Anyone up for a new hysterectomy hand holding thread?

[Northlondonma]

For those who are contemplating, have a date, had one and recovering?

I had mine keyhole with everything removed on Monday. Am 40. Would love to chat to people going through same thing.

And get lots of books to read to take your mind off things. I have read about 8 books in the last two weeks! Let me know if you need any recommendations and if you need to weep, weep. It makes you feel better! Big hugs and shout out if you need anyone to chat to. X

Hope you feel better soon Cosmic. And your lady bits too, North.

Cosmic how was your first night at home? Hope you finally got comfortable enough to get some sleep.

It was ok, getting into more of a routine with the pain relief so that's making a huge difference. I'm finding it hard not doing anything around the house, I am hugely ocd about everything being neat and tidy, so being like this is a challenge for me!!
I'm resting at the moment, I've purchased some cheap maternity leggings, they are amazing!!!
How are you feeling north? Have you any follow up appointments soon?

Hey cosmic. Glad you got yourself comfy but you must just rest and forget the house!!! You really can't do anything about it so try and out to back of your mind!
I had an appointment on Tuesday. Think post is below somewhere but today I have started to feel a little more human. Even managed to wear knickers! Woohoooo. Small steps and all that. Have another appointment a week on Tuesday so that he can follow up. Hoping that it will be fixed by then. X

Glad your wearing knickers north, that is small progress! I hope your having a good weekend? I'm ok, very up and down but only 6 days post op so too be expected. I'm finding it hard getting comfy at night and I'm desperate to sleep on my side, does anyone know if it's ok after an abdominal hysterectomy?

I slept on my side immediately after the op.(TAH) No problems. I can't sleep on my back. Does it pull on your incision? A pillow underneath for support might help. Mine was a vertical incision.

Thanks Thyme, I too hate sleeping on my back so reassuring to hear you were fine on your side. I've 'treated' myself to a new mum pillow pack, it has a bump support pad and one of those v shaped cushions so perfect for me. The irony though considering what I've just had done

I know what you mean about the irony. I was told that my ovarian cyst/tumour was the size of a full-term pregnancy. In the event, it weighed as much as my first-born - 2 kilos, small baby.

In the nasty pre-op bit, when we didn't know what it was, we called it Spawn of Satan. Then afterwards, so many of the symptoms were the same, even down to the lochia. Fortunately, I had no fond feelings for my uterus. Had imagined it had shrivelled up to nothing. So no need for grief therapy.

Now I'm going through the menopause - such fun, I did it twice. With hot flushes and insomnia. Hey-ho.

Glad you've sorted out the pillows. Did the hospital give you a list of what you are allowed/not allowed to do? The first two weeks were 'extended hospital stay'. Nothing more strenuous than 'light housework - dusting'. That seemed pretty heavy duty to me.

Hi all . I am recovering from similar surgery ( abdominal open myomectomy) so reading with sympathy

I cannot believe about your labia north. That's a big mistake

And cosmic hope healing

I am nearly seven weeks now . I started back at work and I am fucked. Had sore tummy all day and am so tired. I realised when healing a I was piddling about in house , or lying down . But sitting down is really hard.

And as for recovering when you have kids . Aghhhhh. So hard

Wishing you the best and if it takes ages to recover And feel normal don't worry !!! Rest rest and rest x

Argh. Posted and it had disappeared! Anyhow hope you are all well and welcome fromparis! Sounds like you may have gone back to work too soon? How long did you have off? My sick note runs out on Monday but I'm going to get it extended. No way I can go back to work yet. Still struggling with lady part but new plan is to stay indoors in nightie for a few days hoping it will heal over. I've plenty of books to keep me occupied.
Anyone else have really dry itchy skin? My face looks awful! Need to get some better skincare.

Hello everyone, hope your all doing ok? How did your appointment go yesterday north? Hope your feeling a bit more comfortable.
I'm getting very bored at home but I'm trying to keep busy but also rest as much as I can deal with! Internet shopping is a great past time but I may have to ask dp to hide my debit card from me if I'm not careful!!!
Do you work full time paris? I do and can't imagine how hard it will be going back, I hope your ok?

I do work ft but actually after first day was less bad . But I think before seven weeks there is massive internal Ealing you don't want to mess up, I am healed just more tired and sore. I am still taking it very easy

I am bang on 7 weeks today how many are you two ??

So sorry for your poor bits north oh early I winced

Nearly spent 100 quid on a sales cashmere sweater ( to go with the legging I now wear all the time !!!). Thanks his restrained it ! Went internet shop mad too

I found it difficult to read - and I usually read a lot, but found I nodded off. So I developed quite a good routine with box sets. Mainly Breaking Bad, then lots I'd already seen.

I'm quite nostalgic for it now. Reclining on the sofa with a clear conscience because it was doing me good. But I didn't have dcs to feel guilty about.

There is no way I could have gone back to work at 6 weeks. (ex Sec school teacher). Just the standing and up and down the stairs in a 3 floor building would have wiped me out.

I've no twinges at all now in my front, which I put down to not rushing my recovery. But, as I say, I was in a fortunate position. Still avoiding lifting toddler gc.

Ladies on the 'other side' How soon did you start doing the recommended post surgery exercises? I'm coming up to 2 weeks post op and frankly the thought of doing any pelvic floor or abdominal exercises makes me want to wince and then lay down pretending I was never given a physio leaflet
How are you all doing?

No no no ! Cosmic rest up please ! I did some very (very! ) gentle exercise today I am 7 weeks ! I and I had milder op than a hyster . Best thing is walking right now x two weeks is a touch early

I am shattered after first week at work and ache all over. I am actually going to post an ask for post op survival as I am so achey and sore. So for example went to library and supermarket and by the time I paid I was in proper back and shoulder pain just from carrying heavy bags . Is this normal?

Anyway please all rest as you are all still healing internally x

And god bless ibuprofen

And hot water bottles

Sorry to hear your feeling so rough Paris, hopefully someone further down the line can help? Do you need to be back at work? The hospital mentioned a phased return but I don't think my employer would be jumping for joy at that prospect! Do you work full time?
Thanks for the advice re exercises, it's all laid out in the physio info I was given the day after my surgery!! According to it, I'm already a week and 3 days behind schedule My gut feeling is that regular standing and walking is more than enough for now!!!

No - Paris! No carrying shopping bags or standing in queues. Can you buy/borrow a shopping trolley? Even trying to lift a bag up to the worksurface isn't a good idea. Do it item by item from the floor. Open adbominal surgery means your back and side muscles are having to do all the work, even to keep you upright. When I had to queue, it helped to shift from foot to foot.

Funnily enough, (tho' not so funny really), I found choosing library books particularly exhausting. It's standing still, browsing the shelves.

Not surprised you ache all over. And lie down on the sofa, rather than sit on a chair. It makes a lot of difference.

Re Ibuprofen, you're meant to take 2 x Ranitidine p.d. to protect your stomach. I was on 400 Ibu x 3.

Thanks thyme . I thought at seven weeks I could carry but you are right . No more carrying ! I also nearly missed a train and kind of threw myself into the doors to stop it . That was not a great thing to do , in hindsight !!

Cosmic I never got any leaflets ! The general advice seems to be sedate walking

Sedate walking I can manage So no more carrying heavy bags then Paris, take it easy (if possible?) this weekend too!

Hi all. Am nearly 4 weeks post op and get exhausted by everything!! Also get terrible back ache if am walking around too much. I was only told to do pelvic floor (is that because my was keyhole?). Anyhow totally forget to do them. This has reminded me!
I am supposed to go back to work on Monday but there is no way. I am seeing consultant again on Tuesday as my injury down below has not healed over. So so sore. It's still raw on the edges. I can't see how it can heal being where it is. Will see if I can get a note for after half term which gives me another three weeks. Hopefully then I won't be walking like John Wayne.
Also think my husband may be at the end of his recovery patience! Four weeks basically working, running household and looking after kids. Think I may need to pull myself together!!

I had my surgery in a large London teaching hospital. I've just read the instructions for 'women who have had major gynaecological surgery'. I think abdominal open myomectomy might qualify, but not keyhole?

4 to 6 weeks - 'May be able to return to a sitting job, full/part time.'

6 wks to 3 months - 'May be able to return to work full-time'. NO HEAVY LIFTING i.e. children, people, furniture, suitcases, heavy books. NO PUSHING or PULLING.' (But I did pull shopping trolley, half full.)

'Normal lifting at three months, but take care to use correct lifting techniques.'

Cosmic - they do go on a bit about pelvic floor exercises. I must admit I didn't do mine in the early days because they made the discharge worse.

North - what bad luck! Does it still hurt to sit? With me, backache definitely meant I was doing too much. I was still having afternoon naps at your stage.

there does seem to be a paucity of advice for whats normal I must say! to compare

heart op, months and months
lung surgery, took my DM 5 months
friend had a coil that went rotton and had to get cut out,MAJOR! 5 months

so for us to think we should be normal after a few weeks is silly really!

northlondon, you have had your WOMB cut out , that plus the (poor!) labia issue will set you back. get that sick note. you cant "pull yourself together" and its not forvever

the thing about working is its not just sitting at a computer. its stress, office politics, worrying how much to do, emotional energy. as I have learnt. fuck work, they need to wait!

my friends mum had a super fast hysterectomy recovery, however:
widow, no husband
cleaner!
no job to stress about
NO SMALL CHILDREN!!!!

I have really calmed down (thanks ladies )

fact is I wont be anything like normal until 3 months- and even then you might still have twinges