To ask about hysterectomies - dreading

Hope it all went well OP!

I never needed any pain relief at all, not even the day after surgery. Every one is different.

It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Yes you do have to take it easy for a few weeks after, especially the first couple of weeks. Just take the doctor’s advice and you will be fine. Good luck

Good luck OP, keeping fingers crossed for you!
Have just gone on the very long waiting list here for a full abdominal (taken 4 years to get to this stage!) - fibroids everywhere and possibly endo.
Reassuring to read all the posts - hope it all turns out well for you and you feel like a new woman eventually 🙌😁

Good luck today! Just wanted to say that 3 months ago I felt like my life was over, I had no quality of life. Since I had my hysterectomy I feel better than I’ve ever felt in my adult life. It has been amazing, and I wish I’d done it twenty years ago! I wish you all the best with your recovery.

I had a hysterectomy last year (late 40s) but left ovaries in.

Went home same day, felt amazing.

Only took paracetamol for 2 nights to take edge off low pain.

I had to be careful not to do too much as it was a good post op recovery and I felt fine, I was in bed day after not because I couldn't move but because dh insisted.

All.ops are different, its not a stealth boast as I am the type pf person who gets very ill with colds, flu etc but for hysterectomy it was a good experience

Having my cervix removed hasn’t changed sexual feeling at all, if anything it’s better. The chance of losing feeling is tiny.

Agree, it didn't affect me in that way either - this may be something dependent on the individual. I would suggest taking your doctor's guidance on removing/keeping cervix. An obvious benefit of it is not having to worry about cervical cancer, and no more smear tests, though persuading the NHS smear reminder service that I no longer had anything to smear took about three years!

OP - if you don’t have a necessity to remove your cervix, I would highly hugely recommend you think twice about it. Removing it can severely impact your sexual function, and there’s no way to know if it will until it’s too late and it can’t be reversed.

This hasn't been my experience at all just to counter the above point. My libido has taken a hike, but that's due to surgical menopause and no HRT thanks cancer rather than losing my cervix.

Good luck today OP. Hope it all goes well.

OP - if you don’t have a necessity to remove your cervix, I would highly hugely recommend you think twice about it. Removing it can severely impact your sexual function, and there’s no way to know if it will until it’s too late and it can’t be reversed.

As for the recovery, it depends on your age and your fitness level. I was early 30s and in my peak of CrossFit, so I was in the gym 2 weeks later starting my physiotherapy to recover core strength, which is pretty quick.

I will say that the first couple weeks are really sore. Definitely do NOT try to orgasm before 6 weeks as it will be excruciating (I fucked up there). But overall, it actually wasn’t that bad - just be sure to demand that you’re sent home with adequate pain relief (codeine or tramadol) to last you at least 2 weeks. Paracetamol won’t touch that pain, trust me.

Good luck, you’ll be fine!

I had keyhole with vaginal assist 18 months ago. (Kept ovaries) I am not UK based so I was in hospital for a week afterwards. I felt great but I was really really tired and needed to nap. I wasn't bed bound at all.

As PP said, rest as much as possible in the first two weeks, and then slowly return to normal. I found the facebook group hysterectomy sisters very useful.

I was hugely overweight and had the horror stories from the consultant about not being able to do the op by key hole etc although they would try.

I went to surgery around 9.30 a.m. then back to the ward which was hugely busy and pretty much ignored apart from regular checks. (I felt fine though). I had a catheter in place and although I was told it would be removed and they would get me up and about before tea it was left in for another 24 hours. I had a morphine drip that I could control myself. I had a drink and everything I needed within reach.

When they looked at discharging me they saw that I hadn't taken the morphine since the early hours of the morning and eventually someone took out the catheter and sent me to the loo. I did feel wobbly walking but I had been in bed for over 24 hours. By the time DH came to collect me I felt much stronger. I had a full flight of stairs to the front door and half a flight then to the bathroom.

I was up and down those stairs all evening to go to the loo. I slept in the spare room because I didn't want to risk the dog jumping on me in the morning. I rested a lot for the first couple of weeks in a recliner chair, going to bed for an hour in the afternoon. I would go up and downstairs every hour just for exercise and the first few times I left the house DH came with me. He went back to work when I was 10 days post op and apart from doing things like picking up the dog bowls off the floor and putting the dinner in the oven I was able to do everything else.

I knew I had overdone it if I was aching (nothing paracetamol couldn't fix) and I just got better and better.

I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectony with salpingectomy in 2020 for endometrial cancer when I was 48.

I was only in hospital one night and could manage one flight of stairs slowly once I was home. I took 9 weeks off work but that was mainly due to the mental trauma of being diagnosed with cancer rather than the physical side of the operation. I didn't drive for 6 weeks as advised and could take short walks within a week.

Do take the advice not to lift anything and absolutely take it easy afterwards, it's a big operation. I found that I did tire easily for a few weeks afterwards so napped on the sofa quite a lot.

Good luck tomorrow OP.

Had a hysterectomy and salpin.......ectomy! 18 months ago. Was in hospital for three days. Was painful to move around for a couple of days and made sure I had the full dose of oromorph - no point in being brave when in pain.
Came home with a bag full of painkillers.
Could get upstairs albeit slowly ( need a knee replacement)
District nurses came to take out clips.
Did develop an infection in the wound but INSISTED my GP did a home visit, either that or I would turn up at the surgery with a very soggy, bloody wound dressing and plonk it on the counter in reception😁😁 The threat worked!😁

Only real problem was having to give twice daily post op injections in my abdomen for a month. To be honest, they don't really hurt, but started running out of space on my abdomen esp as it was bruised. Began to dread them. In the end, I qave myself the morning injection and a friend gave me the evening one. They are very easy to administer ( very similar to diabetic injections) and don't require any skill, so you could get a partner, relative or friend to help. ( am sure a nurse or doctor will wail that you can't do that but, come on, the injections are idiot proof and it is more important to have the full course than to stop because you dread them).
good luck
Didn't do any heavy lifting for a few weeks but made myself meals, coffee, unpacking Ocado delivery, etc., just slowly and carefully.

I had mine in May. I was in overnight and able to manage stairs and short walks when I came home. I only took 2 weeks off work, as I had recently started a new job and didn’t want to be off for too long but I found it a struggle so I’d plan for your recovery to take at least 4 weeks. The actual procedure wasn’t too bad. Take your pain relief regularly to keep on top of it when you get home. Symptom wise, it’s great having no periods but my moods are a bit all over the place (although I’ve been diagnosed with a type of cancer since) You can consider HRT if you’re struggling with menopausal symptoms.

Good luck for tomorrow! Allow yourself plenty of rest xx

I had one in 2015 for fibroids. I had abdominal surgery and had my uterus and cervix removed.

I was only in for 2 nights which I was a bit surprised by, but I'm a nurse by profession and I live with husband. I think their rationale was "she'll know if and when she needs help".

About 2/3 days later, I had an ooh GP appointment for a UTI, which is common after being catheterised for 24 hours. I also had to inject myself with blood thinners to prevent blood clots.

I won't lie, recovery was slow, but not too bad. You do have to take it easy for the first few weeks, no bending, lifting etc. Get someone else to do shopping, bedmaking etc.

After a couple of days, try and go for a short walk. I started with going to the corner shop 2 minutes away, then worked up to a short walk round the park and/or a local cafe.

The wound healed normally but I was off work for 12 weeks. Fortunately I worked for the NHS so obviously not an issue with employers.

Obviously I didn't have periods after but as my ovaries remained, I didn't have a surgical menopause. I've had some symptoms of it since, mainly brain fog, and have also had periods of depression but I suffer from that intermittently and have an underactive thyroid so i can't say that's the menopause.

Also read up on adhesions which are common after abdominal surgery as a result of stitches. I kind of imagine them as being like velcro....areas of scar tissue which can stick together and unstick as you move around. Usually they're harmless but rarely can cause a blockage. Sometimes I have a mild cramp like sensation for a few seconds which I think are a result of adhesions.

Good luck x

Good luck @Hysterectomynext .
A year ago today my mother was in surgery at this time having a radical hysterectomy. We’d been told she’d need a five day stay, and time in high dependency because of other health conditions but she was home 24 hours later.

Top tip from her is to ask whoever is collecting from hospital to bring some cushions/pillows for the seat to add a bit of hight; lowering herself into the car wasn’t the easiest.

Listen to the advice you’re given on taking it easy!

I had an abdominal hysterectomy October 2023, I stayed in one night and was fine to walk up and down stairs after, albeit slowly. I stupidly went back to work on the Wednesday (had the op Monday afternoon, work from home) and I also overdid it with doing laundry and stupid things like that and ended up back in hospital for a week with an infection.

Please take it easy, I m not sure if my infection was inevitable or if I caused it by doing too much so that would be my best advice!

I waited the full six weeks to drive again but I went to a standing concert only 5 weeks after and was absolutely fine.

Aldo to add I was housebound due to the hideousness of my periods for six months before, (also fibroids) so it was absolutely life changing for me!

I hope it goes well, just remember plenty of rest!

I had a total abdominal hysterectomy. The physios came in and had me doing stairs the following day. I went home after two nights and was fine to do stairs once home. I could have done five flights with a rest in between each.

It was honestly nowhere near as bad as I'd been lead to believe. The following day was pretty bad (particularly getting out of bed for the first time), but after that it got a lot better, especially after the two week mark. I stopped the codeine after around five days and just took ibuprofen for a few more days after that. They don't give out hysterectomies unless you're really suffering, and the surgery was a walk in the park compared to how badly affected I'd been by the fibroids.

I had a total keyhole hysterectomy at 4 pm and was discharged at 10 am the next day. I was mobile but slow. The worst bit was the pain from the trapped wind which made for a crappy few days. I was also absolutely knackered for days. Sleep propped up so it's easier to get out of bed. Recovery was quick, I was back in work (with some adjustments) after 2 weeks. Best thing I have ever done, hands down. Changed my life and I am not being dramatic!

Had a full hysterectomy via keyhole, for stage 4 endometriosis with a lot of bowel involvement, surgery was complicated and took 3 and a half hours, went down at 10 am, awake at 8, slept all night. Woke up and could have gone home - but ward messing about with HRT, so stayed one more night. No pain at all throughout, no painkillers. No trapped wind. Felt really good, just delicate and a bit vulnerable and a bit more tired than usual . Three weeks after I went to see my mum in Spain for a week, I felt good enough to do that by myself. Back to work four weeks after. Not everyone has a bad time, I was petrified - if I had to have it done tomorrow - I wouldn’t worry, if major surgery can be described as this - it really was the perfect experience. Good luck!

To add, I totally agree with previous poster- I did not sit around, I walked a little bit to start with and built it up, my consultant advised this. Be careful, you’ll know when you’ve done too much though.

I had a full abdominal hysterectomy at age 34 (I am now 70). I was only in one night. The hospital checked that I could walk ok and walk up and down stairs before they let me home.

I had no problems with stairs whatsoever. I went for a walk every day on my Consultant's advice and although I did rest a lot I also did stuff around the house (not any heavy lifting though).

My Consultant said he thought the reason many woman take a long time to recover is because they are advised not to do anything which is not good. Obviously though every women is different and a lot depends on age, fitness etc.

I was in one night and could manage three flights of stairs the next day without too many problems. I think if you rest between flights 5 will be doable. I was in much less pain than expected, just discomfort. Rest lots, don't lift things but do move around...v gentle pottering.
Good luck!

Really hope it all goes ok tomorrow, I'm having an endometrial ablation tomorrow, if it fails I'll be having a hysterectomy. I have had open abdominal surgery to remove a large ovarian tumour previously, I was in hospital for 2 or 3 nights, could climb the stairs fine at home but really did need to take things easy for a few weeks.