2 months post op.. menstrual like cramps :(

Hey guys! 8 weeks post op.. 3 days ago i think i over did it with jalepenos and had a horrible diarrhea (tmi sorry!) And a burny achey tummy for a whole day. The pain went and now I've been getting lower abdominal cramping, it feels like really bad period pain (my period finished 5 days ago!!) So i am not due.. i spoke to my doctor and he just thinks i irritated my stomache with the jalepenos but the pain is horrendous :(

Ouch jalepenos at 8 weeks post surgery? I can not imagine. Not a great idea.

Ceci

Ooh! I have a possible solution for you because I have had a similar experience.

Short Version: DRINK MORE. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.

Long Version: It's long, so bear with me. Oxytocin and Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) are both produced and released by the same part of the endocrine system. Because of this, they also happen to be pretty similar in chemical structure and sometimes the body can mistake one for the other.

Oxytocin is the hormone that stimulates uterine contraction - normally this is released during childbirth, but when it's released at other times it can cause the intense uterine cramping that feels like menstrual cramps.

ADH is the hormone that stimulates water retention for the body and is released when you're dehydrated. So it tells the body "hey, I'm dehydrated, better hold on to all the liquid that I DO have in me!"

The jalapeños you ate caused diarrhea. Diarrhea causes dehydration. Dehydration causes a release of ADH in your body and, sometimes, your uterus can interpret high levels of ADH as high levels of Oxytocin instead and BAM uterine cramping.

How do I know all this? Last year I started having HORRIBLE uterine cramping while running, especially around the time of ovulation. I would run first thing in the morning and rarely take time to properly hydrate before heading out. I did some research, I talked to my anatomy professor because I was an anatomy student and we were studying the endocrine system at the time, I got checked out by my ob/gyn who found nothing wrong, etc. My anatomy prof and I decided that it was totally plausible that my body was misreading the ADH from morning dehydration as oxytocin and causing cramping in the middle of the run when I was even more dehydrated due to sweating. So I started getting up earlier and forcing myself to hydrate prior to running and, wouldn't you know it? That totally solved the problem.

Thank you so much for your reply.. it does really make sense!! I was up all night with these "period like cramps" I'm trying to drink as much water as possible. How long could the pain last??

Are you 100% sure they're in your uterus and not your kidneys or bladder?

If the pain persists, get to a doctor, urgent care, or ER!