Advice from a Hysterectomy Post Op Sister

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Advice from a Hysterectomy Post Op Sister

Advice from a Hysterectomy Post Op Sister

Date : 04-10-2003 - 10:06 AM - Readers : 65881

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Do you have any advice for me as I prepare for my surgery?

Do everything you can to avoid catching a cold or flu right before surgery! Wash your hands a LOT, and try to avoid crowds as much as possible. Your doctor may delay an operation if you get sick, and you also don't want to catch a cold just before the operation and have to deal with it afterwards. I "hermited" myself a few days before the operation, avoiding shopping malls and other places where germs spread easily. And of course if someone around you has a cold or flu, avoid him or her like the plague!

Depending on the reason you are having the operation, you may want to ask the doctor whether you should donate some of your own blood ahead of time. It is usually not needed for a hysterectomy, but I lost nearly two pints during the operation, and if my blood count had not been as good as it was, or if I had lost much more, I would have needed a transfusion. Fortunately it had also been two weeks since my last period so I had had time to restore some of that blood loss also.

Buy an eye mask to wear at night, if you have trouble sleeping with a light on. I had to keep the hospital door open to keep the room from getting too stuffy, and the eye mask was a godsend. The eye masks can be purchased at travel stores, or through mail order catalogues like Walter Drake (1-800-525-9291). They may also be available at cosmetic departments in some stores. Earplugs are a good idea too, just in case!

Your own pillow from home feels a lot better under your head. As for a pillow to support your tummy, that is tricky because it is difficult to find the right size. Smaller than a throw pillow, and softer - if you know anyone who sews, maybe you can ask them to make you one! Experiment with pillows before the operation; I found it difficult to get comfortable with too large a pillow under my tummy. Some people recommend getting a "body pillow" that supports the whole length of your body.

Also buy a "donut" pillow for post-op recovery at home. It has a hole in the center and makes it a lot easier to sit semi-upright. This can be found in most large drug stores. It can be useful for several months following the operation, especially if you have to sit on a hard bench for any length of time!

For when you get home, buy a "grabber", one of those long sticks that you can use to grab things that fall on the floor. VERY handy. Cost about $20 at medical supply or hardware stores (or in the HysterSisters Store) and worth every penny. The one I have is called a "Pik Stick", and the store I bought it at had it listed as a "reacher", so if you go to look for one you might use these terms as well. It is SO easy to use to pick things up! I was aware of them because my mother uses one as she recovers from the hip surgery she had last year. I couldn't find one at a regular drug store but the local hardware store carried it.

Take an inexpensive Walkman and your favorite relaxing tapes. (Just don't leave the Walkman lying around when you aren't in the room). I had taped the soundtrack to Titanic (leaving out the ship-sinking parts!) and found I could really drift off to its pretty music (resisting the temptation to say it helped me sink into a nice sleep.....argh !).

This may have been unique to the hospital I was in, but when it came time for me to use a sanitary pad (for post-op drainage), the only kind they had were those huge old-fashioned kind that need a belt...no self-stick pads at all!! I never thought to bring pads from home, but wish I had. Geez I haven't seen or used those bulky "belt pads" in over twenty years! So for those of you going to the hospital, it wouldn't hurt to pack a few modern Kotex or Stayfree pads.

I, too, thought that I would not need any more sanitary pads after surgery - but you may need to wear them for a couple of weeks afterwards, for any post-op drainage (I had a TAH but I assume the same is true, if not moreso, for a vaginal hysterectomy). My drainage was very light. I only needed the liner type of pads, but the nurse said it could get as heavy as a regular period. Also, I don't know if this is standard procedure for hysterectomies, but I had a bulb-like object put in my vagina for the first two days after surgery to catch the drainage. It drained into a bag, which was tucked into my panties. I used to worry that the bulb would fall out but believe me it won’t!!! It is t-shaped, and when the nurse did remove it I nearly hit the ceiling. ("This may hurt a bit"..... just love those warnings....). Fortunately it was a quick pain and I was glad to get that bulb out of me!

My operation was originally scheduled for 10:30am and ran two hours late because the previous operation ran overtime - so be sure to tell anyone who will be waiting to hear immediately afterwards that if it takes longer than they thought, this might be the reason why. My poor hubby was in a panic because no one informed him that I was two hours late getting to the OR!! I asked an OR nurse to inform the waiting room but it wasn't done.

The doctor and nurses will definitely want you to walk after the first day of the operation. And you really won't want to, believe me. But do it. It does get the digestive system moving and makes all the difference. I took 5 walks down the hall and back to my room on the second day (the nurse said they recommend at least two walks a day, but don't overdo it either). I think at least partly due to these walks my bowels gave me NO problems; the great "wind passing" came the next day (a sacred moment for you, post-op, you never thought you could be so proud of passing gas). My roommate did not do any walking (except to the bathroom) and remained miserably bloated and in pain the entire time she was there.

Also, don't get spoiled by all the attention you receive from the nurses your first day. Believe me, as time goes on, you get less attention!

And for those of you who have never had an IV before - be sure it is NEVER allowed to go dry! If the bag is near empty, call the nurse. Sometimes if they get busy they might not know you need a new IV bag. If no liquid is going into you, the IV quickly gets painful.

I strongly recommend that you discourage ANY visitors except your husband/significant other for the first two days (at least). You will be SO tired and out-of-it that the last thing you'll want to do is hold a long conversation with friends and family. This goes for the phone, too. While "visiting" does not seem physically straining, it is - because it drains you emotionally and mentally. Even from a hospital bed, you will feel the need to play "hostess". I made up a phone list for my hubby to call everyone with progress reports, and an e-mail list too.

There is a reason hospital gowns are knee-length. Long gowns are impossible to negotiate when it comes to getting in and out of bed. Also you may get elbow-burn from the sheets, since I had to use my elbows so much to support getting up and down. Band-Aids on your elbows might help.

Be sure to USE that funny breathing "exerciser" device they give you after the operation! It keeps your lungs clear and your temperature down. Also WALK the halls as soon as you can, to get your bowels moving. I did this several times a day and had no problems having my first BM.

It does seem amazing that you can take a shower right away (NOT a bath, though), but it is true - just don't let the water hit directly on your incision. (Believe me, you won't want it to!!!). It is kind of scary the first time and you will be weak as a kitten afterwards, but oh it feels good to be clean and have clean hair too! Don't push it, though - take sponge baths for a couple days til you feel ready to face a shower. Several ladies on the board recommend putting a lawn chair in the shower to sit on as you wash. It is a major endeavor the first couple of times. Have your hubby or support person handy to help you - wiping your lower legs and feet is not easy!

For me, it took about a week for the Premarin .625 to kick in. I started taking it on Friday after my Monday surgery. I had hot flashes that started about 4 days after the surgery, and then a week after the surgery I had my Big Crying Jag (which I think was a combination of hormone deficiency and general frustration at post-op discomfort, including lack of sleep!). By a week after starting the Premarin, I was OK. I still had trouble sleeping for a couple of weeks, but it was only due to the discomfort during the healing process; I sleep fine now! (I will forevermore appreciate the ability to sleep on my sides).

NO vacuuming for six weeks post-op!!! It doesn't seem like a strenuous activity, but vacuuming is very hard on the tummy muscles. Same goes with lifting anything heavy. No driving for three weeks (with an abdominal hysterectomy).

Regarding naps: I found I needed about a one hour nap each afternoon for the first two weeks post-op. I scheduled it for 2pm and told all my friends about it, so they knew not to call then. I also took the phone off the hook for that hour. My eye mask from the hospital found extra use then as well!

In the healing process, the first two days after the operation are THE worst; the first two weeks can be rough at times, and in general it took me three weeks before feeling somewhat like my old self again. You have to keep telling yourself that every single moment after the operation you are healing more and more! Especially during those first two post-op days, remind yourself that this is the worst you will feel, and the road to recovery will get smoother each day. Remember to get LOTS of rest, and do not overdo it when you start to feel better. It takes six weeks before you feel like your old self again, and up to six months before you don't tire more easily.

Keep a list of questions to ask your doctor, both before and after surgery (You will have at least two post-op checkups). When you think of a question, write it down! Don't count on remembering all your questions when you get to the doctor's office.

A book I can recommend is "The Woman's Guide to Hysterectomy" by Adelaide Haas and Susan Puretz. It was published in 1995 and is available in paperback for $14.95. It has a day-by-day guide to what to expect while in the hospital in addition to advice on at-home care, nutrition, etc. I really appreciated that day-by-day guide, as none of the other books were quite that detailed.

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