11 Weeks Post Hysterectomy – Karen’s Story

Hi my name is Karen. I am 39 years old and had an abdominal hysterectomy on 6th September due to large fibroids and very low iron.

All seemed well when I woke up. I was discharged 48hrs after my op (Thursday) By the Sunday afternoon I was starting to feel very unwell and had pains in my leg and the whole of my tummy being black with bruises up to my belly button (if I could upload a photo I would). I went back to the hospital and was told I had an infection in my scar. I was given antibiotics and bloods taken and sent home.

At 10 pm that evening I had a phone call from the doctor to inform me my bloods had dropped again from 12.5 to 8 and I would need to go back in to hospital the following morning for a blood transfusion.

On my return to the hospital they decided to check my bloods again to see if it had gone up over night? They said I may of had an internal bleed. As my bloods had gone up they decided I didn’t need the transfusion but the antibiotic I was on were the wrong ones, so an alternative course of antibiotics was given.

My concern was for the bruise on my tummy as my scar wasn’t hurting but the whole of my tummy was so sore, even to stroke. I was asking for a scan all of the time but it was dismissed.

A week later I returned to the hospital for them to take another look at my tummy and scar again as I was still in a lot of pain. They decided to change my antibiotics as they said the infection wasn’t responding to the other antibiotics? All of this time I was seen by lots of different doctors! I was asked to come back again in 7 days.

Two days later I was so ill I rang the hospital and said I was coming in as my tummy, underneath all the bruising was so sore and painful. I was admitted this time and taken for an ultra sound scan to see what all the bruising was all about. About time in my eyes.

They discovered that I had plum sized mass that was filled with puss and fluid and was infected. I knew that I had an infection in my scar and that was starting to clear up but knew how my tummy felt that something wasn’t right.

All the people I have spoken to had never seen bruising like mine from a hysterectomy. I was relieved to say the least, that finally we knew what was the cause of all the pain was. Again I was given antibiotics and sent home. It’s now 4 weeks on and the mass is still there but the infection has gone and I am told the plum size mass is breaking up?

I am starting to feel much better, however I still get pains towards the end of the day and also a stinging sensation. I am so looking forward to returning to work in a weeks time, but I know my own body and understand that I will have to still take things slowly, as I think its going to be a few more months before I feel totally normal again.

I’m off to Barbados for Christmas and am looking forward to a relaxing time in the sunshine. Just a bit upset i haven’t been able to go to my zumba class to get into my bikini body. (on the plus side) no periods to contend with

I truly feel this operation was needed, but in my naivety didn’t think it would take me this long to recover. So ladies, please take each operation as individual to each person, listen to your own body and instinct and you will all make a recovery in time.

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