How long would you stay in hospital for laparoscopic hysterectomy

[User543212345]

I'm having a total laparoscopic hysterectomy next week and have got the paperwork through for the operation this morning. I'm due in at noon so have the afternoon slot for theatre and it says I'm a daycase. Is this right? It doesn't sound it. I was told by the surgeon that I might be home the next day so was expecting a one/two night stay in hospital. It's fairly major surgery isn't it? And I'm expecting to be hooked up to painkillers and a catheter etc for a good while afterwards. DH spoke to the booking secretary and she said I should expect to be discharged at 8pm that night which just sounds really quick and at odds with everything I've seen on patient literature (NHS, private, US). I could do without the stress of them realising I need to be in for a while with nowhere to put me.

Has anyone had a hysterectomy and been out in a few hours?

[theaveragewife]

That sounds odd - my dm was in for 3 nights! Is there anyone else you can double check with in the hospital? Hope all goes well

[StealingYourWiFi]

They have probably misread it as hysteroscopy. You'll be in 1-3 nights.

[Owllady]

I think when it's keyhole they discharge you quicker as its not a full abdominal cut iykwim

[Owllady]

When are you going for your pre op? They usually talk you through times, discharge, if you'll need care after etc

[User543212345]

Pre-op is tomorrow. I could do without the anxiety now though (have massive anxiety issues) about them getting it wrong. My catastrophising brain then starts down the rabbit hole of them being totally useless so why let them operate on me. Not a fun place to be.

I worry also that tomorrow they'll say it's daycase too and I don't trust that it can be - even the hospital's own literature says 1-2 nights stay.

[Owllady]

They won't discharge you if you are not able to be discharged. Try not to worry but some anxiety is normal before an operation.
They'll talk through everything at your pre op, including recovery time. Have you got someone to look after you when you come home?

[MajorClanger123]

My sister had one and was in at least 1 night, if not 2, from memory. That was last year.

Take someone with you tomorrow who can really press on the hospital for timings - quote the hospitals own literature and ask why you're different to that. Good luck OP

[User543212345]

DH is around both to look after me and pin the hospital down on recovery and timings. He's very helpful to have as an advocate.

I'm honestly not anxious about the operation, I'm delighted! I've been begging for one for ages (and bleeding constantly or on drugs that make me crazy since early December) so I couldn't be happier about having it done. I need certainty and faith in the people around me though. And to be told it's daycase when it clearly shouldn't be shakes my faith in the entire hospital, rather than just the admin person who has insisted to DH on the phone that daycase is correct.

[BG2015]

There's a hysterectomy thread on here, why don't you post over there as a few ladies have had the same op as you.

I'm on the waiting list for mine (same procedure as you) and I was told I'd be in for 1/2 nights as opposed to an abdominal hysterectomy where you can stay in for 5 days or so.

[wineoclockthanks]

I had mine yesterday and I've been told I can go home tomorrow or Saturday depending on when I've had a poo!

[BG2015]

I'm afraid I will have to lie about having a poo. No way I could go in hospital. I never poo anywhere other than at home (or in a hotel of course) so I shall have to tell a big fat fib!

[BoreOfWhabylon]

I had mine in the afternoon, was back in the ward by the evening. Catheter out and walking to the loo two hours later. Walked up and down the ward several times in the night (didn't want a DVT) and home the next morning.

It was uncomfortable but paracetamol took the edge off and I refused anything stronger as that would have made me dopey and I was desperate to get home.

[Almostfifty]

I was in two nights, there was a lot of stuff coming out of the drain to be cleared before I could come home.

I was asked if I'd really had a hysterectomy by one nurse as I recovered so well. Thank goodness for having a Laparoscopy.

[BG2015]

SwearyGodmother how did your pre-op go? Did the consultant answer your questions

[ALemonyPea]

I had one done three weeks ago. Op was at 2pm and I was discharged 12pm the next day, although could have stayed longer if I wanted. Consultant was fine with me going.

I wasn't catheterised, nor hooked up to pain killers.

Do avoid codeine as it bungs, you up, take peppermin capsules and peppermint tea for the trapped wind, I found the pain from that worse than the pain from the op. And take it easy! Good luck op.

[User543212345]

Pre-op went ok aside from blood pressure being a bit high - anxiety is a bitch. We were told to pack for one or two nights which was what we expected. It turns out that the admin team write daycase on your admission letter if they're not sure about how long you'll be in, which seems a little foolish.

Fingers crossed the BP won't be an issue on Wednesday and they get this useless organ out.

[UnGoogleable]

I had a lap for endometriosis and cyst removal last year - I was in for 2 nights because my poor bladder wasn't working properly.

Laps can be a day case - with my first one I was home the same day, but they were very good and wouldn't have forced me to go home if I wasn't happy about it.

They'll keep you in as long as you need to be there. But be prepared for them to want you up and walking about the ward as soon as possible to avoid DVT. I had a nurse tell me off for wanting to lie down too much!

As a pp has said - be prepared for the pain from the gas that they pump into you to create space in your abdomen. It was by far the most painful thing for me as it gets trapped under your diaphragm and you get referred pain in your shoulders. The only thing that helped me was a hot water bottle against my shoulder and vigorous massage from DH to try to shift it.