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Abdominal hysterectomy on April 7th - Need pain relief tips

Posted , 10 users are following.

teresa2545
teresa2545

Worried about how much pain I will be in after the op and for how long.Also worried about things like sitting down and laying down and coping with stairs.How much should I expect to bleed afterwards aswell?

Thanks

2 likes, 21 replies

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  • Mintdream
    Mintdream teresa2545

    Posted

    Hey Teresa..

    It's been 11 weeks POST OP for me... but I DO remember all that good stuff.

    After a 2.5 hour procedure I do NOT recall being in recovery, I guess I was OUT... next thing I knew I was in my room, opened my eyes and saw my family.. I did NOT FEEL A THING..but I did put my hand down to feel.. it was covered.. I felt "bumps"..that was all the staples.. 22 of them, down the belly..

    I was groggy, people were talking to me.. I didnt really answer, lol...

    I rested a few hours... then the nurse says to GET UP AND USE THE BATHROOM.. ooooooooh booooooooy... I learned something called the LOG ROLL.. REMEMBER THAT NAME.. YOU WILL USE IT FOR WEEKS TO COME!

    You lay sideways in the bed and roll to the edge and SLOWLY sit up to get up..

    That LOG ROLL is the best!  you can NOT just sit up and get up for a WHILE!

    Sitting on the toilet was PAINFUL... I did not look forward to using it, but I had to.

    As they administered the pain pills while I was there it was "better".. and they had me walking down the hall that night.  They told me that if I didn't get up and walk I could get GAS PAINS (I hear that is very painful) and/or BLOOD CLOTS (not good to have).  I walked.. I felt every stitch..but they said it was ok, good for me.. so I did.. I pushed along my drip bag on wheels... I looked like a train wreck i thought, lol..

    But the nurses are use to it, they just smile and wave..

    Laying down... goooooooooooo slooooooooooooooow.. you don't realize how much you use your stomach muscles going to lay down and bend.. so I kept my pilows high and kinda got in the bed slowly to a sitting position first.. then if I wanted to lay more flat I had someone take a pillow away slowly.. kinda helped.  OH.. NO SIDE SLEEPING FOR A LOOOOOOONG time...

    I am a side sleeper, tried it when I came home (after 2 days).. OWIE!  NO WAY!

    I lived on my back for WEEEEEEEEEEEEEKS!  Doing the log roll!

    I just got on my side about 10 weeks post... one side was fine, but one side was bad.. and the dr. said that was the side with more work on it.. made sense.

    Stairs.. NONONONONO... I made a nice "makeshift" bed on my couch prior to OP.. had a few outfits, night gowns, slippers, books,paper, pen, lotion..anything I'd need by my area... BOY DID THAT HELP... everything all set for me.. my bedroom is up a big flight of stairs,no way I was doing that..

    Unfortunately the first few weeks I just "sponge bathed".. used a washcloth and washed down stairs.. did hair in sink... but the 3rd week I DID go up.. SLOWLY..and it helped kinda sideways going up... the shower felt LIKE HEAVEN!

    My dr. told me it was ok to do the stairs at that point, but not 100 times a day.

    I also had a 3 part knee surgery just 3 months before my HYST.. so my left knee is still not up to par.... "WASN'T A GREAT YEAR FOR ME "  sad

    I will share with you... I did SPLIT my incision in 2 places, 2 times!  I did TOO MUCH... I lifted, vaccumed, laundry... too soon.. just a week after ... I found it HARD to lay still, and no one was doing what I needed done... If I did it all over.. I would LAY DOWN... DON'T MOVE UNLESS I HAD TO USE BATHROOM... AND LET OTHERS DO ALL THE REST..

    You don't want to open that incision line.. I was scared... they had to use Silver NItrate to seal it.. but then I opened that up... then I was on TOTAL BED REST FLAT FOR 2 DAYS.. boy.. it was punishment!

    Today, 11 weeks later.. I still find sitting for long periods of time gives me side pains, and driving too long..  I can feel "pulls" if I lift something TOO heavy.. and I had these terrible hot digging pains for a few weeks.. dr. said it was the NERVES RE-ATTACHING... they mend together and give you this feeling... good thingto know.. I was sooooooooo worried.. it felt wierd!  They did give me an anti-inflamation pill to help that.. only used it for a week and it was better!  Celebrex, thats it!

    All I can say is DON'T rush it... this is a major surgery, I didn't take it as that, and should have..

    Prepare your area where you will be.. have all your things..and listen to your body.. if you feel OWIE right away.. STOP... do it a different way..

    They will not leave you in pain.. I was on 2 different pain pills, can't recall the names...but they helped.. and I used them for weeks!  YOu will know when to stop... listen to your body!

    All the best Teresa smile

    We're all here for you... what a bunch we are  cheesygrin 

    Peace and love from the USA

    • teresa2545
      teresa2545 Mintdream

      Posted

      Thanks for your comments,makes interesting reading. Can I just ask,do you work and if so how long are you off for?I have been told that I will be off for about 6 weeks and I work in a supermarket with a lot of standing and heavy lifting so I think it will be longer.
    • Debedee
      Debedee Mintdream

      Posted

      Loved your descrition of events, so many of them I can relate too.  Given my time again i, as am sure you would, would not have lifted the vacuum or stretched up to the cupboard or bent over to reach something you dropped etc etc!!!  You have to be kind to yourself and use those around you as your slaves!! I am 15 weeks now and still have a bruised feeling, tiredness, buts that's because of the hot flushes every flipping hour through the night (After I get tested and hopefully all clear at the end of March, my Oncologist will put me on hormone replacement). 

      Best wishes from Melbourne

  • nicola99890
    nicola99890 teresa2545

    Posted

    Hi Teresa

    I got my appointment through today for my pre op assesment on the 5th March and it has made me realise it is actually going to happen. I am feeling a little worried about it,  as with you  i am worried about the pain, I was advised by my consultant to have the epidural for the pain but having a needle put into my spine is a bit daunting.I  go into hospital for my op 2 days after you so keep in touch and let me know how things go, I am also chatting to you in the utrine fibroids forum. x

    • teresa2545
      teresa2545 nicola99890

      Posted

      Hi Nicola,

      i had my pre op assessment on Jan12th straight after my first injection.My blood pressure,ECG was fine and I haven't heard back about the blood test and mrsa swabs so I guess they are ok.Nothing has been mentioned  to me about an epidural but I think I will just opt for the gereral.I got my admissions letter over a week ago but I won't know until April2nd to what time I will have to be at the hospital.It is either 7.15am or12.15pm.I hope fir the 7.15am to be first on the list.I wasn't sure about having my ovaries removed but I think that I will keep them.I was told that I would be in hospital about 3 or 4 days but most people seem to be coming out within a couple of days from what I have been reading so far.My recovery should be 6 weeks but with a supermarket job standing and lifting I think it will be longer.

      xxx

    • nicola99890
      nicola99890 teresa2545

      Posted

      I will be having a general, would not want just an epidural, it is just for the pain instead of Morphine,but can decide wen i have my assesment. I know i am having surgery in the morning and have to be there for 7.15, fro what i have read and been told all hospitals seem to do it pretty much the same,  expect to be in for 3/4 days, I am a Veterinary Nurse so a pretty physical job, lots of lifting and on my feet all day so expect to take 8 wks off with a phased return to work after that. x
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