Hysterectomy - Hints and tips for post surgery

[SolitudeNotLoneliness]

Hi

I'm going in for a hysterectomy shortly, and wondered if anyone had any useful hints and tips for surgery / post surgery.

I haven't been in hospital overnight since having dc who are now late teens so I'm not familiar with hospitals!

DH has booked the week after work off so I will be having rest forced upon me!

I've seen someone recommend having a pillow for drive home to have on lap so the area isn't aggregated by the seat belt (it is planned to be abdominal)

I've got big high waisted leggings that are loose on me to wear home.

Anything else anyone can share?

Thank you!

I had an ovary removed via open surgery last week and feel fine. Just keep on top of meds. I was on my own on day 4 onwards and it was fine. Just make sure you have snacks and drinks to hand. Enjoy the rest!!

If you wear a loose T-shirt dress it maybe more comfortable tbh. Layer your clothes as you'll go through chemical menopause and that hits like a bitch tbh.

Do keep to the recommendations on moving/lifting etc as you will easily do damage.

Yes it is not pleasant to go through. The recovery it is painful, the constipation and bowels coming back to life is the worst in my experience!

Everyday though you will feel better!

Don't try to walk too far and end up utterly exhausted and thankful to see a friendly face who could give your sorry arse a lift home. (Like me )

I had the full shebang not that long ago. I had my op at 1.30 on the Thursday and I was home by tea time the next day.

Do all of the prep stuff. I was given special sugar drinks to have the night before and in the morning prior to surgery l. Recovery is quicker if you take them.

Do you know what kind of anaesthetic you are getting. I was given an epidural as well as general anaesthetic. This seriously helps with pain post op. I barely needed pain killers.

Drink as much water as you are told to. The quicker you get your bladder working the quicker you get home.

Get up as soon as you can and walk about for a few minutes. But equally rest up. I was shattered and slept a lot for the first few days after I was home. Be prepared to not sleep at the hospital because the nurses and doctor will be checking your blood pressure etc periodically through the night. You will need sleep when you get home.

Be prepared for vaginal bleeding and for it not to all come at once. I stopped bleeding after a couple of days and thought that was me, but it kept coming back and disappearing for about 8 weeks. I thought something was seriously wrong and kept waiting for all of my internal organs to fall out of my vagina but it's normal apparently.

Your first poo will be terrifying, so make sure you're getting plenty of roughage and take the disgusting laxatives your given.

You'll have been told nighties for the ward post op and it's quite good for home too. Ask for more than two pairs of surgical socks so you can wear one, wash one, dry one. I only got two pairs and it turned into a bit of a faff.

Recovery can be fairly quick but don't rush yourself. Take the time you need.

All the very best of luck. If you want a hand hold or chat nearer the time please feel free to pm me.

Thank you, that's really appreciated

I had a full open hysterectomy about 16 months ago. Having fibromyalgia, my recovery and pain took longer to recover from and the first 3-4 weeks were particularly tough.
I found a litter picker useful for emptying my washer and dryer, bending was hard work for a fair while. An extra long charger wire for my phone. Big/high but firm pants. Although some people report bleeding, I didn’t at all. Also bought a stool to sit on in the shower when washing my hair.
Ditched the cocodamol and morphine as it made the post op constipation worse!
Honestly, I spent most of the first month napping on the couch but that’s maybe because of my other issues.
Make sure you do your pelvic floor exercises and do not risk lifting things.
Although I was through menopause (no period for best part of a decade) and had been on HRT, my ovaries had apparently still been producing some hormones so I had some unexpected menopause symptoms which was a surprise. Took them a while to settle.
if you’ve never had a major operation, the recovery process is a bit of a shock but like childbirth, it becomes a distant memory quickly. You’ll be fine!

Take some peppermint cordial to hospital with you to help with the post surgery wind pain. I thought it worked better hot than cold. I tried mint tea but the cordial seemed better.
Once you are home, keep a snack/drink and some painkillers by your bedside for a while. I found for the first week or so I was ready for my painkillers first thing and having them there just meant I could take them without getting out of bed or waiting for someone to bring them.
It has already been mentioned but start moving as soon as you can.
Above all, good luck and take full advantage of being able to rest.

Really loose pj's bottoms, good excuse to buy new pj's as you will live in them to begin with. Extra pillows in bed if you can and if you can to begin with sleeping separately as I found it agony when dh moved. Regular pain relief. Rest and rest some more

Slightly different surgery but similar last year. Do you know what sort of incision you'll have?

My recommendation to anyone going in to hospital is a Bluetooth sleep band - blocks out bright lights and sounds from other patients. Also good for naps once you get home.

Peppermint tea/cordial for the wind. A long phone lead for hospital. Comfy bottoms for post-op. My tummy was really swollen afterwards and I couldn't bear anything too tight. No lifting at all, even a kettle. Basically it's a really good reason to do very little for a couple of weeks. I was only in hospital overnight and had laparoscopic surgery and was able to take gentle walks after a week or so. Good luck OP.

I don't think a week off work is enough. Even if you arrange to work from home. This is a big operation and your body needs to rest.

I had an abdominal one so I went home with a staples all over my belly and could not bend for quite some time. Mine was quite a big operation has they had to remove a (benign) tumour and repair some adhesions between organs from endometriosis.

As someone as already mentioned I think you bowel movements will be affected (which can be really painful) so make sure the hospital gives you something to help with that.

It is good to walk every day as soon as you can. I started doing that inside the house, then in my street, then the local park.

All and all it took 3 months for me to be back to normal. And I kept my ovaries so I did not have even to cope with menopause symptoms which can add some additional stress and tiredness. The first three weeks I needed help in the home to do almost everything.

So my main point is don't push yourself to go back to normal too fast.

I had open gynae surgery last week, was home within 48 hours and off any pain meds stronger than paracetamol within 28 hours, which seems madness but honestly, I have surprised myself.

But the referred pain in my shoulder was bad for 48 hours so mints, peppermint tea etc and a heat pad were a godsend. And clexane injections if you're sent home with them can be painful for 20 mins after.

My stomach is still quite bloated so dresses and loose trousers are my staples. And I'm still doing my best to sleep on my back and slightly raised rather than on my side as I toss and turn normally but don't trust myself not to do a mischief.

Have a pillow with you for the journey home and hold it against your abdomen, it will reduce discomfort from the movements of the car.

When you are ready to go back to work, asked for a phased return - don't underestimate how tired you will feel after this operation.

If you are in pain when the anaesthetic wears off in hospital, ask if you can have painkillers in the form of a suppository, as they work more quickly that way.

A pillow is a good idea for the trip home. I didn't have referred pain from the gas and my bowels were fine with zero dramas.

What's it like compared to a C-section?

A lot harder. And far slower to recover from. I initially felt the need to walk as though my insides were carrying an open container full to the brim with liquid, which would be agony if I spilled a drop.

Oh, that sounds really hard! Thanks for sharing your experience.

C sections are completely different, I thought they'd be similar recovery wise, they definitely were not. For the first three/four weeks after my hysterectomy, I felt my insides were going to drop out every time I stood up.

Be prepared for exhaustion from the simplest of tasks. I slept so much the first two weeks. And make sure you do what the physio tells you afterwards. It's a big operation, regardless of if you have it done keyhole or open.

If you have drains in (I had two!) be very prepared for how long they are when they are pulled out! They don't tell you this and I wasn't expecting the length or level of pain...breath deeply and ask for pressure to be applied on the area as they pull the drain out. That will really help.

Be very strict with any lifting and carrying! Just don't! Remember...you'll be healing inside as well as out. I burst my staples just by laughing...and my scar from that is quite bad actually. Be gentle in everything you do. Ask for help. Don't be a martyr.

I had a subtotal hysterectomy in the summer for a massive fibroid. Full open vertical incision from my pubic area to my belly button. Best thing that could have happened and I feel 10 years younger. Things I’d recommend:

Headphones/airpods - essential for blocking out noise.
ipad - download some episodes if something in case you have to wait for your surgery on the day
Kindle/book - choose a cheesy ‘chewing gum for the brain’ book. I had one of the Bridgerton books and that was just the right level of froth
Rest, drink plenty of water, get up as soon as you feel able. Probably the next day, slowly for 5 minutes.
I only wore night clothes at night. I wore comfortable, loose dresses or trousers during the day. Try to get out of patient mode asap, but listen to your body and rest when you need to
My DP bought pots of fresh mango, melon, etc. and they were a lovely refreshing tread - and had plenty of fibre.
I was off the hard drugs after 4-5 days and barely needed ibuprofen or paracetamol after a week. I’d been signed off work for 8 weeks. 6 wouldn’t have been enough, but I’d have been ready to go back on a phased return from about 7 weeks.

I had a transvaginal hysterectomy around 10 years ago. Learn to say 'I can't do that' rather than 'I shouldn't do that'. If you over-do things it will affect your recovery (and in my case, meant that one part of my surgeries failed - I had several prolapses dealt with over two surgeries, including a hysterectomy).
Ask if you will have vaginal packing (if it's not mentioned in your information leaflet). Make a point of telling them that you want plenty of whatever the cream is that they use (I can't remember, but can remember that removing the packing was a special kind of torture to have it removed when it was stuck to one of my wounds).
You will need to take things easy for several weeks - things like hanging up washing or hoovering are all out until you are more recovered.
Contact your insurance company if you drive to see what their particular exclusions are. Mine told me I needed to feel comfortable doing an emergency stop, so I checked on my driveway before venturing on to a road.
Make sure you are taking laxatives pre and post surgery. Sorry if it's TMI, but you definitely don't want to be 'birthing' a huge bowel movement post surgery!
All of those are the downsides, but I hope you will have a much more positive experience
Good luck.

Big pants to help support wound.
DH had 1 week off afterwards to look after me. After that I was fine on my own
You will be knackered. Even when you think you're recovered and do something you may sit down and fall asleep.
Saying that 1 month was enough off work for me and I went back WFH full time for 2 weeks and then hybrid .
And I can say that bloody operation was the best thing I've ever done.

I agree on all of the above. Wish I had started the laxatives before I actually needed them, first poo was hard going! The rest of it I didn’t find too bad. I was way better a week after than I was expecting, but not as good at say 4-5 weeks than I was expecting. I found recovery would jump then plateau rather than be a steady upward trend.

I had an abdominal hysterectomy with removal of one ovary 34 years ago when I was 34 because of very large fibroids.

My surgeon was quite unusual in that he thought the advice given to women to literally do nothing was wrong. His attitude was that just sitting or laying around made recovery time longer.

I was advised to be up and about as soon as possible and to walk every day. He said to not do any heavy lifting or things like hoovering or changing the bed but that light housework was fine and lifting a kettle with a small amount of water in was also fine.

I had my op in the afternoon and the next morning had a shower and walked a little way along the hospital corridor. The following day I went home.

I had no problems whatsoever with my bowels or bladder. I did not need any pain relief but I do have a high pain threshold.

Once home I went out for a walk every day and, as the surgeon advised, did some light housework along with reading and watching tv.

Less than 3 weeks later we went to the British Grand Prix where we camped for 4 days and walked quite a bit every day.

I was back at work 5 weeks after the op although I could have gone back sooner

Pillow between you and seat belt is a top tip.
If you sleep on your back, you may also appreciate a pillow under your knees to "rest" the scar area in the first few days.

Gentle walking every day from day 1, even just round the ward.
I really recommend you stick to the "activity" advice they give you.

. Don't be tempted to lift or drive too soon. Aim for gently active +adequate rest, so if you need an afternoon nap/rest just do it. Let family helpers pick up the slack. I felt tired for about a month after surgery ; then felt like a new woman.

Off the top of my head...

Yes to pillow for the drive home - you will feel every bump!

Massive pants so you have no seams or edges near your scar.

I bought some sized up loose joggers from Primark for the first week or so - even yoga pants might be a bit uncomfortable for the first wee while.

For hospital - peppermint capsules for wind and very long phone charger cord and/or a big power bank.

Don't be a hero on the painkiller front - take them for as long as you need them.

My biggest piece of advice is take all the help you are offered. I am not very good at doing that but I just surrendered to all the wonderful offers which meant I had less to worry about.