total hysterectomy

thanks for your good wishes froggy, but i didnt have my op tuesday as i was trying to organise myself for when i came out of hospital as i. m on my own .it all went pear shaped and had to cancel the op. set again again for next wednesday.would you say your copeing as welll as what you thought youd be able to,it hasnt been long since your op has it.take care. elspeth.

Hi. I was also delayed a week not through choice but it does throw you a bit but if it means you get support then thats got to be good. I had mine done keyhole so recovery is a bit quicker though you can also think you are doing better and internal stitches will remind you otherwise. I think if noone at home you may stay in longer but thats not a bad thing. Make the most of having meals etc brought to you. I feel like I cando most things now as long as no lifting but I do get tired very quickly and achy if I do too much but initial pain gone. I think this has more to do with losing hormones suddenly as had ovaries removed before menopause. Hope you can use this week to get organised and let me know if you have any more questions.

Hi. Im 40 and had op inc ovaries 3 weeks ago today. I felt sick when letter came through too as it makes it real doesn't it. Youve been through surgery so that part will be no different. I just imagined no periods or pain in the longrun to get me through tho admit Google was not my friend in scaring me in ovary removal. I cant have estrogen for 6 months because of endo but I am on livial which touch wood is keeping the flushes at bay. Any more questions please ask. There's so much support on here which got me through those weeks running up to op x

Hiya

Thanks for your quick reply, I had to ring to see what was happening as saw consultant beginning of March and it was then when told my date I was like OMG it's happening ha x how are you feeling now? How long are you in hospital for? X

I came back to ward at 9pm as I was last on list and discharged 9am next morning. My hospital dont keep you in once they see you are walking and can wee Lol. I had mine laparoscopy so abdominal will be a little longer. my mum had abdominal 2 weeks before me and she was still out next day but was back on ward midday as first down.

Great thank you my daughter who is 16 is worried I'll be in for few days x bless misses her mama. X

Aww bless my daughter is 15 and she turned up with hubby as I was wheeled back on ward. Even if you in few days she can visit loads They a good age to be able to help out in first few days.

Hi

I had an adominal hysterectomy like you 5 th May. i am 52. The op is ok you need to take drugs offered to you in recovery to kill any pain. Drink lots of peppermint tea as you can get a bad case of gas. This was more problematic than anything else. You need to get up as soon as they allow so ask them as they will never tell you. Make sure you call a nurse to help you when you first get up as you can fill dizzy and do it very slowly. When you get out you will need people to cook and clean. Do not do anything  for a couple of weeks. My Mum moved in for a week and my 13 year old daughter cooked evening meals out of a simple receipe book every night for a week. I sat and supervised. My daughter helped sort put on and hang out laundery.If you have one ask your husband to move into another room for a few weeks. Him bouncing around and snoring in bed does not help. I am OK apart from waking up every 3 hours apparently that is my menopausal sympton and getting a bit hot at night. Watch out if your scar gets a bit weepy mine did in week 4 so went to GP for antibiotics which cleared it up. How i love going out now not looking for the nearest loo. And can wear white all summer. You will get there but do not over do things and milk it for as long as you can with your family to get them to do things. You deserve a rest - that suffering for over 2 years takes its toll!

thanks for enquiring.was having hysterectomy 2 months ago but haemoraged adly from back passage several times/so hospital several times.finally last wednesday heard that large polyp found in colonoscopy. no cancer. so doing mri scan wednesday &ct scan next weds.to further check. then hopefully hysterectomy. to remove. 4inch cancer mass on ovary.have also foundhard lumps in liver &1inkidney.just over 7stone so totally shattered by everything at moment. in my 60s.

crikey Elsbeth, you really have been through the mill! :O Let us know how the MRI and CT scans go. I hope they give you your date soon, and they can sort you out all round. I read that you are a bit of a recluse, but let social services know you are alone - they can send someone in to help you at least a couple of times a day....even if it is at the flat you said you would be renting. Keep in touch. xx

 

thanks vauxhall girl,went about another 2flats but to many others after them.the second one was about. 10minutes away,soo thought i could have someone come in once aday for an hour as you suggested.but have to get flat first. can i ask if your op was easier than you expected or more difficult

god bless.elspeth xx

Hi Elsbeth,

I hope you find a flat that suits pretty soon, and you can get things sorted in time for the op. x

Actually, reading round these boards and seeing what over women are suffering, I seem to be in the *had it quite easy* catagory with my op. I think if you are pretty active, that goes in your favour. I walk dogs and look after people's pets, so pretty active. Have been all my life, so think that helped. My Mother had a rough time with Meno, so was expecting that to be my fate, but so far after nearly 4 weeks post op, all I get is night sweats and hot flushes. So my nights are not very restful, but I am counting my blessings.

The actual op went ok. If you have a GOOD surgeon, it makes all the difference. Mine decided I would heal better with a vertical cut. I am told they don't have to cut your stomach muscles so much that way. I also had disolvable stitches, rather than staples!

They don't keep you in long. The 'bumph' they give you says up to 5 days, but think you would have to be pretty ill to stay in that long. Woman in next bed to me had her op about 4pm one day, off home at 10 the next morning! I was in for 30 hours. Maybe if they know you will have no help, they will make more effort to see you are able to cope before they send you home. Let us know when you get a date for your op. x

hi vauxhall girl. i agree that if your active usually it will go in your favour with the op. i guess its cause your muscles &core muscles are tougher especially if you walk dogs.the larger ones can really pull on alead. it was nice you had it abit easier. a lot of the women on here seem so tough physically. my body's always been week i think its cause i cant put weight on easier. i should win top prize for being clinically UN-obese !!but its made me very strong mentally. 30 hours you were in after op. i will be in 30 months ! coled at hospital wednesday so had mri 3 hours late .ct next wednesday.hopefully soon after.its nice to hear from you & how your doing.god bless. xx elspeth

Hello again.

Glad you have got your MRI done...did you manage to keep very still for all that time, and not freak at the slightly claustrophobic conditions? :D Hope the CT scan goes smoothly - not had one of those, so not sure what you should expect.

Being on the thin side will make it better from a medical point of view. Less complications! Try and eat as healthily as you can from now till your op - help give your body some 'fight'. xx

 

hi vauxhall girl.even though its only been 4 weeks you seem as if you are doing really well. did you do anything to prepare for your op. i wonder if you had good support when you got home.hope you did.not keen onct scan on wednesday. last week iwasnt allowed to eat from night before exept water. but colapsed. at hospital &so wasnt able to have mri till several hours later.hope it doesnt happen again this week.as not able to eat again.yes your right its abit panicky in mri. bi kept my eyes closed made out i was somewher else.(my brain is easily fooled) ! are you able to shower /bath now &canyou do generl houswork yet. it must be quite hard for you to take it easy elsbeth.xxcause you seem usually quite active also would you your stamina is quite good now.take care .really nice to hear from you

Hello again Elsbeth.

Crikey didn't realise you colapsed! Glad they managed to get it doen, though, as the MRI is a very good way of letting them know what's going on inside you. That's where they found out I had a very large cyst and many fibroids in my womb, as the ultrasound scan gave an inconclusive reading. Don't think they made me fast for it though?

Like you, I closed my eyes and zoned out.

I guess by the time you read this, your CT scan will have happened, so I hope that all goes smoothly for you.

The only pre-op preparations I made were to cook lots of food (curry, spag bol, chilli, that sort of thing) and freeze it. So much easier to just get a portion out the night before, and just reheat for a main meal.

Physically I could have done with losing about half a stone before the op, but was too busy to go on a diet! But it sounds to me like you need to do the opposite and build up your body to give it a fighting chance after the op. The healthier you are, the quicker you heal.

You can take a shower a couple of days after the op. Just don't rub soap into the wound area...just trickle water over it, and gently pat dry after. No baths until a few weeks later, as it could weaken the 'seal' of the healing wound.

I am doing some housework now (and no, family was not overly helpful...but thankfully I have a lovely friend who has/is helping me), but no lifting, pushing or pulling. It's important not to overdo it, or it will set you back!

But if you can do the recommended walking, that helps a lot, as it helps circulate the blood round the wound and that promotes healing.

Let us know how you get on with the CT scan. x