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
Hi sweet, I'll be the last to tell you not to worry as this time last week I was a jibbering wreck! I had my TAH on Thursday and have managed the whole of this afternoon on just two paracetamol, it's not pain as such, just discomfort xx
Great to hear from you.Are you still in hospital?I posted a new discussion earlier asking about how to stand,sit,lay down.I would appreciate your comments during your recovery.I think that a lot of things sound worse than what they turn out to be.
Make sure that you get lots of rest.
Take care
xxx
Don't worry after the op they make sure you are ok. Afterwards at home it's just discomfort and learning to go slowly all the time. I never took any pain relief at home I didn't need to. So don't worry it's not as bad as you think best thing I ever did .
Did you have keyhole surgery?I'm not and I think that this is worrying me more.How long ago did you have your op?
I've only been home just over an hour, so am totally washed out right now, so I'm sure you will understand my not commenting on your other post just yet, but as soon as I'm up to it I will x
Hi! I had my op 4th April last year, I was back in work and college after 2 weeks and doing little bits at the gym after 8 weeks. I was supposed to be having key hole but they had to do a full incision in the end, I'm not saying I did things correctly but I did what I felt was right for me and sometimes if you are determined mind over matter can help the process along. The worse thing that I went through was the constipation, but after a few suppositories all was good. Nearly 12 months on and I feel fantastic and I look back in amazement at how easy it was for me. All I can say is don't worry about it too much and try not to get drawn into the horror stories, I went on a forum site and was reading it all and was panicking, but as soon as i stopped going on that that's when I felt I was getting in with my life. Sorry if I have rambled. :-)
I had a total abdominal hysterectomy last June and I wasnt in pain after although I had a spinal too as well as a general so had no pain at all right away. It's sore afterwards especially trying to sit up or get out of bed but you usually have to stay in bed the first day anyway. I managed a shower in the hospital on the 3rd day. The worst pain is bowel and wind pain but they can give you something for that so don't worry about it.
I was absolutely scared stiff and wanted to back out a couple of weeks before but it wasn't even half as bad as I imagined and there were some lovely people on the ward and the nurses were all lovely so not a bad experience at all 
Even enjoyed the meals and ate like a horse the day after my op 
It honestly wouldn't bother me if I had to go through it again I didn't bleed at all afterwards, took loads of sanitary towels but didn't need them and no bleeding from the cut either.
I
I had everything taken away in November
& was cut along bikini line , in hospital they gave me morphine for pain but it made me feel sick , they also gave me a spinal block during surgery to help with pain relief afterwards but to be honest the back ache was far worse than the few hours relief it gave , I was given tramadol & paracetamol which did help , once home I took codeine which the hospital send you home with & paracetamol , the pain was awful & iv had four kids with no pain relief so don't think I have a low pain tolerance but I suffered a lot , it took about 4 weeks for things to improve , you really must rest & listen to your body .xx
Hi
i experienced quite a bit of pain managed it in week one with Endone, Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Everyone is different, I had very little bleeding. It's 14 weeks since my FAH which I had because of a tumour. I still get a little discomfort. My advice is do absolutely nothing but rest, eat and sleep for the first 10 days.
Debbie
I took everything they offered me in hospital! Remember to take it easy, it was major surgery, rest, no lifting or stretching for things in cupboards etc.
Are you still experiencing any aches or discomfort. I have had three viral infections since my op on 17 October so I think that has hindered my recovery. My wound healed beautifully but my tummy is like a floppy jelly, not pretty! I had a tumour in my uterus so had full op, hope to get all clear result at the end of March.
I do get aches & pains , must say it when I over do it , my scare line healed beautifully & iv had no infections but I suffered with pain in my bladder & bowel due to having to take lots of iron tablets from lack of blood , I'm having my last blood test on Monday ( hopefully) I hope all your tests come back clear & you finish your recovery well .x
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 " 
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
We're all here for you... what a bunch we are 
Peace and love from the USA
Hi I was opened up no keyhole forme and mine was ten years ago.
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.
Hi Janet,Is it better to have an epidural aswell,does it help longer with the pain relief afterwards and is it painful when they inject it?How much stuff do they provide you in hospital?Did you have a drip and catheter and were these painful when removed?
Thanks for your help
Teresa
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
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