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TAH at end of Jan

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Luckymum
Luckymum

Hi all, I've just joined this forum, I am due for my TAH (retaining ovaries as I'm only 42 and too young for HRT) at the end of Jan. I'm not sure how I feel, a bit scared, though I think that is mainly about the general anesthetic rather than the hyseterectomy. I'm wondering if the recoverey is something like the recovery from a C Section as I had one of those some years ago and I seemed to recover from that ok....I would be grateful if there is anyone that can share with me their experiences of both operations if there is anyone out there that has had both, thanks x

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • lyn04748
    lyn04748 Luckymum

    Posted

    I'm 48 & have all mine taken away, I struggled 

    With the pain after surgery , I thought I would 

    Be ok after a couple of weeks but I was so wrong 

    My bowel & bladder was very unhappy & took 

    About a month to recover , I'm now 8 weeks 

    Down the line & feel some where near normal

    I was not prepared for how bad it made me feel

    But everyone is different .x

    • Luckymum
      Luckymum lyn04748

      Posted

      Thanks Lyn, sorry to hear you had some problems post op, but glad you are recovering now x
  • dee102
    dee102 Luckymum

    Posted

    Hi I had my op in November and I was scared of the anesthetic too. i am overwheight so this did not help my nerves.....I actually said to the consultant I will wake up from the op won't I? Silly now I look back.

    Speak to the anaesthetist and tell him your concern and they will understand. Mine offered me an epidural and a lower level of general. My sister had a C section and she says the recovery is similar just longer. I was in hospital for 5 days. I am slowly doing more and more but you must rest when you get home and listen to your body......Good Luck hun and I am here if I can help you any more x

    • Luckymum
      Luckymum dee102

      Posted

      Thanks Dee, it is silly really to worry about the anesthetic I know, so many people have them each and every day for lots of different reasons but it's just the not having control over your own body I suppose.

      After my C Section I was up and about the next day, mainly because my baby was in SCBU in a different part of hte hospital and the staff were taking too long to get a wheelchair to take me to see her, so I decided to take myself, I was half way across the carpark in my dressing gown when they caught up with me! LOL Then I suppose once we were both home (she was in SCBU for 10 days) I just got on with things as that is what you have to do with a new baby anyway...

      I guessed it was going to be a longer recovery from this, as it's not just a cut through the stomach it's removing bit as well. Still on the positive side at least I won't have any extra scars to what I have now as the consultant has said he will use the same entry point as my C Section to do the TAH x

    • dee102
      dee102 Luckymum

      Posted

      You will be up and walking on the 2nd day akk being well....you will need help at home. no lifting, no vacuuming,etc just rest for the 1st 2 weeks . I am 7 weeks post op now and still can't do alot of lifting etc...your body will let you know if you are doing too much. 
    • Luckymum
      Luckymum dee102

      Posted

      Thanks Dee x

      I am lucky that I have a wonderful husband who is already fully trained in all things such as cooking and shopping, though his cleaning could do with a bit more training! My boss at work is also fantastic, she has already been putting my on light duties during my ladies week for the last few months and has said for me to take as much time as I need before going back to work and then she will sort a phased return and light duties for a while as my normal job is quite physical with lots of heavy work as well as being out on the road.

    • dee102
      dee102 Luckymum

      Posted

      I wish my work were more understanding you are lucky, my work are sending me to occupational health etc but I also have a fella who pulls his weight and even now is waiting on me x
    • Luckymum
      Luckymum dee102

      Posted

      Thats not fair I bet htey would feel different if it was themselves or their wives sad - Sending you hugs Dee x

  • Mintdream
    Mintdream Luckymum

    Posted

    Hi Lucky...

    Well... it's major surgery... I had a total abdominal ... 22 staples total... and they had to take out a 4 lb. tumor.  Dr. had to take it all out but one ovary.  I am 52, and not in menopause... so I am doing well now.  Dr. told me "one" ovary can act like two!  And there are no menopause symptoms  to deal with.  So far, so good! 

    I am 7 weeks post now.. and I am returning to my job on Jan. 5th.  I feel good about that!

    Now... pain after, totally medicated in the hospital...they don't let you get to a point of "hurt".  It is SO swollen, and actually mine is egg shaped, due to the tumor and the work they did.  They said a good 6 months until that goes down.

    Healing process took weeks... I did TOOOOOO much, TOOOOOO soon (re: vacuum, laundry, cleaning, etc..).. I did open two areas on the incision.  Dr. had to mend me up with Silver Nitrate.  It looked like black goo, like they seal the cracks in the road, LOL.. but it worked.

    If I was to redo it all again.. I would have LISTENED better, and let people help me!

    Definately use stool softners... I took 2 at bedtime.. WOW.. amazing the difference... you don't realize it, but you use muscles to have a bowel movement.. and it HURT BADLY... I used those for a few weeks.. then I was fine.

    Cough, laugh or sneeze.. GRAB A PILLOW to hold on your belly!  WOW... I thought i was going to open it up, and it HURT!

    I know the walking helped me greatly, get up and move... no gas, no blood clots.. the dr. said that was a good thing I did.  JUST DON'T LIFT AND BEND A LOT.

    Staples came out the following week, kinda icky looking... gotta keep it clean every day.... that took a few weeks to heal..

    It's like a process you need to go through... but be patient...

    Today, 7 weeks later.. the incision now feels like a cord of some type... like a thin, but hard line... I was told that will go down, be a thin red line one day..

    IT IS NOW IN THE ITCHING STAGE... but I don't want to scratch that.

    Guess you still go through stages..

    I also have trouble side sleeping.. I can feel a pull so to speak.... I still put a pillow under that area, it helps.

    Read up on it all....keep talking to others that had it, that helped me...

    Oh... if your bedroom is upstairs, try to make an area down stairs at first.. helped me greatly!  You don't want to do stairs up and down right away.

    I had a bed set up on the couch with everything I needed at hand.

    I know you can do it!  I was TERRIFIED! 

    Remember... you are a "lucky" mum... all the best!

    Mary in Connecticut smile

    • Luckymum
      Luckymum Mintdream

      Posted

      Awww Mary thank you so much, you have made such an effort to include everything that you have been through and it is such a help to read about your experience and your tips. Just one small thing about the itching, I'm guessing the healing process on the scar tissue is going to be very similar to that of my C Section, I hate to tell you that I had the very occasional deep and unitchable itch for around the first 5 YEARS or so :o sorry xxx
    • dee102
      dee102 Mintdream

      Posted

      So Mintdream we must have had our ops the same week and yes side sleeping is still a no no for me too, I have not had an itch but a knitting stage 
    • Mintdream
      Mintdream Luckymum

      Posted

      5 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH NOOOOOOOOOOOO...

      I don't like the sound of that sad

      But I guess I would get "use to it" sad

      Thanks for the tip....

      But... isn't it a lil' nice to know WE AREN'T ALONE! 

      There are SO MANY of us that have gone through it!!!

      And this will be OUR YEAR! 

      Here's to 2015 to all my HYSTER SISTERS!

      MARY in CT

    • Mintdream
      Mintdream dee102

      Posted

      Hey Dee... did you have a BURNING sensation pain down the incision after afew weeks???

      I did.. forgot to mention that to Lucky..

      The dr. said it was the "nerves mending" so to speak.. and they are working with the cut muscle, causing that sensation...

      OH... I DID NOT LIKE THAT... they put me on Celebrex to help with the inflamation and it would also help that issue.

    • Luckymum
      Luckymum Mintdream

      Posted

      The itching was only rarely but deffinately still there for some years x
    • Luckymum
      Luckymum Mintdream

      Posted

      Ditto on the Happy New Year, lets hope we all have a good 2015 and who knows from our joint experiences we might even make some good friendships x
    • dee102
      dee102 Mintdream

      Posted

      no I did not get that pain just a knitting together sensation 
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