Recovery from total hysterectomy

[Hysterhelp]

I need to have a total hysterectomy including removal of both ovaries and tubes. The gynaecologist hopes to do this via keyhole surgery and said recovery is 2-4 weeks.

Hospital leaflet also suggests this (although it points out everyone is different and they may need to perform abdominal surgery which will incur a longer recovery).

My mother had an abdominal hysterectomy (retained her ovaries and tubes) in the early nineties and had a prolonged time off work followed by a stay at a recuperation centre funded via work. She thinks 2-4 weeks recovery is nonsense even if the surgery is lapascaropic as I will also commence surgical menopause.

None of my friends have had any form of hysterectomy. Colleagues have stayed off work for at least 6 months.

I am trying to be practical as I have children and do not have a partner so need to make arrangements for support. I have other health issues to complicate matters. I am beginning to panic as I can not afford a prolonged absence from work. My contract is 6 weeks full pay for sickness.

In your experience, what is an average length recovery, ie until return to work, I have a busy, stressful job that also involves driving.

I had a partial and really cant remember when I started driving again, probably 2 months but I had a nasty post op infection.

I was back to light cleaning within 2 weeks but gave myself 3 months off proper child care (lifting in and out of bath, taking to he park by myself etc)

The doctors really enjoyed minimising the fuck out of it. But what they want is for you to be active, if you sit and put weight on and dont walk around it's really bad for your recovery so I think they hammer the activity side of it up. But remember if you had your appendix out its 6 weeks off work - and this is much more traumatic and invasive.

Ask every doctor for every extension they can give you, you only get one shot at recovering and need to make sure you are not left alone with the children, and work, and housekeeping and raging menopause so take every luxury you can get and dont feel ashamed of wanting it.

In a years time I promise you wont look back and think "God I milked that, I had a lovely couple of months holiday hooray!"

Thank you for sharing your experience. My children are junior school age so that helps as no lifting in/out cots or running after them. However school is too far to walk, hence I will need to rope in help to take/collect them. I can arrange breakfast club but after school club provides fruit/toast only, no meals.

My family are dispersed around the country, no one local apart from their father and his girlfriend - he won’t budge on his agreed contact days apart from agreeing to having them when I’m actually in hospital.

I will batch cook beforehand and ignore housework as best I can for a couple of weeks but it’s still a worry.

I almost said to the consultant 2-4 weeks seems nothing but such a major op but wimped out!

I had a total hysterectomy at 35, it was done vaginally so , like you, I had no abdominal wound. I was up and about the next day, had a little help from my mother for about a week ( 2 kids, 10 and 6) . I was back at work at 4 weeks - I'm a nurse so it was fairly physical work. I had no problems.

You can't compare a keyhole surgery with your mother's abdominal op. With the abdominal op you have all your abdo muscles cut and stitched up - a very big operation. With the keyhole, there will be almost no wound to heal so you'll be getting around quite quickly.

The fact that you'll have an early menopause won't really make a lot of difference - it certainly won't affect your recovery from the hysterectomy. I just went on hormone patches after a couple of months and I was fine, never had a single problem with that aspect.

I'd suggest that you take what time off is allowed, and try to take things one day at a time. If your kids are primary age they should be able to do a few things for themselves . Get them prepared by practicing making a simple meal, doing the dishes etc. It all helps.

Best wishes ! Whatever your reasons for the hysterectomy, I'm sure you'll be glad you had it done.

Thank you shippingnews. That’s very positive then. I really cannot wait to have it done. My only concern is about managing afterwards.

Hospital never mentioned a vaginal removal so now I’m wondering if that’s an option. They said I will just have a few small scars which doesn’t bother me - I am happy to go with whatever has the quickest recovery!

The children already help make meals and can make themselves sandwiches and snacks. Luckily we have a dishwasher.

Can I ask how long it was before you were able to drive? I can pull in favours for school runs but don’t want to take liberties or run out of goodwill. Do you think 2 weeks is realistic? ( bar any complications?)

Hi I had a full hysterectomy a few years ago when I was early 40's with two kids at home. I was driving within 10 days and back to work fulltime in just over 2 weeks. I took the car round the block and did an emergency stop, nothing hurt me so I just carried on driving after that. I had just been made redundant when I had the operation and the new job offer came up a lot faster than I expected. My boss was very impressed that I made the interview and offered me the job on the spot to start the following week. It is possible to do in around 2 - 4 weeks just depends on how to deal with pain and how quickly you heal. I've had other major operations since and the longest I've been off work is 2 weeks. Good Luck with your operation and a speedy recovery.

I had a total abdominal hysterectomy in April and the recovery really wasn’t too bad although I know I was really lucky because I didn’t deserve it to be. The first few days I felt pretty battered and sore but it does improve very quickly and I was a complicated case.

I drove after 3.5 weeks short distances and made sure I walked a lot which really does help.

I was back travelling for work at 5.5 weeks which I don’t recommend but I had a new job and a dick of a boss and no sick pay but I was ok. I had to refuse to use the overhead lockers though and checked my bag instead because that I would definitely not have been able to do.

I may yet need an oopherectomy (horrific endo and I think an ovary has glued back down again) but I’m not worried because the hysterectomy was so manageable.

Good luck.

Oh gosh, thanks for further responses/personal stories. I’m feeling much more optimistic. My boss is approachable, so adjustments could be made for a week or two.

Was dubious at recovery times as colleagues were off for months but I wouldn’t dream of asking them questions (plus every circumstance is different).

Thanks all.

Not read whole thread but I had laparoscopic hysterectomy 10 years ago I was a lone parent of 3 youngest was 5.
I stayed in hospital 1 night and was doing the school run (walking ) 2 days later.
I think I drove 5 days after
It was such a relief to have it done.

I had LAV hysterectomy in March this year and my recovery was nowhere near as bad as I expected. I had it done on the Tuesday and was shopping round B & M on the Sunday. I drove after 3 weeks but felt like I could have sooner. Good luck!

I am feeling much better this evening after reading your responses. Thank you ladies!

I've had an abdominal with conservation of ovaries.

I was back driving in abut 4 weeks, work from home for myself so but I reckon I would have needed about the same - or more - off work. Keyhole is far less invasive. You will be knackered though.

Can you start on HRT to stave off the menopause thing?

Actually, I’m being dense - my children may be too young to travel alone in taxis too/from school however I could escort them if still can’t drive after the initial fortnight or so and am stuck.

Never considered that in my panic!

OtraCosaMariposa thanks for response. I have an appointment ahead of the op to discuss HRT etc - no idea until then.

I had a total laparoscopic hysterectomy last year and had 6 weeks off. That’s mainly because my GP is amazing and I have a physical job. I was sent home the same day as the op which was horrendous but I felt much better after 48 hours. I got my husband to do the school run for the first couple of weeks but only because it involves walking back up a massive hill! The main issue post-op was tiredness and I fell asleep on the sofa most afternoons. Pain wise I actually found the ovarian cystectomy a couple of months earlier more painful than the hysterectomy.

I went straight onto HRT after the hysterectomy and started on patches. I hated them though and have switched to an oestrogen gel that I rub on my arms a couple of times a day and I’ve not had any menopausal symptoms at all and am much fitter now than ever before. It’s genuinely life changing not to be in pain and bleeding every day!

Just to add my experience, I had a total hysterectomy 5 years ago, done via robot-assisted laparoscopy. I spent 2 nights in hospital, and felt a bit stiff for a few days, but was up and about and pretty much back to normal within a week. I was also off all pain relief after 4 days. My consultant signed me off work for 4 weeks but in reality I could have gone back before that. I did feel very tired/weak though for a couple of weeks (for example wanting to have a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon), but was told that is fairly normal after a major op.
I was on my own during the recovery. In practical terms this was fine. The first few days, I was not able to bend down (due to stiffness) so the post had to stay on the mat and I couldn’t do the laundry or get things out of the freezer. You are also told not to do any heavy lifting. Cooking was fine, also walking about including up and down stairs was not a problem, having a shower also fine (baths not allowed for a week or so, as I recall).
Menopause symptoms come on within 7-14 days after the surgery - those will obviously vary from person to person, so that’s just a case of getting the right advice (from GP or consultant) at the time.

Oh wow - discharged the same day! That would be ideal as I really dislike hospitals and would rather recover at home (if at all possible). One overnight is manageable but would struggle with two. Worth it though.

No pain relief after 4 days? I really will show my mother this thread - she will be amazed. I was worried about the stairs so that’s reassuring and I’m sure I can pop stuff in the microwave or order takeaway to save cooking for a while.

Thanks all. Feeling more optimistic and less worried. I’ll make sure to ask about HRT for afterwards.

Completely different op but gyne lap surgery - re washing/housework - you said the children are junior age. In that case time to have a family chat nothing scary just mummy is having an operation to get better and will need help. They can be responsible for keeping things tidy, picking letters up etc. Washing I just sat on a chair whilst my eldest (just turned 8 in year 3) held up clothes individually to sort then put the wash on then he shoved the lot in the tumble dryer when finished. It was clean and I didn’t have a mountain to face. He was also pretty good with the vacuum and the youngest age 5 was good with a damp cloth for dusting and wiping. It worked and we survived. Oh we ate hob food for the first few days as we have a low oven. Good luck

I had total hysterectomy 5 years ago age 38 with a 3 and 5 year old. Had 2 months off work from nhs job. On reflection I went back to soon. I felt fine sitting about at home watching TV when children at schools and nursery, but being at work moving patients and trollies was too much and I got an infection. I felt guilty being off which I shouldn't have done.

Each case is different though, advice now is very different to when your mother had her op. My aunt had tah over 30 years ago had 2 weeks in hospital 6 months off work. I was in 3 nights although I think I would have benefitted from longer just because my children were young and didn't understand I wasn't able to treat them like usual. It wa straight back to normality for me really.

With regard to the surgical menopause you may not feel the effects straight away. You will still have some oestrogen left in you body, I didn't find I had bad symptoms of hot flushes etc until much later and only really noticed a real change in my body about a year later.

I had key hole last September and drove first time at six weeks, back to work phased return at ten weeks for another month. I had high blood pressure immediately after surgery which they struggled to control for a while hence the long time off work. I wasn't signed back fit then had to see occupational health.
Recovering was text book though and no pain only soreness right from day one, best thing I did.

I probably could've driven sooner, but I drive a lot for work, so the majority anyway and always on our holidays so I took the time to let my husband do it!!

Hello Mrs Pear - thanks for response, yes I’ve had a chat with them so they know things will be simplified around home etc. Not worried about uniforms as have bought extras. Eldest quite enjoys pulling the clothes out the dryer and sorting into piles. They squabble over who gets to do the polishing!

Was mostly concerned over to/from school, stairs and cooking. Have practised them emptying the bath plug themselves and drying themselves in the bath before stepping out (supervised by me) whereas I would usually help them into their towels and then empty the bath myself. I feel reassured actually and am glad I posted. I will do a massive shop of easy foods/drinks/snacks/fruits etc beforehand and will batch cook and freeze. Then just pray there’s no complications and no infections afterwards.

Sorry, I can’t keep up with responses but have read and appreciate them all.

Sew - my children are older so do understand (hopefully). I don’t have 8 weeks paid but do have a little annual leave I’ve saved that I could tag on the end if need be. Sorry you developed an infection, must have been very difficult.

Chenin, thanks for your response too. This is what I’m worried about - recovery taking longer, running out of sick pay and not having a partner. My ex does not like ‘babysitting’ on non contact days but that’s a whole other thread.

I’ve noticed no one is regretting the surgery. Bring it on!

I had a total hysterectomy (keyhole) done 3 years ago. I was home after 24 hours and took painkillers for less than a week. I went back to work (desk job) after 3 weeks as I felt physically ok just very tired.

I had a sub total hysterectomy when I was 36. I kept my cervix and ovaries but the rest was removed laparoscopically. I was in hospital for about 24 hours afterwards, went home in my nightie and dressing gown. The painkillers kept everything under control for the first week and I had a bit of a dicey reaction to the anaesthesia. In terms of recovery, I was dog tired for about 10 days then recovered very, very quickly. I was driving 3 weeks after the surgery and back at work in 5.5 weeks (would have been at 4 weeks but Christmas got in the way). I got twinges in the wound sites for a few months afterwards but no other significant ill effects. And it was the best thing I ever did.