Anyone had a hysterectomy?

[prideoftheyankees]

My SIL has had severe PPH 3.5 weeks after giving birth. She lost 10 pints of blood and was given an emergency hysterectomy 2 days ago. She was in ICU on a ventilator but is now in recovery. She is now off her drips etc but still has a cathater and hasn't managed to walk yet.

Can anyone give me any indication of what sort of recovery she can expect? She is hoping to be discharged early next week. She is on morphine, if she is discharged, could she still get morphine? When will she be able to manage stairs and lifting etc.? How much nursing and help will she need after discharge bearing in mind her baby is less than a month old?

I haven't got any advice but wanted to so how sorry i am your SIL is going through this.Hope she gets well soon.

I think it's worth remembering that this is not a run of the mill hysterectomy. Your SiL lost a lot of blood and an emergency hysterectomy is going to be more traumatic than a routine planned one. She will not be able to lift much for at least a month to 6 weeks. She could probably manage herself but with a small baby she is definitely going to need support for some weeks. Hope she recovers well.

Sorry about your sil, agree with choc's comments. I had a planned hyster 2 years ago, and it was a vaginal recovered to walking and out and about stage in 6/7 weeks and within a year I had completed a triathlon.

But it was planned. Emotionally although had planned it I was still emotional about the fact of never_ having anymore children.

Sure someone will have answered better than me, in a shorter time.

She will need lots of help for a long time as far as I am concerned.

my mum has just had a hysterectimy and her ovaries and some fatty tissue from her stumache wall removed.

she got up walking on day three and came home day 4. but was warned she needed lots of rest and cant lift babies or toddlers for at least 4 weeks however because of the extent of her op and they had to cut upwards not accross she has been told to double everything so picking up kids/heavy objects/hoovering/standing for extended periods/driving for at least 8 weeks.

she had the op two weeks ago and has progressed to making herself cups of tea and walking short distances. but is still in a lot of pain if she tries to do too much. my dad and my sisters and myself have taken over doing everything in the house and the shopping.

your sil is going to need lots of help for about three months. especially in the first two weeks. you should get an info sheet on what she can and cant do before she is released

my mum has just had a hysterectimy and her ovaries and some fatty tissue from her stumache wall removed.

she got up walking on day three and came home day 4. but was warned she needed lots of rest and cant lift babies or toddlers for at least 4 weeks however because of the extent of her op and they had to cut upwards not accross she has been told to double everything so picking up kids/heavy objects/hoovering/standing for extended periods/driving for at least 8 weeks.

she had the op two weeks ago and has progressed to making herself cups of tea and walking short distances. but is still in a lot of pain if she tries to do too much. my dad and my sisters and myself have taken over doing everything in the house and the shopping.

your sil is going to need lots of help for about three months. especially in the first two weeks. you should get an info sheet on what she can and cant do before she is released

I'm sorry to hear about your SIL prideoftheyankees. I might be able to help a little on two counts. I had an abdominal hysterectomy in March. The surgery was carried out late afternoon on Thursday and I was cathaterised until Saturday morning and discharged on Monday morning (with a post-op incisional hernia as it happens). I was in good health prior to the op (unlike your poor SIL) and I made a really speedy recovery. I didn't do any lifting at home but I wasn't in too much pain and was able to do light housework between periods of resting in bed. I wouldn't have wanted to carry a little baby around though so your sister will need help.

Perhaps more relevant is the experience I had when DS1 was born. After a protracted labour lasting three days I was finally given an emergency c section. However, a week later (having been discharged but suffering with severe kidney pain and early stage kidney failiure) I had to be opened up again (same scar) in order to release a stitch that the gynae registrar had inadvertently caught around my ureter. DS1 and I were in hospital for a further 5 days and when I got home with a new baby I was pretty poorly. I stayed in bed with the baby in a moses basket right next to me and a supply of nappies and so on. DH had to go back to work (self-employed) as he had already had time off for the labour and birth and for visiting me in hospital. It was a pretty difficult time actually. As I recall we got by with friends popping in to help me. No local family available. Fortunately DS1 slept well and I was able to rest and sleep when he did. Within a week or so of being home I was a bit more mobile but I never risked carrying the baby until I was completely sure of my strength.

Of course everyone's recovery is different but your SIL has had a really rough time poor lady. As everyone else has indicated she will need a good deal of assistance - not just with the baby but with the her own needs, meals, housework etc. All hands on deck I say!!

I do wish her a swift recovery and I hope that you and your family are able to supply all the help that she needs.

Hi, I had a planned hysterectomy at the end on January, and went back to work after 13 weeks. This is about average for most women who have had the abdominal op. You SIL will need ALOT of help and practical support, as well as the emotional trauma she must be experiencing. Hopefully she still has her ovaries, otherwise she will be straight into a surgical menopause which will make it even harder for her. When she is up to it, tell her about www.hysterectomy-association.org.uk
It is an absolutely BRILLIANT site for ladies who've had or having a hyst, with loads of info and support via the forums and the chat room. I would have been lost without it! I hope your SIL recovery goes smoothly so she can enjoy her new baby. You obviously care alot to post this question.

Thanks for all your replies. She has lost her ovaries too so she will go into menopause. Will this make things physically harder for her?

atm we are organising a rota with family and friends so when her dh goes back to work someone will be with her every day.

Hi,

I don't think loss of the ovaries will make things any harder physically, but she will probably get hot flushes, be very emotional etc. Will she be having hrt? If so, this should help a lot. It's great that someone will be with her every day... she will definately need that.

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