3 weeks post op and discouraged with my slow recovery

Thank you everyone. This site and your advice have been so comforting. I will be 3 weeks post op on Monday and I tend to get very discouraged with the too slow for my liking recovery. When did you start driving? Feeling less fatigued? Stop feeling that pelvic floor pressure? Stop feeling anxious about ripping inside stitches? Thanks in advance for your support and advice. Sometimes I feel like I'm losing it 😜

Try not to be too hard on yourself. As we gals here like to say, this surgery is a toughie and it really does take time to recover. I think as women we are so used to being ultra capable and in control that when we have to sit back and be passive, it is a very hard concept to grasp. Plus throw in the physical discomfort and emotional stress and you have a recipe for feeling cheesed off :-)

Don't worry that you're losing it, your feelings are perfectly normal so soon in recovery and week 3 is often the worse for feeling glum. Hang on in there, it will get better.

You are very early into your recovery. It is easy to become frustrated and bored. Please remember to be kind to yourself and not push recovery.

I was also a slow healer. I was not cleared to drive for 6 weeks. This did not mean I couldn't be a passenger. At around 3 weeks, I felt much like you. My husband said, If I felt up to it he would like to take me to the book store. Hmm, good idea! It was a great idea. I still could not walk normally, but managed to find a couple of books to buy. He also picked up my favorite scent candle. The next week or so went by easier. I walked around the house, still tired quickly, lit my candle and read for hours. It really helped with taking my mind off recovery.

Also remember that pushing a shopping cart is off limits. If you have done this, you will feel it. I thought leaning on and pushing a shopping cart was ok at 4 weeks. For me it was not.

This is your time and right now it's all about you. Pamper the princess!!!

Hi Andrea, I feel the same way. I think to start my expectations were off...I thought I'd be more or less back to normal in 2 wks. Hah! That sure didn't happen. I'm not driving yet, though I probably could handle a short trip. Sitting upright for a long time makes me tired. Now I understand why my dr insisted on 4wks off work.

Hang in there and try to enjoy as much of the downtime as you can (easier said than done I know ).

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Originally Posted by Andrea16 Thank you everyone. Feeling less fatigued? Stop feeling that pelvic floor pressure? Stop feeling anxious about ripping inside stitches? Thanks in advance for your support and advice. Sometimes I feel like I'm losing it 😜

I am two weeks post op and feel exact same way. I have all the same concerns. I teach young children and worry as to whether I will be okay to go back in 2 weeks. I still have vaginal pain and hurt when having BM. You are not alone!☺️

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrea16 Thank you everyone. Feeling less fatigued? Stop feeling that pelvic floor pressure? Stop feeling anxious about ripping inside stitches? Thanks in advance for your support and advice. Sometimes I feel like I'm losing it 😜

I am two weeks post op and feel exact same way. I have all the same concerns. I teach young children and worry as to whether I will be okay to go back in 2 weeks. I still have vaginal pain and hurt when having BM. You are not alone!☺️

Try looking at it the other way around. What can you do now that you *couldn't* do three weeks ago? What negative things - pain, for example - do you have less of? What positive things do you have more of than you did three weeks ago?

I've found that for myself, when I'm going through a gradual healing process it's really important to me to keep track of the small, positive changes. Otherwise they get overshadowed.

Week three was a tiresome one for me, im at the 4.5 week mark now and finally today am starting to feel peppy.. about the 4 week mark, my mind started to feel active again, not so tired.. if that makes sense. my doc said i could drive if i was off pain meds, i saw her 2.5 weeks post op.. still have pelvic floor pain when i sit upright too long or on a hard chair, so i just recline in my seat a lot. take it one day at a time, try not to look at it as 3 weeks post op, but focus on today, find something today to relax your mind and body and see what tomorrow brings. i am amazed at how each day i feel different, yesterday i was exhausted, today i feel up.. gotta ride the roller coaster for a bit... hang in there {hugs}

Thank you SO much! After reading your posts I do feel better. Are any of you still taking stool softeners? Also, my doc recommended I take a baby aspirin every day as well. Anyone else doing that? And as far as returning to work..I'm a nurse. When I think about lifting patients, running around, etc. it seems impossible at this point. I was planning on going back at 8 weeks. Is this unreasonable?

Recovery takes time and is different for everyone. I am almost 8 weeks post op and I feel great! I can't wear jeans only maternity ones for half a day. But I feel much better than at 3 weeks. I have a 2.5 year old and I pick him up and feel ok to do so. My dr did day to not do heavy lifting ever! (Not sure how much heavy is...weight lifting maybe) so would check with your dr about lifting patients.
Things will get better, and you will start noticing around 6 weeks, if you overdo it then rest. The 3 week mark was hard because you think you should be pretty healed. But things turn better soon. I am not cleared for sex yet (9weeks) so I am not all the way there but it does get better !