Hi All, I'm needing to travel 5 hours for my prolapse surgery, and so needing to travel 5 hours home after I leave hospital. Has anyone had to travel within the first week? What was the pain like? Getting very nervous for surgery next week! Thanks!
Get your pain meds handy 😁
How long do you expect to be in hospital? A couple of nights at least I’d hope, I only had a 30 mins journey 2 days after surgery, that was long enough.
Make you are stocked up with pain relief and get as comfortable in the car as possible, have a cushion or similar on your tummy, between you and seatbelt.
That is a heck of a long time to be sat in a car after leaving hospital! I totally agree with the other comments, dose yourself up for the journey.
I understand you have no choice but I think it is too long for you. Sorry!
My surgery is on Tuesday they expect to discharge me by Thursday or Friday. I will have 3 kids in the car back seat so I can't even lay my seat down far! Is it internal stitches pain or is there outside sitting pain too? Maybe they can give me something stronger just for the drive home? Or knock me out would be Good!
I've had 3 ops in London and travelled by train to and from Scotland. I was in hospital for 3 days and then stayed in a hotel a night or two. My mum accompanied me for help and support. She arranged mobility assistance at both Euston and Glasgow Central which was great as the thought of negotiating the super busy/fast paced stations filled me(and secretly my mum) with fear. We chose to travel first class to ensure food/drinks to the table and close to toilet. I wouldn't say it was an overly pleasant experience personally due to pain/nausea and very low emotional state. Make sure you have loose, comfy clothes on regardless how you travel and keep medication close to hand.
Couldn’t someone stay at home with the kids?
Apart from not been able to stretch out a little, you really don’t need the chatter and noise of 3 very bored kids on a 5 hour journey?
Why such a long journey, whereabouts in the world are you?
Hi Tam - wow! Five hours is a really long trip for post this sgy. I know we all do whatever we have to do to get through - but if there is any way you can at least have the little ones cared for by someone you trust - that would at least allow you a spot to get more comfortable with pillows, wedges and meds. I wish you all the best! I had a 1.5 hour trip home and remember saying to my hubby how barbaric it was to have a 2+ hour sgy and travel home just hours later. It was NOT pleasent.
Hi ta m
Yes me I had to travel 4 heavy my chosen consultant then home after surgery on day 3. I stopped every hour to stretch my legs and use loo. It's was completely fine with a cushion. I had tvh and anterior repair. I had no pain but was very nervous in the car.. It was much better than I thought.. My consultant said it would be fine.x
I had a 4 he journey to my chosen consultant and it was completely fine. I guess I was very lucky with not much pain just cramps. It was well worth the trip to see my consultant of choice.. So worth it.
Hi Tam
When I travelled home on day 4 I was given morphine slow release by the hospital and travelled with the passenger seat on lay back position. Not entirely safe but ... I had only been lying during my hospital stay and not sitting as I didn’t want any pressure on sutured areas. I also continued to not sit for about 6 to 8 weeks.
I think if you have a cystocele and enterocele or bladder repair there is a lot of abdominal pressure when you sit on tissue trying to heal in this area.
Wishing all the best for you
I took in a short hair lamb skin fleece .. was the best thing!
6 to 8 weeks is a long time not to sit! Was that a doc reccommendation or is it painful to sit? The doc has advised it's too long to sit in one position and that regular stops are needed to move around, I am dreading so much!! I could take a flight approx 45 mins instead it is seeming more and more like a valid option although is expensive
Oh this gives me hope! The doc said to stay in the city minimum of a week after surgery, it was too long to be sitting in one position. Quite a few have said it is painful to sit, did you have a donut cushion or just a regular soft cushion? Did you feel like you needed to lay down at All? How long were your stops For?
Hours later omg you poor thing!! I have 3 kids and we will be staying with family that don't have kids, and it is a very small house, so I will be a little more stressed in that environment than in my own home if you know what I mean. Plus a few other little things that will add to that. Don't get me wrong I am grateful for the accommodation but when you're in that amount of pain you just want to be home! I can stick it out if I need to, but I was hoping I wouldn't have to lol I could fly, approx 45 mins but I feel like take off and landing will be rough and it is expensive. It's seeming more like the better option at the moment though
And how will I go climbing stairs to the plane and off the plane because it's a regional flight, only a small plane!
That is a hectic journey! I could fly, but it is a small plane so no first class but I guess because it's small the loo is never far away! I'm not sure I could climb the stairs on and off the plane though? What mobility assistance was available? Like a wheelchair through the airport? Did you have a donut or cushion to sit on?
Absolutely worth the travel to chosen consultant! It seems so much trouble some days but I keep reminding myself it's worth it! I so hope I'm one of the lucky ones! Dreading it very much. Did you have a donut or cushion to sit on? How often/Long did you stop?
I can stay but it will be stressful staying in a small house with 3 kids, I'm keen to get home to our own environment! Especially if I am in pain and not coping with the little things. I could fly but I don't think I could climb the steps up to the plane and down again at the other end? It is only a 45 min flight. Also I'm not sure how I would go if it makes me nauseous, I'm imagining throwing up being verrry painful!!
Regional Aus travelling to the city for the surgery. I'm not rural and do have after care here but the length of the journey worries me. I'm wondering if the pain of the journey will outweigh the mental pain of staying away from home! I could fly but not sure about nausea or being able to climb the steps? It is only a 45 min flight
Did anyone struggle with nausea after the first few days? And is it possible to climb a small flight of steep steps on a plane?