New hysterectomy support thread

[lasttimeround]

Come one come all for everything hysterectomy related

Discuss procedures, pre op preparation, post op healing. And whatever else crops up.

Lasttime no - on way home after seeing DGC. Nice to be back and planning a quiet day today.

Buffer we are all different. I felt totally wired after the anaesthetic. I had a long op 2 hrs 45 mins as quite a few repairs needed. I wonder if they give you something to wake you up which made me feel like I had had a 1000 coffees for days. But I couldn't concentrate on much but TV for weeks other than an audio book. I was going to put photos in albums but wouldn't have had the energy.

5 weeks on and after 2 UTIs I'm feeling much more normal though still get wiped out and the no lifting is a real pain. I was allowed to drive after 4 weeks when I could kick down hard on the floor without a twinge. Bloody hurt my knee but that was fine

Thank you, I have finally made it through the previous thread, what a wealth of information amd experience, really useful.

I am in tomorrow so I have stocked up on peppermint tea and dulcolax! Fingers crossed they don't have to open me up.

Like some others we get no follow up apparently so I'm hoping it's all straight forward.

Hope everyone is recovering well amd those who were waiting get their dates through soon and/or useful advice on the various options they have. For me this is the end of a long line of attempts to cure things so I'm pleased that I should have a final solution and can get on with my life in a few weeks. See you on the other side!

Good luck Buffering, you'll be fine. Don't overdo the laxatives like I did. Be patient waiting for the result and don't take another just in case. It was not what I wanted to deal with as soon as I got home

Thanks lazy. I actually had a long chat with the pharmacist about what to expect and how long to wait because of your experience! There is probably enough going on without that whilst I want to avoid constipation I'm definitely not keen on going the other way either!

Hello Buffering, just popping in to hope that all went well. 👍💐Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Had my post-op follow up. Brief and to the point, and straight onto HRT. I am keen on this, so good news.

Imagine there is an HRT thread here so off I pop.........

Hope you're doing well buffering.

Lazy - nice you managed a trip. My confined world is making me wierd.

I'm hoping hrt goes well.

Looks like I've got an infection after all. Swab gp took grew something so I'm on antibiotics. To be honest yesterday I could feel an itchy bit inside the incision. I hope they don't need to cut parts of it open to drain it. I'm not sure how it's supposed to heal if there's pus inside. Arrrgh. Longer convo with gp today I guess. Tbh I think there's a good chance there's v little pus.

Buffering- I'd be careful on the dulcolax. It works by stimulating peristalsis. You should not do this if you have a bowel spasm or blockage which can happen after abdominal surgery. Instead you need laxatives that add soluble fibre inside your gut that make stool easier to pass. Fybogel for instance. Leave the rest to hospital to provide. I had paralysed bowel for days - after second surgery after I had an internal bleed. Agony and definitely no laxative on top of that.

Ooh how the gp has some useful info last.

All went well for me. Surgery at 11 and home by 8pm. Only problem I has was severe vomiting but they were happy for me to go home with that it's settled now though.

The only pain killers I have are paracetamol and ibuprofen which are keeping the edge off I suppose. I was expectingsomething a bit stronger but I'll see how I go on.

My Oh is getting on my nerves bless him. His exw had this done 10 years ago so he keeps telling me he knows all about it as he's been through it before Also it's making me worry that I'm not "doing it as well" complaining too much or whatever. I'm not really sure what to say to him.

Oh buffering - try to just stop on the comparison. You don't need that. Hope you're recovering well and the vomiting stays gone

I think I'll have a gentle chat tomorrow.

Well the sickness seems to have stayed away and I'm eating well. No real bathroom action which is slightly worrying me after the Eiffel Tower description in the previous thread

Ha ha buffering. Hopw the poop was good and not too eiffel tower!!!
I'very had two rather lowish weeks. I had an infection. Not enough to make me properly I'll but enough to make me low. Antibiotics for a week. Happy it wasn't worse but I've lost my zing. And I feel a bit guilty because I haven't managed things I thought I'd do in favour of lazing about watching dumb movies...
Anyway. I'm a day shy off 6 weeks and I just carried the shopping in. In stages. Not loads but there's no pain in tbe incision anymore. 0m being careful to brace pelvic floor properly and not do too much but it's nice to say the least. Even though I've a long way to go fitness wise.
Hope everyone's doing fine

How are you getting on last?

I managed poop ok thank you I have got a bit of an infection sadly which is causing some bleeding and tiredness but generally I'm doing exceptionally well. My main problem is sleep! I'm sleeping like a sick person so I get tired when I do something, nap for 20 minutes and wake refreshed - 24hrs a day

Hi folks. Hopw everyone's doing well. I seem to have turned the corner. Less napping - yes that gets annoying buffering. I'm still tired and I'm avoiding lifting too heavy/ bulky. But I did a short workout yesterday. Still avoiding straight up crunches but otherwise feels nice to move
It's very quiet on here...

It is quiet on here. It feels like the season for hysterectomy is over

Hope you're doing well. I have taken up a crafty hobby and am focusing on getting my health sorted (starting with a princessing thread because I'm trying to be good and keep the exercise down). Still sleeping a lot but feeling the pressure to get back to work. It's only 3 weeks tomorrow since my op but the place seems to be falling apart at the moment. I'm trying not to let it bother me but that's not proving to be easy. I love my job and I'm worried about the place

at buffering as we survey the tumbleweed. Everyone's gone...
The princessing sounds good. I'm amazed you can manage thinking about work. My cognitive sequencing took a battering and I found it hard to sustain a train of thought until the last 2 weeks. But maybe cos I had 2 ops and a shed load of morphine with all my complications.
I'm glad the thinking is back as I was starting to get worried. It's still creaky tbh.
I hope your workplace holds it together. I have to admit it's a big big difference for me between 4 weeks po and nearly 8 weeks. They say between 4-6 weeks is a danger zone for overdoing things.

Hi all. Sorry for butting in.

I had a hysterectomy at the beginning of December last year, an open abdominal procedure to remove a mahoosive fibroid.

I agree with what everyone has said about not pushing yourself too far, too fast. I did feel that every day I was a little stronger and more able. I remember the first day home I needed a sit down after standing in the shower for 5 minutes, everything hurt SO much and I was just so weak. But the best advice I had from the surgeon was to walk as much as I could, whether that was just pottering around the kitchen, or walking to the end of the road.

I was back driving short distances after 4 weeks. Lifting is the biggie to avoid - even now I still get twinges if I've been overdoing things with heavy bags. Anyone who is struggling I'd really recommend physiotherapy, I saw a specialist woman's health physio who helped a lot with pelvic floor and general ideas of what to do to help your adbominals recover.

There is light at the end of the tunnel though, the early days were crap and I was frustrated about not being able to do anything for myself, but 9 months in I'm SO glad I had the op.

Hello ladies. Have been meaning to pop on and have a catch up. Iv been doing pretty well. 8 weeks now and pretty much back to normal- one week and I'm back to work. Had another bleed this morning- no idea what caused it so will keep an eye.
Hope everyone is doing ok x

Hi rosemary- glad to hear you're doing well too. Thsnks for the update from a couple of months on poppy. I'm slowly starting to exercise. Very gentle short low impact - I csn really feel effects of very sedentary past few years. With advancing age it's hard to see any progress but I try not to be discouraged.

Hello to my time twins lasttime and Rosemary. I'm also feeling pretty much 100% after 8-9 weeks. Had a final check up this week and surgeon is also happy with me. It has taken me a really long time to get back to normal energy though and I'm not quite there yet. But I have an auto-immune disease which saps my energy so it may be that I have to accept a longer getting back to full normal. I'm also 61 and didn't get much peace in the early weeks (no-one's fault). All good though and pleased to hear we are all ok in the end!

Rosemary, I have a little bit of a ridgy scar from my anterior vaginal wall repair apparently. Surgeon said nothing to worry about but it could bleed a little.... just wondered about your bleed. It's a suture granuloma if you want to look it up. If it bothers me in the future, I can apparently have it burnt off with silver nitrate like a wart. I politely declined kind offer!

Hello all. Tumbleweed indeed! I popped back thinking I would have pages of posts to catch up on 🤔Month 5 for me, me now on HRT which is bloody marvellous. Not a hot flush in sight. happy lady.
As poppypopcorn rightfully notes, my only reminder is the occasional abdominal twinge, and when I lift heavy stuff I feel like I have been on a major workout the following day.

A big hello and best wishes to all comers old and new. Great big fan of this surgery from my point of view, it has been life changing. That old fibroid had obviously been draining my batteries and I now have a spring in my step.😁

How are we all? I’m fine, still tired but think it’s my chronic illness causing that though flare seems to have been triggered by the GA / trauma.

I’m doing ok. I had my hysterectomy on the 6th June. I started on HRT 2 weeks ago and have noticed a vast difference in the hot sweats and flushes.

I still feel very tired but have been suffering with a heavy cold so am thinking when that finally goes I’ll feel better.

I’ve not exercised for about 5 weeks as I’m just too tired.

BG it’s amazing how long the tiredness lasts isn’t it? I have my ovaries so don’t need HRT as post menopausal. I have two friends who it’s has helped hugely though.

Hi everyone, I posted in chat but holdthewine kindly pointed me in your direction so I will copy it here too. I am due to have a hysterectomy in a few days due to fibroids and years of endometriosis and I am petrified.

Has anybody had one that can tell me the complete truth about their experience of it. I have used google but seem to find extremes of either absolute horror stories or ladies saying they were wanting to drive/work after 2 weeks. I doubt any of them are the norm so asking here.

I think I am most nervous about how I will feel immediately after recovery to the first few days.

Could you share your experiences, the good, bad and ugly?

Quiet here today shuttheblinds. Bumping for you hoping someone sees it as you’ve heard my story on your other thread. Not holdthewine again!