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Booking a break 6 weeks post op

Posted , 7 users are following.

lorraine79212
lorraine79212

Hi Ladies, I've been reading your posts for a few weeks now. The advice and support you give others is amazing!

i am due surgery in 2 weeks for vaginal vault repair, rectocele repair and probably cystocele repair too (the consultant said my bladder had prolapsed too but it's not as severe as the other prolapses so they will wait and see how bad it is when I am under general).

i had a hysterectomy when I was 27 due to prolapse uterus and then 3 years later had another op for stress incontinence and prolapsed bladder. Have had no problems since, and I am now 45. I noticed the rectocele a couple of years ago but no major issues until April this year when I visited the GP.

My question is that my partner and I want to book a mini break in October, it will literally be 6 weeks post op. Only going for 2 days away but it will be a full-on break to Liverpool visiting the Cavern Club and watching bands all day. Will I just be too tired for this? I have joined a gym since finding out I need surgery, and do lots of exercise and have lost weight, so I feel fit and healthy.

But I don't want my partner to waste his money booking this trip if I am still tired all the time and need to rest? The other point to consider is if my op gets cancelled and rebooked a couple of weeks later I will only be 3-4 weeks post op, come the end of October.

i really want something to work towards and look forward to, but I just don't know.

any thoughts/advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks, 

Lorraine

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • Jan999
    Jan999 lorraine79212

    Posted

    Hello lorraine. I have to be honest I don't think you'll feel strong enough to fully appreciate your trip. I can remember at 6 weeks I was still very tired and had quite a bit of discomfort. At about 6 weeks the internal sutures are starting to pull and walking around is uncomfortable. I have heard of a few other ladies who have coped well at 6 weeks and some have returned to work but they are few and far between. This is probably not what you want to hear but it is early days.
    • lorraine79212
      lorraine79212 Jan999

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice Matron. I do appreciate all feedback.

      i can't remember how bad I was after the hysterectomy and bladder repair. Those operations were years ago and I had two small children to look after then, I certainly don't remember not being able to do anything for weeks.

      Thank you for responding.

      Lorraine

    • Jan999
      Jan999 lorraine79212

      Posted

      The advice you'll be given after your surgery will be to rest and not to lift. Following my operation I was told not to lift anything heavier than a cup of tea! If you have a bowel and bladder prolapse repair as I did it does take it's toll on you. I was a gynaecology senior  nurse and I got a shock just how long it took me to recover however not everyone is the same and you may be well enough. 
    • maccy
      maccy Jan999

      Posted

      Hi , can i ask you is back ache at 15 weeks still normal and period type tummy pain , i know i have probelms resting but is this normal on strong pain killers but not helping .
    • Jan999
      Jan999 maccy

      Posted

      I wouldn't have thought it was normal maccy. I would be making an appointment to se the GP
  • Joebel46
    Joebel46 lorraine79212

    Posted

    Hi Lorraine. I had a bladder prolapse and ovaries taken out 14 weeks ago and I am only just feeling like a human again. I know we are all different and healing takes longer in some people. I am still suffering from numbness and all sorts of pains and do get tired quickly. I am going on holiday next week and only just feel that I can cope with the journey. Unfortunately when I went in for my op, I  waited all day and then was told they had run out of theatre space so it was delayed for 4 weeks, so you are right to be cautious. I personally would not book up to go away unless you can get a refund if you cancel. Good luck with your op, dont forget we all heal differently.  
  • maccy
    maccy lorraine79212

    Posted

    Hi belive this or not i had same op 1 june and we went to liverpool aug 15 for 2 days wanted to see crosby beach statues and vist a synagogue so how was i. Honestly at six weeks Not sure i could of done it. We went i was 10 weeks post op and i was knacker we had loads of rest i. Between seeing things lots of coffee stops and wee stops in town,its a hard one , even now i have tummy pain back ache and cant walk to far. So think about it carefully rest is the best thing although if you like me i find it hard sitting still for too long Either way take care x
  • reenie50
    reenie50 lorraine79212

    Posted

    Hi Lorraine - I only had a minor recticiocle op on 13th July but was really tired for several weeks. However I did go for a week's holiday to Jersey on my 6th week and managed to cope with flights, sightseeing and things. But it all depends on whether you have external stitches as they are the problem. Might be better to delay for a while until you are really fit and can totally enjoy it! Good luck x
  • lorraine79212
    lorraine79212

    Posted

    Thank you everyone, you've all been so helpful. 

    Probably best I leave it, Liverpool isn't going anywhere so we can go another time. I work in a school and plan to take 5 weeks sick leave, then the end of October is half term which is why we thought we'd go then. 

    May be better to leave it until February half term, something to look forward to after Christmas!

    Thank you all, this site is fab. I'm sure I will have lots more questions before and after the operation!

    Lorraine xx

  • Over_it
    Over_it lorraine79212

    Posted

    I had a cystocele repair and went to the beach for a week when I was 4 weeks post-op. I drove 3 1/2 to 4 hours in a car and that was about an hour too long. Very sore for a couple days after. Did some walking, but not a lot. I definitely would not stand all day, but sitting would be okay.  Good luck and God bless.

    Trish

    • Jan999
      Jan999 Over_it

      Posted

      I don't know if you are in the UK or not TrishaP but insurance companies in the UK will not cover ladies to drive until they are 6 weeks post op following prolapse surgery. So if you have an accident you're not covered. As a Senior Nurse in Gynaecology that was something we had to make ladies aware of prior to discharge.
    • Over_it
      Over_it Jan999

      Posted

      Wow, I wasn't aware of that restriction for you. I am in the U.S. and was told I couldn't drive home that day or be alone the first few days. Nothing was said about driving after that. BUT, being honest, I starting driving again at about 10 days post-op, but now feel I shouldn't have. I remember feeling not quite right and the only drugs I took were prescription ibuprofen for 2 weeks along with non-prescription Tylenol, and then non-prescription Advil and Tylenol for 2 more weeks. It takes a long time for the anesthetics to get out of our systems. I rarely ever take any medications, so maybe I was affected worse than others. Sorry, a bit long winded, but my point was, I think that is a wise rule to have. 

      I'm 10 weeks post-op now and getting ready to make a 14 hour drive. May split it into 2 days as I still get tired and sore at times, but at least my head is clear now😀

    • Jan999
      Jan999 Over_it

      Posted

      I thought you must be in the US. I knew your rules were different. It's all to do with if you have to do an emergency stop. I hope you cope ok with the 14 hour drive. Take care and rest when you can.
    • Over_it
      Over_it Jan999

      Posted

      Thanks! Looking forward to all the visits and celebrations on the trip, but not the drive. Have to take the good with the bad.
  • reenie50
    reenie50 lorraine79212

    Posted

    I live in the UK and was told I could drive after 2 to 3 weeks as long as I could do an emergency stop. But how do you know you can do this unless you have to do one?? Strange rule. I only did short journeys around my town till 7 weeks post op when I did a 2 hr journey up to visit my Dad and a 2 hr journey back home. Managed ok but was tired afterwards. No pain though!
    • Jan999
      Jan999 reenie50

      Posted

      There is a test you can do to see if you can cope with an emergency stop and that is to stamp your leg forcefully on a hard floor. If you can do that without causing pain then you'll be ok.
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