Recovery time after vaginal myomectomy and returning to work next day?

[Mrsmichalson]

I am going in on Monday to have fibroids removed, they are putting me to sleep and I should get home same day I can't drive for at least 24 hours. I am wondering if anyone has had a myomectomy to remove fibroids and tell me what the recovery is like, I met with my surgeon last week but forgot to ask her, they are going in vaginally so won't have any scars on my tummy. My boss seems to expect me to at least work from home on Tuesday and return to office on Wednesday but I'm wondering if he is being unreasonable?

Any tips on things to take with me or to buy for recovery? My daughter is collecting me afterwards and is getting me a pillow for in the car.

You need a few days' off after a general anaesthetic.

You are having a general anaesthetic and a surgical procedure. When I had an ovarian cyst removed laporascopically I had either 2 or 3 weeks off work. I realise that fibroid removal vaginally is different, but the general anaesthetic alone knocked me about for over a week.

Having looked online, it says that your recovery could be as little as ‘a few days’ but absolutely nothing that says you’ll be able to work, even from home, the next day.

I dont think your boss gets a say! My leaflet said 24-48 for a general. And if you feel like you need longer you can self certify for up to 7 days.

Hopefully you won't need it and will be fine but dont be pressured.

You are having surgery.

The route they take to get to the surgical site is secondary to that detail.

You need supervision for at least 24 hours after a general anaesthetic. So that rules out Tuesday totally for any kind of work.

Beyond that, it’ll depend hugely on how your body responds to the anaesthesia and surgery. I’m pretty much useless for a fortnight after a general anaesthetic. Some people’s system kick off the after affects much quicker.

I’d suggest planning for two weeks totally off, with recognition that if you bounce back quicker you’ll be back sooner and equally could take longer.

I was told to take two weeks off, which I did.

Thanks everyone. I'm quite new in that team at work so was a little worried if I'm not back sooner it will cause me problems. He asked what the time off was for, not sure if I had to tell him but he said his wife had the same thing done in clinic when she was awake with some gas and air and was back at work that same afternoon so he seems to think I will/should bounce back just as quick.

I joined Facebook groups etc to try and see how people seemed to recover but the majority seemed to be having an open myomectomy (still not sure what that is) but I wondered if because I won't be cut open I will recover quicker.

I have never had an anaesthetic before so not really sure what to expect. I will ask my daughter to stay with me for the 24 hours, she lives at home so shouldn't be a problem.

Usual advice after surgery (regardless of the type of anaesthetic) is no driving/no making important decisions for at least 24hours and should have someone sensible around to support you.

it’s a procedure that can be done with spinal injection (so no interfering with your conscious level) so if you’re really keen to be cognitively back to normal quickly that may be worth chatting to your anaesthetist about (isn’t always possible, but may be worth asking)

Gas and air for a myomectomy - yeah right

Everyone's different. You are having a general so measuring yourself against someone who didnt isnt right. He may have also muddled it with an invesgative hysteroscopy or small polyp?

I tend to feel a bit groggy for 3 days after a general, as in I wouldnt want to make big decisions or drive.

(The open myeoectomy means they do a cut like a c section so its much bigger surgery with a longer recovery)

Your boss has no idea what he or she is talking about. How long you need depends on how invasive the vaginal myomectomy is. I had two years the varying degrees of required recovery. Neither of them would have involved wfh the next day or the office the same week.

I wonder if he’s mixed up details. Hysteroscopy might sound ‘the same’ to someone who's vague on details and sounds a better fit to the description of his wife’s experience.

Keeping options open woukd be prudent. These phrases might be useful:

• Theres a general anaesthetic and theyve said it’s planned as a day case admission not staying overnight, but they did warn that discharge timing will depend on how i respond to the anaesthetic and how bleeding afterwards is controlled.
• the plan is for it to be key hole rather than open surgery, but theres the possibility that will need to be changed to open surgery while I’m in theatre depending on what they find, if it goes that route I’m expecting recovery will take longer.
• Monday and Tuesday are definitely a write off, GA means i need small child level of supervision and cant make decisions. Let’s plan for me to get in touch on Wednesday with an update on how things are looking. I’d like to be back in the office next week as I’ll go stir crazy trapped at home, but with the various unknowns committing to that feels like tempting fate.

You can’t work the day after a GA.

The information actually tells you not to make any decisions for 24-48 hours after a GA.

when I had a GA for hysterectomy a few years ago o was in and out the same day.

I was actually more dopey and confused the following morning than I was when I was discharged the night before 🤣

This is all very useful, I appreciate everyone's replies. I guess I will just need to wait and see how I am in the days following as everyone seems to react differently to the anesthetic. I don't know what to expect in terms of bleeding and pain, next week will just take each day as it comes

I had 2 weeks off. Make sure you get a fit note from hospital before you leave.

Get a fit note from your GP and ask your boss to refer you to Occupational Health. Let the health care professionals decide if you're fit for work and not your boss. Hope all goes well with the op x