When planning my hysterectomy, one thing I was looking forward to was a life free of chronic back pain. With my endometriosis, my back and leg pain was almost as debilitating as my cramps and bleeding. Just days after my surgery, I could already feel a big difference. Aside from the pain at the incision, I was feeling better than I had in years. One notable change was the absence of back pain. Oh, happy day.
Imagine my surprise, then, to find my back hurting-- badly-- in my third week post-op. I instantly jumped to conclusions-- my endo wasn't completely removed, my back pain was never related to the endo in the first place, I was still doomed to a life of chronic pain, and on and on.
Luckily, I learned that back pain is perfectly normal in the third and fourth weeks post-hysterectomy. Apparently, the back is having to compensate for the weakened abdominal muscles. The pain should go away in another week or so. In the meantime, I'm finding relief from:
- Ibufrofen
- Heating pad
- Warm bath
- Walking
Don't worry, girls... this, too, shall pass. Just keep thinking of the pain- and period-free days ahead and it'll all be worth it.
There is life after hysterectomy... and it's good. Enjoy!
Back pain is one of the most frequent problems that hysterectomized women report. Among other reasons is the fact that the utero-sacral ligament, which is attached to the uterus and to the sacrum in the lower back, must be severed to remove the uterus during hysterectomy. For a more complete discussion of what women report after hysterectomy, watch the video at http://hersfoundation.org/anatomy/index.html.
Rick Schweikert
hersfdn@verizon.net