c-section and hysterectomy

Could anyone who has had a c-section and a TAH tell me does it feel the same and is the recovery (how you feel) about the same. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how they are different(my Dr. said it would be different but not how it would be different) Thanks for any help. You guys are amazing

I have had two c sections and a TAH and the TAH was definitely worse. You MUST listen to your doctor and take care of yourself and take your time to heal. I thought it wouldn't be so bad since one of my c sections was for a 14lb baby! But I was wrong. I won't lie to you, this operation is tough. It's a long recovery and I found out the hard way of which medicines to take and the ones to stay away from. I couldn't take a couple of them because they either caused gas pains or constipation. Two things you definitely want to stay away from! I have always been active and a night owl but since my operation over a year ago I am just not the same person. I get tired much earlier in the evening and I have to go to bed or I pay dearly for it the next day. On the other hand I am very grateful that I had this surgery and that it was an option for me, since I'm done having kids, because my cancer might have spread or they might not have gotten it all out of me with the other procedure options. My husband and kids were extremely helpful and loving and I couldn't have gotten through it without them. I hope your recovery goes better than mine did. I followed all of the doctors' directions, I was just in a lot of pain. With both my c sections I was up the day I got home from the hospital and started to vacuum. After this operation I didn't want to see a vacuum for quite some time! And I'm a clean freak! I nearly laughed in my doctor's face when she said I wouldn't want to pick up anything heavier than a phone book but it was soooo true. It hurt to pick up certain things and be careful bending! Your pillow will become your very best friend, keep it with you at all times! You will need it when laughing, coughing or sneezing and don't try to do much. Let someone take care of you. I hope I didn't scare you, that wasn't my intention but I know when I go into this type of thing, I want to know the truth. Not the sugar coated version. Good luck with everything and e mail me if you want to talk about anything else...I'm here for you. Us women have to stick together. aprilteddy.net

Hi (((Cathy)))

I had a c-section almost 13 years ago. It is different from a TAH. I spent the same amount of time in the castle as I did with this surgery but I dont remember much about the recovery since I had my son to take care of but in that sense it was harder, basically since I was home alone with my son back then. I had no help.

With this surgery, there is no new baby to care for unless you have young ones already...in that sense it was a bit easier but I am older now and there are tons of stitches internally from organs being removed, not just opened. So on that hand it is harder.

Recovery times are about the same I think. The difference with my 2 surgeries is that when I had my c-section, I was told not to leave the house for 6 weeks. Now, they said nothing of the sort but that I couldnt drive till I had stopped using the narcotic pain killers, which was about 2 weeks for me. I was still advised by my docs to be a good Princess for 6 weeks and lay low.

Please just listen to your doctor's orders to take all the time you need to heal. Listen to your own body too, it will clue you in when you need to rest.

Hope this helps.

s

I was wondering this as well. I had a c section 6 years ago and I just came home from the hospital and carried on as normal, driving , housework, looking after the kids etc. I honestly think that this has contributed to the problems i am having now
So this time I am going to be a good and do as I am told!!

s

Amanda

I had a c-section 9 years ago and a TAH-LSO 10 days ago. They are far different . Though so far my recovery has been pretty good I feel a lot more tired than with my c-section. Pain wise I have been really lucky as I stopped all pain meds 2 days out. More of a discomfort than anything else. I also kept in the back of my mind that it was like a c-section boy was I wrong. recovery is still about the same time frame but and I mean a big but..........(lol).........restrictions are there to you to follow for a reason so listen to your doctor and your "sisters" rest rest rest............drink plenty of fluids and take short walks...........please don't overdue it as your body might not rebel right away but you will feel it the next day. believe me.....I tried it the 2nd day out...........you have plenty of time for that later..........hope I helped a little and if you need to talk just e-mail me anytime...........remember we are all here for you and your "sisters" love you...............hoping for a uneventful tah and speedy recovery for you .................

I've had 2 c-sections, but had a LAVH instead of a TAH. Just wanted to let you know that there still was a difference in recovery between a section and a hyst no matter which way you have it.

Painwise, there wasn't much difference for me in the length of time it took. I was off regularly taking pain meds after about 3 days with both types of surgeries. However, after my hyst, there was an occasional day or two after that I did have to take just one when I had overdone it a little. (Had mine during the busy Christmas season with too many visitors wearing me out.) Also, there were days later that I had little twinges of discomfort after the hyst that I don't remember having after the sections. Note...anybody reading this, keep in mind that pain tolerance differs individually and some have to take pain meds for longer/shorter times than others. So, don't feel bad if you have to take them longer than 3 days.

The main difference I noticed between the two types of surgeries was that I tired much easier after the hyst. With a hyst, the surgery takes longer to perform, therefore, you're under anesthesia longer. Another thing is that there is more work being done and organs are removed, which means more stitches too. With a section, you're opened up, baby born, and stitched back up.

s,
Pam

I just got home from the hospital from having a TAH. I had a c-section 11 years ago. The hysteretomy is not as bad as the c-section. I feel GREAT!!! They took everything but one overy.

I think it's probably about the same as the c-section, with no baby to take care of, so you can just concentrate on getting yourself back to normal. Good luck with your surgery! I was no nervous and almost cancelled the day before, but I am so glad I went ahead with it.

I have also wondered about this. I had a c-section and was walking around the next day, sore, but doing ok. I watched other section ladies walking the halls and was surprised that I didn't feel as badly as they looked like they were feeling. I heard a lot of crying from the room next door whenever the nurse would go in and tell her it was time to walk, poor dear. My dr saw me and said I was standing upright and it surprised him, I should have been hunched over from the pulling. He never told me not to stand up straight, I didn't want to "feel old" so I didn't let myself hunch over! By the time I left the hospital, I was able to walk back into the hospital (daughter was in NICU for 20 days) and back out to the curb to be picked up. A week after surgery, I was driving to and from the hospital, as well as walking in and out. I felt that by pushing myself to do a little more each day, I was healing faster than the other ladies I was spending time with in the NICU.

Hearing that this is the exact opposite of how you should recoup from a hyster is disheartening.. but as others have said, there is no baby involved, so laying around being pampered, rather than pushing myself to be better so I could take care of my daughter in the hospital will make a huge difference!

If the pain is within the same realm, I think I can handle laying around and taking good care of myself! (I will most likely have a LAVH, unless a new dr sees a reason to do anything else)