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Original poster

Hysterectomy recovery

27 replies

ThisAutumnTown · 12/04/2026 22:42

Hi all!

I’m due to have a full hysterectomy on Tuesday.
I was hoping to hear from other women who’ve had the same on what recovery looked like for them in the first few weeks.
How long until you were up and about as normal?
How bad was the post op pain etc?
Did you gain much weight?

I’m 35, have had 2 children and am overweight but making healthy changes.

Any stories/advice is much appreciated 😊

OP posts:
SoJaunty · 14/04/2026 18:16

Spidey66 · 13/04/2026 14:11

I had full hysterectomy (think it was full-uterus and cervix removed but fallopian tubes and ovaries left). It was done abdominally. They thought it would it would need to be vertically as I had a huge fibroid and my uterus was totally misshaped as a result but thankfully it was done horizontally. Vertical is worse as they’re having to cut at right angles to the underlying muscles iyswim. It was 10 years ago.

I had a catheter for the first night which was removed after the first night. I had patient controlled morphine.

they get you up and about walking to the loo, shower etc asap.

after the 2nd night I was given the option of going home without morphine. I was a bit wary but agreed. I’m a nurse (mental health) and live with my husband so I think they thought I was safe and able to know when and how to get help if needed. I was still on opiate based medication, laxatives and blood thinners to inject subcutaneously to prevent blood clots.

about 4 days later I had to have an out of hours appointment with a GP as I developed a uti, common after having a catheter and I had antibiotics.

after a couple of days I made short walks to the corner shop and gradually increased this to walks round the park. You can’t lift anything heavier than a kettle for a few weeks.

my husband was working for the NHS and he managed to get carers leave for a few days. It was a difficult time for him as his dad was ill (he died while I was still off sick) and he was torn but his family were supportive and it was fine for him to put me first until I was well enough to be left. (We were in London and his parents in Belfast).

it is a major operation so do take it slowly but otoh don’t take it too easy either! Listen to your body.

I returned to work 3 months and occupational health arranged for a phased return to work.

overall it wasn’t too bad but not a walk in the park either.

a colleague who had the same op before me recommended a website called HysterSisters, which was useful. They had a forum which was helpful and supportive. I assume it’s still there but I’ve not used it since I returned to work.

eta, jogging bottoms are your friend in the first few weeks!!!

oh and I agree you feel tired a lot, partly as the opiates are sedating but your body needs sleep to recover and as I said listen to your body.

I probably put on weight but I gain weight easily anyway.

Edited

That was very similar to my experience although my ovaries came out too. I was on Oramorph at the hospital then they sent me home with loads of codeine, which fortunately I didn't need all of. My incision was horizontal and the surgeon did a really good job, ten years on you can barely see it, just a slight lighter line like a stretch mark at the top of my pelvis.

The worst thing about recovery was the difficulty moving my bowels afterwards - it was really painful at first and all the opiates doubtless didn't help as they have a constipating effect.

TheMauveBeaker · 14/04/2026 21:59

I had an abdominal hysterectomy 12 years ago. Best thing I ever did by the way.
In hospital for 4 or 5 days, pain was very manageable, a lot less than I expected actually. Followed recovery instructions to the letter - no stairs for a week, short walks around the house for another week, then short accompanied walks outside, building up distance slowly. No heavy housework, driving or sex for 6 weeks. Back to work P/T after 3 months.
Two years later I decided to start running which I’d never wanted to do before, and got up to 10k which was an amazing achievement for me.

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