My hysterectomy is scheduled! UPDATED 3/31

[MEmama]

Just one more month and I’ll get my baby making parts taken out— I cannot wait! 🙂 

What do I need to know, ladies? (And how do I make the time go faster?!)

Edited April 1, 2022 by MEmama

[Spryte]

Congratulations!

Someone who’s had one more recently will be along shortly with more and better advice. My best is to really listen to your doc and don’t do any lifting with your abdominals till you get the go ahead. This includes vacuuming, whhheeeeee! 🎉 Also, you’ll feel better faster than you expect, but don’t over-do things, or it will come back to bite you.

[Terabith]

Use miralax or laxative after surgery.  Pain meds can cause constipation, tho if it's laparoscopic and not open incision, you might not need much in the way of narcotics.  

Gas X is good, and walking is important afterwards and speeds healing.  

Follow instructions, but also, it was a much faster recovery than I expected.  I had an open surgery with a 13 inch incision, and while the pain the first few days was very bad, by two weeks out I felt back to normal and was able to do everything that I was not prohibited from doing.  So, I could walk for miles, drive, etc, but didn't lift anything or even push the shopping cart.  

[Selkie]

What kind are you having (vaginal, laparoscopic, abdominal)? 

I had a vaginal hysterectomy and prolapse repairs eight months ago. My doctor was pretty strict about absolutely no lifting, housework, or laundry for several weeks afterward. I obeyed her completely and my recovery went very smoothly.

One thing I would definitely recommend is to eat a super healthy diet leading up to and after the surgery. So many of the women in my surgery support groups had trouble with constipation after surgery, but I (thankfully) had no problem at all. My doctor said that eating a diet very rich in plant fiber made all the difference for me.

Your doctor will probably want you to take stool softeners after the surgery, so it is good to buy those beforehand. Also I would recommend having otc pain meds on hand - I took Tylenol and Motrin and skipped the prescription meds.

[Kassia]

No advice but just wanted to say I'm happy for you and glad you have some time to prepare before surgery!  

[Catwoman]

Sending lots of positive thoughts that everything goes as planned and on time, and that your recovery will be quick!!!

[Spryte]

19 minutes ago, Selkie said:

What kind are you having (vaginal, laparoscopic, abdominal)? 

I had a vaginal hysterectomy and prolapse repairs eight months ago. My doctor was pretty strict about absolutely no lifting, housework, or laundry for several weeks afterward. I obeyed her completely and my recovery went very smoothly.

One thing I would definitely recommend is to eat a super healthy diet leading up to and after the surgery. So many of the women in my surgery support groups had trouble with constipation after surgery, but I (thankfully) had no problem at all. My doctor said that eating a diet very rich in plant fiber made all the difference for me.

Your doctor will probably want you to take stool softeners after the surgery, so it is good to buy those beforehand. Also I would recommend having otc pain meds on hand - I took Tylenol and Motrin and skipped the prescription meds.

Yes, I really need to emphasize that my personal recovery was delayed by over-doing. We moved cross country two weeks post-hyst (doc knew this was happening in advance), and I tried not to lift but for sure I did. And then at the three week mark I did my first major art show — with a minivan full heavy clay sculptures. Lots of bending and lifting even though I had help. It was bonkers. I highly recommend following doc’s orders! 🤣

[MEmama]

I’m having a full abdominal surgery (everything except the ovaries), so I know recovery will take awhile. I didn’t need any recovery time with my c section— DH went to work, and my parents came to visit so I had to tend to their needs all day plus the baby's. Rest and self care was not something that happened but neither was it needed. I didn’t take anything for pain, maybe a tylenol or two. Of course that was nearly 20 years ago and I’m prepared that recovery will be more challenging this time. I’m not complaining about a couple months off of housework, though! Lol

One of the things I’m most nervous about, other than being in the hospital during covid, is having to take scary pain meds. Is there any way to avoid narcotics? The only time I was truly scared for DH when he had pancreatitis and spent 2 weeks in the ICU was watching him come down off the morphine. I’m absolutely terrified of it. 

[Terabith]

11 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I’m having a full abdominal surgery (everything except the ovaries), so I know recovery will take awhile. I didn’t need any recovery time with my c section— DH went to work, and my parents came to visit so I had to tend to their needs all day plus the baby's. Rest and self care was not something that happened but neither was it needed. I didn’t take anything for pain, maybe a tylenol or two. Of course that was nearly 20 years ago and I’m prepared that recovery will be more challenging this time. I’m not complaining about a couple months off of housework, though! Lol

One of the things I’m most nervous about, other than being in the hospital during covid, is having to take scary pain meds. Is there any way to avoid narcotics? The only time I was truly scared for DH when he had pancreatitis and spent 2 weeks in the ICU was watching him come down off the morphine. I’m absolutely terrified of it. 

So, all of those things can be removed in different ways.  If it's vaginal or laparoscopic, you probably won't need any narcotics.  If it's an open incision, you may.  Mine was big and open because I had a 20 pound ovarian cyst they had to get out intact.  Why would they do it open for you?  

For what it's worth, taking a handful of narcotics for 72 hours or so is a very, very different situation than needing to titrate down off of being on morphine for weeks.  I alternated oxycodone and tylenol with 600 mg of ibuprofen around the clock for a few days and then down to just occasionally.  There was no withdrawal or anything.  

Edited January 27, 2022 by Terabith

[Sneezyone]

23 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I’m having a full abdominal surgery (everything except the ovaries), so I know recovery will take awhile. I didn’t need any recovery time with my c section— DH went to work, and my parents came to visit so I had to tend to their needs all day plus the baby's. Rest and self care was not something that happened but neither was it needed. I didn’t take anything for pain, maybe a tylenol or two. Of course that was nearly 20 years ago and I’m prepared that recovery will be more challenging this time. I’m not complaining about a couple months off of housework, though! Lol

One of the things I’m most nervous about, other than being in the hospital during covid, is having to take scary pain meds. Is there any way to avoid narcotics? The only time I was truly scared for DH when he had pancreatitis and spent 2 weeks in the ICU was watching him come down off the morphine. I’m absolutely terrified of it. 

I had the full Monty two years ago (lap) and it was fine. Constipation sucks, not really any way around that. I did overdo b/c we moved two months later but, yeah, that’s in my nature and it was still fine. I was 42/3. No regrets. Tea time, 9+ mos post op, was better than ever.

[Kassia]

15 minutes ago, Terabith said:

 

For what it's worth, taking a handful of narcotics for 72 hours or so is a very, very different situation than needing to titrate down off of being on morphine for weeks.  I alternated oxycodone and tylenol with 600 mg of ibuprofen around the clock for a few days and then down to just occasionally.  There was no withdrawal or anything.  

I've had two major open abdominal surgeries (not including my c-sections, which were also open with long vertical incision)  and didn't need heavy pain meds after the first 2-3 days but everyone is different.  I really really hate taking any meds but especially narcotics.  With my recent foot surgery, I took the narcotics as prescribed for the first day or two post-op and then slowly weaned off of them as needed - dropping back to 1/2 pill and then 1/4.  

Be really careful during recovery with any pushing/pulling/lifting because of the risk of a hernia.  And try to put things at waist level prior to surgery so you don't have to bend or reach up - like your clothes or whatever else you will need. I'm trying to think of other tips for open abdominal surgeries.  Oh, loose fitting pants or dresses so you don't irritate your incision at the waistline.  I'll keep thinking.  

[Selkie]

A lot of the women in my surgery group who had abdominal surgery got one of those grabber tools beforehand - the kind that lets you reach and pick up things without having to bend. They said it was a real lifesaver!

[Ditto]

Sending you lots of healing thoughts.  I hope the time before surgery goes quickly and that surgery and recovery are complication free.

[AroundtheCorner]

I don’t have any advice, but I’m so jealous. I’m not sure if I have cysts, endometriosis, or . . .?  Plus terrible periods, I’m assuming from being in perimenopause. I do know I’m done with these parts, and would be happy to be rid of them. I have a high-risk child, so I won’t be doing anything anytime soon. 
 

I’ll be reading the responses and look forward to hearing how it goes for you. I hope that the month goes quickly!  It feels weird to say congratulations, but that’s how I feel.   I’m happy for you, and can imagine how great it would be to be done!  Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[Kassia]

Oh, and for the constipation (and your recovery anyway) lots of fluids and start walking as soon as you can.  🙂  

[Spryte]

2 hours ago, MEmama said:

I’m having a full abdominal surgery (everything except the ovaries), so I know recovery will take awhile. I didn’t need any recovery time with my c section— DH went to work, and my parents came to visit so I had to tend to their needs all day plus the baby's. Rest and self care was not something that happened but neither was it needed. I didn’t take anything for pain, maybe a tylenol or two. Of course that was nearly 20 years ago and I’m prepared that recovery will be more challenging this time. I’m not complaining about a couple months off of housework, though! Lol

One of the things I’m most nervous about, other than being in the hospital during covid, is having to take scary pain meds. Is there any way to avoid narcotics? The only time I was truly scared for DH when he had pancreatitis and spent 2 weeks in the ICU was watching him come down off the morphine. I’m absolutely terrified of it. 

You can avoid narcotics, though you may not want to! I am allergic to most pain meds, narcotics especially, so we always have to really work through that issue. There are options, I would talk to your doc about it in advance. My hysterectomy was actually when we found out I’m both allergic to morphine and get no pain relief from it. Eek! Painful memories!
 

My last ER doc was a huge fan of Toradol (not Tramadol!), which is one I can take, and used that for her own appendectomy. I don’t think that’s a narcotic, not sure it would be an option for you. It is one of my only options, so it’s just kind of what I get.

Editing to fix the med mistake I made. Toradol is the med I meant to mention. Not Tramadol! Migraine moment.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Spryte

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

So, all of those things can be removed in different ways.  If it's vaginal or laparoscopic, you probably won't need any narcotics.  If it's an open incision, you may.  Mine was big and open because I had a 20 pound ovarian cyst they had to get out intact.  Why would they do it open for you?  

For what it's worth, taking a handful of narcotics for 72 hours or so is a very, very different situation than needing to titrate down off of being on morphine for weeks.  I alternated oxycodone and tylenol with 600 mg of ibuprofen around the clock for a few days and then down to just occasionally.  There was no withdrawal or anything.  

Because of enormous fibroids and an enlarged uterus. Basically it’s like I’m 4-5 months pregnant, but without the fetus. My doctor was very clear that while she vastly prefers less invasive surgery, it’s not in the cards for me. 
 

That’s good to hear that you didn’t have withdrawals. I’ve always avoided taking them because they scare me so much.

[Terabith]

7 minutes ago, Spryte said:

My last ER doc was a huge fan of Tramadol, which is one I can take, and used that for her own appendectomy. I don’t think that’s a narcotic, not sure it would be an option for you. It is one of my only options, so it’s just kind of what I get.

Tramodol is a narcotic, but toradol is like uber ibuprofen.  They gave it to me in the hospital along with narcotics.  

[Terabith]

Just now, MEmama said:

Because of enormous fibroids and an enlarged uterus. Basically it’s like I’m 4-5 months pregnant, but without the fetus. My doctor was very clear that while she vastly prefers less invasive surgery, it’s not in the cards for me. 
 

That’s good to hear that you didn’t have withdrawals. I’ve always avoided taking them because they scare me so much.

I only really needed the narcotics for the first 3-4 days.  I took them sporadically after that, but the setting an alarm and waking up around the clock to medicate was only the first few days.  

[MEmama]

43 minutes ago, AroundtheCorner said:

I don’t have any advice, but I’m so jealous. I’m not sure if I have cysts, endometriosis, or . . .?  Plus terrible periods, I’m assuming from being in perimenopause. I do know I’m done with these parts, and would be happy to be rid of them. I have a high-risk child, so I won’t be doing anything anytime soon. 
 

I’ll be reading the responses and look forward to hearing how it goes for you. I hope that the month goes quickly!  It feels weird to say congratulations, but that’s how I feel.   I’m happy for you, and can imagine how great it would be to be done!  Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Thank you! I’m terribly excited. 🙂 

I will say, I regret not being more firm with my doctor that something is *wrong*. I knew it—not what it was, but I knew things weren’t right— but I allowed myself to be resigned to hearing “oh, it’s just perimenopause”, and “oh, that’s just being a woman of your age!”. I’ve been feeling unwell for several years, it shouldn’t have taken this long to get diagnosed (I blame myself, mostly, but also I think womens health care in general is lacking). 
 

If you think something is going on, I urge you to speak up. I hope you will be heard. 

[elegantlion]

I had a laproscopic hysterectomy in fall 2020. I was in the hospital overnight, took zero pain meds afterwards, and rested for a week at home before resuming light work - like sitting at a desk work. I felt so better right away. I did take a stool softner afterward. 

In addition to lifting, you may need to watch stretching and reaching. After a year, I feel wonderful. I wish I could have had this done years ago. 

[elegantlion]

22 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Because of enormous fibroids and an enlarged uterus. Basically it’s like I’m 4-5 months pregnant, but without the fetus. My doctor was very clear that while she vastly prefers less invasive surgery, it’s not in the cards for me. 
 

That’s good to hear that you didn’t have withdrawals. I’ve always avoided taking them because they scare me so much.

I've had two other major surgeries. With those I did need pain meds and my best friend was a pillow to hug to my belly when I coughed or sat up. I hope it all goes well for you. 

[MEmama]

23 minutes ago, elegantlion said:

I've had two other major surgeries. With those I did need pain meds and my best friend was a pillow to hug to my belly when I coughed or sat up. I hope it all goes well for you. 

Thank you! I’m glad you recovered so quickly and that you feel so much better!

I've already bought a belly binder; I was urged by a friend to get one after my c section but never did and my abs never really recovered. This time I’m determined to do all.the.things. Weeks of resting is going to do me in, but I’ve promised DH I will be good and rely on him. I hope he’s ready! Lol

[Spryte]

52 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Tramodol is a narcotic, but toradol is like uber ibuprofen.  They gave it to me in the hospital along with narcotics.  

Oh, oops. I’m so sorry. I mix those up all the time. It’s Toradol that I meant. Not Tramadol. Gaaaah. I have another migraine so the brain isn’t quite functioning.

[KSera]

52 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Tramodol is a narcotic, but toradol is like uber ibuprofen.  They gave it to me in the hospital along with narcotics.  

Toradol worked amazingly when I had a kidney stone. Only time I ever had it and I wondered why I never knew about it. It didn't have any loopy side effects for me like narcotics can do.

[Spryte]

1 minute ago, KSera said:

Toradol worked amazingly when I had a kidney stone. Only time I ever had it and I wondered why I never knew about it. It didn't have any loopy side effects for me like narcotics can do.

Yes, Toradol is what I meant to say. It’s just about the only pain option I have these days. I was stunned to hear my ER doc say she had chosen it during appendicitis and after her surgery. It really is good.

I edited my above post to avoid confusion. Migraine brain.

[Selkie]

Toradol is what they gave me in the hospital and it made me so sick to my stomach. That was actually the only bad part of the entire surgery experience for me. 

[Spryte]

54 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Toradol is what they gave me in the hospital and it made me so sick to my stomach. That was actually the only bad part of the entire surgery experience for me. 

We’re all so different. I’m so sorry. That stinks.

[Brittany1116]

Following. Pretty sure I will be scheduling one when I go back to Dr. next week. Hope I get pumped for it eventually because so far I have been a mess and was totally blindsided. How long did they say to expect to be out of commission? My Dr. said something like 2 weeks but those I know who had it said longer. 

[Terabith]

I think applying ice to incisions helped with pain.  I actually got a support band that had little pockets to put ice packs in.  https://www.hysterectomystore.com/perfect-pocket-abdominal-binder-with-2-cool-packs/

[Grace Hopper]

6 hours ago, Spryte said:

You can avoid narcotics, though you may not want to! I am allergic to most pain meds, narcotics especially, so we always have to really work through that issue. There are options, I would talk to your doc about it in advance. My hysterectomy was actually when we found out I’m both allergic to morphine and get no pain relief from it. Eek! Painful memories!
 

My last ER doc was a huge fan of Toradol (not Tramadol!), which is one I can take, and used that for her own appendectomy. I don’t think that’s a narcotic, not sure it would be an option for you. It is one of my only options, so it’s just kind of what I get.

Editing to fix the med mistake I made. Toradol is the med I meant to mention. Not Tramadol! Migraine moment.

Toradol was fantastic - but ime it was only given at the hospital. My smart thoughtful nurse timed my doses so I’d get the last dose shortly before leaving the hospital, so I’d be covered while getting transported and settled in at home. Maybe they gave me one or two capsules to take at home? My memory on that is fuzzy now, it’s been a few years. 
 

I also detest morphine, my father had a violent reaction to it once and had to be put in restraints. The one time I took it, I just felt spaced out with little noticeable reduction in pain. After two different surgeries I’ve come home with a few days worth of naproxen, which I found effective and then easily switched over to ibuprofen and/or Tylenol as recommended, so I’ve avoided narcotics for the most part. That said, don’t be a hero - take what you need to stay ahead of the pain. 
 

Echoing to take a stool softener and to really take it easy. Resist the urge to overdo things. Make a list of shows to binge watch and pile up the books and audiobooks to fight boredom. Think of what might most frustrate you to see left undone, and come up with a strategy to prevent that. 
 

Sleep. I needed a lot of sleep. Hydrate. Sip water constantly. Take your vitamins. Make sure your partner knows whether you do or do not want visitors, and hopefully he can act as gatekeeper. 
 

I hope the procedure goes well and that  you heal fully and quickly. Mine was in early summer and one of the first things I did afterwards, once I was able to get out and around, was to go buy a pair of white shorts. I didn’t own a pair anymore because I’d been scared to wear them for a decade!

[Grace Hopper]

3 hours ago, Brittany1116 said:

Following. Pretty sure I will be scheduling one when I go back to Dr. next week. Hope I get pumped for it eventually because so far I have been a mess and was totally blindsided. How long did they say to expect to be out of commission? My Dr. said something like 2 weeks but those I know who had it said longer. 

Depends on how it’s done. My doc planned a laparoscopic procedure but knowing I had large fibroids and a lot of scar tissue from previous surgeries, she instructed me to make arrangements for possibly 8 weeks of recovery time in case she had to revert to a full incision. I wouldn’t know which until I woke up afterwards. Thankfully the “easy” method was successful, and I was able to move around ok within a couple of weeks. But the fatigue, that can take a lot longer to get over. 
 

Also remember that restrictions about driving and not lifting over 10 pounds can be several weeks. 

[MEmama]

8 hours ago, Brittany1116 said:

Following. Pretty sure I will be scheduling one when I go back to Dr. next week. Hope I get pumped for it eventually because so far I have been a mess and was totally blindsided. How long did they say to expect to be out of commission? My Dr. said something like 2 weeks but those I know who had it said longer. 

I’m reading 4-6 weeks of doing basically nothing (except walking as much as possible), but I’ve heard of folks who are mobile at two weeks and others who are still taking it easy for months, so who knows! I suspect it’s just really dependent on the individual. 
 

We have been hoping to go to Ireland after DS's finals this spring to road trip with him, but I have no sense of whether that will be too soon or not. 
 

I'm sorry to hear you were blindsided! Are you not having physical symptoms? I’ve been feeling progressively worse for 2-3 years so in my case it’s a relief; I have literally had days I’ve threatened to remove my insides with a kitchen knife, I’ve been in so much pain.  
 

I hope you can become at peace with your diagnosis. I’m well past the baby making stage so for me that’s a non issue, but if you were hoping for more children I can imagine there must be a lot of emotions to grapple with. I sincerely hope that isn’t the case for you. 😞 

Do keep us up to date— we can form our own support group! 😉 

[Selkie]

My recovery was slow but steady. Since I had a vaginal hysterectomy, there was no incision, but I had a lot of prolapse repair work done. My surgery took about four hours. I had a cystocele, rectocele, and uterine prolapse that all got fixed - so lots and lots of internal stitches. 

The first couple weeks, I just rested and walked a bit each day. By week four, I was able to start cooking simple meals, but was still needing to lie down and nap at least once a day. I am not usually a napper, but I felt fatigued for weeks - my doctor said that is because the body uses so much energy to heal. Week six was when it felt like a switch flipped and I was back to my normal energy level. And then week eight was when my doctor said I could start doing housework and horse chores again, as long as there was no heavy lifting.

It really varies, though. A friend of mine had a vaginal hysterectomy (just a hysterectomy, no prolapse repairs) and said she felt like she could have gone back to work the next day. That was definitely not the case for me!

[MEmama]

 

14 minutes ago, Selkie said:

My recovery was slow but steady. Since I had a vaginal hysterectomy, there was no incision, but I had a lot of prolapse repair work done. My surgery took about four hours. I had a cystocele, rectocele, and uterine prolapse that all got fixed - so lots and lots of internal stitches. 

The first couple weeks, I just rested and walked a bit each day. By week four, I was able to start cooking simple meals, but was still needing to lie down and nap at least once a day. I am not usually a napper, but I felt fatigued for weeks - my doctor said that is because the body uses so much energy to heal. Week six was when it felt like a switch flipped and I was back to my normal energy level. And then week eight was when my doctor said I could start doing housework and horse chores again, as long as there was no heavy lifting.

It really varies, though. A friend of mine had a vaginal hysterectomy (just a hysterectomy, no prolapse repairs) and said she felt like she could have gone back to work the next day. That was definitely not the case for me!

My dad has a hiking friend who is 86 and recently had a similar surgery (including removing her ovaries); the surgery was in the morning and she went out to lunch with friends after! 😳 Of course she wasn’t sliced entirely open to be gutted, but dang that is badass! 

[Terabith]

I was in the hospital overnight and didn’t go anywhere for a couple of days beyond short walks, but I did go out for dinner and to a short concert a friend played in about 4 days out. 

[Faith-manor]

I would just like to say that the colossal, monumental failure of medical advancement in our time is the lack of on/off switch for the uterus, installed at birth and activated in adulthood when a female actually wants to have a baby.

Damn researchers have been screwing around with much lesser issues! 😁

[Selkie]

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

 

My dad has a hiking friend who is 86 and recently had a similar surgery (including removing her ovaries); the surgery was in the morning and she went out to lunch with friends after! 😳 Of course she wasn’t sliced entirely open to be gutted, but dang that is badass! 

I was leery of doing too much too soon. In my online surgery support group, there were a number of women who ignored doctors' orders and overdid it and ended up needing emergency surgery to repair the damage they had done. Those stories scared me into compliance!

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Faith-manor said:

I would just like to say that the colossal, monumental failure of medical advancement in our time is the lack of on/off switch for the uterus, installed at birth and activated in adulthood when a female actually wants to have a baby.

Damn researchers have been screwing around with much lesser issues! 😁

I totally agree! 
(adding…if men had this many innard parts devoted solely to baby making, medical experts would actually take them seriously)

[MEmama]

28 minutes ago, Selkie said:

I was leery of doing too much too soon. In my online surgery support group, there were a number of women who ignored doctors' orders and overdid it and ended up needing emergency surgery to repair the damage they had done. Those stories scared me into compliance!

Oh absolutely! Me too. I’m not taking any chances, I’ve got plans for this body and have promised I will take good care of it while it heals. 🙂 

[Brittany1116]

9 hours ago, MEmama said:

I’m reading 4-6 weeks of doing basically nothing (except walking as much as possible), but I’ve heard of folks who are mobile at two weeks and others who are still taking it easy for months, so who knows! I suspect it’s just really dependent on the individual. 
 

We have been hoping to go to Ireland after DS's finals this spring to road trip with him, but I have no sense of whether that will be too soon or not. 
 

I'm sorry to hear you were blindsided! Are you not having physical symptoms? I’ve been feeling progressively worse for 2-3 years so in my case it’s a relief; I have literally had days I’ve threatened to remove my insides with a kitchen knife, I’ve been in so much pain.  
 

I hope you can become at peace with your diagnosis. I’m well past the baby making stage so for me that’s a non issue, but if you were hoping for more children I can imagine there must be a lot of emotions to grapple with. I sincerely hope that isn’t the case for you. 😞 

Do keep us up to date— we can form our own support group! 😉 

Thank you. I think she was talking about laproscopic surgery and keeping ovaries but I had so much bad news and a traumatic failed biopsy at that appointment that some of the details are fuzzy. I have had 25 years of hemorrhage-like periods, averaging 8-11 days. Pills have never touched it and I am not a candidate for ablation for a number of reasons. I developed something suddenly, just since November, not The C Word, but pain and extreme weight gain and a few other symptoms. Surgery is my only option, it seems. I could continue on another 15 years til menopause if it was just the long, heavy bleeding I am used to, but the pain and weight and other stuff is too much. I haven't fully come to terms with it yet. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Brittany1116

[MEmama]

34 minutes ago, Brittany1116 said:

Thank you. I think she was talking about laproscopic surgery and keeping ovaries but I had so much bad news and a traumatic failed biopsy at that appointment that some of the details are fuzzy. I have had 25 years of hemorrhage-like periods, averaging 8-11 days. Pills have never touched it and I am not a candidate for ablation for a number of reasons. I developed something suddenly, just since November, not The C Word, but pain and extreme weight gain and a few other symptoms. Surgery is my only option, it seems. I could continue on another 15 years til menopause if it was just the long, heavy bleeding I am used to, but the pain and weight and other stuff is too much. I haven't fully come to terms with it yet. 

I’m so sorry. 😞 

Laproscopic surgery isn’t nearly so invasive. I’m glad you are a good candidate for it, if you decide to go that route. 

[Brittany1116]

On 1/27/2022 at 4:11 PM, MEmama said:

Just one more month and I’ll get my baby making parts taken out— I cannot wait! 🙂 

What do I need to know, ladies? (And how do I make the time go faster?!)

How was your surgery and recovery? I missed if you updated. 

[Kanin]

18 minutes ago, Brittany1116 said:

How was your surgery and recovery? I missed if you updated. 

I've been wondering, too!

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Brittany1116 said:

How was your surgery and recovery? I missed if you updated. 

 

1 hour ago, Kanin said:

I've been wondering, too!

Thanks for checking in!

I’m 4.5 weeks post-op and feeling good. The surgery went well with no surprises. They removed my uterus, cervix, fibroids and Fallopian tubes, kept my ovaries.  I read on my pathology report that the average uterus weighs around 60 grams and mine was over 1000. 😳. The biggest fibroid was the size of a softball! No wonder I’ve felt so sick!

I ended up staying two nights in the hospital. I was severely nauseous from the meds and ended up throwing up pretty much the entire first day, but other than that I felt great—seriously, as soon as I woke up after the surgery I remarked on how fantastic I felt. I ditched the pain meds altogether as soon as I got home and was never nauseous again. My surgeon said if I ever have surgery again I need to make sure to mention that I’m not a good candidate for heavy medications. I felt so much better not taking any.

The first 3 weeks were magnificent. I had tons of energy and started walking right away. By 2.5 -3 weeks I had worked up to walking 11,000 steps a day (several miles over 2-3 walks). Weeks 3 and 4 hit me hard though so I’ve been taking it really easy. I’ve been cleared to do light yoga, and am really enjoying a post abdominal surgery series on YouTube. Mostly I just lay around and get waited on, which sounds kind of lovely but I’m getting restless and bored.

Healing has not been linear but overall it is going well. I’m ready to be done so I can get on with my life, but realistically I probably have another month of doing very little. I’m grateful I have the support and space to take all the time I need.

Every day I am incredulous at how much healthier I feel, like I’ve been given a new lease on life. I marvel at how easy it is to breathe and how refreshingly empty I feel inside—I can’t believe this is how other people feel all the time. It’s unbelievable to me the pain and suffering we are expected to put up with—and that we talk ourselves into believing is normal. There is a part of me that is furious with our patriarchal healthcare system, and part of me that feels like a total badass now that I've yeeted out all those parts that held me back for so long. Mostly I’m just so.excited to heal and get to do the things that have been a struggle for far too long. 
 

[bibiche]

So glad to read that it went well and you’re feeling better. 💗

[Kassia]

48 minutes ago, MEmama said:

 

 

Every day I am incredulous at how much healthier I feel, like I’ve been given a new lease on life. I marvel at how easy it is to breathe and how refreshingly empty I feel inside—I can’t believe this is how other people feel all the time. It’s unbelievable to me the pain and suffering we are expected to put up with—and that we talk ourselves into believing is normal. There is a part of me that is furious with our patriarchal healthcare system, and part of me that feels like a total badass now that I've yeeted out all those parts that held me back for so long. Mostly I’m just so.excited to heal and get to do the things that have been a struggle for far too long. 
 

I'm thrilled that you're doing so well after surgery but sorry about that first day and especially how long you suffered before the surgery.  Glad you have support at home so you can rest and recover at your own pace.  ❤️ 

I had a similar experience where I had a medical condition that affected my quality of life for a very long time and I couldn't get a doctor to take me seriously enough to do anything about it (it was life threatening).  When I finally had the surgery, I had many of the same emotions you described - relief and awe at how much better I felt but also so much anger with what it took to get there.  

Thanks for the update!  🙂  

[MercyA]

I'm so glad you are feeling so well!!! 

When my grandmother had a hysterectomy many years ago for endometriosis, the doctor who operated said he was surprised she could even walk with the amount of misplaced tissue she had. She often said it was one of the best things she ever did. 

My mom had a fibroid the size of a grapefruit for many years because didn't want to have surgery. After seeing her suffer, I think I will not hesitate to go the surgical route if necessary

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[Brittany1116]

I'm glad it was smooth and you feel so much better. Do you think you overdid it in week 3 and that's why you had to slow down? I'm interested in the YouTube channel you are following. 🙂

I am much more optimistic about my own in a few weeks. I think about what it will be like to not literally drained 100 or more days a year. Hopeful I can keep my ovaries!

[MEmama]

23 minutes ago, MercyA said:

I'm so glad you are feeling so well!!! 

When my grandmother had a hysterectomy many years ago for endometriosis, the doctor who operated said he was surprised she could even walk with the amount of misplaced tissue she had. She often said it was one of the best things she ever did. 

My mom had a fibroid the size of a grapefruit for many years because didn't want to have surgery. After seeing her suffer, I think I will not hesitate to go the surgical route if necessary

Thanks for sharing your experience!

I honestly feel like everyone who no longer needs or wants their uterus, etc should have it all taken out. They don’t cause anything but problems once they've served their intended purpose  (which in of itself can be a problem, too).

Definitely don’t wait if you suspect fibroids or other issues! My only is regret is that I didn’t know sooner.