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).

Hi spykid, I am due to have the same kind of hysterectomy as you in the next few weeks so can't really give you advice. Will also have a surgical menopause.

Hope everything went well with your surgery and that you have a smooth and relatively pain fee recovery.

Hi catridge
Thank you
All good in my recovery so far- slow and steady - feeling stronger every day!
How are you feeling about your op?

Hi spykid pleased you can feel yourself recovering. Do you have plenty of support?
I feel a bit bemused by it all, my hysterectomy is for endometrial cancer so everything has happened very fast. I know that's good but I feel like I've only just taken in board the cancer and can't quite get to grips with the op yet.
Hope you don't mind if I ask some (possibly daft) questions. Do I need sanitary towels? Did you buy some larger loose joggers to wear?

Hope your recovery continues well.

No such thing as a daft question
I can imagine that you have such a lot to process- the op gives you something concrete to focus upon.
I have invested in some joggers - 2 sizes larger than normal size- you are sore from stitches and if you have lap your belly is ridiculously swollen with gas!
Think comfort.
I also got some nice harem trousers with a loose fold down waist so that when I have visitors I feel a 'bit nice.'
Worn them for first time today and it felt good to have something practical but a teeny bit more special that my comfies if that makes sense!
Sanitary towels- yes. I bought a packs of all sizes in with me. I wore ultra night time on first day home, then quickly moved down to a daily Panty liner by day 4 post op- no real discharge to speak of since then.

Yogibear I was given same choice with very little info apart from if it stayed then would still need to have smear tests. I decided on balance to have it removed.

Glad you are doing well Spykid, good advice there. I forgot to buy bigger things which was a mistake!

Catnidge I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis and can imagine it’s a lot to process at once. My tips are to spend a bit of time looking at your kitchen and have a bit of a move around of things so the things you use most frequently are easy to hand, eg the soap was too far away to reach without stretching.

I have a one litre plastic jug on the draining board and try to only half fill it. Have got over the problem of feeding the dog by DH leaving a mug of dried food where I can get it and posting it down a drainpipe into the dog bowl.

Treat yourself to something, nice shower gel or hand cream or something. Have lots of easy watching TV lined up plus some magazines for when your attention span is short. Sleeping is good, take whatever chance you can and take pain meds regularly to keep in front of any pain.

Do take it easy and don’t over do it. I walked too far last week and knew about it the next day so am back to loads of rest again. It has been nowhere near as bad as I thought though.

spykid hope you are feeling well today. Thanks for the tips, I'm going to head off to the shops today and get some joggers etc.

post thanks, I've just read through the whole thread and the vision of you with a drain pipe pouring out dog food is very funny. My dog is currently stretched out across my lap in bed, guess he won't be doing that post op!
Hadn't thought about things like reaching out for stuff! Will have a good look around kitchen.

Feeling very weepy and low at the moment, period about to start, so I wonder if it's hormonal.

How do you manage getting in and out of bed?

Best wishes to all.

So sorry you are feeling low Catnidge. You’ve had a difficult diagnosis and there must be an element of shock at the moment, hormones probably not helping one bit either.

I have my own duvet in bed which has been helpful as often get hot. That is folded down middle of bed so if I am on one side it supports my stomach then on other side I have a spare pillow available to go between knees , then a aheetbeadilynar hand so I can switch between it and the duvet.

To get in and out I get onto one side then push myself up using arms into sitting position on side then up carefully from there. With the toilet I do one hand on radiator and the other on toilet seat the up focusing on leg muscles, take a pillow for return trip in car to go under seatbelt, I found the trip home much better than after csections which was good.

Our hospital does an enhanced re very program which was good and the emphasis is in having support but not being mollycoddled so I have tried to go by that. Overall I have been delighted with my recovery. My setback was totally my fault, I didn’t realise how far I had walked and lesson firmly learned. Stomach swelling is going back down again after 3 very quiet days. Its been a bit of a shit storm here the last couple of weeks but i’m Trying to keep calm and ride it, I need new leggings for a funeral on Tuesday sadly.

I forgot the milk jug! A bug thing of milk is heavy so small milk jug very handy, I don’t need to bend with my fridge as is waist height. If it were a lower one I think I would have had milk out in my Drinkpod flask. Other thing that caught me a bit short to start with is taking delivery of parcels . We have a table and I get them to put in that so I don’t need to hold them.

Hello. Welcome to the new people. Just to echo no question stupid, I had my poor friend demented with questions. I only had a very light discharge for about 24 hours if even and wore a pad for a couple of days after just in case but no more. I had everything bar ovaries removed as I'm 39 and ovaries fine so no need to remove. Went for cervix removal so no more smears. My smear appointment details arrived this week as I'm in ireland and we are tested every few years. I'm two weeks on now and feeling ok, kinda shocked at how tired I am despite having been warned I would be. This week just gone I've walked the kids to school which is about two minutes from the house but it felt nice getting up and doing it. My mother lives very close by and has insisted on chaperoning me in case I faint lol! I'm ok though. Like post I overdid it last weekend. I didn't go walking too far but did go out on the Saturday then had visitors and then was out for brunch and at a party on Sunday. I was fecked afterwards but it was nice. Apart from the walk to school I've taken it very easy this week. Overall I'd say pain wise it was way less than I expected in some ways, it's more the energy levels I'm struggling with.

Has anyone else on here had experience of a surgical menopause? I'm coping well with the medical recovery I think 1 week done - however the crash of hormones has side-slammed me
Other things I found useful this week:

something to help with first bowel movement! Particularly with a cervix removal, pushing is not something I EVER want to repeat! - prunes and lactulose helped and I wish I had started that the day of my op on reflection.

I bought a small battery fan for the sweats which started within hours of my op.

Some hand gel for when you don't want to move!

2 wheat bags, one for front and one for back- they were a godsend. My lower back throbbed all week.

I'll post if I think of any more

post sorry to hear about the funeral, I hope you manage to find something comfortable to wear and that the day passes with memories of the person you have lost.
Thank you for the advice on getting out of bed. Also the milk jug, its amazing how much you have to think of.
How many weeks post op are you?

I remember good to hear about how you are recovering. I think mums always want to mother if the chance is there.
I guess it's hard to know when you've done too much, until you pay the price for it later! Will take in board all the advice.

spykid would you be able to have/want hrt? In my case I know I can't. I think I've been very up and down this weekend because of hormones so am quite worried about the immediate menopause
I've checked the cupboard, I have lactolose, sennakot and bran flakes aplenty

I'm assuming the op still goes ahead if you are having your period or bleeding?
If you are working, did you get given a sick note when you were discharged from hospital?

Spykid I have my ovaries but had a month of Prostap that induced menopause . It was a bit hideous, I swelled up and all sorts of things that I don’t think would happen in surgical menopause. I am heavily into perimenopause so am up and down with hormones generally.

Hospital gave me 2 doses of magnesium Hydroxide from straight after op and a bottle to take home plus Senna. Didn’t need Senna and got off very lightly with the whole thing.

Thank you Catnidge. 3 week for me on Tuesday.

Glad you’re ok Iremember. I’m not much more tired than before but obviously doing less. I was just very tired before I think!

Can I join? Full hysterectomy booked on the 28th. Cervix, uterus, ovaries, tubes.
I know it must be done (doubled up in pain as I type). But I'm getting the wobbles. I'm 46 btw, still have regular cycle. Going straight onto oestrogen patches post surgery to avoid crashing into menopause symptoms.
Feels so daft, especially as I KNOW I'd never have another baby at my age regardless but I feel emotional.
Also concerned re sex ,(which I know eill be the last thing on my mind for some time!!specifically orgasms). TMI, apologies.
I was so positive when it was all agreed at last and booked after a long struggle with awful symptoms (plus I lost my mother early to ovarian cancer so this is v sensible. She had a horrendous journey)
Just venting I guess.

Hi Mummaofmytribe.
I'm almost 2 weeks post op with the same procedure. I had the jitters and was ready to back out right up until the night before- this seems to be perfectly normal!
I'm so pleased you have HRT sorted, my surgeon refuses to discuss with me pre operatively, so I had to sort myself by attending a private clinic 3 days after surgery.

The recovery so far has been up and down- with most of the downs being hormone related, so short lived I hope!

Catnidge my docs produced my sick note for me when hubby dropped off the hospital discharge letter.
How are you feeling? Are you getting sorted?

post did you manage the funeral OK? Was thinking of you. Hope you are well.

spykid thanks for the info re sick certificate.
I found out on Monday that my bloods 3 weeks ago showed I'm anaemic. There seems to have been a breakdown in communication somwehere!
I'm now on ferrogloblin trying to raise levels before next week!
The anaemia explains the tiredness, dizzy spells and breathlessness I'm feeling. I'd put it all down to anxiety. Also got a crop of mouth ulcers. Feel frustrated that this could have been treated far earlier and I'm now headed for the op next week feeling really run down.
On the positive side I'm now worried about being constipated and my first loo visit than the op itself!

mumna good luck with the op. I think pre op nerves are completely normal. I've been faffing about doing loads of 'things' "to avoid thinking about it!

Catnidge- you will be fine now you have started treating the anaemia I'm sure. Mine dropped again post op but they put me on ferrous fumerate 3 x a day and I could feel the difference straight away!

If you take your lactulose/senna straight away post op you won't have a problem!! I didn't bit as soon as I started taking it I haven't had any problem at all. I have also made sure to stay hydrated and keep a sip cup with me at all times.

Catnidge thanks for asking, it was awful to be honest, so many people there that DH couldn’t get parked. I was stood in porch with quite a few others trying to find him . Put myself by the door so I had something to hold onto and didn’t find him until 10 mins before the end. His DC are the same age as mine and he really was the most lovely guy.

Had to go to GP yesterday as my stomach a bit red and quite sore. Not an infection though, it’s thrush apparently which was a bit of a surprise. I have new leggings and the waistband sits there and I think it gets a bit warm and sweaty, sorry that’s a bit grim. I am really run down. Am project managing a renovation from a distance and have been constantly been on phone and dealing with emails. Am really sad about friend who died and also trying to support another friend whose SIL died the same day as other friend, she was a total shock. Elderly neighbour unwell and her DD abroad so been trying to deal with that as she is In a lot of pain and had run out of meds and kept getting worse and also need to support DD who has just switched it new course at University . It’s all been a bit much when i’m Trying to recover.

Sorry, that is very moany and self indulgent. Agree with ‘Spykid* that the anaemia will be making you feel rough. I have had no trouble with bowels either. Magnesium hydroxide given twice daily as soon as in hospital sorted me out and I therefore have unused packet of Senna.

Welcome Mumma. I had moments of thinking maybe I didn’t really need it right up to the day before. I did need it though, the surgeon said definitely better off with it out. I think it just sounds so drastic and final. Can’t allay your fears on sex front i’m Afraid as it is last thing in my mind ! But have many friends who have had it and they seem fine. I don’t think there are many women who don’t have pre op worries to be honest.

Tuesday will be 4 weeks since op, it has gone fast.

Thanks for the welcome, ladies. Had a tearful day today which is very unlike me. I'm not much of a crier. Realising that I'm going to have very little in the way of practical help while recovering so trying to put plans in place. Dogs in kennels for s while and I'll do a heap of easy to reheat batch cooking for the freezer as I'll want nutritious food to aid healing. I know OH will just order pizzas otherwise.
My mum died of ovarian cancer last year (one of the reasons I'm having this done) and I'm missing her support. Even though it was by phone as I'm on the other side of the world. My sister is a nurse, and a lovely person also, but she's in the UK too and is going to support me by phone.
I know I'll be ok. I'm very tough. Just weighed down today.
Your positive stories are a huge help.

Oh Mumma that must make it tough emotionally with your Mum having died recently. My Mum had some unexplained post menopausal bleeding but with dementia and then breast cancer it was kind of the least of her problems and never really investigated. I am quite relieved I have had it all out apart from ovaries as would always have been thinking what if about it.

Have a good look round the kitchen and try to switch the things you use frequently to an easy to reach place. Spend a day or so thinking about things as you do them as there’s a lot you just take for granted until you realise . Dogs being in kennels will help, I hate not being able to walk mine.

Batch cooking a good idea. If you haven’t got one a slotted spoon and spaghetti spoon handy for draining rice, pasta, potatoes and veg easily.

If your DH is like mine he might appreciate a list of things to do so there’s paper up on the fridge and DS and DH just look and see what needs doing which seems to work well. I’ve needed less help than I thought though which has been good. DS watched my dog feeding in action today and was impressed, told him his logical side doesn’t just come from his Dad!

postsorry about the funeral. I'm sure the family were very grateful you attended. Hanging on to the porch sounds quite stressful. I imagine your grief and everything else you mentioned is contributing to how run down you feel now.

It's ok to remind yourself it's still early days, be kind to yourself, it's easy to start taking on too much without realising. I really think people don't appreciate what a big op hysterectomy is

It's not moany either. This is the to come and vent

spykid thanks for the reassurance. Hope you are doing well?

mumma if you don't mind me asking what country do you live in? I lost my mum at the start of the year so understand how you are feeling.
So you have a slow cooker?
I've planned lots of stews and soups which can be left to cook once the ingredients have been chucked in the cooker.
Hope you are feeling a little better.

Hi everyone. Feeling better today after a proper sleep. Really needed it. How is everyone else??
catnidge I'm in Australia.
postnotinhastethanks for sharing your tips and experience. You sound very sensible. Lists are definitely the way to go!
I'm very sorry to hear about the funeral. A very hard day for you physically and emotionally, you poor thing.

Morning all. I'm wide awake with lower right hand side pelvic pain this morning.
I've got bloods tomorrow and will try to chase up the results from last week.
My cancer nurse didn't attend my consultant appt and isn't responding to emails. Imagine she is probably unwell or has something happening.
Finding it hard to get results etc though when they're so many people/hospitals involved.

Hope everyone is OK. mumma glad you are feeling a little better today.

Oh catnidge that's beyond frustrating that you can't reach the cancer nurse! If she's off there really should be a temporary replacement who let's you know.
Can you call the hospital/organisation where she's based? Perhaps they can put you through to someone.
I hope so. You must be feeling pretty fed to say the least.

She has another nurse in her team, so I will message her tomorrow

Post op ladies, did you shower in hopistal and did you take your own towels?
Starting to get my bag ready and don't want to take too much in x