Packing my hospital bag for a hysterectomy. What do I need?

[FrankenCat]

Complete hysterectomy, they're taking the lot.
My op is Thursday, I might have to go in tomorrow night before the op, or possibly early Thursday morning. I won't know until tomorrow evening when they phone to let me know.
I'll either be staying 1 or 2 nights post op, depending on how I am.

I've got:
1 set of pyjamas - pre op night
2 nighties
Socks
Knickers
Bras
Dressing gown
Slippers
Book

What else should I take? I've never had surgery before where I've needed to stay in overnight. And the only other time I've stayed overnight was when I had my first DS, and I was a bit preoccupied to need anything.

What did/would you take with you.

Thank you.

I'm shitting myself with nerves.
Not literally. But ridiculously nervous.

Not for the hospital, but for when you get home buy a travel kettle if you like hot drinks, and one of those litter picker grabbers for dropped stuff.

Thank you all so much! These ideas are amazing and I'd never have thought about the majority of them. Like a cushion for the seatbelt, or prunes etc. I've got an amazing DH and two DSs 14 and 11 and I know I'll be looked after extremely well once I'm home. I'm a naturally anxious person anyway and I'm so scared about being "on my own" in hospital.
I really can't wait to have it all out, but I'm also bricking it at the thought of being in pain without DH with me except for visiting hours.
I'm lucky that he's booked two days off work the Thursday of my op and the Friday after and then it's half term - he's a college lecturer, so he'll have a week off work to look after me too.

Thank you all again. I'll go through this thread tomorrow to make sure I've got everything I think I'll need.

Extra strong peppermints / peppermint tea- helps with the wind on day two.
I took a luxurious mini shower gel and hand cream that smelt amazing to make me feel spoilt even if I was just using a bowl in bed. It really perked me up !!
Flannel
Little towel for bed washing .
Plain biscuits in case you don't fancy any real food early on.
Watch the YouTube videos on how to get out of bed if you've not been taught it by the physio yet as this helped so much !!
Hold /lightly press a rolled up towel on your wound if you need to cough or sneeze , honestly a life saver.

Can't think of anything else.
It was the best thing I ever did and nowhere near as bad as I was expecting.
Good luck x

I agree with most things but would stress water or other small drinks such as mini juice. I was very thirsty after surgery and the hospital water is both awful and heavy to lift to pour.

A few people have mentioned big knickers but I found high leg briefs that came over my vertical incision more comfortable.

Yes to something to make you poo but in the end they had to give me lactulose. Your abdominal muscles just forget what to do.

I didn't eat any snacks because I just wasn't hungry while I was in hospital. I came home to an Indian take away which was lush though.

I am 12 days post-op after a total abdominal hysterectomy. I really found that slippers you can slip on and off easily to be very useful. Also a sipping water bottle as it was difficult to drink without being sat up and found it was very hot in the ward and drying. Also my surgeon told me to get up and walk as soon as the catheter and drip were removed and not to stoop and this has helped my recovery so far. Be mindful of trapped gas and temporary incontinence, ensure that you wear appropriate pads at all times post op just in case. I also found a towel rolled up useful to support the wound area as I had a dreadful cough and this helped. I was told that I would be in for five days but came home on second day after op with only antidvt medication and paracetamol as pain relief. All the best OP x

I found hospital wards far too hot and my top tip is to put some small cartons of juice in the freezer. When you wake up have someone bring them in so you can have a cold drink. They can slowly defrost in your bedside table and they'll stay cold for ages. Longer if you keep them in a cool bag.

Oh and I had a horizontal incision similar to a caesarean scar.

Some of the c section recovery ideas for hospital bag packing in Pregnancy could help as I would imagine the recovery to be similar. I needed more then peppermint tea to help with the wind after each of my EMCS. Peppermint oil is much more potent and did the trick for me as the wind and bloating was awful.

Do you know if you are having an open hysterectomy or laparoscopic one?

If you’re a tea drinker take your own teabags. I’m a nurse and our hospital’s teabag taste like satan’s anus.

Best of luck!

frankencat I'm having a complete hysterectomy Monday. Totally relate to you being nervous! Following your thread with interest: some really good ideas here.
Best of luck to you and for a speedy recovery.

Well I've had my hysterectomy, it took longer than expected as it was "fiddly" - her words. So what should've taken just over 2 hours took just over 4. But they took the lot! It's all gone, I'm on HRT patches and have to give myself daily blood thinning injections for 10 days. I only spent the one night in hospital as I was well enough to come home yesterday evening.
And I'm not feeling too bad in all honesty. Well enough to shower this morning and stick a bit of makeup on my eyes to make me feel more me. I'm managing to get to the toilet and all in all I'm feeling quite positive!

Your suggestions were all amazing thank you all so much!

@Mummaofmytribe don't be nervous, the pain relief is amazing afterwards and if the Staff you have looking after you are as amazing as the NHS staff I had, you'll be in very good, safe hands. I can't speak more highly of the care I had. It'll be worth it! Good luck!!!

@Nat6999 they didn't know if they'd be able to get it all laparoscopically so I was pre-warned that I may wake up with a big cut but they managed to do it all laparoscopically in the end.

Glad it went well OP, wishing you a speedy recovery

The slip on slippers were well worth it, as I had pull on slippers but after reading the recommendations on here I went and bought slip on ones and I couldn't have put my others on. I need help just putting knickers on lol.

Thank you @Chivers53 I'm just taking it easy and letting everyone do everything for me. I'm certainly going to be resting and doing everything they've said to help recover, and won't be rushing it.

@izzyb6488 how are you doing now? I was only taking paracetamol and ibuprofen in hospital but I've got cocodamol here at home and I'm taking those. I've got the Fragmin injections to self administer too for DVT. I didn't think I'd be able to do them myself but DH is a big baby and he'd pass out so I'm managing them fine by myself lol

@spagbog5 your towel on the tummy is indeed a life saver! That first cough was a bit of a shock afterwards!

I'm hoping to have mine done in the next couple of months. Don't know if I can manage to inject myself though, so hopefully I wont need that!

I live on my own so will have to get everything sorted before I go in. I'm sure the cats will help... !!

@ScreamingCosArgosHaveNoRavens I did feel EVERY SINGLE BUMP in the road! I told DH it was the worst he'd ever driven!! He said he was taking the corners like a learner driver who'd only had one lesson. And even then it felt too fast for me!! 🤣🤣🤣

@Chesntoots my cats have been fab! They usually jump all over me but I swear they know my tummy is sore as they're just lying next to me and being really gentle with me. They're strange things, cats. Try and stay in hospital for an extra day or two if you don't have any help at home. I think I could probably do it all on my own but it's nice that I don't have to if that makes sense.

I went on a Monday afternoon, op at teatime, home Thursday. I took....

3-nighties - wore one
Big (huge!) pants
Bra
Grippy socks
Slippers
Basic toiletries/self care - deodorant, face wipes, moisturiser, tooth brush/toothpaste, hairbrush, hair bobbles
Loose trousers/top for going home in
Long charging cable and powerbank
Ipad/phone
Headphones
Water bottle
Boiled sweets
Cardigan/wrap

And yes to whoever said cushion/pillow for the drive home. Who knew there were so many potholes and bumps!

Very best of luck, there’s a hysterectomy thread somewhere (women’s health maybe?) that was a great help to me. My 3 top tips would be

1. Don’t be a hero, take painkillers if you need them
2. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t do something first time round,a couple of hours can make a huge difference - my first attempt at standing up ended in agony and tears but I managed it fine 3 hours later 3.take laxatives if you need to!
3. If you have abdominal incision, get them to show you how to cough safely afterwards!

Oh, that’s four😂

Ah, didn’t read the thread. 😂😂 glad you are home and it all went well.