Hysterectomy

[fledtoscotland]

After years of heavy painful periods I finally got the gp to refer me to gyn. Had my appointment at 9am expecting to be told to just get on it with it but they've agreed to my request of a hysterectomy.

Will get a date in the next 6-8wks.

Has anyone any advice experience of a laproscopic hysterectomy ? Am a bit worried about complications too.

Tia

Anyone?????

Wow, that's like cracking a nut with a sledgehammer. Have you looked into the other options?

Have had 6 years of various medications, currently using the depo injection to stops periods totally as the only pain relief that works is tramadol and I can't function when taking it. The surgeon says that laser ablation won't help the adhesions. It's just a surprise they've said they will operate straight away. GP and practice nurse have talked about it on and off but never said anything definite.

Don't really think there are any other options apart from mirena coil which there again won't help adhesions

:(

There's a few threads on here about hysterectomys if you do a search. I'll keep bumping for you. I know that a prolapse can be one of the side effects, then there's the usual risk of infection (my mum had an open hysterectomy). Some on here say how it's changed their lives for the better.

I've seen a few threads and trying not to freak myself out with potential complications. They are leaving in cervix and my one ovary (other removed because of a cyst in 2007).

I was hoping to get some real-life advice about the laproscopic surgery and how I would feel after

There's a fibroid thread somewhere. A few of the ladies on there have had a hysterectomy. There's a lot of sites on the web as well, I looked at hystersisters, that was very helpful.

I had one last august, but I had my ovaries and cervix removed. I went in to surgery at 5pm on a Wednesday and went home on the Friday at 3 pm.
After the surgery I had a cathader in and was on a drip and oxygen. These were removed the next day.
The first week back home I never shifted from my bed , I did have an infection but it cleared up very quickly once I got anti biotics.
You must take it very easy for the first few weeks, I stayed off work for 10 weeks, though my job is pretty physical.
I wasn't having periods at the time because I had already had an ablation, I wish I had taken the hysterectomy instead of the ablation at the time.

I'll be happy to answer any questions .

Thanks coco. Will get together my list for you. My consultant said 6-8wks off as although I'm office based I do regular nightshifts. Think the are concerned I would still be too tired to go back to my normal shift pattern which had school runs and only 5hrs sleep

How unwell will I actually be when I come home? Is it more tiredness (have had major open abdo surgery before) or will there be a lot of pain? I've been told I will have a catheter and drain in for 24hrs

Thank you

I kept taking my painkilers very regularly, I didn't wait until I was sore, for the first week. Had awful wind pains, I used Windeze but others have said about using peppermint cordial or tea. They lasted a couple of days.

The pyshio came around to show me how to get out of bed, and when to start lifting etc.

I had stitches that dissolved but they needed a helping hand after a few weeks, I gave them a gentle scratch to get them out.

I realised at about six weeks post op that I suddenly felt much better! I had been ill for about 8 months before hand and i think this delayed my recovery slightly.

I actually cried with relief today when the consultant said that I wouldn't have to go though any more periods and to just continue the depo injection until the surgery. It's taken over my life for years now and limited what I can do with my kids/caused me to be off sick from work.

Just feeling a little daunted that its happening so quickly

I would have loved to have had it quickly I had to wait 24 weeks mine!

That's awful having to wait so long . There are a couple of consultants who operate a few days a week and I've said I don't mind whose list I'm on or will take a short notice appt but would rather wait until after summer holidays so she mentioned September and said I would hear from the secretary shortly.

How easy it is to do nothing for the first couple of weeks? I'm notorious for not sitting still

Right, I know what a laproscopic hysterectomy is now I've done some googling .

I had an abdominal hysterectomy 4yrs ago (to prevent cervical cancer), cervix and uterus gone and ovaries left in. It was a hell of a lot better than the EMCS I had with DC1. The after care is much better, you don't leave your bed for almost 2 days, and the hospital drum it into you that you must rest for some time at home. Like cocolepew I stuck to my bedroom for the first week while everyone else sorted out the children, although they did sit on my bed for stories. But because I was resting I didn't need any pain relief, I stopped paracetamol at day 4. I was under instructions to take it easy for 6 weeks then gradually build up to normal over another 6 weeks.

My boss at the time must of had a laproscopic hysterectomy as she was saying she only had 6 weeks off with hers so I should do the same .

Make sure you stock up on some books you want to read while you convalesce. I was a lovely mummy at the end of it as I'd caught up on my sleep!

fled I have an aversion to sitting down, I don't even watch films. But it was rather lovely just mooching around at home not having to do anything. I did catch up on my paperwork though and did little things like tidying drawers up.

I was at the gym 13 weeks after the op.

Yes it's very easy! You will be tired and sore, even after the first week you will be expected to do nothing. No hoovering for 6 weeks or carrying washing, no driving, no carrying anything heavy. You really need to take it very easy to let yourself heal properly.
The UK hysterectomy site is very good, there are a lot of questions and answers on the forum.

X post with meglet!

Thank you again meglet & coco. It's only just sinking in that the end is in sight but its v scary at the same time. DH is going to speak to his boss to see if he can take parental leave for 4wks.

My employer isn't renown for their sympathy but I'm worried about nightshifts after 6wks. After my oophrectomy I was still sleeping loads at 6wks and there's no way I could have stayed up all night and survived on 5-6hrs sleep during the day. I would rather stay off an extra week or so and go back to work well.

The external "port" sites where in instruments go in - how long do they take to heal? Is the drain sore coming out? Was constipation a major problem?

I had an abdominal hysterectomy in February. Best thing I ever did. Had 6 weeks off. Wish I had taken 8. I think if you go in with a positive attitude then your recovery will be good. I know others who have had the same as me, expected the worse and didn't have a positive attitude. They struggled making a coffee at 12 weeks. I am not saying they didn't struggle but if you see the negative in every possible complication or side effect then recovery will be slow.

My incisions took a couple of weeks to heal but they weren't sore, I just freaked that I had stitches on my bellybutton, I have a thing about it being touched!
The drain coming out was unpleasant but quick.
If I take grapefruiti juice I don't get constipated, so I drank gallons of it .

I love grapefruit juice and detest peppermint tea so thanks for the tip there

I had abdominal hysterectomy 17days ago. In hospital for 48 hours. Pain really hasn't been as bad as I had expected..I stopped painkillers at day 5. The wind pain is the worst but peppermint tea is great! My wound is still a bit red but healing really well, still a bit tender but only if I press on it. I was very active preop and dreading inactivity but have been walking daily from day 4 and am now walking for an hour a day. Not doing any housework :-)
If you are having laparoscopic surgery recovery times should be a bit quicker.
Hope you get a date soon....I am in Scotland and ended up only waiting 6-8 weeks, about half the time they had told me!!

Thanks brainwashed - I've asked to wait until September when DS2 is settled into school but they said they had short notice slots throughout the summer if I wanted it done quicker. I've got a fair bit of internal scarring so they have said I will be in at least 3 days but that's good you feel better so quickly.

Good luck when it does happen. I meant to also say that I worked like a mad thing on my abdominal muscles and pelvic floor preop....it may have made a difference to my recovery time, I don't know, but it certainly got me in the habit of doing them. The physios in hospital love pelvic floor exercises!!