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.

I rang 2 weeks after my initial appointment and she told me he likes to have people in by 6 weeks which really lifted my spirits at the time, but now I'm realising that isn't the case.

Unless they call me in next week. I might ring her again tomorrow. I just don't want to be a nuisance

Call again, I'm sure they wont think you're a nuisance this is major surgery and needs planning

Just made DH go to Boots for Lactolose. I can't take this bloating and pains any more. Hoping it doesn't it's thing.

Definitely call again, they might be able to give you a date for your pre op at least.

Oh yes, definitely call again BG2015. They won't think that you are a nuisance.
Lemony, sounds painful, hope the lactose does it's thing.

Are you home Sweary? I bet you slept much better in your own bed.

Morning! I got home at 4 o'clock yesterday and was asleep by 4:30 and aside from peeing every couple of hours as my bladder is still very confused I've slept all night! Bliss! Even more blissful because lovely DH changed the sheets so I had a lovely clean bed.

I've been sent home with a huge amount of movicol (bleurgh) and am really nervous about poos. My digestive system is screwy at the best of times (thank you eating disorders) so this isn't going to be fun. I have stacks of dried fruit, peppermint tea and peppermint capsules so hopefully it'll be as pain free as possible.

As for me now I'm very tender in my tummy but my shoulder is killing me. It seems it's the gas they use to inflate you pressing on your diaphragm but bugger me it hurts.

Definitely call BG. I had exactly the same with norethisterone - fat and miserable on it, super heavy bleeding off it. Hateful drug. Fingers crossed you get your date soon

A lot of people on another page I go on use Chia seeds to help with post op constipation, bit of info here www.verywell.com/can-chia-seeds-ease-constipation-1944829

With movicol the best way is to make sure you take it for a few days, even if you don't think it is working for a couple of days. I much prefer it to lactulose which is a)disgusting and b)seems to make my tummy noisy but does't achieve anything.

It's weird that something pressing on your diaphragm can cause shoulder pain. I'm glad you got a good night Sweary. I'm sorry that you are sore though. Did they send you home with any painkillers? try and stay on top of it, rather than taking it when you need it.

I'm starting to think more about what I need to pick up in advance. dh works long hours, so hes going to find it difficult to nip out. I had fond ideas of doing lots of batch cooking in advance. But I don't have the energy, or the time really. I did think maybe we could just live on covent garden soup!

I like making lists - its a way of controlling anxiety for me so I have so far:

-a couple of night dresses. I hate them but can't see how you can manage -a catheter and pjs, unless you just stay in your gown while you are cathetered.
-baggy pjs.
-Some yoga pant things.
-v shaped pillow (is this ott?)
-mint things for gas
-buckets of movicol
-big knickers
-pads
-dried fruit
-cartons of juice

They sent me home with tramadol, which is ace, but because I slept so long I missed taking it. I've also got paracetamol and ibuprofen to boost it up and I'm going to take to schedule rather than feeling for the first while. I also have movicol because these things do tend to stuff you up. I've not had it before and it is just like the vile cystitis sachets.

I was also sent home with - and I'm so excited by this - a DVD of part of the operation so I get to see my insides. It's so cool!

Robots I found Asda the cheapest place by about 50% for peppermint capsules. I was outraged by the amount they wanted in Holland and Barrett before I remembered everything there is a rip off. A bottle of 60 was £3.50 in Asda. Your list looks good but maybe a loose frock to wear home from hospital? Putting my yoga pants on nearly made me cry because my tummy was so sore.

a dvd! excellent! You can show it to your family at Christmas.

So glad you warned me about H&B. I was going to wander in there this weekend and stock up. I'll add a loose frock to my list. I have a proper summer one that'd be perfect, but knowing my luck it'll be snowing.

Robots, pm me your address and I'll post you the rest of my peppermint capsules. I only had 8 out of the tub, loads left and they'll just go to waste.

A DVD would be so cool! Although I'm a bit squeamish so not sure I could watch it.

Ok trivial question as I get ready to go into hospital and one I didnt expect to have to ask. (The tips on stuff are an enormous help to get organised ad I am sure I will be a bit rabbit in headlights just before.)

Where did you find an appropriate nightshirt/gown?

Was a bit horrified by the (lack of) choice in M&S, John Lewis, Next. Boden dont have any at all!

Thought a plain cotton scoop neck or mandarin collar button through (without a witty slogan or Frozen character) was a reasonable ask !

I got mine in Primark, £8 100% cotton, actually nice enough to wear again!

Also, 4 pairs of size 22 knickers (I'm normally a 14) for £2 - not nice enough to wear again!!

I have a nursing one from M&S from my baby days. It is buttoned all the way in the front

Ging, I bought this sexy thing to use in hospital, well I bought two actually. The right length, not high next, nice and loose, and not a,ridiculous amount.

Asda has loads of cheap nice(ish) nighties.

That nightie for £6 is a bargain Lemony!

Well I rang the hospital, his secretary is on annual leave until next Wednesday so I spoke to some jobsworthy temp who informed me that the waiting list is up to 18 weeks. I said I'd spoken to his secretary before and she said it was less than that, she wouldn't budge, it's 18 weeks! I even offered her my NHS number so she could look on the system.

No, sorry, it's 18 weeks. I felt like crying. I've had a shit day, been horrible to my class because I feel so hormonal. I'm bleeding and have constant cramping because I've stopped taking the Northisterone.

I shall just have to ring again next week.

Ah, that figures. I suspect Primark and Matalan didnt exist the last time I went nightie shopping, good call. (I am a very non-sexy camisole and pull ons person) Off for a look.

Alemony - Your choice is exactly what I was looking for and could not find. And its not pink! Totally appropriate. Thank you.

Oh BG don't get too disheartened and do phone next week like you say. It so often depends on who you speak to - wherever you're phoning. The hormone crash from stopping the norethisterone can be a horror so it's not too surprising you're feeling scribble. Have and and some for good measure and fingers crossed you get an answer of sorts next week.

BG I am so sorry you didnt get a better answer, but do persist.
I didnt query the wait and found out I had accidentally been discharged, and was off the waiting list entirely. It wasnt a drama at all as I was quite well and the eventual date suited, but it will help you to have certainty and you may well be taken quicker. Good luck.

Thanks - I will persist.

My life is on hold now, apart from Harry Potter at the end of May and Take That concert early June. I'm taking bets I won't be able to go to either!

BG. That's really rotten luck that you got someone who probably didn't know how to or couldn't use the system for some reason. They could have been sympathetic though. It is a big thing to rearrange your life around several weeks off when you don't know when they will be. I've had that for other surgery and it's grim and upsetting, even without a hormone crash.

Lemony, that's so kind of you, thank you :) I did buy some today though, from superdrug under their 3 for the price of two offer. I got vitamin c and windeze.

That nightie isn't too desperately bad. Does sound like asda is worth a visit though.

Spent a lot of time today informing clients I need to rearrange work and making arrangements for them. Really hope the hospital stick to the date as I don't want to have to repeat the experience.

Gosh I feel ropey today. I'm just so tired. So tired I feel sick, and that's after 11 hours sleep and two 90 minute naps! I am not surprised but it's so draining being this tired, and I missed half the rugby because I was asleep.

I took the dressings off today as instructed and the incisions are tiny - not even a centimetre long. I have quite a large tattoo on one side of my tummy and my lovely surgeon used a small gap in it to make the incision so I don't end up with it lining up funny/having a scar in the actual tattoo. What a poppet.

I hope everyone is doing well today. I suspect I'll spend the rest of the weekend doing a lot more sleeping.

What a lovely surgeon.

A few people have told me that the tiredness is the worst bit. And I guess because we all think we know what it is to be tired, it must come as rather a shock. Are you managing to eat at all?

Evening Sweary. Are you surprised at how tired you feel? I had read that you are tired after the Hysterectomy but I didn't really believe it . I am beginning to realise that a Hysterectomy is a bigger deal than my current sections. I feel a bit of a fool now.