Hysterectomy recovery

[AlwaysDancing1234]

I’m on the list to have a hysterectomy (no idea when exactly due to current situation).

Issues include Adenomyosis, fibroids, cervical ectropion.
The op will be a removal of womb, tubes and cervix but they hope to leave ovaries intact.

I’m not really worried about the op itself, more the recovery.
What will the recovery be like realistically if done by keyhole surgery? Back to normal (ish) after 6-8 weeks?

They may need to revert to open procedure so this would be longer recovery time of course.

Please give me your experiences so I know what to expect. Thank you.

Vaginally assisted keyhole. (Endo, fibroids-whole lot removed) Amazing.
Don’t get me wrong the first few days, when the pain killers wear off, you can’t imagine ever being pain free but the pain does ease relatively quickly. I wasn’t even taking paracetamol after the first week.

I knew I was being put on the list & it would be around 6 month wait so instarted doing pelvic floor exercises daily to prepare (I don’t know where I read that it would help recovery), after 5 months I only had 2 days notice for my op so didn’t get much in the way of guidance and left with just a booklet of physio exercises. I started doing pelvic floor exercises again the day after my op then I googled & I read on an Australian site about walking five mins every day and to add an extra 5 mins each week so by week 6 I was walking for 30+ mins each day- even on days when I didn’t want to move off the sofa-I forced myself. It really did help me recover and get strong quicker. Obviously there are times if you bend too quickly, stretch too far during the healing then you will find yourself yelping ‘ouch’ but you learn to move within your own limits.
I was actually cooking a meal 3 days after surgery. & back to work after 6 weeks.
It has been life changing.

I read a lot of info on this thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_health/3332246-Hysterectomy?noti=1#87762653

I can’t remember where I read it, maybe here, to put your frequently needed items in a food bag with handles (lip balm, tissues, mints) so you can just grab the handles and lift it to you instead of twisting and trying to reach each item.

healthyhappywoman.co.uk/faq/hysterectomy-hospital-bag-your-suggesting-packing-list-for-hospital/

I hope you get a date before too long & they manage to do it keyhole.

Thank you MrsMcCarthysFamousScones that’s really helpful. I will have a look at the threads you linked to as well, thank you.

Good tip about the bag of essential bits as I do tend to overpack!

Also, if you don’t mind me asking about clothing - would you recommend getting some ‘big pants’ like full briefs to avoid them sitting on the wound after the op? Loose tracksuit trousers and that sort of thing?

My usual slob about the house attire is jogging bottoms so I wore those out of hospital and lived in them or pj’s but did have my jeans on within a week when out walking.
I was actually better after my hysterectomy than I was for the exploratory laparoscopy. The gynaecologist who did my hysterectomy was a lovely young female consultant & she obviously made every effort to remove all the gas. After my previous lap I was so bloated and swollen I thought I’d never get my jeans on and the pain of the gas dispersing after the lap was agony!
I didn’t buy any different pants for post op & had no problem.

Thank you, I think I’ll just get myself some nice soft ‘loungewear’ that I can get away with wearing as PJ’s or to go out for short walks.

I’m getting myself in a tizzy about the practicalities and frustrated as I don’t even have a date for the Op yet just want it over and done with - or even a date to look forward to and plan ahead for!

@AlwaysDancing1234
I had an NHS hysterectomy two days ago on 29th July - keyhole, everything removed apart from one ovary, which also had a lot of work done to it to drain cysts, cauterise endo etc. I hope your experience is like mine. Even immediately after the operation I felt no pain - and still feel no pain, not even twinges - although after years of horrendous pain my tolerance must be quite high. I feel completely liberated.

@HugeBowlofChips
That is so reassuring to hear thank you!
Glad your surgery went well, hope it’s a speedy recovery.
I wish they could give me a date even if it turns out to be 6 months away as I just want to know.
I think I’d find it all easier to deal with if I had a proper end date in sight.

@AlwaysDancing1234
Thank you.
It might be a long wait, sorry, although it varies by area. At my local hospital, they are only able to perform a small proportion of the surgery they would normally be doing. My operation was cancelled 2 days before it was due to take place due to the pandemic. I got quite sick during lockdown and needed urgent treatment, but I could only have the surgery if my family and I agreed to self-isolate 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery.

You could telephone the gynae secretaries at the hospital to ask for an approximate time scale? I hope it's not a very long time.

@HugeBowlofChips
Thank you, I appreciate the hospital has to catch up with operations following lockdown etc. and they can’t perform as many as they would have done this time least year etc.
I know I’m in for a long wait

They’ve may me cold coagulation on the cervical ectropian in the meantime, awaiting results from last lot of tests.