Hysterectomy

[flippytheseptember]

Hey everyone,

New here and really terrified of having my hysterectomy in a few days.

i am late 30s, family complete with severley poor quality of life currently due to fibroids. I am completely bed bound so i an hoping this surgery will be a positive experience for me.

Plan is TAH as this fibroid is massive.

Anyone has any tips or positive stories - would be much appreciated xx

I'm having one approx 4-6 weeks and would like any tips for recovery etc . Widowed mum of 11 and 3 year old (41)

@flippytheseptember I hope all goes well for you. What type of hysterectomy are you having?

Please update the post with how you get on.

I had mine almost a year ago now and I still think fairly regularly about how my life is so so much better since the op. My life is no longer ruled by sanitary protection, flooding and pain. It's amazing.
There are lots of threads on her about recovery which contained brilliant advice - I read them all!
The recovery was ok. Painkillers did work for the pain and I just took things easy for a few weeks - actually my pain disappeared fairly quickly but I was completely knackered for a while afterwards.
The threads stressed that a lot of the pain was trapped wind and that was absolutely true. I did a mass shop of wind tablets beforehand and that helped. I also got the random pain in my shoulders which comes as a result of being pumped full of air. I had a gigantic dressing gown with massive pockets that stashed my painkillers, antacids, phone, remote etc. I had cleaned my house throughout before and filled my freezer full of meals I just needed to microwave. I also put the dog in daycare for the week so I didn't need to walk her (it's just me and the kids).
It's amazing the feeling of never having a period again, it really is. The very best wishes to you!

@BigBundleOfFluff how old were your kids?

How long before you drove?

So glad it's been a positive thing for you!

Hoping for the same outcome!

13 and 11. Reasonably helpful kids but not reliable! I did wait nearly 6 weeks to drive but I never ever drive tired and it did take me a while to feel fully with it, even though not in pain - I was borderline anaemic before hand but good enough levels to do the op so I think it was that that made me tired rather than the surgery.
My last period ever was the end of October 2023! Yes my overachieving uterus was holding strong til the bitter end still bleeding while being removed. I can't tell you enough how much better my life is now!

@BigBundleOfFluff so happy to hear how it's made your life better 😊! Thanks for the helpful info ❤️

I had a TAH at 49 for a huge fibroid plus an ovarian cyst (benign). I have the "zip up the front" scar.
I wasn't really worried about the op but just wanted it out of the way, the dragging pain, worrying about the cyst rupturing, etc.
It was much less painful than having two toes straightened a few years earlier. I can't honestly say I had much pain.
I went in on Monday afternoon, operation Tuesday morning, the rest of Tuesday passed in a haze of snoozing and pressing the button of my morphine pump, Wednesday I was starving and demolished toast and tea! I came home on the Friday, walked to the car with no problems. I had my clips out after 10 days.
8 days after I left hospital I went shopping with DH and DS, I still had my clips in so I tucked a nice soft folded pillowcase down my trousers to protect my scar.
I was discharged 6 weeks after the op.
The whole experience was so much easier than I thought. As I said, I was on morphine for the first day then paracetamol and diclofenac if needed till I went home then I don't remember needing any painkillers.
Of course I was more tired than usual, but 2 months later we went to Barcelona for a week and I did lots of walking. I went back to work after 3 months. I didn't want to as I was enjoying myself at home!