Hysterectomy (continued)

[CointreauVersial]

Following on from this thread - continuing our hysterectomy chat, support and sharing of experiences.

Thanks catnidge. Interesting what you say about the position of your cancer - I understood mine was higher up, although I must check. Also, I haven't a clue how big it was.

I went back to work today, Day 25 post-op. Hooray! I felt really fine, but I do have a desk job, and the only physical aspects are walking to the printer or the kitchen. I have very few days to work before Christmas, as my holiday entitlement is stacking up waiting to be used.

How's everyone else getting on?

Hi all.
I started that last hysterectomy thread and I’m now a whole year down the line.
I have not one single regret. I am human again.
Good luck.

Hello! Glad your first day back at work went well cointreau.

I feel like I’ve joined the world again, catnidge, I walked to town and back (mile
each way) and felt fine afterwards- although I did have an anxiety dream about driving the other night! I feel like I’m getting sensation back in the pelvic area which is good, but also means I’m feeling a few twinges if I do certain things (like sweep up or put a log on the fire), probably a useful warning. Would love to hear how your exercises go, there is so little guidance about what to do when.

My biggest worry is the prolapse and general soreness, but not quite two weeks post op so trying not to worry too much for another week or two...

Beanfield I found the old thread incredibly useful, have tried to avoid google through the whole process and just rely on doctors, nurses and mumsnet!

@yoshimi you seem to be making great progress! I'm not sure I could walk two miles. But (ahem) don't go mad.

I had a whole booklet of exercises from the hospital (this one, from PGOP, and there are quite a few others you can download from the same website). Basic moves to start with, to improve general mobility (e.g. stretches), plus some classic core-strengthening stuff you would be familiar with if you've ever done Pilates (pelvic tilts, bridges, knee rolls etc). Also the good old pelvic floor ones (I am so bad at keeping up with these!).

@Beanfield - I also read much of that thread - a great source of information. Though it was interesting just how varied everyone's recovery experience turned out to be. Good to hear you are healthy and well.

Thanks for the leaflet Cointreau that’s just what I need!

@beanfield great to hear you have no regrets. Thanks for setting up this thread. I've read it a couple of times recently. I was referred in April for a TL hysterectomy due to heavy periods and eventually had my pre op last week. I was told I would probably have to wait until Feb for my op. However I had a call yesterday to say there's a cancellation for next Tuesday! So I'm currently quietly panicking! Managed to finish wrapping the kids pressies yesterday. I am just starting to put my hospital bag together and found loads of great tips on MN. If anyone has any others please let me know.

Good luck mrsbd21!
The things I wish I’d taken were headphones for my phone so I could listen to an audio book/ music as I was too tired to read and an eye mask as it was so bright.
My fleece dressing gown was too hot to wear but made a lovely extra pillow!
Hand sanitizer was very useful for when I
kept throwing up!

Ladies today was the day. In a huge amount of pain and a feeling like trapped wind/period pain that no amount of painkillers are touching.

Have catheter in which is adding to the pressure feeling. All went well other than that. Didn’t have to go in via sun roof in the end.

Glad you’re out the other side ballstothis and hope the catheter can come out soon and that your pain gets sorted. Fingers crossed you get some sleep tonight!

@Ballstothisdotcom - it's done, at least! Just rest up, get plenty of sleep, keep taking the drugs. You will start to feel better over the next day or so.

@mrsbd21 - sometimes that's the best way! Less time to fret. There's nothing I wish I'd taken/not taken to hospital, really, but it was a private hospital and very peaceful, so I spent most of the time just dozing, or staring blearily at the TV. I was pretty much immobilised on day one due to catheter, inflating boots, oxygen and drip. A long charger cable is handy. To go home, loose joggers, a top that zips up the front and comfy boots/shoes you can easily slip on your feet.

Can anyone tell me what day you had your catheter out? Is it a 24 hour thing? Thanks x

Mine was 14 hours after I came out of surgery, they wouldn’t do it earlier despite me asking hourly!

I had my surgery around lunchtime, and the catheter came out at 6am the next morning. So about 18 hours later.

To be honest, that was about the right time for me, and it meant I didn't have to get up in the night.

@mrsbd21 - another useful thing was a sports water bottle that I could swig from lying down.

@yoshimi Thank you! Good idea about the hand sanitizer. I usually have one hung on my handbag but as I won't be taking it in I shall pop a sanitizer in my overnight bag. I've already got a nice soft eye mask and will try to find my headphones which ds3 has currently claimed as his own.
@CointreauVersial Thank you for the tips. I hadn't thought about a zip up top for coming home. That's a good one. I managed to grab a couple of sports cap water bottles in Morrisons yesterday which were 30p each. I think they are 500mls as I didn't want bigger one's incase I can't lift them.
I received my confirmation letter yesterday. I need to be at the hospital at 11am on Tuesday, which means I can do the school run with my husband and attend ds3 school play before I'm admitted to hospital.

@ballstothisdotcom Hope you are feeling better this morning? This will be me in a weeks time

Catheter came out this morning. I don’t know if I need to wee or just constant pressure so am drinking loads. Nurse seems quite keen to shove me out the door today. But I feel shitty. Morphine is wonderful stuff though.

Two weeks on and I still can’t really tell when I need a wee! Am assured the sensation does come back. Hope you start feeling better before they send you home- although I felt so much better for my own bed!!

Oh the irony that dd called me in a flap. She started her periods this morning!

Handing over the period baton, @Ballstothisdotcom

Hope you get home later - you really will feel better in your own bed.

I could feel the urge to wee straight away, but struggled to empty my bladder completely at first. The nurse with her measuring cylinder was adamant I wouldn't be allowed home until I had produced three sizeable wees!

I seem to be bleeding again, grrrr..... I did a bit too much rushing about yesterday; I had two hospital appointments quite close together yesterday, and the consultant got stuck in traffic, so I had to walk very swiftly to the CT scan because it made me late. Those corridors are long! Then there was a lot of poking about on my abdomen at the scan, because they were looking for my bladder on the ultrasound. It's no more than a light period at the moment, so I'm willing myself to take it easy, and hopefully it will die away.

Going to France early doors Friday, and I have done absolutely no planning or packing.

@Beanfield, I read through the whole of the first thread to help me prepare for my op!

@CointreauVersial, thanks very much for the link. You'd think everyone about to have the op would be given some info about recovery!

I guess it could be all the prodding has triggered a bit of bleeding. Could you get an appt with a GP just to check its not the infection again?
Have a fabulous time in France.

@Ballstothisdotcom, are you home now? Hoping you have pain relief sorted and are comfortable. Big day for your dd as well!
It took a while for my bladder to feel back to normal. I had my catheter in for 48 hours and for a while felt the urge to wee but nothing came out. It feels much better 8 weeks in.

@yoshimi, well done on your walking. Walking is the main exercise for quite some time to come. I've been upping the exercises from the physio(very similar to cointreaus link).
I've been lifting some very light(3kg) weights in a very controlled way and will do a couple more squats each day.
If I have to reach up high to get something I can defintley feel a 'pull' in my stomach. I also am not doing any heavy lifting of bulky items. My GP said no full on exercise for at least 3 months.

@mrsbd21, good luck for next Tuesday. There are some good YouTube videos on how to put compression socks on easily. They really helped me post op as I was struggling with the stockings.

Hope the bleeding dies down soon cointreau and that you have a great trip. Sounds like yesterday was extremely hectic!

So looking forward to proper exercise catnidge, am feeling a bit depressed today as although the prolapse has mostly retreated my vagina/ vulva feels sore, swollen and heavy, basically like it did post childbirth. I suppose I did ‘birth’ my uterus out of it recently but it’s just so uncomfortable!

My check up with the consultant has come through for next Friday so I suppose I can ask questions then.

ballstothis it must have been hard not being there for your daughter, hope she’s got through the day ok and that you’re safely home!

Today I’m not feeling good. It’s like having a baby without the baby and I’m so swollen I look about 9 months pregnant. And Jesus my bits are sore!! Am I allowed to put anything on them?

Sorry to hear that, @Ballstothisdotcom. It's still early days; there's lots of healing going on! Keep taking pain relief, don't leave the sofa, and get plenty of sleep. No idea about sore bits - I was quite surprised that mine felt completely normal, even though everything was removed vaginally.

LOL - just received an invitation to my next smear test.

@yoshimi and @Ballstothisdotcom, my whole genital area seemed to have taken a battering. It was all very swollen and one side felt lumpy.

It did go down and I know when I had my vault smear it all had returned to normal size although she said internally was still healing and she could see the stitches

I applied some canaestan as I kept getting thrush from the antibiotics I was taking.

Hope you are both feeling a bit better today. Have a lovely weekend but remember to take it easy