I am scheduled to have a full hysterectomy on Tuesday July 25 and all I want to do is run for the foor. I can't stop crying and getting all nervous. Can anyone please give me some things I need to know, what to expect and so on. I am freaking out.
It must be very scary and worrying. What is the reason for your hysterectomy? Remember this and stay positive.
There are lots of tips of what to take with you in other discussions happening presently, such as mint tea, your own pillow, v cushion, big panties, loose clothing, take all pain meds offered, prepare meals now for when you home. And rest up after as much as possible!
Good luck and keep chatting on here x
Hi I remember the feeling well, I told everyone here I was going to run away to a desert island and forget all about it, but......................I didn't, could afford the air fare so went to hospital instead, believe me when I say, it's not as bad as you expect it to be, it certainly wasn't for me, Maisie is right about the loose clothing, also don't forget to wera night dresses not PJ's, sorry but I wasn't going to wear a hospital gown for my stay, take some photo's to put on your bedside table so you can feel closer to home/loved ones, I was 61 at the time and I took a teddy bear with me, I kid you not, it was something to hug, the nurses all thought it was cute, take something to read, I had a tablet so that I could email after my op to let folk know I was ok also took my mobile, you never feel quite so cut off from folk today wherever you may be.
We will be thinking of you on Tuesday, let us know how you get on.
Phoebe xx
Hi, I had everything removed 3 days ago by keyhole and, like you, I was absolutely terrified. I didn't know if my operation was going ahead until I went in to the hospital on the day as I have an overactive thyroid and giving me a general anaesthetic may not have been safe. After a long chat with my consultant and anaesthetist, and knowing it was safe to proceed, thankfully everything was fine and the operation was straightforward. I was very emotional leaving the hospital yesterday as the stress of it all was now gone. Since leaving hospital I've been absolutely exhausted and sleeping on and off during the day which is fine as there's a lot of healing to do inside. I'm not eating much and only really wanting juicy fruit! The pain isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be (4 keyhole sites) and it feels like dull cramp afterwards. The past 20 years of my periods have been horrendous and as they were getting worse I decided I'd had enough and knowing I'm finished with them keeps me going. Good luck for Tuesday and let me know how you get on.
I have the BRACA gene and had breast cancer 8 years ago so this is a precautionary surgery but I know I need it. Like you I am so crazy nervous but I so needed to hear from someone like you who just had it and is doing ok. I expect to be tired and cranky. My husband will learn to deal with it lol
Pleasekeep me posted on how you are doing so I know what I might have to look forward to.
Thank you so much!
I have the BRACA gene and had breast cancer in 2009 so to hopefully prevent ovarian cancer this is what the doc suggested I do. What is a v cusion?
I am trying to stay posotive but its hard
I plan to pack a teddy bear, thats a great idea thank you
All I want to do is run, i am so scred but all your kind words are helping so much more than I thought they could.
I bought 2 very loose dresses, will I be able to wear pants or shorts at all?
I have an insulin pumo so I need to know
By pants do you mean knickers or trousers? sorry never sure where folk are posting from, if trousers then probably no but knickers yes but possibly not for the first 24 hours after surgery as you usually have a catheter in, though not always, Is your insulin pump light enough to pin? if not then you quite possibly will be able to wear trousers with a pocket, I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital gown and in between the nurses coming to do my obs I had threaded my oxygen line through the sleeve of my gown and back down the sleeve of my own nightdress and the little tubes back in my nostrils before they came back in, I don't think they had had a patient like me, I'm a bit of a rebel LOL, you feel so much better wearing your own things, I was so lucky as I experienced absolutely no post op pain at all, I never took any pain medication, all I had was before when I had the spinal block, I hope you are as lucky, I had a laparascopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy, I was supposed to have the da vinci but couldn't get to the hospital that had it.
Hi Cara. It's a U or V shaped pillow. Good for leaning back on or laying across your tummy. Like the ones used for breastfeeding. Lots of women have found one useful post op.
I completely understand your nervousness as I was exactly the same even questioning whether I was doing the right thing when I was in the hospital. I remember waking up during the night after my operation and feeling so pleased and proud of myself that I'd done it. I'd tried to read as much info before going in so during my stay I kept wiggling my toes, feet and legs to keep the blood circulating. I have to inject myself every evening to thin my blood (for 7 days), wear surgical stockings for 6 weeks, and I tried a couple of different pain killers while in hospital to find one that suited me and didn't make me feel sick. What I'm finding since I've come out is that if my stomach feels a bit nippy, I'm making sure my pain killers are up to date, nipping to the loo then lying flat on my bed to stretch my stomach, this seems to help. I'm only really lying/sitting in bed, sitting in a chair with a footstool (which is actually quite good) and having a walk round the house. Only day 3 so still tired. The build up to the operation is so stressful but honestly I'm sure you'll be fine.
I felt the same. But I can honestly say my surgeon was wonderful. I had mine done 2nd June 2017. I was told to take Bridget Jones pants, loose fitting clothes. When home to rest and take things very easy.
It does hurt when you wake up, no more than a c-section though.
I had my hysterectomy 1 week ago today (removed it all except my ovaries) I was very nervous and worried, but as soon as they put my IV in they noticed how worried I really was, at one point I asked to be release, I told them I changed my mind, but then they gave me a little something to relax me, after that I remember waking up after surgery. The worse part was feeling Like I needed to go to the bathroom when really it was pressure and gas. I did demand them to remove the catheter, it was extremely uncomfortable. I forced myself with help to get up and walk to the restroom several times, sure beat the catheter and I knew they would release me after I walked and could pee.
The gas was extremely painful while in recovery and that first night home, but that went away the following day (the heating pad helped me a lot this day).
While I'm still early in my recovery I did think I would be in more pain than I am, I feel like I could do my normal routines but I keep hearing from others to just rest. I'm not pain free by any means, it comes and goes, but my belly is sore and bloated. I'm hoping the bloating will go away along with the spotting, it's nothing like being on my cycle, it's nasty brownish blood that still hasn't stopped, I wonder how much longer before that goes away. I have my follow up appt Tuesday, hoping for a good report. Good luck, I promise I'm a big baby when it comes to this stuff, if I can do it anyone can do it.
Thank you so much for your message, as the day gets closer i feel like running every day and I know as soon as I get to the hospital my anxiety is going to kick in. I cry when they put in an IV and I cry knowing it is going to be ok. Hopefully they give me some good drugs to knock me out. I was wondering how long was your surgery? I was planning on insisting not cathedar but some have mentioned you dont get a choice. I am still freaking out about the whole thing but it is good to know i am not the only one who feels this way.
I will have my husband get me one if I need it. I have a large body pillow and planned to use that if I needed it.
I hear you, i am quite the rebel myself and hate the Oxygen thing, I hate the IV, I hate the heart monitor, sometimes I rip the pads off, lol.
My pump is small and I guess can just lay on the bed next to me for the first day.
I am hoping not to have a cathidar as I don't really need more freaking discomfort.
Ok got it, wiggle toes, stretch feet and legs, OK kewl!
I have a recliner so is that ok to sit in?
I know I will be resting and sleeping a lot. I am a breast cancer survivor and had a bilateral mastectomy 8 years ago, after surgery I was home within 6 hours so i remember being tired but making myself walk a little each day to keep me going,
Thank you for your support and help, it really is a huge help to me to know i am not the only one who wanted to run kicking and screaming but then had the surgery and is here to tell me about it. Thank you so very much.
I have very loose pants I plan to bring with me
I have never had a c-section so i am unfamiliar with that pain.
I did however have a bilateral mastectomy so maybe its like that, haha
We ladies have so much fun,fun,fun. x
Hi, I just want to tell you that I'm sure you will be fine and trust you're health professionals, they really are your team! I had my op two weeks ago and the hardest thing I have found is to listen to my body. I'm usually very active and competitive so I found it hard to justify not doing anything. But if you are weary rest! I find that I'm on a roller coaster; one day I'll feel so good, then the next day I'll feel rubbish. But that's ok, because after a few days you'll notice that the lows aren't quite as low any more and the ups are lasting longer.
So without a doubt, the best advice I was given is to drink pear juice, because for every pain killer you have (and don't be shy with them!) you should have something to be kind to your bowels, and pear juice is the best and kindest.
And although I believe that I've had an incredibly smooth journey, nobody told me about the wind pain! Most of the discomfort from the surgery has felt like a dull ache in my mid section, but the wind pain was quite nasty, so don't be afraid to let it go! Also I think that a lot of my grogginess for at least a week was just a hang over from the anaesthetic.
All in all it hasn't been nearly as bad as I was expecting, but just don't rush things and look after your self with good food choices; and good luck!
Hi Cara, just wanted to say that what your feeling at the moment is perfectly natural, I was nervus too, but the Staff were brilliant -, theatre staff were understanding too. I had a catheter, but it honestly wasn't a big deal,no pain. I would just say like everyone else is be kind to yourself, dont be in a rush to do things, rest up plenty and make sure you take your meds. Hope all goes well with you.