Sub total hysterectomy in 8 and a half weeks <Eeeeeeeek>

[grinningbee]

So I got the letter about an hour ago and am feeling rather wibbly. Firstly because I'm a bit scared, secondly because there will be no more babies. Having said that I am more than happy with the two I have, and don't want any more, but I'm sure everyone going through this feels a bit sad as it's so final.

I'm going to have to rely on H to help, and there is no-one else to ask. I'm just going to have to trust him (he's not the most, erm, helpful sausage). My dc by then will be 3.5 and 1.10. And the little one has a current passion for using my tummy as a trampoline which will have to stop.

But, all that aside, what the heck do I need to organise. Meals for the freezer for certain, including the dc. What do I need to take with me to hospital do you think? How long are people normally in for?

The reason it's being done is down to a rather large fibroid we have called Freddie. Freddie is visible when I lay on my back, and is causing pain, heavy periods and playing havoc with my bladder. It has to be abdominal due to said fibroid, but I'm keeping the ovaries and cervix.

I need to shift some weight between now and then, so am going to have to resist the comfort of biscuits and chocolate and wine.

Please tell me it won't be as bad as I think!

I kept waking up the first few days home too.
I'm ok, but my bones feel sore I go through bouts where I feel a bit fluey IYSWIM. I keep thinking I should get up more but I can't be arsed .

How is your pain today? I was in the shower and my stitches are still in. A nurse said if they were still there after 5 days to go and get them snipped, but there is no reddness around them. One is in my belly button and there's no way anyone is touching that while I'm awake .

Hope you start to feel better soon. My pain is well managed by the high strength cocodamol they gave me at the mo. I have an appointment with the nurse at my gp surgery to have my stitches removed on Mon. I've done a bit of light moving about this morning, and have done some pelvic floor exercises. Will also do some of the other exercises given to me by the physio later. Thank goodness for mumsnet on my phone!

Can I join in? I got the call on Wednesday for a cancellation slot on Friday. Went in and had a LAVH - everything out except the ovaries. I had Diffuse Adenomyosis. I was sent home on Monday with a catheter still in as my bladder went on strike. The hospital signed me off for a fortnight and then I have to go to the GP to get another sick note. Saturday, Sunday, Monday were dreadful, but once I came off the morphine I stopped throwing up. Still in a lot of pain.

welcome , at going home with catheter in.

Im off pain meds during the day, I take Syndol at night but that's mainly because it helps me sleep. I'm wondering if I should take somethong mild still. I don't feel pain in a particular area, but I dont feel great.
I got a sick line for 7 weeks today. I work in a physical job so I'm very wary.

Is the catheter still in now?

Welcome MamaPyjama from me too, and a repeat of the from coco at going home with a catheter. I did think having one in was great in the hospital as I could drink and drink and drink with no worries about waking up to go to the loo, but they told me I couldn't go home until I'd done 3 wees. I also had adenomyosis, what does diffuse mean? Anyway, welcome to the hysterectomy recovery club

I had a complete abdominal hysterectomy a week and a half ago. Starting get some energy now and the pain is subsiding. Taking some HRT . Would have liked to kept my remaining ovary (one was removed eight weeks ago) but it had a big cyst growing around it. I was sent home with flipping paracetamol for pain. Doesn't touch the sides. But then that's the kiwi way - just harden up! Hope everyone is recovering well.

Diffuse just means it was spread throughout the entire uterus.

I hate the catheter, but was told it was fairly common to go home with one. I am hoping that it can be removed on Monday. I have to go back in to hospital for a Trial Without Catheter and if I fail I will be taught how to catheterise myself.

Thanks for the diffuse explanation MamaP, fingers and toes crossed that your trial without catheter is successful so that you don't have to deal with that too.

Welcome to delphinedownunder, that you were sent home only with paracetamol. Can you have someone buy you some stronger painkillers from a pharmacy?

All quiet with you coco? Hope everything is ok this morning?

I had the most normal night of sleep that I've had since the op on Monday, and my mum just brought me my porridge

Hello, I'm only up
Hello Delphine

Fingers crossed your bladder starts, mine seems to have settled down.
Is anyone losing much down below? I still have quite a lot of bloody, watery discharge.
And my stitches haven't started to dissolve

I'm bloody wrecked, I have no intentions of leaving my bed I don't think it helps that my health was very run down before the op.

Hope everyone has a restful day x

I'm breakfasted and back in bed for a rest.
I'm losing hardly anything below.
Sorry to hear you are wabbit today, Coco.

Good to hear from you coco, I'm sure your health before the op has a massive impact on your recovery, so I would give yourself as much time as you need to start feeling better. There's no timetable for this, we're all different.
I've also lost virtually nothing from down below. My tmi for today is that I haven't done a poo since Mon am, so will feel much happier when I've done that.
Have a friend popping in briefly at lunchtime, and another this afternoon, with resting planned in between (mnetting counts as rest, right?)
Here's to a restful day for us all

Waiting to speak to GP. Still losing a lot down below, but the smell, oh my god its foul, I must have an infection. Typical.

Oh no coco
Have you heard anything yet?

I had to go down to be examined . He said because my temperature is ok he's going to try me on antibiotics first, he said he's throwing the book at me .

Took a swab as well, he said there was more discharge than he would like after a week. If the antibiotics don't work I'll have to go up to hospital to be seen.

So fingers crossed

Hope everyone else had a good day.

Well I hope that the antibiotics (and the book!) works

I am concerned about my belly fold as my stitches are underneath. I dry the area really well after my shower, but it seems to get a bit - um- damp under there. Any ideas for keeping it dry and clean? As for the painkiller, I have been using some over the counter meds, but am finding the best way of dealing with pain is resting when I feel discomfort and getting my sleeping position right. Am currently using a pillow between my legs just like when I was pregnant. Seems to fix it. Also, could anyone talk to me about pelvic floor exercises and what I need to do? Also any thoughts on exercises to improve core strength for a few weeks down the track would be helpful. I usually run for exercise, but think that might be off he agenda for a while. How long off work are all you ladies planning to take? So far I have had almost a week in hospital and now a week at home. My husband asked me yesterday if I was going back to work on Monday! Don't think so! (I am an infant teacher and spend a lot of time on the floor - getting up likely to be a problem).

Would putting talc over the area help? I'm the wrong person to adk about pelvic floor exercises, Im useless.

Is your husband mad 6 weeks off is the minimum reccomended in the UK. I've put a line in for 7 weeks, I'm a classroom assistant in a special needs school. I'm not allowed back under I have been to see occupational health Dr and he says it's ok.

I have been told it can take up to 3 months before being ready for work.

Morning all. How are we today?

Coco, hope the antibiotics are starting to work some magic for you. Maybe the infection explains why you were feeling fluey?

Delphine - not sure about the stitches area, but here is a pdf copy of the leaflet that the physio gave me in the hospital. Hope you find this useful

I currently work 25 hours a week in an office, and am quite expecting to start back working from home the week after next. My sister knows someone who had a keyhole hysterectomy and was gardening after 2 weeks (and she was 70 ) Like I said earlier, we're all different and there's no timetable. My surgeon told me that I am OK to drive when I feel that I am after a couple of weeks though.

DH is taking the DDs to the beach this afternoon with some friends so that they get out and make the most of the nice weather before it goes away again. Hope you all have a nice restful weekend.

Hope you are feeling a bit better Coco. I ended back up in hospital on Friday afternoon as I may have an infection caused by my catheter. and am on antibiotics. I hope it's not caused by anything else. Back to hospital again tomorrow to have it removed though, so fingers crossed.

I was given a sick note for two weeks by the hospital and told to see the GP for the rest. I am a teacher and the consultant told me I should be ok after half term, but not to rush back before, so seven weeks off.

The pain isn't too bad now on day 9, I am down to just paracetamol today.
I am very tired though and spend two hours in bed for every hour up at the moment. My sleeping pattern is completely wonky now.

Oh no mama, that was bound to happen though , hopefully you'll be able to get it out tomorrow.
My pain isnt too bad at all, I dont really take anything now but I started thread last night, I felt so ill. It is my antibiotic, I have to eat before I take it but Im struggling to eat because they make me feel so sick. The infection is definitely clearing up but I have a weeks worth of tablets to go.
You're all beter than me, I havent bothered getting out of bed , I was going to at the weekend but then was so sick I stuck my head under the pillow and sulked instead .

I read on the hysterectomy website if where your stitches are is getting sweaty to use a sanitary towel, obviously with the sticky bit covered!

Hope everyone has a good day.

oh no mama, hope you start feeling better soon, and also hope the infection is only related to your catheter.

Coco- do you have to eat a meal with your antibiotics? Just wondering if you could manage a couple of biscuits or similar, if that would be more manageable? That's what the hospital gave me with my anti-inflammatory tablets, so that's what I've been doing at home.

I've had my stitches out this morning, can't believe how small the scars will be. My practice nurse also recommended bio oil to reduce scarring, so will have a look for some of that on amazon.

Hope you ladies are starting to feel better soon

Hope everything goes well today mama.
Well I had an awful day, couldn't move without being sick and managed to lose some stitches while doing so. Tried the anti sickness tablets but they knocked me out and I felt just as bad when I woke up. It struck me I felt exactly like I did with pregnancy sickness, which I had to be hospitalised for. So I'm 99.9% sure its the HRT doing it.

I'm stopping it from today and will make an appointment with my dr to discuss it, but it looks like the hot flushes are about to decend upon me .

Hope everyone has a good day

Oh my goodness coco So much for my suggestion to try and eat a biscuit. Really hope that coming off the HRT stops you being sick and that you have a better day today (sounds like you'd be hard pushed not to have a betterday though)

Hope you both have a good day too, mama and delphine

How is everyone today? I hope you got the catheder out and everything is working ok mama.

oh my goodness, i have two weeks holiday and come back to you all having your operations and being sent home with catheters in !! mama I had to read that twice to check what you said, never heard of that.

Coco sorry that you are having such an awful time. Hopeful if can all be sorted. Delphine and parttime hope you are both faring well.

I am still just taking the HRT and having the injections , had two now and had no problems at all thankfully. Am due to see the consultant in October to get date for Op. Anyone any idea how long Im likely to be off work for, Dr said 15 weeks, nurse said 6 months! just need to give boss some idea for cover.