Is there a hysterectomy support thread?

[ALemonyPea]

I had a laparoscopic vaginal hysterectomy, retained ovaries but everything else removed.

Day 6 for me, and I have some questions and would like some support as freacking out about the thought of vault prolapse.

I am managing pain wise now. Some slight pulling on one side, but manageable. Belly button keeps bleeding, but not enough to run out, so just cleaning it twice a day.

I feel quite heavy down there, is that normal?

I thought I had read everything there was about hysterectomies before I had the op, but the surgeon mentioned vaginal vault prolapse just before the surgery and explained it briefly. I then googled, and the first page brought up an awful image and I can't get it out my mind. I'm terrified that it'll happen to me.

Can anyone offer any help and support.

Peanut Hopefully by the time you read this you will have got a bit more sleep. The first 24 - 48 hours are definitely the worst part of recovery. I hope you're not in too much pain today. Try to get lots of sleep and if you're feeling up to it, have something light to eat. Make sure you shout up to the nurses if you need more pain relief - don't suffer in silence.

I hope the surgeon comes round quickly this morning to put your mind at ease.
I know it can be hard to press the buzzer when it's all dark and quiet, but I hope you were able to ask for help.

The first couple of days can be really miserable. I cried twice in hospital. Once I didn't even know why, just a big case of the miseries. Try to sleep when you can. And talk here whenever you like.

Another top tip. If people are messaging you and you feel too knackered or upset to answer, Don't. I got really fed up of people messaging me and trying to have conversations when they hadn't bothered for months and ended up turning my phone off.

Peanuts... hope you are comfortable this morning?
As others have said, the first 48hrs or so are definitely the worst.

I'm 12 days post op today and feeling pretty good.
My large incision is looking a little bit dodgy, so going to see the nurse this morning.
.. not seeing the gp to say I'm 10weeks pregnant, as I dreamt last night.. and had to really think if it was true as I woke up!!! Bizarre!

peanut
Hope all is OK and the surgeons were just doing a thorough job. As Arch says, stay pain free and hope you can get lots of rest today despite the hospital surroundings.
robots
Hope working was manageable. Dont overdo it. Have just watched the hystersisters video on 'what you can do by week 3-4' and the answer, essentially, is still not a lot! Made me feel a bit less of a wuss for resting so much.
hyster
Glad you are getting checked out and hope all is tickety boo.

I had my old recurring stress dream at the weekend, where I have completely forgotten to sit one of my university finals and am frantically working out the consequences. It always takes me a long time on waking to realise that is not the (disastrous) case. Cant believe I am still getting these occasionally at 54 years of age, and retired, good grief.

You'd have thought that sitting at a desk wouldn't cause too many issues. Then your large printer jams and the only way to unjam it is to pull it out and get into the panel at the back.ow, sharp pains both sides. :( then I watched the video this evening about weeks 3/4. I really hope I haven't caused any trouble. Other than that work is fine. Utterly cream crackered now.

Robots
You will be fine but you sure know when you overstretch something. My cat nearly killed me.
My main take from the video was that I still had to ignore those old 'dust bunnies'. I am hardly devastated with that bombshell given that I have blatantly ignored them for oooh, the whole of my life until now.

grey hope you got your wound sorted out and all is well. My dream comment on my previous post was prompted by your note but my best wishes went awol, sorry.

Morning,
Hope you're doing ok Peanut?

What is the video you're talking about please?
Take it easy Robot! .. easier said than done!

My wound is leaking, but not infected thankfully. Nurse has given me dressings and I'll go back Friday.

Thankyou Gig, I never usually remember dreams, but recently they've been very vivid, weird!

www.hystersisters.com/vb2/videoshow.php?vid=5

grey
Its a little cheesy, but reassuringly does not suggest you should be able to do a backflip or run a marathon at this point. Just be able to walk a bit. (Remember to turn around at some point though, apparently )

Glad your wound is under control. Have a good day.

I managed to speak to the surgeon yesterday morning and he used the word difficult lots of times! I had lots of adhesions which took a long time to sort out. Apparently i am very 'ozy' as well, my wound leaked a lot a couple of times but seems to be under control now. I was sick a few times this morning but feeling a lot better now as I've had a shower and a plod about the ward. I managed to get a free upgrade to a private ward so having an ensuite loo is great x

ahhh Peanuts, you've had a bit of a rough go of it :( think how brilliant you will feel once you are all healed and no longer tangled up inside.

Greyboot, I hope your leakiness resolves itself soon.

One of my clients bought round a bunch of flowers today. I thought that was lovely.

I'm sorry peanut and others having difficult recoveries.
I'm still pre-op. I'm getting quite a lot of discharge with esmya. It that the fibroids somehow reducing. I'm not particularly bothered just using up my remaining stash of pads znd panty liners. But any8nd else experience this

I'm also getting flooding as usual when u exercise. For the first time I wonder if it's actually incontinence. I've always thought it's build up know m6 womb that comes out when I exercise. Some over my fibroids obstruct the opening. The discharge doesn't seem to be urine but ... anyone has anyone ever bought a pelvic floor toner? I'm tempted to buy a kegel8 having read about the high incidence of pelvic floor weakness as we age. I know I could do regular free kegels but I also know I probably won't do them.
Anyway anyone with experience or recommendationsomething I'd be really interested.

Lasttimeround...
Have you been on esmya long?
My experience was that the very heavy bleeding/clots stopped within a couple of weeks. I then had some watery discharge for a couple of weeks, followed by continual light bleeding that never stopped.
I did have another issue in march when it was decided that one of the fibroids was degenerating. I had horrible contractions for two weeks and past several pieces of fibroid during that time.
Hope it's not too long until your operation

It's just watery discharge. No real problem no pain. It's only been 3 weeks on esmya

Sounds very similar to me. It wasn't listed as a side effect, but looking online it's fairly common.
Good luck

Just checking in to wish everyone well.

I hope you're feeling better, Peanut - are you home yet?

Robots, how are you after your first week back at work?

Grey, hoping your wound is still under control.

BG - any news yet on your date?

Lasttime - I have been looking into pelvic toners and the one that's available on the NHS is supposed to be very good (it's about £30 to buy it yourself).

No news - nothing! Believe me if there was news, you would know!

Bg2015 whereabouts in the country are you? I just can't get over the difference in timings. What you are having to endure is beyond awful!

Also hoping everyone is doing well.

My uterus seems to have gone strangely quiet again...almost as if it knows its days are numbered haha

The nhs is so fragmented now :( I am sorry you've not heard BG.

I'm doing pretty well Arch, thank you for asking. It's been quite good to be doing some work. I am cream crackered but not needing too many pain killers. How are you doing?

I'm in the West Midlands. My pathway didn't start until the 22nd Feb so my 18 weeks wait is till the end of June. Obviously they can breach that.

I'm very down about it. I'm okay physically as I'm taking Northisterone which stops the bleeding (although I've had some breakthrough bleeding and pain) but I'm coping. Mentally though I'm a mess. Tired, grumpy, irritable, I'm not enjoying my job like I used to. I just want to be home doing nothing. I have no interest in cleaning my house. I've joined weight watchers as my weight seems to be spiralling and I need to get it under control.

I feel like I'm in limbo and after the 1st June we have nothing planned, nor dare plan anything - holidays, weekends or anything.

We're having our kitchen overhauled at the beginning of August - walls knocked down, ceilings replaced so ideally I'd like to be up and mobile for that.

Sorry that's ended up being quite long.

I'm not surprised you're feeling fed up bg2015! You could always move down south where I am and take advantage of our relatively speedy pathways!

All joking aside though , I really hope you don't have too much longer to wait - it sounds miserable.

I'm fairly tired after a busy week at work, Robots, but feeling better after opening my Friday night

I felt like you do before my op, BG - just not interested in things, really. It must be awful to be unable to plan anything. Good luck with the WeightWatchers - you will definitely thank yourself for any excess you have shed when you are in recovery and having to push yourself up into a sitting position for the first time.

I'm not surprised you are feeling so fed up BG. It's really rotten.

While the pathway for this was speedy for me, for an unrelated issue, it's been appalling.

I would phone up the appointments line and ask about dates. Often they are in the system long before they send a letter out. Easier than trying get hold of the secretary in your short breaks.

Another one chipping in here, I'm on the waiting list for a laparascopic hysterectomy with ovaries removed after a fibroid resection failed to sort out my horrific periods.

The wait is supposed to be a couple of months, so hopefully not too many periods to go!

I hope everyone else is recovering well.

A year ago, I had surgery to remove pelvic adhesions( previously 3 c sections, complicated uterine surgery, and appendendicitis). It helped a little but still have pain.My surgeon said adhesions were extensive , affecting bowel, uterine wall etc, and the only way to remove them all is to have a hesterectomy with ovaries. I have extreme pulling, cramping pelvic pain , but am concerned by taking such a radical step. I have a complicated medical history with multiple dvts, paralysed diaphragm and my surgeon says I need to weigh up the risks(due to my history) and the benefits of this surgery. I am on chronic pain management( due to nerve damage) which does help the pain, but at times the pain is unbearable and I can bearly stand up or move. Has any one had a hestercectomy due to adhesions?? If so, has it helped? what was recovery like? Im aware with ovary removal I will go into menopause, but Im mid 40s , so should not be too much of a concern.
Any one in similar situation please???