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[Gnatty]

Thanks applespider. Good tip re carbs etc. We shall be able to exchange notes when you get yours done too. May check out that website you mention, just a bit wary as I don't want to see any negatives in the run up else I shall be in a heap on the floor!

[applespider]

I entirely understand.  I'll be able to pick your brains as you'll be a few weeks ahead of me. 

That site seems fairly balanced with many more success stories than not.  I have a colleague who used their 'recovery week' thread - when you sign up, you are invited to it so that you can chat about experiences with those who are going through it at the same time.  And the only people who can post on that thread are the moderators who have all been through it themselves so you don't end up with scare stories.

The site that I've also found very supportive - and overwhelmingly positive - is Reddit, if you're familiar with it, which has a sub on hysterectomy.

And, of course, here - but, 99.5% of women have no complications from the surgery... unless you regularly win the lottery or make a habit of defying probability, then you've nothing to worry about. 

[Gnatty]

Yes, the figures are very reassuring aren't they. Thank you so much. Feeling positive about it all now and looking forward to a relaxing summer.

[Nina123]

Hi, I had my hysterectomy which was total along with removal of both ovaries & tubes 6 weeks ago. I had an abdominal with incision along the bikini line. Honestly for me it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I feel back to normal now but sometimes I do get tired in the afternoon if I’ve been out or doing housework stuff. I was in hospital 2 nights and up and about the next morning. There is a great Facebook group which I can’t recommend highly enough, the ladies in there have so much useful information & are so helpful so please do consider joining, it’s hysterectomy sisters uk. Good luck and please let me know if you need any further help. X

[CLKD]

GA makes people tired.  After my surgery in 1983 I was OK the 1st week after, middle of the next week weariness overtook me and I slept for 2 days.

After more recent surgery at 9.30 a.m., I slept until 4.00 then I could feel the anaesthetic leaving my body and I woke; hungry 

A grabber - great advice:  I use mine to fetch items from the council bins which are not in the correct one 

[Gnatty]

Thank you Nina123, that is just what I need to hear. One question - do I need big pants?? Or are those shorty style ones from M&S ok?

[Nina123]

Gnatty, as long as they are comfortable and cover your belly button they’ll be fine. What you don’t want is for them to be low or roll down and rest on your incision line (ouch)!!
One big tip I found most useful while in hospital take an extra long phone charging cable, the plugs are behind you in hospital so it needs to be long to reach round to the side of your bed. Amazon sell them at a reasonable price. Xxx

[Machair]

Just had another thought to help you. I had surgery on Saturday. Much bigger op than I was expecting. Very dehydrated afterwards and the weather is very warm. Stock up on coconut water, it is very hydrating and will help to replace electrolytes lost. Being nil by mouth plus the op and the drugs means you will be dehydrated, and the sooner you get hydrated the better as it helps with everything.x

[Gnatty]

Thank you Nina 123 and Machair, really useful tips. Am going to place some orders in the next day or two and get myself organised. Really appreciate everyone's help!

[Machair]

Another idea that helps is that if you have to be nil by mouth from midnight which is usually the case for morning ops, with water up to two hours before arriving at the hospital, try not to eat an evening meal only. I set the alarm for 11.30pm and had a banana. Sounds mad I know but I have had 3 surgeries over the years and I found it really helped.
I think the longer you are starved the worse it is, but obviously you have to be starved for at least 6 hours. My feeling is not to extend this just because it falls during sleep.A tiny snack just before the fasting period they say really helps. Also have the coconut water the day before and really get hydrated if you can before the op day especially if it is warm weather.

The other thing that helps me is to eat easy to digest foods as well two or three days before.Don't eat a lot of high fibre or fatty foods that will sit in the large bowel before and after surgery. It is more comfortable to eat light for a day or two. You don't want curry and chips for example.

I am a trained nurse so these tips are not just from my personal experience but are really from looking after patients when I worked in gynae.xx

[Machair]

Had another thought as well. Not sure if you get nervous before procedures but I really do. The "list" often means a long wait after the surgeon and anaesthetist do their rounds. Last week I was second which meant a wait of about 4 hours from arriving to going down for the op. I can really recommend the many "coral reef" videos on YouTube. If you play them on your phone through headphones they can really work to calm you down. There is nothing more relaxing than watching tropical fish and hearing the sound of the water gurgling. I prefer the natural ones to those with music.

[Gnatty]

Thank you Machair, my nerves are playing up already and I have another two weeks to wait! Keeping busy in the garden, but the thoughts keep intruding.

[Anj63]

Hi, I had a hysterectomy many years ago and was given a morphine pump while still in hospital. I was told to press it if I had any pain.....what I remember about that was I then felt very sick and quite disorientated. The nurse was quite amused, but it’s not pleasant and also made me very constipated and that was actually pretty distressing and painful. So after the op drink loads of water and please do tell the nurses if you haven’t managed to poop sooner rather than later! Another thing is the physio you need to do afterwards and yes get as fit as poss beforehand- do not neglect your core and pelvic floor exercises after your op, I mistakenly only did abs and then managed to do my back in because my core wasn’t supporting my back.😏
The positives are just amazing -freedom from pain and such heavy bleeding I had to take time off work..I never regretted having the op- for me it was like finally being free. Take as much time to recover as you need. My GP signed me off for a full 6 months as I was a nursery teacher which involved lots of lifting& carrying of young children and being active. And yes do marshal any help you can get for at least 2 weeks after the op when you will feel knocked out and the scar is healing.
Good luck and best wishes for a speedy return to ‘normality’

[Gnatty]

Ah yes, I have heard it can make you sick if you press the button too much. Will remember that.
Yes don't want any constipation, crikey! Think I have a bottle of Lactulose knocking around somewhere, might well come in handy!
Thank you for reminding me of the benefits, no more periods hurray.

[Lyncola]

Sorry I can’t remember if I already reply. Stupid menopause, so forgive me if I already wrote this.

That morphine pump is horrible, never again for me. It wasn’t for my hysterectomy operation which was only keyhole, but for a ovarian cysts and endometriosis operation 20 years ago.
So I have the big cut across my stomach and got told when I woke up from the operation to press as needed. I was having a good time no pain pressing away. Then I felt sick, I went to urge and the pain across my stomach was terrible. I cry as I madly press the button for the nurse.

Then I got told it was the morphine, I asked for just Panadol after that and put up with the constant pain better then put up with feeling sick and have the horrible pain.

Best of luck for the operation, listen to your body and take it easy on yourself