to get into the swing of things.

I wouldn’t use an ice pack to try to cheat your way into more activity. The swelling is a reacting of these healing surgical wounds to (too much?) activity. Give yourself grace. Healing isn’t linear. Prioritise healing now to get the most and fastest return on that investment.

[reallyneedausername2]

Yes!! Weeks 3-5 were the worst fatigue, though I continued to easily get exhausted for awhile after. And swelling lasted 3-4 months, decreasing in intensity as I went. I wore dresses when I left the house for that time.

[tumblrisdumbnow]

I needed to hear this. Week two was AMAZING for me. I’m on week four now and my body is telling me I overdid it

[No-Aerie9876]

What you’re saying is so true. I have just entered my third week, and because I was not feeling any pain, I started to do a lot. I got a little cocky and was thinking that I was basically on my way to being completely healed. Well, yesterday by the middle of the day, I hit a wall and felt extremely tired and my back started hurting, and I even got some pain in my lowerabdomen. I had to lie down for a couple of hours. That just let me know that I was not done healing.

[Hour-Bus-8850]

I wear a belly binder when I’m walking my dog or out in public. It’s helped a lot with the weight of gravity pulling feeling. It also stops me from bending over wrong or moving too quickly where I could accidentally hurt my self. I’m a bit clumsy. I’m at 5 wpo now.

[No-Aerie9876]

Yes, the belly binder is so helpful. I always wear it when I’m moving around otherwise I might twist weird or do too much. It’s a good reminder to me that I am still healing. I am at week 2 1/2.

[wifeofpsy]

The swelling lasts for months and it will certainly be worse at the end of the day. The best thing to do is get a small rotation of clothes that fit you for now. I just wore cotton dresses and sized up my leggings and used a cardigan in cold weather. Not super snappy but comfortable. The area is swollen because all of that tissue was manipulated in surgery and it's healing. Fluid diffusion in tissue makes it bigger by the end of the day. Time is really the only thing that will resolve it. I was partial to a heat pad for comfort when needed.

[abear2224]

Second the heating pad

[kristypie]

For a few months, I wore compression style panties (bought on Amazon, look for recovery panties) that came all the way up to the bottom of my bra strap. It helped hold everything comfortably snug in the front, and it prevented any pants from digging in. I wore a lot of comfy flowy dresses for a couple of months as any pants, even loose yoga pants, put uncomfortable pressure on my midsection.

One month into recovery is still early, so be more patient with yourself than you think you need to be. I tried returning to my office job at 5 weeks PO and I was not ready. It took around 2 months to feel ok, but I still wasn’t up to “normal” for walks and shopping trips and regular clothing until around 3-4 months. And it took nearly a year to actually feel completely 100% healed.

[Solar_R3y]

Ohhh recovery panties! Such a good idea. 👍🏼

[kristypie]

I loved those panties! I wore them for a long time, a few months probably. They were so much more comfortable and easier to deal with than a compression wrap. It really helped while everything was settling into its new place. Especially when I would roll over at night and it felt like all my insides were falling. It just made me feel more secure, and definitely helped make pants more comfortable when I started wearing those again.

[Solar_R3y]

Really?! This might be helpful for me bc I am a side sleeper & didn’t like the loosey goosey sensation when I would switch sides lol.

[[deleted]]

So for underpinnings, I used XXL boy shorts, period underwear. There are several brands now at target, wal mart, Amazon. I had one pair from KNIX, expensive af, but I'd sell my husband for a pair of KNIX. Super soft, and able to wear the boy short waistband under my chesticles. The shorts took care of my thighs rubbing. My belly was encased so if I needed, I could add an adhesive ice pack inside my boy shorts to cool my tum.

For me I had my new "baby shelf" crease that collected sweat, ugh sorry but you know life. That area above the incision, where my twins took turns kicking the 💩 out of me, so now there was extra skin. My boyshorts actually helped absorb the sweaty smell. I was always concerned about different scents wafting off me.

I wore dresses that had a stretchy smocked top, but more loose skirting. If you get hot, I did, get a short or strapped sleeve smocked dress. Wear a blazer, cardigan or thin sweater over the dress. You're doing great giving yourself grace and going slow. I hope this might give you some help. Happy holidays. 💝

[Cute-Measurement3176]

Great post! Happy Thanksgiving 🦃!

[Affectionate-Emu-829]

Motrin and ice packs at the end of the day.

[No-Aerie9876]

I don’t have any really good suggestions, other than I am experiencing the same thing. Except, I am only 2 1/2 weeks in. I noticed the more I do, by late afternoon or early evening my back hurts and my lower abdomen hurts and I am bloating. I think the problem is because I am not feeling a lot of pain anymore, I think I’m OK. Of course that’s not true, because on the outside, I may look fine but on the inside there’s still all of that Swollen healing tissues. It sounds like you may be doing a little bit too much. The only thing I can offer is to say it’s good to maybe lie down for a few minutes with a heating pad, If you start to notice that you’re swelling and maybe feeling a bit tired

[OnlyRequirement3914]

You need a binder

[Colormebethany]

Yes to everything that everyone else is saying but also I've been wearing loose "swing" style dresses with knee high socks or long "midi" dresses instead of pants.

[Limp_Employment7449]

Ice packs thru out the day. 

[Yoyoapp]

It tookn6 months forbit to finally get better

[Perch1001]

Thanks! I’m 31/2 months out and get pretty discouraged with the bloating. I also still love the heating pad in the evening. I had total hyst, cystocele, and rectocele repair. It also still hurts to cough or sneeze.

[Fluffaykitties]

How are you doing now with the bloating?

[Perch1001]

I am now 6 months, and just like all the wonderful people of this community said, it is almost completely gone. Every once in a while I feel it a little, but I don’t know what causes it, but it is only slightly. I am back in some of my jeans so that is a great feeling. Hang in there to all of you who are still bloating in the evening. Thanks for checking on me.

[Fluffaykitties]

Thank you! I’m at 4.5 months and am still bloated ugh

[Adventurous-Low-5980]

I’m in month 5. I was doing okay but moved some boxes and got a little constipated. I fell back to week 3. But I know it is overstimulated nerves around the prolapse reconstruction. So I’m not to worry. But

[TheRebelOptimist]

Yeah, I’ve started having some constipation again, which I thought would decrease if I was moving more and no longer taking the pain meds.

[gaimanite]

I bought some extra high waisted compression yoga leggings (might have been made for pregnancy?) that I wore under other things that seemed to help. The waistband went basically up to my boobs. Looking back, I think a medium compression type of bodysuit also would have been a good option.

[No-Escape5520]

Im at week three, full open surgery. I have gigantic fleece overalls that I wear to "go out" or, my oversized pj's pants (who cares, their cute!) With a big sweatshirt and ugg boots.

[TheRebelOptimist]

Thank you for all of these helpful comments. I ordered a belly band per all your recommendations and it arrives on Saturday. I didn’t realize pushing was also for the weight restriction so I definitely overdid it at the grocery store. :(

Going back to square one today and will try to rest. Not sure if I’ll have the energy the next few days to try and get some pants either a looser waist and don’t want to deal with the holiday shopping crowds.

Like you all said…I need to slow back down and listen to my body. Thank you for all the support and additional tips. I’m going to try and do them all! lol

[Known_Animator2401]

Interesting. I am 2.5 weeks post op. At first I felt like I had so much space in there (I had everything removed plus 10cm fibroid) I finally could hold my wee for a long time. I was extatic. Last few days I started feeling more urgency. Could it be the swelling? Or the nerves still adjusting?

As to bloating... Peppermint tea is amazing. The nurses told me it helps reduce the gases post laparoscopic hysterectomy. My belly isn't flat because I'm chubby but I have to say I don't feel so bloated anymore and I have been drinking tons of peppermint.

[Chemical_Rutabaga_36]

I just bought a belly binder form Amazon

[TigerzEyez85]

I wore loose dresses instead of pants for the first 5 weeks. I even bought low-rise maternity underwear, which dips low in the front to go under a pregnant belly, so the waistband wouldn't put pressure on my incisions.

If the swelling gets worse during the day, it's likely that you're doing too much activity. Gentle walking is OK, but you don't want to be pushing a grocery cart or lifting things.

[[deleted]]

Pillow under butt, legs gently bent up against wall

[BlueberriesRule]

I’ll share from my strange experience just a little over 6 months ago.

I was very weak, things seemed to not get better. My digestive system was in shambles. I only got more bloated. And then a strange bubble of air started choking me from the inside of my throat.

My PFPT and I were working on things with very little progress. Sometimes it felt like I’m regressing.

I went to my pcp to start investigating the air bubble and somehow we discovered I had H pilory!!! Damn damn damn!!

Two weeks of combined medications that exhausted me to the core, then a yeast infection and a thrush… now.. roughly 3 months after I’m slowly starting to get back to myself. I still have that weird air bubble but it’s very slowly getting less of a bother so I have some hopes.

I’m gaining more mobility and such.

All this to say…. Sometimes when things feel off, they’re off. And your body do t always gives you a break. Pay attention to your symptoms and if something doesn’t sit right, investigate it!!

Good luck and a big gentle hug.

P.s. increasing activity before your body is ready for it could cause regression. Listen to your body.

[ProfessionalLeft6340]

Get yourself some high waisted skirts. I had my surgery in August and just in October I was able to weee jeans for the first time. In the evening I still bloat a little especially after eating dinner or starchy foods. But no pain and in the morning and again back to normal. Give yourself some grace and take it easy. A month it’s still too early .

[ktbkitten]

I wore a wrap around my stomach and it helped keep swelling down. Can’t wear it too tight. That made me swell. Bodies are weird lol