1 week post hysterectomy Jan 5th: Abdominal binder - what is it for? Does it help?

No one has told me what this is for.. I came home with one. How long do you wear it? Does it help

My doc said it wasn't necessary to wear it that some ladies prefer the snug feeling if it. It is used as a support for your stomach. I couldn't get mine on. I tried to wear it but it was too painful. I have read that some other sisters on here have used it and loved it. But again it's not necessary for healing.

i wore mine and while the initial pulling and snug was uncomfortable as soon as we stopped I LOVED it... My doc said that it was not needed but I can tell you when I walked without it there was more discomfort, but when I was wearing it I like the feeling of my tummy being supported and thing being held up and in.

I have loved having my binder! I think it made walking around much easier for the first 2 weeks. I'm 3-4 weeks now and am weaning off it, but still like it when I'm in the car or at the end of a long day.

I love my binder! I just went back to work today & I wore it. It helps support my stomach & back!

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Originally Posted by SissyBear No one has told me what this is for.. I came home with one. How long do you wear it? Does it help

Hi SissyBear,
From what I understand, the goal of the abdominal binder is providing compression and support. Compression is a classic treatment to reduce swelling and promote healing (think of an injury like a sprained ankle and the famous ACE bandage).

I read that swelling is just a natural reaction of our bodies when injured. So, after surgery, our bodies create fluid to protect the healing area. This can get out of hand and increase pain. Compression of the area reduces the amount of fluid that can build up between the layers which leads to faster healing. I also read compression helps increase blood flow and improve blood circulation and oxygen levels in the healing area.

I loved the binder and I have healed really nicely so far, don't know for sure how much is just my body's ability or other factors... but do know my binder really helped my pain and swelly belly. The surgical swelling can really add to the hurt! But the constant gentle pressure applied by the binder reduced that for me - which kind of surprised me because I thought putting extra pressure on my belly sounded like a bad idea but not at all, it felt good and I have been blessed with a great recovery so far...only ever needing Tylenol/Advil for pain and a heating pad. No spotting or bleeding, perfectly healed incisions AND I have been able to feel well enough to do plenty of walking due to the nice support of the binder.

It also helped take away the discomfort when laughing, sneezing, or changing position in bed. It made it possible for me able to sleep on my side (favorite position!) more comfortably because it held everything in place and eliminated gravity pulling on those tender parts.

One last thing I noticed is it helped assist my lower back muscles from getting so tired and aching, since they had to help out so much to compensate for the abdominal muscles which were weakened.
My doctor said wear it as long as you want. I weaned myself off of it around 4 - 5 week mark.
Hope this is helpful!

Thanks to all my responding sisters with helpful information Going back to the binder to see if it relieves my back pain. Blessings for a quick healing for us all

Thank you all for the great information on the binder. I just ordered mine yesterday and cant wait to recieve it and get relief.

Wishing you all a speedy and healthy recovery. Take care of yourself.

Hey, I'm a little late to the party, but I thought I'd add this for giggles....all this talk about binders reminded me of the 2012 Presidential Campaign, when Mitt Romney made that off-handed comment about having "Binders full of women." There was a mad rush on Amazon for people to review office binders with this gaffe in mind....regardless of your politics, some of these are hilarious!
If it doesn't hurt too much to laugh, check them out. Definitely might want to wear your binder for this one. I do, in all seriousness, love my binder, and it helps me to sleep on my side w/o the pulling feeling, among other benefits.
{Unfortunately, I'm not able to post the link because of a forum restriction, but if you're inclined, look up "Avery Durable View Binder" on Amazon's site, and it will bring you to the page - the funny reviews are right in the beginning...Sorry for the extra step, but I think it's worth it. We all need a laugh, right?}
Best of luck and speedy healing to you all!