Topic: ladies who have had an ovary removed: please talk to me if you have time
lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
i just got some conflicting info that is upsetting to me-and i hope some of you can help clarify.
4 days after having one ovary and tube and cyst removed (plus d&c), the burning in the area the ovary was is getting much worse. no temp. no redness. some heat on and off.
i thought it was because the anesthesia and pain meds i got in the hospital were wearing off(even tho they say the drugs wear off in 48 hrs-for me it usually takes longer).
again-the same as after my gall bladder was removed-I HAVE HAD NO LYME PAIN SINCE THE SURGERY-of course i am taking a stronger nsaid instead of my usual ibuprofen. the week before the surgery i could hardly walk from lyme pain in my knees and a fractured pelvis. so this "no lyme pain" time is a plus for me after surgery.
the burning is bad tho. i think it helps to move a certain amount-but not too much-and i remembber the nurses in the hospital mentioning the "burning pain" as if it was normal. a nurse friend , however, just told me burning can be from a nerve being damaged during surgery and may never go away. i don't want to hear this-or think about it.
on the plus side-besides not having lyme pain-my reflux seems to be gone...(i guess it might come back tomorrow when i switch back to my normal ibu dose instead of the ketorolac). i wish i could stay on this stuff forever-i'm walking with out pain and cutting up vegetables-things i can't do cuz of my arthritis-but the doc says it is very bad for my liver so can't take it more than 5 days.
so anyway-if you have time and can help me understand the burning-please do. i don't want to worry about this. i just want it to be a normal part of the healing. another nurse told me her chronic low back pain went away after a total hysterectomy-so there are some good things about this...i hope. thanks.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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I haven't had the surgery, but my sister has. And my mom's a nurse, so I asked her, too.
The burning is (in Mom's words) "the price you pay for letting grown men walk through your abdomen". She also assures you that it is part of the normal healing process and will go away.
How long it takes varies from person to person, but she said, "Four days!? Not nearly long enough to be causing worry. " She thinks that you may be feeling that burning for a while (because little nerves ALWAYS get damaged when you have surgery, but they will sort themselves out in time), yet.
There are a couple of things you can try - visualization where you imagine the burning as a good, healing heat.
There's a homeopathic remedy called Bellis Perennis that any good health food store should have. Bellis works particularly well for pain deep in the abdominal/pelvic area. I made sure that my sister had some on hand when she had her surgery.
Best wishes for you for a speedy recovery! Posts: 369 | From Ohio | Registered: Mar 2002
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klutzo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5701
posted
Hello, I am so sorry for your burning pain. I hope it goes away soon. I had an ovary removed due to a burst ovarian cyst, but it was back in 1973, long before I got Lyme in 1986. I had no pain of any kind after surgery, except some gas pain in my shoulders, that I was told I would have before the surgery, due to the gas they use to blow up the abdomen so they can see. So, I guess my experience would not apply to you. I have turned down about five other types of surgeries since having Lyme, because I am afraid of what might happen. I hope you are just in the healing process and it will all resolve itself. God Bless, Klutzo
Posts: 1269 | From Clearwater, Florida, USA | Registered: May 2004
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
thank you both for answering so soon. and mikken for searching for answers for me. how sweet of you and it really does help to hear that. i have to go to the health food store anyway so will look for the stuff.
i know a lot of people say surgery is worse with lyme-but all of mine have been easy and i had less lyme pain after for awhile except my bunion. i had a real ruf time with that-(oh and the neuroma too)..there was a lot of lyme in my feet when i had them done. i was on codeine-really out of it -for a month after the bunion and in a wheel chair for 6 months...the neuroma was a big mistake and everything went wrong-woke up in the middle of surgery----creepy...so this is not bad...but i didn't want to think it would be like this for ever-thanks.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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I had my left ovary removed in October, 1995, because I had a huge cyst.
I didn't have any burning sensation, but had a tightening feeling where the incision was made - like a rubber band pulling and stretching. I was also hunched over for about a week.
It took about two weeks to start feeling "normal" again. I didn't take any pain medication because one of the side effects was constipation and that's the last thing that I wanted, especially since I was cut in the abdomen. But, I have a high tolerance for pain.
Hang in there. It will get better.
Cinder Posts: 60 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2005
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
gees-no pain and no pain meds?????? you must be super woman. do you feel lyme pain? my pain med is a nsaid. i don't do narcotics...yet anyway. so none of that kind of problem.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I had a hysterectomy and one ovary removed laproscopically. I didn't have the burn you describe.
However, I did notice you said you had reflux, and I have a remedy for that. One teaspoon apple cider vinegar a day, and it'll be gone. Try it, and good luck tou you.
Feel better soon, Jill
Posts: 203 | From Jacksonville, FLorida | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Well, don't know if my input will be much help. Pre-lyme I had an ovary and cyst removed, as well as a tubal ligation. The burning afterward was on both sides of my pelvic area, during my period.
This burning and abnormal periods were enough to go back to the Dr--who wasn't there anymore (sued for malpractice and left town) According to the new doctor I went to, the previous Dr had done the operation incorrectly. We tryed other measures (pain meds, prostaglandins etc) for approximately 4-5 months and then did a hysterectomy, the extra pain and burning had not subsided at that point.
Looking back, I might have waited it out, if not for the malpractice part of this. I think the burning came from the tubal and not the ovary being gone.
My advice to you would be to contact your Dr for information on whether this burning is normal. If it is, you have hope it will go away....hope you feel better soon!
[ 12. January 2006, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: meg ]
trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
I have had 2 Endometriosis surgeries that included many different removals and procedures. The last one was very extensive and took 4 hours in the OR. Ironically I still have 2 ovaries and a Uterus...but I dont have lots of cysts, fibroids, my appendix, adhesions all the way up into the liver area, and the endo lesions. So I've been cut and scraped all over up in there.
I have had that burning pain after both surgeries. 4 days is really not enough time to give yourself , Truly.
It usually takes me months before I am "normal." Of course there are forward progresses and backslides all the way.
The burning is usually from the healing process, but you MAY have a little infection in there too. Are you already on ABX? I had post surgery infections before and burning was one sign, but fever is the biggest sign. (of course I had fevers coz I have babs---duh---but whatever)
I would report the burning to the doc or nurse, but don't think to yourself that it is here to stay. trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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HEATHERKISS
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6789
posted
Yes I've had a falopen tube removed. I had pain and burning it goes away.
after the surgery I "relaxed" for a week. Took months before I felt like the insision wasn't going to split open. And a year before I was "normal".
-------------------- HEATHER
Posts: 1974 | From ABERDEEN, NJ 07747 | Registered: Jan 2005
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
i'm worse. will see doc tomorrow-gonna be a long nite. your replies really help-why did they say go back to work in 48 hrs-i can't imagine-and i'm not a wimp. hurt too much to stay here but thanks to all
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
I had surgery just recently on my ovary for a large cyst that was removed. They had to do a laparotomy instead of a laparoscopy, so it was a much bigger operation, and longer recovery. After the surgery I had that burning pain. the slightest movement would bring it on, and it was like burning fire! Nothing made it better besides being still, lying in bed and painkillers.
The nevrves are traumatized and healing, and the muscles layers they have to probe around and cut through take a long time to heal. The burning for me went away after the second week, some people will have the burning longer. Having my stitches removed helped alot, it went away 3-4 days after that. They saved my ovary, and my abdomen is still sore 8 weeks later. Give this time to heal, it takes a long time for the trauma of suregry to corrent itself. Hope you are feeling better soon!
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
thanks wild condor-you are describing the pain exactly-what kind of pain med helped? this is too much for me...
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
You are NOT a wimp. They wanted you to go back to work in 48hrs???!!! Are they nuts?
When I had my surgery, I was off from work for 6 weeks and couldn't drive for 2 weeks.
You need time to heal. I would question the doctor about this.
And... BTW...I am not Superwoman. Just lucky with the pain tolerance, that's all and I'm a fighter all the way. Had natural childbirth with 2 kids; back problems with a protruding disk on L5 which pinched the nerve, causing loss of mobility in left leg for 3 months and lots of pain - went to Physical Therapy for 4 months and regained all function in left leg and got rid of the pain (didn't take any meds during that time)and now Lyme (some aches and pains, but mostly the weird neuro stuff)
As you can see, I don't like to take medicines - don't like the side effects. I hated taking Doxy - made me sick to my stomach. But, I know that I have to take abx for the Lyme.
Take care, Cinder Posts: 60 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2005
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
saw doc this morning. he said i bruised an exceptional amount because i took so much ibuprfen for so long and that is why i am burning so much. he said it was better to keep moving but to not over do. to move rest move rest etc. the only thing is the ketorolac that i was taking(which is a heavy duty nsaid) i have to stop now because it has been 5 days. I HAVE HAD NO LYME PAIN ON THIS DRUG. I DON'T WANT TO STOP IT. but i know i have to . i some left over-i might give myself one pain free day a week or something down the road. i will be on hydrocodone for 3 days to switch over to my regular ibuprofen....but in the past that hasn't touched my lyme pain. i do feel better that its not an infection and there is an explanation for it. thanks for your answers. you helped me thru as always. nite.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
this thread is just about done but i want to add what i think is going on in case anyone searches for this type of pain in the future.
the doc is probably right about the bruising(last post)
but i also think it is kinda like when a scab has trouble healing when it is on a place you move a lot like an elboe.
i sit or lie and rest-the pain goes away -the little bleeders inside start to heal-then i get up and move and rip them all out. when i move for awhile the awful burning goes away then the next time i rest it starts to heal again and then rips again when i move.
so i guess i'm just gonna do everything in moderation-including resting and sitting still. hopefully-eventually everything will heal where it is supposed to.
at the appt i said How can people go back to work in 48 hrs with this pain???? every time i move i scream so much i scare the dog to pieces---he said some do-but i should not plan on being painfree for months.
i'm still glad i had the surgery-finding ovarian cancer early (IF it is there-no results yet) will be worth this pain-but why didn't he tell me that possibility in the first place-hes a good doc-good with his hands and i was lucky to have him do the surgery-but i am so sick of being talked down too and critcized about my decisions because of lyme.
just one more chapter of the ongoing saga of living with lyme. i'm really glad you guys were here to help me thru this week. thanks.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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