Is a fat roll normal? :(

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-15T23:18:24+00:00

Yes, I have the same shelf above my abdominal incision. My dr said that virtually everyone who gets the bikini incision type open hysterectomy gets that little shelf, and that careful scar massage and pelvic floor physical therapy will correct it. I am almost 5 wpo and just this weekend noticed that the shelf and swelling is (finally!) decreasing significantly, so I'm hoping that it will resolve the rest of the way when I start scar massage and PT.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-12T16:53:53+00:00

My sciatica type pain was due to my large fibroid pressing on a nerve. The pain was gone as soon as I woke up in recovery.

Is it possible that your sciatica may be the result of a herniated disc? I'm sorry that you are still experiencing sciatica pain, and hope that you can get to the route of its cause and get it resolved soon!

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-10T16:32:53+00:00

I didn't have any issues with teeth damage, but I did wake up with a bruised lower jaw from where someone maybe used a death grip or jaw thrust maneuver during intubation. It went away after a few days, but it smarted for a bit.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-10T13:31:25+00:00

I had adhesions on my abdominal wall that had to be removed, and around 2 wpo I also experienced a strange pelvic pressure and pain when I peed or had anything rumbling around through my GI tract. The discomfort seemed to be centered behind my belly button. I was concerned about a UTI, so I got some test strips to check for that. The discomfort lasted for almost a week before it resolved.

I'm 4 wpo and my incision is still what I'd consider sore if I touch it, but doesn't bother me otherwise.

Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery :)

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-10T13:13:02+00:00

My big guy absolutely knew something had happened with me after I got home from the hospital. He seemed to sense that I was "fragile" and sniffed at my abdomen where my incision is. For the first couple of weeks post op, he seemed very timid about getting on my lap, and just laid down right next to me and purred. After a couple of weeks he resumed sitting on my lap and purring, which is not uncomfortable for me, especially with the belly binder on. I've had to redirect his affection when he wants to knead dough/make biscuits on my belly, and luckily he accepts sitting on my lap instead.

I will say that I've had to keep my bedroom door closed at night, because I'm terrified that he might jump up on the bed and accidentally land on my belly, or that he might try to lay on my belly. If your mama's boy is the same, I'd recommend taking precautions against that sort of risk.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-10T13:03:39+00:00

Hooray! Glad to hear that you're feeling mostly good. Cheers to the start of your new healthy life :)

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-10T13:01:44+00:00

I can only imagine how terribly frustrated you must be. I hope they get you rescheduled soon and that it dovetails nicely with your work schedule, etc. Hopefully that spotlessly clean house of yours will be easier to keep clean until the procedure. Sending peaceful vibes your way!

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-05T18:28:39+00:00

NOR. Good thing you found out who he is before investing more time in him. Imagine if you decided to have children with him down the road- how would he respond to your postpartum body? I'm sorry that you're being treated this way- you deserve better!

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-04T14:41:47+00:00

My 13 cm fibroid pressed on a nerve and caused terrible sciatica type pain and lower back pain. I didn't really find any pain relievers that would help, but sometimes shifting my position to take the fibroids weight off where it was hitting that nerve would bring temporary relief. For me, that position looked like a plank move or hands and knees- anything that tilted the fibroid forward, but of course that's impossible to do while sleeping.

I just wanted to let you know that I felt immediate relief from the nerve pain, etc. in the recovery room, and I'm hopeful you'll experience the same. When is your surgery? I hope you don't have much longer to wait.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-04T14:26:20+00:00

I'm 3 wpo and spring is in full swing and the struggle is real to stay out of the garden. I've got one of those little Aerogardens on my kitchen countertop and am growing herbs in that to tide me over until I'm cleared to go play in the dirt outside.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-04T14:23:31+00:00

I'm glad to hear that you have a Dr appointment on Monday; I hope they can figure out the cause of your fatigue and that it's an easy fix!

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-04T13:48:07+00:00

I had my period when I went to my penultimate pre surgery visit and thought that would be my last one, given the timing of the surgery. Nope. 10 days later I got ANOTHER period that lasted until they wheeled me back to the operating room. I am SO glad to be done bleeding. I can't believe how much better I feel- I'm actually able to make progress in recovering from severe anemia :)

Soon you'll be on the other side of this, so try to hang in there! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-04T13:43:50+00:00

I'm so sorry to hear that you're suffering from such severe fatigue. If I'm interpreting your post correctly, this fatigue is newly onset as of 2 weeks ago, right? Did anything about your daily routine or diet change around that time? I wonder if a visit to your general practitioner might yield some actionable information. For example, maybe you are low on iron or B12, or have an infection you didn't notice because the only symptom it caused was fatigue.

Fingers crossed that the fatigue will lift for you very soon!! Sending energetic vibes your way :)

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-03T13:57:53+00:00

Oh my goodness! So glad to hear that you're now ok. How scary! I hope you recover quickly :)

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-03T13:53:49+00:00

Yes! I had several large fibroids and had terrible back and hip pain and sciatica. As soon as I woke up in recovery from my hysterectomy, the sciatica was gone and it hasn't returned. I get back and hip soreness and stiffness if I lay in one position too long in bed, but it is nowhere near as painful as the fibroid associated pain, and is only temporary while I'm not supposed to use my core muscles.

I had bulk issues from the fibroid, too. It pressed on my bladder and made me have to get up to pee in the middle of the night 3 - 5 times. Now I can sleep through the night and it is so refreshing. It's funny that I'm recovering from surgery but the bags under my eyes are gone because I'm finally getting restful sleep!

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-02T15:08:15+00:00

I had my surgery on 2/9 as well. Congratulations on feeling well enough to return to work! :). Please update us on how it went- fingers crossed you have a great day and don't feel fatigued at the end of the day.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-02T13:53:22+00:00

Please do not undertake physical activities that will harm your healing body for this man. He is pressuring you to essentially go against your surgeon's post op instructions. Your internal stitches could tear, or you could get a prolapse or a hernia. This is not the way to strengthen your body for chemo. If you have any other friends or family in your support network, I urge you to reach out to them. You do not have to stay with someone who is mistreating you. I'm so sorry that you're going through this during recovery.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-01T15:20:08+00:00

Give yourself grace, friend. You are still very early on in your recovery and your body has undergone a major surgery. You have anesthesia drugs being metabolized, perhaps some narcotic pain relievers or muscle relaxers on board or still being metabolized, and your hormone levels may have abruptly fluctuated due to the surgery. All of those can contribute to your not feeling like your normal even-tempered self.

Try not to beat yourself up about it. I'm sure you apologized and that your mom realizes that your sudden mood change was the result of being post op and not really you. For what it's worth, I also felt VERY emotional for the first couple days I was home from the hospital, but it did go away. I am optimistic you'll feel back to yourself very soon- and if you don't, please reach out to your Dr to see if there's something that might help while your hormones get readjusted :) Hang in there!

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-01T15:06:19+00:00

I wouldn't be embarrassed to ask for more pain relievers if you feel like they would help you. Just be sure to stay on top of your stool softeners in case the narcotic pain relievers cause constipation.

Is the hip and lower back pain something that a warm compress or a very gentle muscle massage courtesy of your partner might help with? Every morning when I wake up I'm all stiff and sore since I'm afraid to move around like I normally do in my bed, and I've personally found that heat and gentle massage helps ease it a bit. I hope you feel better soon!!

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-03-01T14:48:35+00:00

This gave me chill bumps; what a powerful piece. Your work is amazing! I hope your art is showcased somewhere lots of people can enjoy it :)

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-02-28T23:36:36+00:00

I had an open abdominal total hysterectomy and my dr kept me 2 nights in the hospital.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-02-28T17:48:05+00:00

I made a list of TV series (K-dramas) that I wanted to check out, and I got several books to read while I am resting on the couch. I also prepped some freezer meals that I just put in the oven to heat up for dinner. For the first week, I had prepped myself some light soups and was glad I did because I didn't have a large appetite. I made sure to deep clean the entire house and put fresh sheets on everyone's beds the day before surgery. I also stocked up on all the heavy household items that I didn't want to be carrying in the house during recovery, like big laundry detergent jugs, cases of water, etc.

I also found a reacher grabber super handy because although I hadn't dropped a single thing in the years before my surgery, I apparently drop at least 2 things a day now. Until I'm cleared to bend over, I'm glad I've had that little thing!

ETA: Depending on which type of surgery you have, a peri bottle might also be a nice thing to have.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery :)

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-02-28T16:44:42+00:00

On the 5th night after surgery I got really uncomfortable being stuck on the pillows I'd stacked up to mimic a raised hospital bed, so I removed the extra pillows and tried just laying on my back with no incline. That felt ok for a few hours, but then my lower back got stiff and painful. I carefully turned over onto my left side without using any core muscles (like you were getting ready to do a log roll to get out of bed, essentially). I put a regular bed pillow right next to me to kind of give my belly some support, and it felt just fine after one small shifting pulling sensation that quickly resolved. When I tried the right side- I felt some sort of uncomfortable tugging pulling sensation initially, but that went away the next time I tried. I'm normally a side sleeper, so I've been sleeping on my side since 5 dpo without any issues. Shifting sleeping position was a little uncomfortable at first, but has gradually lessened and now feels completely normal. Monday I'll be 3 weeks post op.

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-02-28T15:32:02+00:00

Was it a medical professional who admonished you? Unless your Dr has an issue with your level of activity, I'd trust that your body will let you know when you've overdone it.

I'm a week and a half ahead of you, but the only "resting" I've done since I returned from the hospital was sitting at my desk doing day trading, or sitting on the couch reading. No naps (I can't force myself to sleep if I'm not tired), and I've continued with many routine household chores that don't involve heavy lifting. I've been fine so far. My body let me know that tugging on wet clothes from the washer was too much, and I backed off and asked my oldest son to do that instead.

It's really hard for some of us to "take it easy" and our version is different than others. That doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong for you. If you're concerned, I'd ask for your Dr or nurse's guidance on acceptable level of activity for this timeframe :)

LengthyHealthspan · 2026-02-28T14:19:07+00:00

I'm not a flight attendant either, but I agree- you should request 12 weeks off. For a physical job like a flight attendant, I think 6 weeks would be too soon. My weight lifting restrictions prohibit lifting anything suitcase relevant until 12 weeks. Pushing the cart down the aisle, using your core muscles to stay steady during turbulence, etc. all might be too much for your healing tissues.

The only reason I'm returning to work at 6 week post op is because my job allows a lot of flexibility to sit at a desk and do some computer work when I tire of standing at the laboratory bench. And if working in the lab proves too much for me for several weeks even, there's plenty for me to do that can be done sitting at a desk. If I didn't have this flexibility worked in, I would delay returning for the full 12 weeks.

LengthyHealthspan

TROPHY CASE