yes, this is common if you had an abdominal hysterectomy.

your bowels got shuffled around during surgury and sometimes it can take sometime for them to settle back down.

also it can make it harder to "go" because of the damage caused to your abdominal muscles during the surgury.

speak to your surgeon about some stool softeners for temporary use - until your bowels settle back down.

em..... then how long will my bowels settle down?

some people take a couple days, some take a couple weeks, some take a couple months, some take longer.

it may just be that your bowels need a little temporary help, but you really should make your doctor/surgeon aware that you are having problems as they are the one who knows the ins and outs of your case.