Hysterectomy.

[Beanfield]

Hurrah and Hallelujah. My uterus has been given an eviction notice!

30 years of being a complete bitch. Let me down twice (miscarriage and ectopic). Did what it should do twice (2 grown up DDs). Never officially diagnosed with anything but suggestions have been PCOS and endometriosis. 30 solid years of hideous periods. 30 years of being fobbed off by assorted GPs who told me it was normal to faint, vomit, incapacitate and take over my life for one out of every three or four weeks.
It’s got to the point where my cycles are just 18-20 days long, I bleed huge amounts for 5 days (emptying cup every 2 hours), overflowing, clots. Light bleeding on and off for a further 4 days. Bleeding on and off randomly mid-cycle. Puking and dizzy. Period diarrhoea, excruciating, labour style pain. Another 3 days of pain while i ovulate plus bleeding then too.
Tried everything. Mirena - I bled for 8 months then it fell out. Painfully. Pill - unhinged. Drugs - I’m allergic to the good ones and the others don’t work so well. Herbs, flowers, tea, homeopathy, diet - all bollox.

Finally saw a Dr who actually listened and agreed to whip the bugger out. Not sure how yet as apparently it's ‘bulky’ (like the rest of me) so need a scan to see how big it is. Also waiting on smear results and endometrial biopsy (which hurt like a bastard and is still hurting 4 days later).

Stripes I’m 9 weeks tomorrow and I reckon the crushing tiredness stopped for me at about week 7. I’m still taking it very easy though. I’ve tentatively started doing ‘normal’ stuff - mowed the grass yesterday and today I feel like I have done a million sit-ups, sore but not in a ‘painful’ oops I’ve hurt myself way. Still taking it slowly though.

I’ve found the first time I try anything ‘new’ it has been quite sore - from the first time standing up in hospital, driving, swimming - but then after that first time it’s fine.

Macaroon . I did look at the grass yesterday and feel I could probably manage but sensibly decided I shouldn’t. Glad to hear there may be an end to the exhaustion soon. DH won’t let me drive for some reason, and I am very happy to still let him hoover and do the ironing

I started driving at 5 weeks but only last week (8 wks) for hoovering and ironing. I had tried them earlier on but had to stop - think the side to side movement of both was too much. I seemed to have a significant ‘jump’ about week 7 for both tiredness and discomfort. I am trying to do more now - been out on my bike and a few little hill walks with no I’ll-effects. I feel really well now, it’s great. And no more periods!!! Life is good.

Hi all. I started my own thread the other day and was directed over here! It's been really useful reading back some of your experiences.

I now have been given a date for my hysterectomy (11th July). I am late 30s and have always had very heavy bleeding. Four dc. The usual problems that go with it - anaemia, tiredness etc (the bleeding not the dc ). Tried various hormonal treatments, tranexamic acid etc over the years. Then had an ablation last Autumn which has made no difference (well, apart from they seem more dragged out now!)

I am lucky in that I don't have any any associated pain, and they can't find any abnormalities. I have now started getting quite a lot of mid cycle pelvic pain though.

I just don't know if I am being too drastic in doing this. When I read about some of the awful symptoms some of you have had to deal with, I feel pretty pathetic in not being able to just put up with mine...and maybe persist with iron therapy and a concoction of other meds. I am definitely getting the fear! But also doubting myself.

hysteria it’s natural to have doubts, it is very final BUT most women don’t have to make sure they are wearing dark clothes, huge pads and tampons and be terrified of standing up incase they have bled through onto a chair. If they could give you a different lot of meds’ that could control it you would already be on them, it sounds like you have tried everything else so this is the last option. Just look forward to never having another period

Thanks @Bringbackthestripes I have to say the thought of no more emergency toilet waddles mid sentence is quite something!!

Hysteria I promise you, that alone is worth every single moment of post op pain and discomfort and everything it took to get here. I’m off today to donate all my leftover tampons and pads to my local home start group and I will hand them over with joy!

Hi all I think this might be what I am on course for - except I am really worrying about managing an op

I have no partner, no local driving relatives and all my friends Work FT
I do not know how I would manage being alone with 2 young teenagers rurally for weeks on end not being able to drive

I have just lost my second IUD and have a failed ablation for fibroids. No one can really tell me what the issue is. Seeing gynae end of May - last time said that hysterectomy might be the best option

pookie I think it would be best, if possible, that an op was scheduled for the beginning of the summer holidays so that -although the teens would be stuck at home-you wouldn’t have to worry about the logistics of getting them to school. Batch cook in advance (I was defrosting and reheating meals 2 days after being home) so the teens can do meals & wash up, order home shopping deliveries for fresh items, send teens to DGP’s for a week or two if possible. It’s only 4 weeks not driving, not ideal I know but teens will just have to put up with being stuck at home, your health needs to come first.

Yes would be ideal - but not sure I can get scheduled that quickly as it’s already May

I did this for another op and tbh they were a bit younger but it was HELL. They did not help me at all and just expected me to get better or tolerate all the mess (like messy bathrooms and no laundry done no housework at all, so put up and shut up) and any time I asked for help turned into a row.
The D.C. who is the main culprit could be sent to her DF for this reason but not the other D.C.
My annoying DC are one issue as the lack of adult help is also hard - maybe I could try to find a cleaner?

So if I was to schedule for next year (if I can’t get July/Aug) for this reason do they offer you zolodex? As I would consider this but I don’t know much about it. I cannot continue I am at the end of my tether

It’s a difficult one Pookie

I have one of 15 and one of 12 and there is no malice in it but they really don’t think. The first few days after getting home they were really helpful but they forget. One day DS was mithering me for a cup of tea so I showed him my staples. He went a bit pale, offered me a cup and was very helpful again for a few days! I hope you can find a solution.

Just over 2 weeks out for me and I’m feeling pretty good. Back to working half days from home which isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be and mobility is good.

One problem I am having though is if I need the loo (for either!) it is very uncomfortable and I’m in a bit of pain before I go. Did anyone else have this and does it last long? I’m just hoping it’s normal and not a side effect of separating my bladder and bowel from the endo.

I would think teenagers should be able to cope tbh and you can get food deliveries in. As long as they can get to school and back...
Mine have been bribed into doing the washing and dishwasher.

I am a week on. Felt great yesterday but in a bit of pain tonight. Checked my Fitbit and have done a whole 600 steps today but that is twice yesterday so maybe I have just overdone it a bit. First day I havent had a nap!

You would think but me being ill brings out the worst in them and they are horrible to me and purposefully unhelpful.

Glad those of you who have had surgery are recovering well, gives me hope for if/when it is my turn!

I have been making great progress every day and yesterday felt like crap. Like I had gone back several days. Mentally I feel good but I am frustrated to be physically slow and tired. I'm doing about 600 steps in a day at the moment and that's my limit

Megan re the toilet issue I felt the same. It does eventually ease but did take a few weeks.

Eustacia It will just take time I suppose. I feel like I’ve gone backwards- I’m doing less now than I did in the first couple of weeks because I overdid it one day.

Evening all. To those who feel like they've gone back in their recovery that is exactly what happened my friend last year and what my consultant has warned me about. You can feel ok but you're still healing a lot inside and possibly more than we realise so really have to take it easy. I'm counting the hours until September. I've just taken difene for the pain, haven't touched that since the day after my laparoscopy last year. My poor youngest is only six and today is the first day I haven't been able to hide how sore I am from her and she was freaked out ☹️

IRemember thanks for the info. No one warned me I would feel worse at this stage! I hope your pain eased over the weekend, must have been frightening for your LO.

Megan are you not in the U.K.? I can’t even fathom how you are working in week 2. I don’t have a work from home kind of job but still, I can’t even imagine going back now!

Pookie my teen didn’t do a single thing to help. On day 3 when I had cooked and was dishing up dinner (because DH was equally lax) teen said “you’re not supposed to be doing that mum” - no kidding!!!

It was 6 weeks ago today I had my op. Still too nervous to DTD

How are you feeling today Eustacia?

IRemember that's rough. How are you doing? Post surgery you will probably feel so much better.

Stripes I am in the UK, yes. My working from home is currently consisting of a few conference calls, writing some documents, doing some online training and answering emails. I can manage it. Had it not been for SSP I probably wouldn't have though and I certainly wouldn't have been back in an office.

I managed a night out on Saturday. I was feeling a bit rough and didn't want to go but it was a good friend's birthday so I planned on just staying out an hour. I rolled in around midnight pissed on Espresso Martinis

I deserve to suffer although I have felt ok since! I made sure I always had a seat and walked slowly.

Oh wow a night out, well done you!

I'm feeling a lot better today, the pains aren't as intense. When I get them I either freeze and can barley move til the stabbing goes or I walk like a mad woman to walk it off which was what I was like in labour 🤦🏼‍♀️ At least the worst is over of them for this cycle, only 4-5 more to go!! Periods did in a few days so looking forward to ten days of bleeding 🙄 Who would be a woman eh?!

It's so good to read about recoveries and how you are all feeling, it's really helping me to focus on how things will be after. With the tiredness my friend thought she was actually sick or developing an infection as it really descended after she thought she was doing much better and it threw her completely but apparently it's completely normal.

I am 10 weeks post op and feel great. The only lingering issues I have are as follows

1. Tiredness. I’ve restarted my exercise and did a very long bike ride the other day (on which I felt literally turbo-charged, now that my iron levels back are normal!) and I fell asleep in the afternoon. Did 1.5 hours of some relatively gentle exercise this morning, fell asleep again this afternoon. So I need to work on building up my stamina now. I’m not back at work yet as my job is quite physical and I don’t feel ready for full days so I’m working on increasing my stamina and planning on going back in a few weeks. We’ll see!

1. I still get a slight ‘tight’ feeling in my abdomen if I stretch up to reach something in a high cupboard. I’m hoping that will loosen off as I start Pilates again.

And that’s it. Everything else is good and normal (Week 8 hereStripes , so give it time ) .

I'm a bit better now thanks Megan. Have a bit more energy and moving around a bit more.

Hope everyone is getting on great.

Can I ask a question? Did you have anything taken to the lab for testing? Crapping myself now. I had adeneomyosus and fibroids both been sent off.

theworldistoosmall yes I think it is pretty routine to send something to the lab. I had a letter this week confirming fibroids and endometriosis stating that my hysterectomy will now have resolved these problems- no kidding if anything nasty had shown up I would have had a letter a lot quicker. The letter was dictated 11 days before I received it and was sent second class. If the lab had found anything serious following testing I would have received a letter within 7-10 days and a date for a follow up appointment. No news is good news!

macaroon disappointed to hear you still feel so tired but it is great that you are managing to push through and start exercising. Even a trip to the supermarket leaves me leaving a nap!

Eustacia it is good you are moving around more so you must be in less pain now.

Megan how are you doing now? I hope working isn’t leaving you too exhausted.

I would just like to confirm that the removal of my cervix has cause no issues
Enjoy the weekend.

theworld yes, my fibroid was sent off to be tested and I got a letter to say it was ‘normal’, no further action required. I think it’s just a “belt and braces” thing, they check it just because they can, not because they expect to find a problem IYSWIM?

That’s good news about your removed cervix Stripes

I assume mine also went to be tested but I have heard nothing yet. How long does it take?

stripes I’m fine, thanks for asking 🙂 I have slotted back in no problem, the joys of working from home I guess. Although I was approached yesterday about another job, back working in an office but a massive salary hike and 10 mins from home so I need to do some thinking.

I have been signed off to drive by the doctor so I have given it a go today and it was absolutely fine.

I’m very glad to hear the cervix makes no difference! 😄 That’s something I cannot even think about right now although weirdly, the first couple of weeks after the op it was all I could think about. I was rampant. Googling it it appears to be quite a common phenomenon. Who knew? It has now passed, sorry DH.