Any useful tips for abdominal hysterectomy?

[NoMoreFlowers]

I am due to have an abdominal hysterectomy early in the New Year. I’ve started thinking about what I might need but I’m a bit stumped. I’ve bought some large comfy knickers and a couple of nighties (I would usually wear pyjamas but I think the waistband might be uncomfortable).

I’m not sure what I’ll be able to wear after the surgery. I’m thinking of buying a couple of pairs of joggers a size bigger than my usual size. Is this a good idea? I’d be really grateful for any input as I’m quite nervous about the surgery and want to be as comfortable as possible afterwards. Thank you.

Will they be doing it laparoscopically?

Following as having hysterectomy in new year also
Bought nightdresses and bigger size loungewear for afterwards. Mine is hopefully keyhole so bought stuff for trapped wind also. Multivitamins for menopause.. good luck!

I had a vaginal hysterectomy 3 weeks ago so not quite the same but I found big knickers an absolute must. Mine come right to my boobs and I'm still wearing them as I feel they are holding everything together. I bought new pj's and nighties but found nighties much more comfortable as even though I was vaginal I was very bloated. I strongly reccomend peppermint tea and strong laxatives for when you get home as the wind and constipation were the worst part for me especially not being able to strain (sorry tmi). My DH also packed me some snacks in my hospital bag and I was laughing saying I'd be too poorly to eat them but found sweets at 3am an absolute life saver when I couldn't sleep. Hope everything goes well and if you have any questions please feel free to ask or pm me

Many thanks for your replies. I’m having a midline incision as it can’t be done vaginally or keyhole. My consultant has been great, but I’m not really sure what to expect or how long I’ll need to be in hospital.

I’ll definitely get some laxatives and peppermint tea. I’ve been advised by the nurse to take laxatives for three days before the surgery anyway. I also love the idea of taking some snacks with me . I’ll put them on my list.

@Butterbeeeen your big knickers sound amazing. Mine are big but not that big! Can I ask where you got them from please?

@Annab1983 do you have a date for your surgery? I’m still waiting as the hospital is full of COVID patients at the moment. I hope everything goes well for you

You I might be better with high waisted leggings that you can pull up to just under your boobs rather than joggers, as even loose the waist and will sit somewhere around your incision. If you can find any, a maxi dress might even be a good choice dependent on whether you will need any outside clothes before the wound is healed enough to have a waist and on it.

This was them. Only from asda. They are absolutely huge and amazing

Thank you OP, it’s scheduled for the end of January, am nervous but hoping this will be a good thing long term and the end of decades of issues and pain! Best of luck to you also!

I’ve ordered some big pants from Asda in a larger size and have already bought a couple of nighties. A maxi dress up is a great idea also
When I went for the pre-up I was advised that you couldn’t bring a case into the hospital and that everything had to be bought in a plastic bag due to COVID-19. Has anyone else had this experience? Also, sorry for all the questions, but were are you allowed visitors?

I took a holdall on wheels so pretty much a suitcase. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed visitors which I thought would be more difficult than it actually was as I was very out of it from coming out of theatre at 6pm until about 2am. They kept giving me morphine after that as well which knocked me out and made me woozy (in a good way) so any visitors would have been lost on me. I did facetime my family though when I was a bit more with it.

That’s really helpful, and thank you. I just hope I get a date for my surgery soon. I’ve got a fibroid the size of a 22 week fetus and just can’t wait to get it sorted out. Apparently I should be in hospital for about five days which doesn’t sound too bad

I had one of these 4 years ago. Massive fibroid too big for keyhole Orr vaginal removal.

Big pants are a must. I salad bought some belly bands which were like Spanx for your belly, just holds everything together and they helped me a lot. You won't be allowed to lift anything or do anything and be prepared for being dog tired - standing in the shower was exhausting and I needed a sit down after. Walking is great, little and often. Ask for referral to a specialist physio.

Good luck, it's the best thing I ever did and I'm so grateful to be period free after so many years of them being just horrendous

Oh and a nightie for hospital as they'll probably put a catheter in.

I was in 2 nights.

Nighties in hospital, short sleeves or sleeveless to account for drip and catheter. Cotton not satin.
Big undies and pads, expect bleeding like a light period for a week or two.
Walk as early and as much as possible while in hospital for wind pain. Also chewing gum to get gut going and improve bowel motions.
At home no sex, exercise, lifting straining, sex toys, suppositories, tampons or enemas. Nothing up there front or back for 6 weeks.
No driving, vacuuming, lifting or straining at home.
Stay in nighties at home until you are well enough to do everything again.
Nighties indicate unwell to family, as soon as you are dressed, family will assume you are back to normal and expect you to do all your usual chores.

I have a picture of my fibroid if you'd like to see him... about the size of a 20 week pregnancy too.

@RaspberryCoulis I’d actually like to see a picture. I’m having trouble imagining how big it is.

I’ll get a short sleeved nightdress, have stupidly bought long sleeved ones. Some great information here ladies. Thank you

You might not have a drip, I don't think I had. I will see if I can message you the photo as it is quite graphic. Are they removing your cervix and ovaries, or leaving ovaries? My cervix went, and my Fallopian tubes, but I kept my ovaries.

I can seem to message through the app so will post the pic in my next post. It's sort of like a smooth football shape. I had expected it to be knobbly.

Here it is. The stringy bits at the top are my Fallopian tubes and the round bit is my cervix. Unfortunately there's nothing to indicate scale. It was the best I could do to persuade the consultant to take a pic.

Wow, that looks massive. I bet you felt a lot better when it was out.
They’ pre removing cervix, Fallopian tubes and ovaries. The whole lot

I had open gallbladder surgery, so 20 staples in my wound across upper abdomen. These were amazing! www.decathlon.co.uk/p/women-s-organic-cotton-gentle-yoga-bottoms/_/R-p-308789
The waistband is super stretchy and soft. I basically lived in them for weeks. Dead cheap too.

Will you be starting hrt thrn?

The fibroid was big, but more worried about how quick it was growing - doubled in size in under a year. It kept pressing on my bladder causing continence issues, my periods were just carnage.

The surgery wasn't easy - I reacted very badly to the anaesthetic and threw up repeatedly- the poor nurses. And they were giving me morphine for the pain and that made me sick too... once I was home though it was a lot better.

Hello - this is what I found useful when I had mine 2yrs ago

Clothes - you want no seams or waistbands near your Incision so huge pants and cheap leggings rather than joggers - the more high waisted the better.

For hospital, I had nighties. Take socks too. Headphones, a long charging cable and a fully charged power bank. Yes to peppermint oil capsules - I had dreadful trapped wind on day 3 and it was brutal.

My biggest piece of advice is don’t be a hero post op - take all the painkillers they offer as it’s quite sore initially. But, you will see significant improvement quickly post op, in hours rather than days. When they tried to get me to stand up for the first time it was not pretty, there was swearing and I didn’t succeed. Tried again 4 hrs later and it was much easier..

Bring a cushion or pillow to go under the seatbelt for the drive home. You’ll feel every pothole.

As others have said, no ironing, lifting, driving etc for 6 weeks or so. I did a lot of walking.

Best of luck, it was the best thing I ever did.

@RaspberryCoulis I can’t believe you got a photo! Mines was 20 weeks sized too but I did not get a photo. I was just glad to get rid of the damn thing!

Ask for a spinal anaesthetic with sedation. You'll be out for the count but have none of the post op yuck feeling of a general. You just wake up fully with it and all ready for a cuppa and some toast.
Get the painkillers on board and sorted while you're in hospital - don't wait to be in pain and then have to go to your GP to have proper painkillers prescribed .
5 days is a very long time to be in. I had an abdominal for a '5 month' fibroid and they let me out the next day.
I found the hospital experience very different from what I'd expected. Ask lots of questions. Write the answers down (brain fog) and the person who you speak to. I'd never been to my hospital before and they just discharged me. I had no idea that I'd have to walk a very long way to the car park and they didn't suggest a wheelchair. I'd be a bit more proactive about stuff like that now.

Oh and everyone recovers at their own rate. You don't get a prize for getting back to driving/work/powerlifting within a week of surgery. It can take months and that's ok.

I’ve been told I’ll have a general anaesthetic and epidural. I love the idea of peppermint oil capsules. I was thinking of peppermint tea but I can’t stand the stuff so the capsules are a great idea. I’m taking earplugs too in case it’s noisy at night. Yes to HRT, I’ll have patches.

Just waiting for a date now. I’m a bit nervous even though I’ve had loads of surgery in the past. I just want to get it sorted.

A cushion for the seatbelt is a great idea and I’ll get some comfy leggings instead of joggers. Hopefully I won’t be in for 5 days, it does seem like a really long time. I’m happy to stay in nighties when I get home for a few days.

All of your suggestions have been really helpful. Thank you so much. I’ve got a a list of things to take with me and just keep jotting things down. I might start packing my bag even though I don’t have a date yet! They said they might call me in at short notice but that I’ll need a COVID test first.