Many people say that while they were focused only on recovery after surgery, one day they noticed that the sock marks were leaving deeper grooves than usual and thought, "Huh, what is this?" When surgery is done on the uterus, ovaries, or cervix, it is not uncommon to remove the pelvic lymph nodes at the same time, and when that happens, the lymph fluid that used to flow up from the legs has a narrower path to drain out. That is why one leg, or both, feels heavy and swells. It is called lymphedema, and once you experience it, people often say the 'stuffy, heavy feeling' is harder to bear than pain.
In truth, lymphedema is less a disease to make disappear completely and more something to soothe and live alongside well. That is why catching it early really matters. If you press the top of your foot, your ankle, or your calf firmly with a finger for about 5 seconds and let go, and the dent stays sunken in for a while, or if your shoes feel unusually tight in the evening, or if you cannot pinch the skin between your toes smoothly, it is worth suspecting once. If the circumference of one leg has become noticeably thicker than the other, that is also a signal. Because these changes come slowly, measuring the same spot daily with a tape measure and writing it down in a notebook helps you see your body's state objectively.
What you can do at home is simpler than you might think. First, raise your leg above your heart often. Just lying on the sofa with two or three cushions propped under it lets some of the pooled lymph fluid drain. Light lymphatic massage also helps, but this goes the opposite way — not from the toes upward. You start by gently sweeping upward from unblocked upper areas, such as the inner thigh or the belly, to first open a 'drainage path,' and then gradually come down toward the foot, sweeping upward. At first, I recommend learning it properly once at a hospital lymphedema clinic. The same goes for compression stockings: if the pressure grade does not fit, it can actually tighten the upper part and cause more swelling, so you must wear one that has been measured and prescribed.
Small everyday habits make a surprising difference. Keep your legs always clean and moisturized. If the skin cracks or a small wound forms, germs can get in there and cellulitis easily develops. As much as possible, avoid cutting into the skin while trimming toenails, scratching mosquito bites raw, hot saunas or heat packs, and having blood drawn or blood pressure measured on the swollen leg. Standing or sitting in the same posture for too long is also bad, so it is good to stand up at least once an hour and rotate your ankles back and forth. Since swelling tends to worsen as weight increases, keeping yourself slightly on the lighter side also plays a part.
I hope you will not be afraid of exercise. If you don't use your legs, they stiffen and grow heavier, whereas exercises in which the muscles push lymph upward like a pump — such as walking, light swimming, or walking in water — actually ease the swelling. That said, rather than lifting something heavy or going hard from the start, it is safer to wear a compression stocking and raise the intensity slowly. If your leg swells more and feels heavy after exercise, that is your body's signal to cut back a little that day, and you can simply take it as such.
And please, this one for sure. If a leg suddenly turns red and hot, if you develop a fever, if it swells up sharply in a short time, or if the pain worsens, do not tough it out at home — contact the hospital right away. It may be an infection, and with this it is important to act quickly. What I have written here is only general management advice, so what suits your particular surgical extent and condition is, in the end, best known by your medical team. Don't struggle alone — be sure to talk it over once.