Aa
Post Op Pain
Eight and a half weeks ago I had a laparotomy to remove my omentum and appendix. (Due to cancer cells found in a cyst which was removed 7 weeks prior. They planned to take the ovary, but decided to leave it.)
The incision is just under an inch below my belly button, and goes down to the pubic bone. I had a bit of trouble with it healing, it got infected and opened in two places. But after 5 weeks it finally closed. I hadn’t had any significant pain since around week 3.
But when I went back to work last week (week 7) I started to get a burning pain just above and to the left of my belly button, when I’ve had a very long/tiering day, area gets quite swollen. It’s a very localised swelling, and is above the abdominal wall.
All the swelling and pain disappear overnight, and then slowly come back during the day.
I talked to the surgeon about it at my 6 week follow up, and he said it was probably bruising.
My GP doesn’t think it’s bruising, because this long after surgery it should have cleared up (unless there’s fresh bleeding, which neither doctor thinks there is.) He thought it was a hernia, but couldn’t find one. He’s now certain that it’s not a hernia, and not bruising.
As the pain feels exactly like the stiches felt the day after my laparoscopy (quite a lot worse some nights) he’s suggested there may be internal stitches dissolving that are aggravating the area.
Unfortunately the hospital never sent the surgery notes to him, so he can’t be sure there’s even stitching there. (It’s a good inch and a half from the incision, but then they took biopsies of EVERYTHING, so they did do stuff up above the incision.)
He also suggested that if there was endometriosis near the biopsy/stitching sight it could be aggravating it further.
Has anyone experienced this, or have any suggestions on things to check for?
The incision is just under an inch below my belly button, and goes down to the pubic bone. I had a bit of trouble with it healing, it got infected and opened in two places. But after 5 weeks it finally closed. I hadn’t had any significant pain since around week 3.
But when I went back to work last week (week 7) I started to get a burning pain just above and to the left of my belly button, when I’ve had a very long/tiering day, area gets quite swollen. It’s a very localised swelling, and is above the abdominal wall.
All the swelling and pain disappear overnight, and then slowly come back during the day.
I talked to the surgeon about it at my 6 week follow up, and he said it was probably bruising.
My GP doesn’t think it’s bruising, because this long after surgery it should have cleared up (unless there’s fresh bleeding, which neither doctor thinks there is.) He thought it was a hernia, but couldn’t find one. He’s now certain that it’s not a hernia, and not bruising.
As the pain feels exactly like the stiches felt the day after my laparoscopy (quite a lot worse some nights) he’s suggested there may be internal stitches dissolving that are aggravating the area.
Unfortunately the hospital never sent the surgery notes to him, so he can’t be sure there’s even stitching there. (It’s a good inch and a half from the incision, but then they took biopsies of EVERYTHING, so they did do stuff up above the incision.)
He also suggested that if there was endometriosis near the biopsy/stitching sight it could be aggravating it further.
Has anyone experienced this, or have any suggestions on things to check for?
Thank you, I'll check it out. (Also, Dr Redwine, best name EVER!)
I'm in Australia. According to my mother-in-law the public hospitals just don't give out your info, where as the private ones send you everything. Which is stupid, in a private hospital you see the same doctor. In the public hospital you see who's on duty. It was just a fluke I saw my actual surgeon at my 6 week check up.
When my doctors got the info I'll look into getting the info from the first surgery as well. I'm thinking the more information I have, and my doctor has, the better off I'll be.
Thanks for the answers and suggestions :-)
I'm in Australia. According to my mother-in-law the public hospitals just don't give out your info, where as the private ones send you everything. Which is stupid, in a private hospital you see the same doctor. In the public hospital you see who's on duty. It was just a fluke I saw my actual surgeon at my 6 week check up.
When my doctors got the info I'll look into getting the info from the first surgery as well. I'm thinking the more information I have, and my doctor has, the better off I'll be.
Thanks for the answers and suggestions :-)
I just called the hospital. They don't give out information to your doctor unless you specifically ask your doctor to call them and ask them to send it.
They won't give it to me unless I pay for it.
So I've called my doctor and he's now hunting it down for me... Red tape is infuriating.
They won't give it to me unless I pay for it.
So I've called my doctor and he's now hunting it down for me... Red tape is infuriating.
I didn't get anything on my 6 week check up. The surgeon was very dismissive of the pain, and all he really said was "The incision is closed, you can go back to work." I was a bit grumpy about it actually.
I might call the hospital and see if I can get hold of the surgical report.
I don't think they used the laser, but I can't be sure.
My GP wants to have the ultra sound done while it's swollen... But that's proving tricky. It dissapears completely overnight, and only swells after I've had a full day of work.
Anything less than a full day, and the swelling goes down after an hour or so of rest. The damned thing goes down while I'm in the waiting room.
I've got photos of it on my phone, and so far that's the only way I've been able to show the doctor.
I might call the hospital and see if I can get hold of the surgical report.
I don't think they used the laser, but I can't be sure.
My GP wants to have the ultra sound done while it's swollen... But that's proving tricky. It dissapears completely overnight, and only swells after I've had a full day of work.
Anything less than a full day, and the swelling goes down after an hour or so of rest. The damned thing goes down while I'm in the waiting room.
I've got photos of it on my phone, and so far that's the only way I've been able to show the doctor.
I am wondering if there is fluid built up there. Did they do an ultrasound to check? That is something I would do. A girl at work here had a tummy tuck and a laparotomy was done and for weeks after she had to get this fluid drained. I know its not the same type of surgery but its a possibility.
Also Did they use the laser? Laser can leave behind carbon residue and there for act like a splinter like pain. It is possible it is that.
Also Scar tissue would have already started to form and it could be attached to that area so that is another possibility.
Can you not call the surgeon and ask for the surgical report? On your 6 week follow up he/she should have given you one.
Let me know
Also Did they use the laser? Laser can leave behind carbon residue and there for act like a splinter like pain. It is possible it is that.
Also Scar tissue would have already started to form and it could be attached to that area so that is another possibility.
Can you not call the surgeon and ask for the surgical report? On your 6 week follow up he/she should have given you one.
Let me know
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Here after you have surgery at 6 week post op appt they give you a copy of the surgical report. Even if I had to pay like $10 for it I would have however I don't get why in hell a doctor would do that.
I can understand your entire file of stuff but one piece of paper?
What I would suggest when you get it is go to the Facebook group called Endometropolis and that is where Dr. Redwine answers questions he is wonderful and is retired from surgeries but is utilizing his time helping us get the correct information about this disease since there are so many wishy washy answers from doctors because they are not aware of the facts.
If you tell him about this and give him some of the info on your surgery he can help, actually even without the report if you told him he might have some information as to why this is happening. Seriously he is amazing.