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1070971 tn?1299614110

Bowel problems after Hysterectomy

I was wondering if any women out there are having bowels problems since their Hysterecotomy. I had mine in April of this year. About a month later it is like my bowels just stopped working. I have to drink Milk of Magnesia ever two days just to go. My body doesn't tell me I have to go anymore. Today I had to call in sick from work since the pain has gotten bad from being backed up. I get backed up sometimes to the point I can not eat. I have been seeing a Gastro doctor. I had a colonoscopy and he did not see anything. I also had a CT scan also. My next test to have done is the pill cam. He said something must be going on in the small intestine. I really hope they find something. It kind of ***** to go from one issue to another. I had the hysterectomy due to urinary frequency/urgency. Found out I had uterine prolapse. Had to remove my uterus and put a sling since after having two kids everything went south. I am too young to have these issues. I just want my life back so I can share it with my family and not think about this anymore. Anyone have the same issues?
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Avatar universal
I also had a total lap hyst on 9/11/14 and have been having the same issues. I never know when I need to have a bowel movement. All I feel is pressure around my stomach a navel area. Sometimes I feel sick to where I have to lay down. I sit on the toilet for 5-10 minutes waiting for something to happen . I reached out to my physician and she said to give it time.  I pray this does not take too long because this is horrible. I don't have any indication when I need to urinate either. I just feel pressure & then I go to the bathroom to see what happens. Ugh!
Helpful - 1
2180412 tn?1337798149
I had the same procedure....april 27, 2012   Having pain when having a bowel movement  and thats if i have one... cant seem to find anything that helps even though im eating a high fiber diet and drinking only water... pain is sooo bad and we all are told not to force but what the heck..Hence, gaining weight. Help anyone
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
I was given samples of Movantix by my doc.Trust me it cleans you out within 10 minutes of taking it.I otherwise wouldnt have been able to go at all even with softeners.
Avatar universal
I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago.  Suddenly, I now have chronic constipation!  My doctor advised that I take MiraLAX daily.  I take it every night before bed.  It helps a lot.  I get very mild signals for excretion.  An article I read advised to be patient with yourself and take your time and don't strain.  Things work better that way.  

After the hysterectomy, I had trouble with caused by the catheter during surgery, but that has cleared up now.  I try to visit the bathroom more frequently for urination to prevent accidents.  That seems to be helping too.  Best wishes to you. - Rachel
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Had hysterectomy in August .Not had a normal bowel movement since.Had really bad stomach pains.And have to.push on my bottom of my back and vaginally cancel.to.do a poo getting to.be really annoying now.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was given samples of Movantix by my doc.Trust me it cleans you out within 10 minutes of taking it.I otherwise wouldnt have been able to go at all even with softeners.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was bleeding vaginally the first day.  the nurses didn't know why but the doctor had told them I would.  when I inquired with him why I was bleeding with my uterus gone, he said he had to suture the intestines in place or they would fall out my vagina because of the void created my removing tubes & uterus.  I can't find anything online about that though.  but the intestines are right above everything on a woman & the ovaries are way off to the side.  I guess on the female anatomy, the reproductive organs suspend the intestines & when they are gone, the intestines must be secured another way.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
069
I had surgery in Feb. 2014, before the surgery I had some issues with my bowels, but now this is crazy.  I take 2 tablespoons or more of flax seeds daily, avocado in salad with olive oil on it, fish oil, eat prunes,  black licorice, lots water, oat bran, you name it I'm doing it.  The only thing helping is a cleanse tablet that the bowels become dependent on if you use it too long.  I also just had a yeast infection, it's been years since I've had one of these.  I read all the above, is anyone having any luck with anything? Fed up
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know it's a few years since you posted about your bowels after hysterectomy but I too had terrible problems and after three more ops they told me that they had untwisted my bowel and put it back on the right side. It had been excruciating pain to deal with. That was 1998 , todate for the past two years my bowel has stopped working altogether and I now medicate to evacuate my bowels. I am convinced this is due to the problems after hysterectomy but of course unable to prove anything. Hope you are now back to normal! Perhaps you can post again with an update.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a hysterectomy several years ago and have all kinds of issues. Chronic fatigue, digestion issues, constipation, weight gain, absolutely no sex drive, depressed etc. THEN I read Suzanne Somers books. WOW! Now I am on bioidentical hormones, prescribed by my family doctor, and everything is getting back on track. Go to your doctor, get the blood tests, get on a full range of bioidentical hormones (balanced which means progesterone even though you don't have a uterus, because the body still needs to be in balance), insist on being in optimal, not normal, optimal health. Get a full range of vitamins' start walking every day.  I still have issues, but I am at least healthier than I have been in years.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Next month will be 1 year since my surgery(hysterectomy) I have had constipation and bowel problems since. Also have heartburn everyday which I never had until my surgery. I wish I never had the surgery. I think I'd rather hemmorage than to have all these other issues. My stomach is also bloated and swollen. Looks like I gained 10 pounds. Wish someone knew what they were doing. I feel like a ginea pig, with everyone telling me to try something different. Before the surgery I never took anything. If there is anyone who has had this problem and found a solution, please reach out.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Did things ever get better? I lost my feeling to poop after my hysterectomy & it has never returned. I never know when i need to go... EVER. Even when i push or try to be patient nothing happens. I now have to check if i had poop in my rectum by way of my vagina. Then i push it with my thumb through my vaginal wall. This is the only way i can poop now. It would just be in there forever if i did not go through this process. My doctor who did the operation said she had never heard of this, but i read online that they simetimes cut nerves when removing everything that take away the feeling that you have to go. And there is no getting it back! I hope your situation has gotten much better!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a partial hysterectomy three years ago. It was done vaginally and my doctor took every thing out but one ovary and she said while in there she could not reach one of my ovarys it was to high up to take it out vaginaly,so now when I have to go to  do number 2, I can feal my stool thru the sides of my vagina sometimes it will be on the right side of my vagina and sometimes on the left. I feel it if I press on one side or other on the front of the outside of my vagina. Has anyone in the whole wide world ever had this to happen. This started about a year ago now recently Its worse and I am worried I have colon cancer or something. Please let me know if this happened to you and what did you do.  Worried!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Let me start by saying don't give up you know your body you know when something is wrong. I hope that maybe some of what i say may be able to help. I had a partial hysterectomy in 2007 because i had so many cysts that where to large (size like 6 months pregnant ) to remove them all. I have not felt good for over 4 years. I was tested a few years ago and diagnosed with menopause, i was also diagnosed in 2005 with multiple scerosis.  At times I blamed the menopause  or the ms for how Ive been feeling. Have had many tests over the 4 years and nothing showed but IBS, gastritis, gerd, irritable bowel etc tried meds but didn't work. I am now at the point where I cant have a bowel movement unless i stand. When i sit it feels as though it is stuck. I feel sick know matter what I eat, I 've gained weight, cant exercise, depressed, cant walk long because of the rectum pressure, tired, no energy, back pain, leg pain, pain on my right side that can be unbearable it feels as though something is in there (bulging). Feel as though something is falling out of me. Sores on my upper body -biopsy showed it is some kind of inflammation on meds for that  it would come and go but the skin dr couldn't pin pint what was causing it., sometimes it wouldn't return for a year. Had an abcess on the side of my rectum which was told is not related. I few months ago I was talking to a nurse from the preventative program from work. She made me realize that this isn't how i should feel at almost 50 this year. my quality of life cant be what I am going thru. So i made up my mind to get answers. I made an apt with my gastro Dr in Sept. he advised that I had pelvic floor dysfunction and sent me to a general surgeon. Went in October to see the surgeon and he wouldn't give me any definite answers until i had some tests done. I also asked if the sores can be caused by what is going on he told me he would need to see the biopsy results.  I went for a sitzmarker test which is small rings in a pill that show how they travel along the colon. I also went out of my area on oct 31 for a dyfecography test which is a paste put in the rectum and then pushing while sitting on a toilet xrays are taken. When the test was finished i asked the dr what he seen. He advised me that my colon is ok...but he felt i have rectocele- a tear in the rectovaginal septum, rectal tissue bulges through this tear and into the vagina as a hernia. Two main causes-child birth and hysterectomy... would I have been better off if they tied my vagina, bladder so it wouldn't fall?  He also advised that i might need more tests. Can my bladder be involved too. I do have a boyfriend that told me he will be by my side. I hope that one day this all goes away but for now I know i am not crazy there has been something wrong. Maybe one day I'll be the person i was i sure do hope so. I wish you all the best. I hope you get some answers so you and your family can be whole again. Life is too short and we all deserve to live it to the fullest.. Be strong. Best of luck...........and take care...............
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Let me start by saying don't give up you know your body you know when something is wrong. I hope that maybe some of what i say may be able to help. I had a partial hysterectomy in 2007 because i had so many cysts that where to large (size like 6 months pregnant ) to remove them all. I have not felt good for over 4 years. I was tested a few years ago and diagnosed with menopause, i was also diagnosed in 2005 with multiple scerosis.  At times I blamed the menopause  or the ms for how Ive been feeling. Have had many tests over the 4 years and nothing showed but IBS, gastritis, gerd, irritable bowel etc tried meds but didn't work. I am now at the point where I cant have a bowel movement unless i stand. When i sit it feels as though it is stuck. I feel sick know matter what I eat, I 've gained weight, cant exercise, depressed, cant walk long because of the rectum pressure, tired, no energy, back pain, leg pain, pain on my right side that can be unbearable it feels as though something is in there (bulging). Feel as though something is falling out of me. Sores on my upper body -biopsy showed it is some kind of inflammation on meds for that  it would come and go but the skin dr couldn't pin pint what was causing it., sometimes it wouldn't return for a year. Had an abcess on the side of my rectum which was told is not related. I few months ago I was talking to a nurse from the preventative program from work. She made me realize that this isn't how i should feel at almost 50 this year. my quality of life cant be what I am going thru. So i made up my mind to get answers. I made an apt with my gastro Dr in Sept. he advised that I had pelvic floor dysfunction and sent me to a general surgeon. Went in October to see the surgeon and he wouldn't give me any definite answers until i had some tests done. I also asked if the sores can be caused by what is going on he told me he would need to see the biopsy results.  I went for a sitzmarker test which is small rings in a pill that show how they travel along the colon. I also went out of my area on oct 31 for a dyfecography test which is a paste put in the rectum and then pushing while sitting on a toilet xrays are taken. When the test was finished i asked the dr what he seen. He advised me that my colon is ok...but he felt i have rectocele- a tear in the rectovaginal septum, rectal tissue bulges through this tear and into the vagina as a hernia. Two main causes-child birth and hysterectomy... would I have been better off if they tied my vagina, bladder so it wouldn't fall?  He also advised that i might need more tests. Can my bladder be involved too. I do have a boyfriend that told me he will be by my side. I hope that one day this all goes away but for now I know i am not crazy there has been something wrong. Maybe one day I'll be the person i was i sure do hope so. I wish you all the best. I hope you get some answers so you and your family can be whole again. Life is too short and we all deserve to live it to the fullest.. Be strong. Best of luck...........and take care...............
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i had a full hysterectomy on dec 13,2011 and i have had nothing but trouble. i thought it was going to end my suffering but it didn't. now i have bladder problems and trouble having bowel movements. also it hurts when i have sex! my back bothers me alot also. can anyone help? i have had so many tests done and doctors cant figure out whats wrong. i had a ct scan and an mri done and nothing shows up. i think they are going to check my colon next. i was on medicine for IBS. that helped me go for about 2 weeks then that stopped working. i don;t know what to do. i am scared to have sex with my husband and my marriage isnt doing too good. i know he gets agrivated because i tense up when we have sex.i  don;t know if they put my bladder in a sling or not. i heard that might be whats causing my problems if they did. i don;t want to have this pain anymore. i hurt all the time. i have 2 children that need me and its hard taking care of them when im hurting. anyone else have these problems? anyone know what i can do? doctors act like im faking or something. they won;t even give me anything for pain other than ibuprofen. i just want this pain to go away. someone please help
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Me too! My total hysterectomy was in May 2012. I was doing pretty good other than having chronic diarrhea. The past couple of months my stomach bloats no matter what I eat or when I eat it. Fresh fruits and vegetables go totally undigested. And the weight gain in my stomach area is ridiculous, no where else just in my midsection. Scheduled to have a colon scope this month.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had mine this past spring and the pain does go away .... I felt like my body was being ripped apart at times..The problems im having now are stomach bloating a waight gain in the stomach area..  
Helpful - 0
2180412 tn?1337798149
I had the same procedure....april 27, 2012   Having pain when having a bowel movement  and thats if i have one... cant seem to find anything that helps even though im eating a high fiber diet and drinking only water... pain is sooo bad and we all are told not to force but what the heck..Hence, gaining weight. Help anyone
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Weight Watchers may help your weight?
Avatar universal
Comment on above-I had a hystercectomy two weeks ago-I feel great besides this colon issue, I also have left sided pain-extreme before after and during I have tried everything. My friend suggested lemon juice (straight from the lemon) and warm water mixed-I squeezed the lemon into the glass and it seems to be healing-if you read about lemon juice it is a natural healer-I have no problem going to the bathroom but it is the pain during the process-I also have light tinted blood coming from my rectum and my vaginabut it only appears after going to the bathroom-I am assuming that I am just healing and will take soome time.  Also I have been extremely careful what I eat and drink until I heal  Hope this is helpful
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a P&R Repair and Ablatian April 2010.  The ablatian failed so my doctor said we should do a hysterectomy.  September 2010 I had my uterus, cervix and fallopian tubes removed.  Since then I've had a myriad of symptoms.  First post operatively my once "perfect" ovaries now created a water-filled cyst on the right ovary.  We are watching this and determing if it does not dissolve that it will need to be removed.  But the other symptom that I worry about is blood in my stool.  I have had a minor "fissure" for many years in the rectum, but I've always lived with that.  I experience pain in my lower abdomen when going - lots of pressure, but I have no constipation.  Has anyone experienced blood from that region? Maybe it's just hemmroids?  Appreciate your thoughts?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Have you asked your doctor to check for diverticuitis ?
These are small pouches that can fill with poo and get infected causing "a lot" of pain with constipation, especially if the pain is on the lower left side of the abdomen.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a total hysterectomy in 2007, but had needed one for a few years before it finaly got done. Every since i have had bowel problems- IBS symptoms, either constipation or loose stools, south-end bleeding,feeling like i still have to go #2 more and dont, all that crap. the thing is  about 7 years before i had the surgery the doctor i had at the time was telling me all the reasons she didnt want me to have this done so young,wanted me to wait until there was no other option. (I'm 38 now, was 35 at the time of the surgery). the one thing i remember clearly her saying was that as all the organs ( ovaries, tubes, uterus) would be removed, the bowels would literally kinda settle down in the body cavity, you know kinda mush in on themselves a bit and as a result,I would most likely have life long issues with them. this unfortunately seems to be true. was anybody else told something similar? this sometimes makes me crazy...:)  thanks, jen
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i had hysterectomy in sept 2008 i have had this bowl problem ever since doctors never tried to figure it out so i have searched the internet and now finding out its all from my hysterectomy. WOW i have a dr apt this friday and printed info out from alot sites about this i can't believe i have to do the work for them.. went to the hospital in april 2010 for the same pain i had before the hysterectomy on the same side they did a ct scan and saw a large amount of stool in my left colon but they didn't figure it out either.so again now i'm taking this all to my md and be reffered again i will post what i hear back...i have been using exlax everyday just to go i have tried everything yall have written..tc missy
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a hysteroctomy on the 19th July 2010, I have just swapped one problem for another, i was in hosptital for 12 days after the operation, as my Bowel stopped working completley, Glad to be home after that, then on friday the 13th, just thought i was having a bad day but low and behold viloentley sick in the early hours and excrutiating lower abdominal pain, re addmitted, to be told i had a bowel adheision. still having trouble with the bowels, I am on so many tablets, i take gastric tablets and some wonderful tablets called biscopan, as on opening the bowels it was so painful. I am getting better everyday after 8 weeks, hopefully back to work soon, Susan
Helpful - 0
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