TVH: what is recovery really like?

I am so ready to be pain free and can't wait for my surgery! Surgery is not what is keeping me up at night, it is wondering what recovery will be like.
I will be having TVH (keeping ovaries) as an out patient.
And my doctor has given me the usual no driving, no lifting lots of rest speech. But really how bad is recovery? I have 3 small children and a hubby that is very helpful, most of the time, as long as it works into his schedule. I have friends who say they will help with anything. I am a SAHM, but have a salon in my basement. My doc says I should be able to go back to work 2 weeks after. (a few clients a week)
Thanks for any and all information. This is a wonderful site with many amazing women.

Hi! Iam one week into my recovery and Iam bored to death,lol.. Went to Dr. today and two more weeks of this. I had a TAH inpatient. When I got out of hosp i didnt really eat much and drank alot of water. THe pain was mostly getting into and out of bed. It hasnt been horrible, but I can think of better things I would rather be doing, lol. Oh and the swelly belly thing, ugh I can only fit into pj pants and sweats. Umm....get lots of help with the kids, and get lots of GOOD rest not just rest. Take your medication as prescribed, it really makes a BIG difference. THe meds seem to go right to the pain and it works for me. I have found eating very small meals every few hours has helped the gas and BM situation. Colace and anit gas pills have been a god send. Good Luck!!! Cat

hi there

i had a TVH with A&P repairs a year ago....
i felt pretty bad for the first 6 weeks quite frankly
and at two weeks was still pretty..pale and wobbly (just
not that steady on my feet)

but everyone's experience is different..i have heard of women who
are out JOGGING after two weeks!

to me the biggest pain was the "pulling" of the stitches......

i felt like my vagina was being pulled apart as the stitches were dissolving........

if that makes any sense at all......

am once again going through pulling stitches as i recently had to have a rectocele repair and an overlapping sphincteroplasty.....

good luck with your surgery..take all the help you can get!
hugs,
jamesgirl

From a day post op I took 2 Aleve twice daily for pain, for about 3 wks, for cramping/pulling pain, and that kept me comfortable. I was tired for that long. Then it was easier and it was embarrassing people did things for me, I felt fine. I went back to work at 5 wks, was tired and emotional at 1st but it was fine. I'd say I had an easy recovery, physically. Otherwise, my ovaries rebelled and I had tons of hot flashes, but still I did OK. Hope you will have an easy recovery, too.

I'm with catalinacat.....yawn! I am so bored! Today is day two and honestly I think I could of went to work. (I have a desk job) The worst part today is just the gas pressure. I am trying to still take it easy and have been lounging and watching movies but really have very little discomfort. I quit taking my prescribed pain meds last night because they make my face itch so much but I have found just normal asprin works fine. Hang in there things will be fine.

Thanks ladies! You are helping to put my mind at ease!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by nlchap74 Surgery is not what is keeping me up at night, it is wondering what recovery will be like.

I had a TVH (inpatient), and my recovery is going really well. I started back to work this week, and although I'm having to pace myself in the office and do nothing but rest when I get home, I feel good. My recovery has gone thus far (going from memory):

Week 1: in bed most of the time, napped a lot. took percocet and ibuprofen as prescribed. getting out of and into the bed was somewhat of a challenge because I felt sore, achy, and wobbly. Very healthy appetite, ate a lot more than usual. Night sweats almost every night this week.

Week 2: took percocet and ibuprofen as prescribed. walked around the house some, alternated between watching TV while in my recliner in the den and napping on my bed. Played computer games on the latop on my bed. Still ate a lot. Three nights with night sweats this week. Went shopping with hubby (he drove) for two hours that Saturday, and that was all I could handle. Saw my doctor at the 2-week mark and told her I wasn't ready to go back to work yet. She agreed.

Week 3: took ibuprofen as prescribed (800 mg every 8 hours); didn't need percocet any more. Only one night with night sweats. sat at my desktop computer for a couple hours each day this week, then stretched out on my bed with a book to relax.

Week 4: by the end of the week took 1 ibuprofen tablet each morning. no night sweats at all this week. appetite back to near-normal levels (not gaining weight from all the extra calories -- they're going towards healing!) Able to sit at my desk at home all morning, but stretched out for a nap sometimes in the afternoons, or lounged in my recliner. 4-week checkup at doctor's office; she's pleased with my progress and cleared me for work so long as I didn't overdo and rested when I got home from work.

Week 5: where I'm at right now as I type this. back at work, but tuckered out when I get home, so I gladly stretch out on my bed and watch a little TV before supper, then stretch out on the bed with the laptop after supper until time for bed. still need one ibuprofen tablet each morning, but nothing else the rest of the day/evening. abdomen still a bit puffy, but I know that'll go away over time as the healing progresses.

Hubby does the cooking, and the housework is waiting for me until I get around to doing it. My three chicklets are 19, 17 and 8 and do some stuff around the house, but have to be constantly reminded. I'm tired of being a nag.

Hope this helps. Everyone is different and their mileage may vary, but my main issue wasn't pain, but feeling so tired right after the surgery.

Speaking of being tired... it's 9 PM and time for a nap!

I went in for what I thought would be laproscopic, keeping my ovaries. Well, it turned out to be abdominal and everything had to be removed! I had c- sections with both children, so the recovery was pretty much what I had already experienced. Take it easy! Do not rush thru the recovery process! It took me a full 6 wks to get back to normal. I am now 10 wks post surgery and finally feel like myself again! Take work in baby steps, especially since you work on your feet. Swelly belly, bloating, sets in if you are on your feet too long ! Good luck