TLH Fibroid sisters.... What is good after hysterectomy?

What improvements have you seen since surgery?

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks.... I'm so glad I had surgery! Even with the excruciating bowel gas pain, I'm very happy to be rid of the angry alien squatting in my uterus!

The pressure is gone! My 6.5lb uterus was beginning to prolapse.... Couldn't insert a tampon because my cervix was in the way.

No more hemorrhaging! My blood counts are already improved!

I can sneeze, cough, laugh and walk without peeing myself! No bladder repair as my doc was convinced it was just a pressure problem and apparently he was right. I walked 4 miles Tuesday and didn't even dribble! Next time I will even consider going without a poise pad.

I had worked extremely hard to lose 13 pounds in the 3 months before surgery. Even with swelling, I maintained that and lost another 4 pounds 1 week after surgery. Weigh in again tomorrow. I don't have much appetite... Just focusing on protein shakes because protein is for healing.

Honestly, I'm working on counting blessings because despite retaining ovaries.... I'm emotional, irritable, grouchy and bored! Gotta get my head out of the funk and convince myself that I did the right thing! I feel like I have the baby blues.... Without a sweet baby to cuddle. I did have very elevated estrogen levels (doc thought there was likely ovarian tissue in the largest fibroid, making it produce estrogen), and they had me on progesterone to try to shrink the fibroids so all that went away suddenly.

I grew my fibroids AFTER I went through menopause. Seriously... I was on chemotherapy for 6 months last year and I think that is what caused it. Since I didn't have them for very long I didn't have any adhesions or anything like that but they were constantly pressing on my bladder. It's nice to be able to go pee and finish the pee in one sitting now LOL. Like you I didn't need any repairs so my pain level is almost zero today. It's nice to have that constant pressure and weight out of there. I didn't have a super large one like you did, but I had a lot of fibroids. I'm just glad they're out of there! Kudos to you for losing weight! I gained 15 pounds on Lupron Depo. And now I have to try to take it off, LOL

It's like a new body for me, seriously. My one known fibroid, which had remained unchanged at 5cm for 18 years or so was supposed to shrink with menopause (I'm 54). Or so I was told. Instead, it doubled in size and threw a 'Broid Party in the ol' uterus. Doc lost count at 15.

• Immediate 3 pound weight loss from the fibroid-laden uterus. Negated by post-op swelling .
• No more hurried runs to the bathroom having to go NOW or I'd leak.
• No more loose bowels (opposite of what many have with 'Broids).
• No more middle aged paunch.
• I never had pain, but did experience some feelings of pressure.

And see, here I thought I was getting old and decrepit !

A word on your ovaries, they might be offline for a bit until they get over the trauma of surgery - see Sleeping Ovaries. Mine were for a little over six weeks. If your symptoms become unmanageable, let your doctor know and he might be willing to prescribe a patch to get you over the hump.

I really believe having a positive outlook has a major impact on our healing. Good for you!

The biggest benefit for me is the improvement to my energy and sleep. I can now sleep through the entire night without having to get up to pee. Before, it was 1-3 times I'd wake up.

I would work out and feel so wiped out after. Or feel so wiped out before and not work out. This week I tried one a few of those tough workouts again for the first time, and while they kicked my arse, I felt great after. Not exhausted like before.

Also, the ability to enjoy sex without worrying about pain. It's still a little uncomfortable at first but it's sooo much better now.

I had a Florida grapefruit pressing on my bladder, so as with angconley, the surgery put an end to all those middle of the night bathroom runs. I can also go places without wondering where the nearest bathroom is, or carrying a purse full of incontinence pads. I'm also done worrying that I might leak or start bleeding while I'm in yoga class or stuck in traffic. And I can wear my favourite beige pants whenever I want to! So enjoy your freedom, and best wishes for your continued recovery!

Hands down: sex. It was getting hurty. Total downer.
Didn't know I had fibroids, they just popped up like daisies in the 18 mos prior to surgery. Got diagnosed with cervical cancer, during the pre surgical screening for coninization the ultrasound tech saw them. Surgeon biopsied everything, found everything ok, the cervical shenanigans were early, well defined and snagged up during biopsy. Had the hysterectomy a few months later, cleared for 'activity' 2 months after that. Wow, what a difference. Definitely better.