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.

Fingers and toes crossed that you get positive news today Greyboot

I've lost quite a bit of weight since I came out of hospital. I was doing weight watchers before and had very slow losses, roughly 1 - 1.5lb a week but only had a stone to lose.

Since my operation which was 7 days ago, I've lost 6lb. My appetite is good and I'm eating well, salad, fruit, protein, dairy. I'm roughly sticking to the WW plan still, haven't drunk any alcohol (which I think is a factor why my losses were slow before)

Someone has suggested(on a FB weight watchers forum) I shouldn't be doing WW but should be eating healthily (I am) and that women generally put on 8lb after a hysterectomy, even after losing about 3lb of body parts.

I haven't once been constipated, in fact it's the total opposite and my bowel seems to be on overdrive.

Should I be worried? Or is this WW member jealous. I feel absolutely fine, apart from the usual tiredness.

Good luck for today Greyboots.

I've read various things about weight gain or loss after hysterectomy BG, it seems that some lose initially and then gain afterwards.

I suspect that healing uses a good few calories, but as long as you are eating healthily I don't think it should be an issue unless weight loss is excessive. I hope I have the same result, I'm a normal bmi, but every little helps!

Thanks Fenneltea - I was taking Northisterone pretty much constantly for over 12 months so I also think this was a factor. My DP whose trained as a personal trainer and has some nutritional training says my diet is really good and not to worry.

I'm just panicking I'm not healing as well as I should - silly I know.

Plus on Hyster sisters some women have lost up to 20lbs after their hysterectomies!

I bet it's because you aren't on norhisterone BG.
I lost quite a lot of weight in the first few days, then put it and more back on again, now I'm back to normal and that's with the hart patch. That's quite a lot of weight change in 8 weeks!

It's normal to lose weight in the first couple of weeks. The body parts you have lost will account for some of that - especially if you had heavy fibroids. Around the time of the operation, you will have completely missed meals, and the shock to your body and 'emergency' healing at first will burn energy.

I lost about 6lb, but regained it quite quickly - because I wasn't eating healthily at all (my op was at the start of December so I soon had lots of Christmas food lying around to tempt me). If I had stayed on a healthy diet like you I would probably have kept it off! Keep on eating a healthy diet and you will be fine.

Your WW forum person might also be getting confused with the potential effects of surgical menopause - as with any woman going into menopause, weight gain patterns can change in surgical meno, but I believe you mentioned you kept your ovaries, so that possible trigger for weight gain shouldn't apply to you.

So my update...
CT scan will be within the next two weeks.
May need my ovaries removed.
If scan is clear will have five weeks of daily radiotherapy.
If not clear then the plan will change.
Fuck is about all I can say atm.

oh Greyboots :( That's rubbish. I guess the positive is that hopefully if the scan is clear this will be over and done with by the end of the summer. I am sorry though.

So glad you updated us, I've been thinking about. I agree with Robots. They are just covering all the bases and it will soon be over.

How's Mable?

Sorry to hear that Greyboot, as others have said though at least they are being thorough and fingers crossed for a clear scan.

Greyboot

Well you know deep down that this is a better thing than the problem not being discovered at all but it surely doesn't make it any less crap so sending huge hugs. It must be such a shock.

Sounds as if you are in good hands with speedy attention, so know you will get through this quickly. Let Mabel look after you, she will know you need some tlc.

Thankyou everyone. This morning I feel like the calm before the storm. I feel like I'm getting ready to run from something, but I can't run anywhere.

Mabel is my angel, I'm not religious, but I do believe that good things happen when you need them to and she is perfection

I hope everyone else is doing ok? BG? x

Greyboot I'm doing really well, just unbelievably tired. Very broken sleep, last night I was asleep at about 8.30, awake at 11 for the toilet, fell asleep, awake again at 2pm, then finally woke up and got up at 4.30pm. I'm uncomfortable in bed and think once I can sleep on my front and move freely in bed ill feel better.

But other than that, feeling good and actually enjoying time to read and relax.

Lack of sleep is rubbish, as you say hopefully that will get back to normal soon.
Glad you're ok apart from that.. enjoy the sunshine x

Crossing everything for a clear scan, Greyboot. It sounds as though the doctors are being very thorough. I'm glad Mabel arrived in your life at just the right time to bring you comfort .

Sorry to hear you are having broken nights. I am a side sleeper and found it hard to sleep on my back (couldn't sleep on my side without being in pain) - it is a great relief when you can sleep normally again.

Hoping everyone else is OK.

(The part about broken nights was to BG, sorry!)

For the past few days I've had a really uncomfortable pain near to my left hip around one of my incisions. It's the side that's hurt most from day 1 but yesterday was particularly painful.

I wonder whether I'm lifting/doing too much. I do tend to use my left arm quite a lot and typically will just do something before asking someone to help me.

Today I'm going to lift northing but a cup and see how I feel.

Other than that I'm feeling ok, still tired - but last night I actually slept on my stomach I woke up at 2.30 with back ache so decided to them over and sleep on my front and I slept from 2.30 till 6am!

How are you feeling BG, did the resting help? Being able to get into your usual sleep position makes such a difference!

Have you got your scan date yet Greyboot?

How is everyone else doing?

I've had my results. A surprise finding of endo and fibroids as well as the adenomyosis. I'm a bit confused now as I don't know if they actually removed the endo. I presume that's what caused the adhesions. I'm also on hrt and don't know if that is going to cause any issues with it.

I've been to see my GP this morning after the pain is still there, not worse, but not better either.

He examined me, felt my tummy which is soft - said I have 4 incisions when usually there are only 3, 2 of the are on my left hand side. They must have made an extra incision because they struggled to get everything out.

He says the pains I'm feeling is probably muscle and tissue healing. He also said I'm expecting too much and that I'm only. 2 weeks post op.i need to be resting and taking painkillers. The pain is my bodies way of saying slow down.

Robots that's good that you've got your results. Did you not know about the endo and adhesions? What HRT have they put you on?

BG good you got checked out. Do try and rest up, agree the challenge is to do less not more and no prizes for appearing to recover quickly.

I'm glad you got checked out BG. There's a reason we get signed off for so long. I still get twinges.and swelling now if I do too much, though most of the time you wouldn't know I'd had major surgery a couple of months ago.

Got out on my bike for the first time after the op today. My legs were a bit jellied after but it felt good.

I had no idea about the endo or the adhesions. Only prior diagnosis was adenomyosis. I'm rather glad I had my ovaries out now!

Can I join please. I'm seeing a consultant on Thursday and fully expect to be offered a hysterectomy.

I've not been right since my second c-section in July 2013. But the last few months have been terrible. I thought I was peri but the blood tests say not.

I bleed almost constantly, 90% of the time. When I get my period it lasts for 14 days and then I'm straight into ovulation with bleeding. It's like I'm trying to ovulate twice, it can last three weeks. There are only 22 days this year I've not bled.

DH has been an angel and has called in the private healthcare as my GP has been so slow to act.

I've been told to see the consultant on Thursday and could have a hysterectomy next week if it's needed. I have to get out of this cycle of misery. I have no life. I work, sleep, bleed and am genuinely miserable. My children think 'Mummy has a sore tummy so she needs to go to bed'. It males me sad, a trip to the park is exhausting and involves packing towels and tampons as well as a picnic.

The only question I really have is about keeping my ovaries. I'm 43 and ovulate every 4/5 weeks and it's sheer agony. Worse than the cramping, flooding periods and clotting.

What will the consultant think? Ovulation is my worst symptom, I vomited at work yesterday due to the pain. I'm not scared of HRT, but I am scared of the doctor getting the dose wrong. I work full time and need to be semi functional (to WFH) asap.

Sorry for the essay

Hi and welcome ImNot, it's a bit slow on here as lots of ladies have now had their hysterectomies and are recovering. So jump in as lots of experiences on here.

Will your consultant offer you a scan? They will check your ovaries, maybe there is an underlying issue as to why you have such bad ovulation pain, cysyts maybe?

I'm 48 and had my hysterectomy 2 weeks ago, I decided to keep my ovaries because I didn't want to go into surgical menopause. The drs did try to talk me out of it but I wanted to keep them. I think a lot of drs want to take everythin. Discuss it next week.

I too had constant bleeding, I took Northisterone for over 12 months and felt terrible. It's big operation but so far it's been a positive experience and I have no regrets.

Let's us know how you go on.

Welcome ImNot. I'm sorry you've been having such a rough time of it.

I found the decision about having my ovaries out really tough. I was told I could tell them on the day. I genuinely didn't know what I was going to say until I spoke. Panicked afterwards. But I'm so far really glad I did. I went on to hrt while in the hospital. Since then apart from slightly bigger boobs I've had no hormone effects at all. I feel much better than I did before.

Thank you both, it just all seems like such a huge decision but the fact that's it's effecting my daily life has led me here.

I'm erring on the side of just getting rid of everything. I'm terrified of ovulating. I know it means two days off work praying to the porcelain god. And then at least a week on heavy duty painkillers to stave off the pain.

I guess the consultant will be open for discussion on it all. I also heard the surgeon say I was full of adhesions during my second c-section but he didn't appear to make any attempt to tidy things up. It only took him 30 mins to sew me back together after the baby came out. I'm hoping to get tidied up and have a life again.

It's fantastic to read stories of people who have been through this.