Hysterectomy next Weds - shitting myself!

[Cheddarcheeseandsodabread]

What the title says, really.

Glad to be getting rid of my fibroids, polyps, bloating etc but I know I am going to scared shitless when I get to the hospital.

I am 52 but lost both parents in their 40's due to a blood clot on lung and stroke (both drinkers and smokers - whilst I do neither), so I think this is freaking me out a bit.

Any do's or don'ts welcome plus any hints or tips to keep calm. I am already on an anti-depressant and have beta blockers to take the day before. Can't help thinking that I may only have a week left to live

Will be laparoscopy - so any views on recovery time would also be welcome.

Thanks

Best of luck for tomorrow Cheddar! Let us know how you get on.

Thank you Foo2 That is really lovely of you to remember.

Feeling quite calm at the moment

Good luck cheddar

Thankyou Cocolepew

Good luck!

Thankyou FaithInfinity

Good luck and remember - take all the drugs when you need them! Let us know how you are doing once you’re able, we’re all cheering you on.

All the best for tomorrow Cheddar!

I’ll add to Macaroonmayhem’s comment, ask for painkillers sooner rather than later, it can take time to get them sorted and the quicker you ask for them, the quicker they can get on top of it

I got lectured by the nurse before my op about how there’s no point being a hero and to take whatever pain relief I needed. I’ve said this on the other thread already but you’ll be surprised how quickly you won’t need much, but take all you can get to start with!

My biggest hint?
Learn to say 'I cant' rather than 'I'm not supposed to'.
Whichever way you have your hysterectomy, you've had an organ removed and you do need to take care of yourself afterwards.
Make sure you stick to what you've been told. That way you will recover the best way possible.
Good luck!
Ive never regretted mine, even though my recovery was rather rocky.

Hope you're doing ok Cheddar, thinking of you.

Thank you again, Foo2 you really are very kind.

Well, I'm back home after a 2 day stay in the most wonderful hospital ever. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff and they were bloody fantastic.

I had been on prostap for 4 months to shrink 4 fibroids in order to have a laparoscopic hysterectomy. Once under the general anaesthetic, they found out that the largest fibroid had not shrunk at all so my procedure was changed to an abdominal one. When she removed it, it weighed 2.2 kilos!! Can't wait to see what the scales say when I weigh myself next week

Having to wear the surgical stockings for 6 weeks and have 10 days of blood thinning injections to self administer, plus some liquid morphine to help me get comfortable at night, but at least it's all over now.

I had 3 other women on my small ward, they all had different operations but we all bonded nicely and between dropping off to sleep at times we were talking away until 2 am the next morning. We snoozed for a couple of hours, and then 3 of us started nattering again at 4.20am! Lovely. I mentioned Mumsnet and the help and friendliness I had encountered and Mumsnet may now have 3 more members as a result!

I know I still have a few trying weeks ahead of me but I would like to thank you all for your help and support over what has been a terrifying time for me.

and all round

Thanks for the update Cheddar, glad to hear you're back home.
Take it easy now. I happily did bugger all for a week or 2

Glad you’re through all right Cheddar! Definitely need to take it easy! No hoovering for sure. Take the oramorph when you need it. Hope your recovery is straightforward.

Well done Cheddar welcome to the other side! Get your big pants & elasticated trousers on, painkillers to hand and get comfy, you’ve a few weeks of sitting around doing nothing coming up. 👍

This thread has been so helpful in calming my nerves. I am having a full hysterectomy Friday 12th April. I am very worried about the idea of having an operation and the recovery. I have possible ovarian cancer. I am a few stone overweight, and with the consultant telling me to lose weight before the op, I am worried it is going to cause problems. Considering I have only been given 2 weeks to do this, there is not a huge amount I can do.
So good to hear all went well for all of you. X

Hi Tilly, welcome to the gang. Sorry to hear it’s all been so fast for you, your head must be spinning. Ask us any questions you have and feel free to vent your frustrations too!

Thanks everyone - definitely feel a little more human today - though still obviously tired and uncomfortable.

Tilly - don't know where you are having op but be rest assured that the staff will take excellent care of you - just be upfront about your fears and expectations and they will do all they can to reassure you and encourage you.

On the upside - I finally pooped yesterday - only a bit and it was a little hard so may get a mild laxative at chemist tomorrow.

Tilly feel free to ask me or anyone else on here for help and you will get it

Hi macaroon. Thank you for replying.
Nor sure I have any questions, especially since reading this thread. I need to get big pants, arnica tablets and a nightie before Friday by the sounds of it. Feeling so rubbish today, while on my period, I am really hoping I feel much better overall after the op.
I have fibroids, endometriosis and cysts in ovaries so to be rid of all those issues will help my quality of life. I guess the operation and immediate recovery is what is worrying me at the moment.

Glad it went well OP i think you did well to prepare yourself, I WEPT non-stop for the day before my op, which I thought I would be fine with. I had to ring my boss and say I couldn’t go into work because I couldn’t stop crying! Then I wept again on the way down to theatre and the aneasthetist and the porter were two of the kindest people ever and really helped me.

Regarding pooping it might be best to get something like lactolose (sp) its much gentler than an otc laxative. Especially if your painkillers are bunging you up too.

I would suggest Movicol
/Laxido for constipation actually. Lactulose is okay in that it softens stools but if you’ve started to struggle it may not get where it’s needed. Equally Senna will stimulate the bowel but not soften the stool. Movicol does both.

I’m glad you’re not too bad and hope you’re soon much better.

Tilly, I only had a fibroid but it was a biggie and I can tell you, the relief from that being away was immediate. Even immediately post-op - the next day - with the swelling and staples on the incision, I felt so different and better. My stomach was visibly smaller and just felt lighter. I didn’t realise how uncomfortable it had got until it was gone.

In addition, my recovery has been much easier than I expected. The hardest thing has been not doing anything, there have been a few occasions where I’ve felt ok so tried to do something (lifting a saucepan out a low cupboard in week 2 was a noteable error!) and have set myself back a day or two. You really do have to do virtually nothing for a good few weeks.

Cheese, I found the first couple were brutal but then things got back to normal very quickly. The hospital gave me lactulose which I used to help with the first one but it was so horrible to take that I spent the next week having beans on toast and other helpful foods to keep things moving!

It can be v scary. I told a friend yesterday and she replied, 'well it is routine isn't it.'
It might be routine for the doctors and nurses, but not for us! We don't have a hysterectomy every day!
For me, at the moment, it is trying to get my head around the operation.
I am going into Telford hospital.
Again thanks for the tips for preparation.