TVH August 2nd

Hi Sisters
Well I'm Have Been Telling Everyone That My Operation Is Like A Drive By Surgery . I Will Be Fine !!at First I Was Going To Fly From Co To Ohio For A Family Reunion 8 Days Post Op And The Dr Said Maybe I Should Wait .so Now I Will Do It The Day After I Get Back And I Thought I Would Go Camping Three Days Later So Tell Me What You Think Am I Expecting Too Much Is It Any Worse Then Bad Cramps??? It's Not Like 'ill Climb Any Mountains I Will Take It Easy.let Me Know What You Think
By The Way What A Great Site I Was Here All Day Sun Reading.
Hope To Hear From Someone Soon

Hi cdprayn4u and

We're happy you joined the Hystersisters community! There is a ton of solid information on the site, and the members have unlimited cyber-hugs to dispense to you at all stages of your journey to good health!

It's good to hear that you have a positive attitude about your upcoming surgery, but I think it's important to be realistic and remember that it's major surgery, with typically a 6-week initial recovery period. So, I don't think you will be able to go camping at three days post-op. Your doctor will advise you when this type of activity can resume for you.

I had a different type of hysterectomy procedure than you, so I can't comment if the pain from a TVH is typically "worse than bad cramps." I hope that soon some members who had a TVH will be along to share their recovery stories.

Many s and Best Wishes,

Hi cdprayn4u
Welcome, I had a tvh so I'll try to add a little insight for you from my experience. I'm afraid many people who haven't had this surgery get the idea that a tvh is just "nothing". I had that word used before I had mine. I would beg to differ. Like (((Carmen))) shared it is still major surgery. You have internal organs removed so it means you have incisions, they are just not external. Your bladder rests on your uterus and has to be moved, handled,set aside so the surgery can be done. It isn't unusual for it to take a little time for bodily functions to get back to normal.
With the vaginal surgery you also have the discomfort from being opened up so far so the dr can get to and do all he/she needs to do. When I saw pictures of a tvh being done I gave myself permission to sit back and relax a little. I thought, no wonder I hurt.
I'm not trying to scare you, but just to help you see that this is a major operation. We all heal differently and no two surgeries are exactly the same. There are some women who come through feeling wonderful, almost like nothing had been done, but they are in the minority. They still have the same precautions as all of us because their bodies need to heal. Just because you don't have a big incision on the outside of your body doesn't mean you don't have incisions, you just can't see them.
It might be helpful for you to look through the Checkpoints . There are some good suggestions there for what you can expect at the different stages in your recovery. Right at first they are pretty limiting. I can't imagine you feeling like going on a camping trip right after you have this done. You'll have a lot more fun if you give yourself some time.
I hope you sail through and feel great right off the bat, but I do think you'll find it a little worse than bad cramps. Take care of yourself and we'll keep an eye out for you in post op.
's, Rita

Sweetie,
I had a TVH (with no bells and whistles) and my recovery was easier than what I have read from our sisters who had more invasive forms of hysts. I left the hospital feeling better than I went in. One of the reasons why my recovery went smoothly is that I remembered that I had major surgery and an internal incision. Following the checkpoints and your doctors orders are critical. Camping that early after surgery is not something I would recommend ~ at that point I was firmly planted in bed and making sure I didnt fall or hurt that incision.

If you are like I was it will sometimes be a challenge to remember to follow the checkpoints because you are feeling good... this is a blessing. If you look at the post-op threads you will find lots of threads from women who have done too much too soon and this ended up setting back their recovery. You know the phrase "listen to your body"? Well, remember that our body talks to us it is usually after we have done more than we should and when our body talks it can be harsh. You dont want that.

Please consider making your new motto "I only have one chance to heal right", and give yourself an opportunity for a smooth recovery.

Best wishes!

cdprayn4u: I hear you. I was so dismissive of this surgery before hand. I run a family owned business and told my sisters that I was sure I would be back by week 2. I've had 4 or 5 (can't remember!) outpatient cone biopsies, etc over the years, stayed home that day and went back to work the next day. How much worse could this be? I am one of those Triple Type A people who never stops, and couldn't imagine that this could put me down for long.

I had no symptoms before--no pain, no bleeding, nothing. 24 years of off again, on again cervical dysplasia finally brought me to the table. So, I went in feeling fine and figured I would bounce right back. I got onto this site about 3 weeks before surgery and wondered why these women were so scared. I wasn't scared, just trying to fit it into my schedule.
Then I understood the meaning of major surgery.

The first week I had several reactions--a rash from the morphine, diarrhea, headaches, back pain and I was dealing with a suprapubic catheter (I also had A&P repair). By Friday of that week I was sitting on my back porch crying because I was mad! I told DH I wasn't supposed to be like this.

The 2nd week, the reactions were gone, the catheter came out and I spent that week just letting the healing begin. I had no energy and was very happy just sitting, reading, watching TV and movies and letting the world go by. My family was in shock, but I couldn't do anything else. There was some pain, but mostly just healing pains--things shifting and finding where they are supposed to be.

The 3rd week I went in to my office 2-3 hours a day and that was all I could handle. I've really never understood the term "listen to your body". I've pushed and lived on adrenaline so long that I didn't know my body had a voice. These past 2 years I went back and got another degree, so I was working full time, traveling at least 1 week a month and going to school every morning at 7:00 a.m. I would get in at midnight on Sunday night and be at class the next morning and then go on to my office. Listening just wasn't an option.

This is the first time that my body won. I truly knew when I had done too much and when I was hitting the wall. And, there was no adrenaline rush that could overcome it. I just had to give in and rest. Very frustrating but unavoidable.

I just finished 4 weeks out. I went to the office every day this week, ran errands and was much more "normal". I still get tired and still have pains at times, but definitely more myself. I have a 2 week trip coming up at 7 weeks post op and think I can handle it with precautions (not standing or sitting too long and not lifting my luggage)

I agree with spasmo that once you start feeling better it is hard to remember to take it easy because you are so anxious to do things again. I'm very grateful that I don't have an incision to recover from like so many of these wonderful sisters.

As preciouspearl said, I'm not telling you this to scare you by any means. I'm telling you this so you'll have some realistic feedback upon which to base your post op plans. I truly hope that you breeze through without any complications or reactions. That would be wonderful. But, know going in that you might have some slow days and some set backs and patience is an incredible virtue that some of us have to learn. I would say don't make any plans that can't be altered or changed just in case.