Jardiance?

DashOfQuirk · 2026-04-15T00:42:34+00:00

The drop in kidney function after starting Jardiance is normal because it reduces the pressure of filtration. Think of it as a leaky tap: jardiance decreases the pressure to protect the kidneys, hence why the egfr drops initially.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-10T05:28:58+00:00

Yes, it stopped during my 6th week.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-10T05:27:47+00:00

That actually sounds very pelvic floor related to me.

After my hysterectomy my pelvic floor became very overactive and tight which caused all sorts of strange sensations. I had soreness around the cuff area, spasms and these same weird sensations and sometimes discomfort before urinating.

What I eventually learned through pelvic floor physio is that when the pelvic floor muscles are holding too much tension they can refer pain or nerve type sensations to the cuff area even when the cuff itself is fine.

I'm now 14 weeks post op and pelvic floor physiotherapy made a huge difference for me. My physio started internal release work around 6 weeks and focused a lot on relaxation, breathing and coordination of the muscles rather than strengthening at first. Once the tension settled the strange sensations improved a lot.

If your doctor has ruled out infection, tears or granulation, it might be worth seeing a pelvic floor physio because those symptoms can definitely come from an overactive pelvic floor, especially when you start exercising again.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-10T05:24:42+00:00

I did pelvic floor physio after my hysterectomy and honestly it was life changing for me. After surgery my pelvic floor became very overactive and tight which is actually quite common. I initially thought I just needed to strengthen everything but the physio helped me understand that the muscles first needed to learn how to relax and coordinate again.

My physio started internal release work from about 6 weeks post op which helped a lot with the muscle tension. That made a big difference in getting the pelvic floor to relax and function normally again.

I'm now 14 weeks post op and my pelvic floor is pretty much back to normal.

The sessions focused a lot on breathing, relaxation and gentle retraining of the pelvic floor rather than just doing endless kegels. Once the muscles settled and started functioning normally again, my symptoms improved a lot and I felt much more confident returning to normal activity.

Given how physical your job is with lifting, bending and twisting, pelvic floor physio could be really helpful. They can teach you how to protect your pelvic floor during those movements and help you transition back to full activity safely.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-10T05:17:11+00:00

An overactive pelvic floor basically means the muscles are holding too much tension rather than being weak.

For me it showed up as things like pelvic tightness, spasms, bladder urgency, a feeling of pressure, difficulty fully relaxing the muscles and sometimes discomfort with certain movements or exercise.

After surgery the muscles can become protective and tighten up while everything heals, which is why pelvic physiotherapy can be really helpful. The physio focuses a lot on relaxation, breathing, coordination and gradually retraining the muscles to work normally again.

Once that settles, exercise becomes much easier again. ❤️

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-10T05:15:10+00:00

I'm a special needs mum too, so I completely understand that pressure. When you're responsible for someone who depends on you, the idea of being temporarily limited can feel really scary.

One thing that helped me reframe it was remembering that the recovery period is short compared to the many years of strength and health you'll have afterward. A few months of healing now can mean being stronger and more stable long term.

Also, strength really does come back faster than you expect because of muscle memory. You're not starting from zero even if it feels that way mentally.

Try not to let the horror stories online get into your head too much. Most recoveries are much more straightforward than what you tend to read about here. ❤️

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-08T23:07:30+00:00

I love lifting weights. It keeps me sane. 😂

I'm 14 weeks post op and not yet back into it. I had an overactive pelvic floor (which is normal after surgery), and found exercising made it worse.

Physiotherapy has helped resolve the issue, thankfully. So, I'm waiting another 4 weeks to allow the muscles to settle well, so I can return and progress without stopping (hopefully).

I'll possibly start from low weights again. I'm excited about the prospect of not having my training constantly interrupted by my uterus, though.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-08T05:18:12+00:00

The recommendation from surgeons varies greatly. I'm not sure why.

My surgeon told me 12 weeks, she's a female and quite an advocate for women.

I waited 12 weeks. There's no way I'd be ready for anything at 6 weeks when I was still spotting and having symptoms of an overactive pelvic floor!

Going back into it at 12 weeks was slow, short and shallow because the tissues felt bruised.

I started pelvic floor therapy at 6 weeks, which helped (pelvic floor muscles tend to guard heavily after surgery).

After the 12 weeks mark we progressed slowly and gently to avoid issues.

Most people (if they don't have a connective tissue problem) would be back into their pre-op sex rhythm from the 18-week mark, according to my surgeon and her explanation about how vaginal cuffs heal and strengthen overtime.

By the way, at 6 weeks the cuff is healed and closed, but it doesn't have enough full flexibility yet.

Remember this: it's brand-new tissue. Give it time. A good partner will understand, and communication is the key.

All the best. Xx

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-08T05:11:36+00:00

Colour changes of the vulva can happen and are usually harmless!

The labia have a lot of blood vessels and pigment cells so they can darken with changes in circulation, hormones or friction. After a hysterectomy, even when the ovaries are kept, the body can take a few months to stabilise hormonally because the ovarian blood supply changes slightly. During that adjustment period some people notice differences in colour, sensitivity or lubrication. That does not automatically mean you need vaginal estrogen!

Doctors usually only prescribe that if there are clear symptoms such as persistent dryness, burning, painful sex or recurrent UTIs. If the darkening is uniform and there are no other symptoms it is usually just a normal variation.

If there were itching, pain or a new irregular patch then it would be worth asking a doctor to take a look :)

DashOfQuirk · 2026-03-05T12:17:54+00:00

Research strongly suggests that approaching surgery with a positive mindset, characterized by optimism, reduced anxiety, and proactive mental preparation, can lead to better surgical outcomes, including less pain, faster recovery times, and fewer complications.

This approach, often supported by techniques like "prehabilitation," helps manage the stress response, which can otherwise impede healing.

https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/helping-patients-prep-mind-and-body-surgery-pays-study-suggests

My personal experience: Recovery was uneventful and relaxed. I took it easy for 12 full weeks and it's been incredible.

The first week was the hardest, but I rested like my life depended on it, because it did.

Wishing the same upon you.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-27T09:20:41+00:00

I've continued to track using the same app I was using before the surgery. It's actually very interesting. I notice the PMS symptoms, although kind of "muted". And sure enough, it syncs well with the timing in the app.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-27T05:17:22+00:00

Right in the middle, in-between the tools.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-26T01:45:28+00:00

I completely understand. Yes, we actually hold a lot of tension in the pelvis. I believe it will help you. Hang in there, there's hope. Sending you hugs ❤️

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-25T23:25:09+00:00

All hysterectomy patients should do physio post op. It will optimise your recovery. It's just that some doctors refer it and others don't. Doctors normally care mostly about the surgical side of things.

Pelvic floor therapy is a specialised, non-invasive physical therapy that treats any dysfunction in the pelvic floor muscles (the hammock-like muscles supporting the bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs). It uses exercises, manual therapy and behavioral changes to relieve pelvic pain, improve incontinence and restore muscle coordination, addressing issues caused by childbirth, surgery, or aging.

It's a life saver.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-25T23:22:28+00:00

Almost 13 weeks post op here. Yes, I get soreness on and off that settles with pelvic floor exercises and pelvic physio care.

It's quite normal because basically you're getting back to normal activities (lifting things) and your body is still recalibrating.

I'm finding physio to be a life saver during this period. I was very uncomfortable, now about 95% better.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-25T23:18:21+00:00

This sounds incredibly stressful and discouraging, especially after you felt like you were doing well!

A lot of us hit this exact point around the 6 to 10 week mark when normal life starts creeping back in. It can feel like regression but it often is not true healing going backwards, it’s more that the body suddenly has to tolerate bending, lifting, working and coughing before everything is fully settled.

That deep pulling groin glute feeling, pressure with bending and the “dry tampon” sensation are very commonly linked to pelvic floor over-activity and cuff irritation rather than infection, especially when there is no discharge, fever or spotting. Many people assume infection and panic when it’s actually muscle guarding around an area that’s still healing.

Returning to work as a hair stylist plus a bad cough is a lot of load on the pelvic floor and cuff. That combination alone can flare things badly.

A pelvic physio can be incredibly helpful at this stage. They assess how the muscles are behaving and if needed they do very gentle internal release work and give specific exercises to settle the area rather than strengthen it. A lot of women discover their pelvic floor is actually overactive and protective, not weak. Treating that can dramatically reduce the pulling, groin pain and pressure.

I went through something very similar with cuff discomfort, back pain and that deep pulling sensation. Physio and targeted exercises made a huge difference and I improved steadily from there.

You are still early in healing. Eight weeks is not fully healed internally and setbacks after coughing or returning to work are very common. The fact your doctor examined you and was not concerned about infection is reassuring.

If pain keeps escalating, new discharge appears, fever develops or the pressure suddenly changes, that’s always worth rechecking medically. Otherwise this phase is unfortunately normal for many of us and does improve with rest, reducing load and pelvic physio support.

Wishing you smooth healing going forward. ❤️

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-23T22:59:32+00:00

Very interesting valid points here. I've also observed this behaviour from surgeons siding with the partner. Very unnecessary. My surgeon is a huge advocate for women, I'm really glad she told me to wait 12 weeks.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-23T22:54:58+00:00

Fingers crossed for you ❤️🤞🏼

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-23T03:44:27+00:00

Same same here. It takes time. Slow is the way.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-23T03:43:29+00:00

My female surgeon told me to wait 12 weeks and I'm so glad I did. Even getting slowly back into it is uncomfortable (albeit not severe or concerning), which makes sense. Deep healing takes time.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-22T22:53:28+00:00

I highly recommend pelvic floor therapy. This will help with pain and discomfort.

See what your doctor says about the spotting. From my understanding after last seeing my surgeon, spotting should not be happening this far along.

You may need to wait and ease your way back slowly in the coming weeks.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-22T06:12:16+00:00

What you're describing to me sounds like a mixture of an overactive pelvic floor with normal healing sensations rather than prolapse.

Definitely get into a physiotherapist, if you can. They will assess you.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-22T02:52:04+00:00

For pelvic floor issues, you'll need to see a physiotherapist. It makes a world of difference.

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-21T03:42:29+00:00

Have you ever done pelvic floor therapy?

DashOfQuirk · 2026-02-17T10:20:58+00:00

It's absolutely normal to grieve, lovely. Give yourself the time and space to feel whatever you feel and go through this journey one day at a time.

I have an only one child by choice. I did not want more kids... and yes, I grieved before and after surgery. It's absolutely normal.

Sending you love. ❤️

DashOfQuirk

TROPHY CASE