LAVH BSO W?A&P REPAIR Qs

With an lavh that also needs a&p repairs will I still hve a quicker recovery? I am a little nervous about the large incision for the a&p repair (I take it that cannot be done thru the lap?) My dr said I should only have the cath the frist day--but how bad will the pee and poop be on my own with an incision? Sounds so painful.....

Has anyone else had this, and how was the recvoery, really? Did you have the dreaded swelly belly?

I am also fearful of the general anethersia--which you have to have with the lavh--and any idea how this surgery will take? Do they put your legs in those things to avoid clots?

What should I expect the day of? How long in post-op?

I am having this for prolapse and intolerene to progesterone. I am already on estrogen--having gone thru an early meno at 41--so ovaries koncked out four years ago.

I thought I was doing so well then the calendar wound down and now I am fearful--big chicken.

Please tell me more hysterectomies go well than bad==seems all I see these days are the horror stories. Please share any good stories you may have with me!

Any and all stories/replies/tips/words of wisdom/encouragement very welcome! My surger date is May 5....

Thanks in advance!!!

I had a TAH/BSO and no repairs, so my surgery and recovery is different than what you'll be going through. But even though different in a lot of ways the same - you are having the same organs removed, and even without an abdominal incision there will be internal stitches and sutures, that have to heal properly and thoroughly.

The recovery time for a LAVH may seem to be a little faster, but all that internal stuff that you can't see has to have time to heal, even if you're feeling good, you still have to be careful to avoid problems later on.

The leg massagers or elastic support hose - different hospitals have different procedures, but it seems that most times you have one or the other to try to avoid DVT.

Peeing and pooping were no big deal, even with the bikini incision - ask for stool softeners, and drink lots of water and take lots of little walks to keep things going.

Best wishes!

I didn't have any repairs but did have LAVH.

General anesthesia went fine, no nausea, no problems waking up. I had things on my legs when I woke up--don't know what they are called--but they inflate and deflate like a blood pressure cuff, off and on, to keep circulation going. I just had them for a few hours; just had the catheter for a few hours, too.

I think with repairs you may have quite a bit more soreness afterward, but without the big incision everything is easier.

I'm two weeks post as of this afternoon and doing everything I want to except strenous exercise and lifting. I do get tired a little more easily than before, but that is better every day.

Oh, and more surgeries turn out well than not!

Lou Ann

HI, I was scheduled for lavh with a&p repairs also. Mine turned into a TAH(but thats another story). I had a very easy recovery. Back to closed to normal a two weeks. Drove , shopped, went to kids ball games. Just not all of the former in one day. The anterior repair was not needed when the uterus was removed. Sometimes it pops back up on it's own. My catheter was removed the following morning. The posterior repair is a pain.... Stool softeners twice a day and lots of water. Whatever it takes to keep things soft and moving. Shredded Wheat was good for me.
It is difficult to sit for the first couple of weeks, so you recline like the Romans did. Then when the soreness goes away, the stitches start to work there way out which feels like your being poked with fishing line. But now looking back it's not that bad.
My dr said to never let yourself get constipated again, straing to have a bm may pop the sutures in the repair and the first repair last the longest. Good Luck, it's really not that bad.