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).

I had open womb surgery a few years ago

Looking back I would have .....

Focussed on a detox , healthy diet and getting fit the month before up to the operation

Start and maintain core exercises . They cut into the muscle so your back compensates and gets sore . BIG ONE !! If nothing else do this

Stock up in hot water bottles , ibuprofen and paracetamol

Ensure your house is sorted and nice so you can properly rest afterwards , maybe use an agency for a month

Get Netflix or amamzon prime and rest up

Good
Luck xx

Pikapikachoo thanks, out the other side now. I had actually done some of your tips and had been eating really healthily and doing lots of walking. I'm not quite as sore today in my front aside from the incision at my bellybutton. My back is the problem.
I've pottered around the house this morning and my mother called in as dh had to go into the office for a few hours today. I've been taking painkillers exactly on schedule and I think that's helping instead of waiting to see how pain is. I do know from my laparoscopy last year that it will get better, just right now I'm feeling a little sorry for myself lol.

I have seen a fair few people say day 5 is tough Definitely agree with taking meds on a schedule. I felt a bit strange on Monday when DH and DS went to school and work. Am a bit more used to it now.

I had a Prostap injection before surgery which really did not agree with me and I felt a bit of a wreck before surgery, I think I almost feel better now. So my grand intentions of being really fit pre surgery didn’t quite go to plan but I was able to do a fair bit of walking which I think helped and meant it’s been easier to get back to.

Congratulations on getting rid of your womb ! here is a good recovery
Yes when the anaesthetic wears off the pain kicks in . Onwards

I think I have worked out how to feed the dog (bowl and sack of dog food on floor) so a pain. Have a length of downpipe with a 90 degree elbow on end . Theory is if DH leaves a cup of dogfood at waist height after he feeds her in the morning, I can put it down the pipe and it will land in the bowl. Hopefully the bit of jelly stuff will flop out of packet at wast height and land on top.

Without doubt I have too much time on my hands...

Jesus I thought it was only me. I was trying to work out how to feed the cats earlier and they were not happy at my inability to tend to them. Dh is home now and off tomorrow. I don't think it'll be so bad next week as I'm assuming I'll be feeling a good bit better in myself.

No not just you ! It’s the things you don’t think of before isn’t it.

Posting to shamelessly butt in and read the advice!

I was offered one about 4 years ago due to horrendous periods and instead went for a hysterescopy (womb scraped out basically to remove polyps/lesions that had developed). The op went fine but I developed sepsis a few days later and ended up in hospital seriously ill.
In between the bad has been managed with Norehisterone (regulates periods to one a month) and Transanemic acid (reduces flow) but things are getting bad again despite those.

Now I have a gynae appointment next week and I'm not sure what I'm hoping for - a different way to manage/stop bleeding and pain or a new offer of a hysterectomy.

• bad periods

That sounds very traumatic angeorange. Fingers crossed for you for next week.

That sounds really rotten. Hopefully your appointment goes well now and you get a proper plan in place.

Thanks, I'm not sure what I'm hoping for - miracle non-surgical treatment with no side effects lol!

It's great reading some of the experiences though - would you say the op has definitely changed things for the better for you?

It’s very early days yet as on day 10 but so far so good. As yet haven’t had any abdominal pain other than soreness from op. No more bleeding will be huge relief.

My bladder capacity was significantly impaired so hopefully that will improve- surgeon said I may need bladder retraining.

Overall I feel hugely better than I expected at this point,

So today has been a better day overall. Pain definitely not as bad. I've been up and about a bit more. Just really willing a good nights sleep now as I think they would make a massive difference. I've also noticed that my mood has dramatically improved. I had a mirena coil for the last 16 months that I'm sure was making me very anxious and down at times. Despite pain and very little sleep I'm in way better form. Dh said I look a little pale but overall like a very different person. He said my face is relaxed. I must have looked as bad as I suspected I did with the pain. 🙈

Hope you did get a decent night’s sleep and pain reducing further this morning. Chronic pain sucks and i’m Hoping it makes you very tired so that once we’ve recovered we’ll have lots more energy. I’m not actually feeling like I have a lot less than before surgery really.

I think I must be looking ok as someone yesterday asked me when I’m going in for op ! I was looking at my incisions yesterday, I think my surgeon was amazing and am so grateful .

Also noticed I don’t seem to need to wee as often, hoping it isn’t my imagination!

I slept! Good lord feel like a different person. Pain also now improving a lot every day. I can't actually believe it will only be a week tomorrow. The incisions are tiny. Isn't it mind boggling to think just how much work went on behind them??

Excellent !! Yes I have to remind myself that no open incision but still the same amount of healing from internal stuff. The first week for me sort of shot by in a blur.

I’ve had a walk to shops to by a card and flowers in the gorgeous sunshine. Came back, had a rest then went round corner to deliver them. Home again and resting. Haven’t managed to sleep in the day the last couple of days which is a shame.

Did they say anything about driving to you ? Most of my info is for open incision so not so sure about keyhole - guess it’s the same length of time as all the internal stuff. I know you have to be able to stamp to be able to do emergency stop.

That's great you've been out and about. I'm starting to get itchy feet but I made a promise to myself before I had the operation that I would stay put this first week as we've relatives over next week (not staying with us) so I will go out a bit. Re the driving the consultant said to me there aren't firm guidelines for when to drive. He said when you feel up to it and confident you could do an emergency stop. I laughed and said what I think I can do and what I can do are two different things possibly. He laughed and said he'd avoid it as much as possible for 3-4 weeks then only do a few short trips. I'm fortunate in that the kids walk to school two minutes up the road and either my mum, dh or the after school collect/bring them home for me. I think I'll leave it about four weeks and then maybe do either a late evening or early morning trip to the local shops to see how it feels.

I think seeing how feel at 4 weeks sounds like a plan, I don’t want to do it too early. I might leave it till me birthday which is 5 weeks.

You’re sensible to stay put. I did a lot of walking before so finding it hard not to. Had a good search online and most people said they were being told gentle walking good and my instruction sheet said that .

I think I started a bit on day 5 and literally went round the corner and back and have gradually increased it a little bit at a time. I go very slowly and a dog started barking at me today, owner said she’d never done that before . I think it might be because my movement isn’t entirely natural as i’m trying not to over do it and she could sense something was off !

Am doing lots and lots of resting.

That's funny my birthday is in 6 weeks, on Brexit day!! I have a countdown clock on sky news that is counting down the seconds to my 40th birthday 🤣.

I'm going to walk up to my parents house on Sunday when relatives arrive. It's probably the same distance as the laps I was doing around the hospital ward when I think about it so think I'll do that.

I've gotten back into bed now for another rest. I'm finding it really shocking despite having been warned by many just how much little things are taking out of me. Then I have to remind myself it's only been six days.

I’m a couple of weeks earlier and a decade older We need to do this recovery thing well so we celebrate.

Yes still very very early days. I am tired but not actually that much more than pre op but I guess that’s because I’m not doing much alert from bits of walking, very light housework and lots of sitting on arse on sofa (where I currently am again).

My drainpipe feeder is working for the dog food. I can fill the water bowl from standing with my faithful 1 litre plastic jug which I try not to fill beyond half way.

I agree I was so incredibly exhausted beforehand this is a different type of tired but weirdly not quite as debilitating even though I seem to be spending most of my time horizontal. So happy it's the weekend and despite skin and hair flying here with the kids I'm happy to have more company. Hoping to get out for a coffee at some stage over the weekend and also seeing the family visiting so should be nice 😀

Yes that sums it up well, currently very pleased I had it done. Getting out for a coffee sounds lovely, I may be doing the same.

Hello. Would really appreciate any thoughts re keeping cervix or having it removed along with everything else (am booked in for either laparoscopic or open, depending on what they are able to do.) The choice about keeping my cervix has been left to me and I’ve no idea. Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Joining with a feeble wave!
Had a total lap hysterectomy on Saturday with cervix and ovaries removed- be good to share recovery tips ! Am now thrust headlong into the world of surgical menopause and the joys that entails