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Reading othere people's experiences here on Hystersisters really helped ease my mind, so I thought I'd share my experience as it's been a very positive one so far.
After an abnormal routine pap, I had a most uncomfortable colposcopy and was diagnosed as having HPV with multiple cervical abnormalities. Doc told me it wasnt a pressing thing, but when I pressed HIM for what would happen if we did absolutely nothing with these cervical spots, he flatly told me "within 10 years you WILL have cancer." Well, looky here Doc, I'm 45 yrs old with absolutely NO desire to ever have more children and think periods are the most inconvenient 7 days of a month who does NOT want to suffer from ovarian / cervical cancer from "treated cervical abnormalties that was missed and turned cancerous" as I've watched two of my favorite cousins recently go through, so when can we schedule this here surgery?
Im single, and really dont have anyone that I could depend on to help me post-op except my BF, who agreed to stay with me and surgery was scheduled for 12/15/08.
Reported early to hospital, personnel there were great and before I knew it, I was on an OR table, and it gets REALLY sketchy after that lol. Whew those anesthesia drugs were doozies! I did make them let me stay awake long enough so that my Dr. could reassure me just one more time that she would take everything, ovaries, uterus, cervix. Spending the next 10 years of my life worrying about cancer is NOT on my agenda! I do not recall anything of immediately after the surgery or post-op room etc, which given my rather violent shivery reaction to anesthesia was a marked blessing. My BF said they had so many covers on me I was nothing but a giant blanket heap, and still I shuddered hard enough to shake the bed.
The next thing I know, it's 3 hours later Im back in my room, hearing my beautiful BF saying "Hello my love" to which I romantically replied "Im going to be sick!"  and I was lol. I spent the rest of that day sleeping with a few more bouts of nausea which was controlled with meds. I was not in much pain. The worse part was sleeping in that uncomfortable hospital bed and I fully recommend taking some type of added comfort such as pillow tops mattress covers and your own pillow etc.. if sleeping in a strange bed bothers your back.
I had my surgery on Monday morning, slept all of Monday day and night, started walking Tuesday as soon as the catheter was removed. I was released around 4:30 pm still pretty much feeling and looking like a very bedraggled   indeed. Pain was still moderate, but easily controlled with prescription for Tylenol III.
I slept the better part of the following week, really only feeling like stirring much the following Friday, and didnt feel too energetic then. I had low grade fever Weds night, but easily controlled with Tylenol III and yet MORE sleep lol. I had some pretty intense hip pain which I attributed to being in bed so much but I couldnt stay awake long enough to get up dangit! I had also gained 8 lbs over 2 days and was quite flabbergasted as I hadnt eaten only enough of the hospital food for my Dr. to release me, and about 3 bites of anything I tried after I got home. Gas was very difficult for me to move and is only now dissipating one week later. Still, all in all these were pretty minor inconveniences for what is, after all, a major surgery.
I've had a prolapsed utereus since my daughter's birth 19 years ago, and always had trouble with my BM's, lots of straining, infrequency etc... but they have not been a post-op problem for me, nor has constipation. Actually I have rather loose BM's now, with a rather urgent feeling when I do have to go, and weight is falling off of me rapidly (Im on a low carb diet and this is a wonderful side effect for me as I've struggled with my weight for the past 23 years since I started having children). Hoping the sluggish weight loss was hormone controlled and fixed now!
The only real problems I've had so far is sharp, intermittent pain in my hips and abdominal area. I'm guessing this is mostly muscular in nature as it is so intermittent and goes away with change of position etc.. resulting in the rather unorthodox positions they place your body while in the OR.
My advice for any who are looking for it: Dont go worrying over things that might not even happen, plan plenty of time to let your body heal, and take that time even if your floors are a mess and your laundry rivals Mt. Olympus when you finally get to it.
Wishing all my fellow hystersister much luck and as rapid recovery as I've been fortunate enough to have 
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-- January NewsletterPost Hysterectomy Fitness and Health is the theme of our January, 2012 newsletter at HysterSisters.com. Visit this link [ More]...
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