Oophorectomy and hysterectomy

[SweetStuff2022]

Hi! Needing a total hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy within the next year. Have decided to go private as I've suffered too long and the NHS wait in my area is 2.5 years (not by any means affluent but its worth the loan to get my health and life back!)
Looking for some positive success stories, any things you wish you'd known before. I'm 36 and will be straight into surgical menopause, gel hrt oestrogen post op. Not going to lie I'm terrified, I suffer with pmdd too and scared of how ill feel post op on hrt, (not the only reason for the op but a big part of it). Having a major wobble and just looking for some reassurance tbh :( any advice appreciated. Also not sure whether to book in for summer or winter, if anyone has any recovery experience from either with pros/ cons
Thanks very much x

Had mine aged 44. Life changing.

Op went smoothly, 2 nights in hospital. NGL, there is some pain/discomfort but it settled far quicker than I thought it would. I stopped the co codamol once home and just took paracetamol, co codamol causes constipation.
The morphine and inactivity also causes constipation so have something like dulcoease or fybogel in stock and take in the evenings once home until things are moving normally. You don’t want to be straining!
The best bit of advices I read on here was to walk 5 mins every day once home, and to increase the length of the walk by 5 mins each new week, so that by week 6 you are walking 30 mins each day. This really helped my recovery and I recovered far quicker/better than a friend who sat around and did nothing. Maybe avoid winter then as you may not go for walks. Also, if you don’t do PFE already, start now, and do them 3-4 times per day post op. Do any physio exercises they give you.
put small items (lip balm, ear plugs, mints) in a tie handled food bag when you go in to hospital. You can then lift the bag to you instead of twisting to try to reach that small item in your bedside locker. Take flip flops for the shower. Take earbuds. Hospitals are really noisy places, I had to play white noise through headphones to get any sleep.
Hope all goes well for you and you have a speedy recovery.

I had total hysterectomy with vertical incision. I was surprised how little pain I had. There was a morphine pump in for 24 hours and after that I had nothing. I was in hospital for 3 nights post op, clips came out 10 days post op.
When you first wear proper trousers/jeans, tuck a nice soft pillowcase down your knickers to protect your wound.
Have some Colpermin ready for after the op, the post op wind is the worst part. It sounded like a symphony orchestra in the ward at night. Colpermin will help it come out easily.
Most of all- relax, rest, you'll be fine.
I went straight on hrt, no problems there.
No more periods!

I had mine age 42

Vertical incision

it has really improved my life

re oestrogen and moods, my mood is very steady. The oestrogen resolved the menopausal symptoms.

I had mine in summer, was nice to sit in the sun to recouperate but I was clammy and sweaty before I started the HRT

i don’t know if you’re having laparoscopic or open but for open it was 8 weeks until I fell fully recovered

Thank-you all so much for your replies! I'm struggling so much with PMDD ( not the only reason for the hysterectomy but the main one for me). Its reassuring to know life can be happy after as this feels like its never going to end sometimes, I just want to feel 'normal ' and not be suffering anymore x

I think you will be fine- you will be better than normal!