Hi there, and congrats on having a date scheduled and no bleeding!
I am about your age, but was still having periods, and hemorrhaging every other month and dangerously anemic. I have (oooh, HAD!!!!) several gargantuan fibroids (more found during surgery than suspected) and a very enlarged uterus. I was put on progesterone then Megace to keep the bleeding stopped, and to allow me to get my hemoglobin up (I was at a 7), which had to be done before we could even schedule surgery. It took six weeks to get the hemoglobin up, and then they couldn't get me in for surgery for another six weeks.
I was of course exhausted when anemic, and when my hemoglobin was up to an 11, my doc asked me if I had more energy. My mouth dropped open and in a horrified voice I told her no! I was still exhausted. I attribute it to the fibroids which have to take energy to grow, as well as the stress the whole mess was putting on my body. I was also not sleeping well due to the stress, and being uncomfortable, so I am sure it was all part of it.
I have to say the first several weeks post op I felt great, so much better from the moment I came out of the anesthesia! While I was in the hospital I was walking at least a mile daily, and the last day three. I came home with lots of energy, but about 11am I would need a nap, and that need would hit like a brick wall, almost like I had to lie down immediately. Then about 11pm the same thing. But otherwise felt great!
Then about week four the physical stuff started to ease up and fatigue set in. It was like overdoing it shifted from making me pay for it with more swelly belly and heaviness, to being tired. Other sisters said the same thing. So as much as I would like to tell you there is no fatigue, I won't lie. For me that is my biggest battle right now, but very well managed if I don't push myself too far.
I would suggest that right now you listen to your body and rest as much as you are able, so that you are going into surgery feeling as good as you can. Right after surgery stay out of pain and rest, but walk if you feel like you can, and for me a BIG energy booster was to shower as soon as I was allowed. I used my med pump liberally, and was feeling good enough to transition to oral meds very quickly, and was off the narcotics by about one week, rarely even needing Advil by then. I was off of everything by day 10, with the exception of a preventative Advil if I knew I was going to be out of the house longer than usual, etc. For me, staying in bed too long just made the fatigue worse, so watch that.
Now this is just my experience, everyone IS different (you will get tired of hearing this), as are each of our pre-surgery conditions, type of surgery, etc. Your body will tell you what you need. Be really patient, it does take time to recover. My doc said for everything to fully heal inside, it generally takes three months, and even longer for our hormones to regulate. I am not a patient person, so I remind myself of that frequently.
Best of luck on your surgery, and can't wait for you to be on the other side!
Upcoming hysterectomy: Anyone else feel exhausted pre-surgery?
