If you have had a hysterectomy, how much time did you take off work?

[Silverumbrella]

I will most probably be needing a hysterectomy.

Long story short (as I currently do have a thread running about my issues), at the age of 51 and after decades of gynae and gut issues I have discovered that I have Adenomyosis and deep Endometriosis. This has been discovered via a pelvic mri which I had requested because I have developed Post Ablation Failure following the procedure. My consultant assured me all my gynae issues would be resolved (they haven’t, instead they have become so much worse) so I now find myself in the position of probably needing my uterus removed as it’s fucked basically.

He has now referred me to the endo team and I have an appointment next month. I was initially told the wait to see the endo team would be 40 weeks plus so I paid to see a specialist privately and he told me I would most probably need a hysterectomy.

However, my job is quite physical and I am wondering how I am going to navigate my way around work and having a hysterectomy once the time comes. I am luckily that I only work 3 days a week but (like everyone else) I need money and fear I will lose this work after I have the op.

I am a self employed PA for a disabled person. My work involves lifting their wheelchair in and out of their car, driving their car, taking them shopping, doing their housework/gardening and walking their dogs.

Due to the cost of living etc I am finding it hard to put money aside to cover for this time off. I am trying to find more work in order to save for this situation but due to the amount of pain and issues I have I find this difficult and the other fly in the ointment is that on the days I don’t work I am caring for my mum who has Alzheimer’s so it’s big vicious cycle.

From everything I am reading online it looks as though I will need at least a month out of work and probably longer due to the nature of my work.

I do read stories of people going back to work after 3 weeks etc but they tend to be office based jobs. My friend had a hysterectomy at the end of December last year and is only just back to driving. She still can’t look after her grandchildren due to lifting them etc and is struggling with some side effects of the op. My sil took no notice of the advice when she had her hysterectomy and ended up needing 2 further operations to repair the damage, obviously I want to avoid situations like that.

I can’t live how I am in the pain and discomfort I have so will definitely need this op but looks as though I may end up losing my work as the person I work for will obviously need cover (which they don’t have other than a family member so will need to take on someone else). I need to advise them well ahahah of time and make some kind of plans.

ahead of time!

i was an office based job. Went back after 6 weeks, then did 2 weeks phased return. I wasn’t certified fit to drive until 5 weeks so you need to watch that. There is no way I’d have been able to do your job anything before 6/8 weeks. No way. That was me almost looking forward to a hysterectomy rather than it being something I didn’t want so I had a positive attitude to my op and recovery.

The amount of time you'll need off is dependent on the type of job you do and the extent of your surgery.
You really need to discuss this with your surgeon at the appointment as this will be personal to your individual case.
But it's going to be more than a month or 2 in a job like yours

I had a full hysterectomy. With a full scare , not much short of hip bone to hip bone , so I think it was the surgery as much as any else . I’m in school , self employed, I had it done on first feb and didn’t go back till after Easter . I couldn’t drive for 6 weeks . If you’re having key hole it will be much quicker I think . Good luck x

Hi - I had a total hysterectomy (and ovary removal) 6 weeks ago. Mine was abdominal - you probably need to find out whether it's abdominal (i.e. taken out through a long cut in the tummy) or one of the other techniques; laparoscopic or vaginal - where it comes out of the vagina. The recovery is probably different for them.

For me, and from what I've read (and the medical people should go through all of this with you, so go armed with your questions to the appointment):

• 6 weeks off work completely (office based job, 2 hour commute each way)
• I'm going back on Monday part time to phase back in, and WFH for a while, until I feel up to the journey (2 trains, a drive, a walk with a heavy bag etc. etc.)
• No lifting of anything heavy for a while; I could lift a small saucepan with one cup of water in it for tea after a few days, but until today nothing much heavier than the cat - about 4kg
• I'm still only walking 3k but I'm going to increase that now
• No exercise for a while; I'm now cleared for baths, introducing light pilates. No proper weights or motorbike for 12 weeks though
• You might have complications which slow things down; I had a bowel related complication which in turn led to an internal bleeding issue, which lasted a couple of weeks. Now I've got granulation of the scar - not a biggie, just means I haven't stopped "leaking" yet - so 6 weeks.

It was 3 nights in hospital, 4 days. Having someone to help you out in hospital is invaluable; I was BUPA but even so, without my DH I wouldn't have brushed my teeth or washed (he brought wet wipes) for my entire stay.

Happy to answer questions you've got either here or by DM.

If it helps; my initial surgery was for fibroids (hence abdominal as was too big to get out vaginally), also turns out I had adenomyosis, a few ovarian cysts including a biggie, and obliteration of my. uterine lining, whatever the hell that is !

I had a hysterectomy 12 months ago and am also a self employed personal assistant!

I took 4 weeks off and a further 2 months of no lifting. So I didn't go back to some clients who needed a lot of manual handling.

My friend had one and took ten weeks off. She’s now on a phased return to work.

Just to say, a hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis, hopefully your surgeon has made you aware of that.

Also, if you have deep infiltrating endometriosis, then it is likely that organs such as bowel/bladder are affected. In which case, were you to have the surgery on the NHS, it would be mandatory that it would take place in a BSGE accredited hospital, and that a colorectal surgeon (if bowel affected) attend the operation jointly with the gynaecologist. Something to bear in mind when choosing your private surgeon. Try to get one who heads up a BSGE centre.

6 weeks minimum for an uncomplicated simple procedure.

I had 7 weeks off and was absolutely shattered when back at my office job (vertical cut belly button down). I took a couple of Fridays off as leave when I went back and really really needed them.

Thank you all for your replies.

I will obviously ask as many questions as possible during my first consultation with the endo specialist. The private specialist wanted to go in for a laparoscopy to see the full extent of everything but at £7400 that’s out of the question for me so I will hopefully be offered that via the NHS then I imagine a hysterectomy later.

Willtree thank you for that. I have just checked and my local NHS hospital is on the BSGE website as an endometriosis centre and I will ask re bowel issues and colorectal surgeons. I would be having the hysterectomy because of the adenomyosis and the post ablation failure syndrome. I do understand about it not helping endometriosis. My sister has the condition. I spent a while finding as much as I could after she was diagnosed.

Thank you dgirluk

I would have a chat with employer about the tasks you will be unable to do for a while. They may value you enough to have a plan not to use wheelchair for a while. Would they consider having a hoist fitted at back of car as lifting wheelchairs can be tricky at best of times. You will likely be advised not to drive for a few weeks too.

Recovery time depends on whether you have keyhole, vaginal or an abdominal one.

I had an abdominal one at age 43 and was in hospital for seven days and off work for 12 weeks. My job was office based and not manual.
Once I got home after hospital, the advice given to me at the time was to lift nothing, not even a kettle, for some time (can't remember how long, perhaps 10 days?) not to hoover or lift anything over a certain weight.

I also wasn't allowed to drive for at least six weeks post op. It's major surgery and it kind of wiped me out, though I did fully recover and my scar (hip bone to hip bone) is now just a very thin silver line.

I think it will depend on what type of hysterectomy they do on you. If you're lucky, they won't need to open you up and will be able to whip the lot out through your vagina. That makes a huge difference to recovery time, but it is also (imo) almost the more dangerous option in terms of recovery. You heal very quickly on the outside (because all you have are laparoscopic holes and a very small incision of around an inch below your bikini line) but you start to forget that the internal stuff will take much longer. With no extensive external scarring (and uncomfortable pulling every time you move) it's easy to forget there's a whole lot of healing that needs time and space. I was able to drive after just 2 weeks but I ended up doing too much too quickly in hindsight.. You certainly will not be in a position to be hoicking wheelchairs in and out of cars for a good few months without risking serious damage Even lifting heavy shopping bags is a no no for a few weeks.

As others have said, a hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis, it just allows them to get rid of what they can while they're in there.

Good luck. Hope it all goes well for you.

I had 5 months off, but did not recover well and was in so much pain for ages, but I do have fibromyalgia so maybe I feel more pain than the average person!

As others have said, a hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis, it just allows them to get rid of what they can while they're in there.

equally if the main symptom of your adenomyosis is pelvic pain or pain during sex there is a chance it won't fix that either.

Thanks everyone - I’m going to have the hysterectomy mainly because of the monthly pain I am experiencing from the Post Ablation Failure.

I was initially signed off work for 6 weeks after my hysterectomy.I ended up being off for 10 weeks with a phased return.I worked for the NHS in a role which could be quite physical at times and involved being on call.No way could I have returned after 6 weeks .