TAH Teacher - returned to work after 2 weeks - exhausted and bloated / discharge, foul odor

Hello, I had a total hysterectomy on Nov. 16, 2016. I went home that night, had my 2 week post op this past Tuesday. My dr took me off my pain meds due to doing too well. He is afraid I'll tear my cuff and then have to redo my stitches , if that happens I'll be on bed rest for 8 weeks. He wants me to feel my limitations. I went back to work on Wednesday. I'm a 3rd grade teacher. I'm exhausted and bloated. I sit most of the day. Today I noticed a yellowish discharge that has a foul odor. I'm guessing an infection of some sort. Anyone else experiencing this or has in the past? Have appointment on Monday.

Your discharge may signal an infection; personally, I've never had that, but I do see them in this forum on a regular basis. What happens is that the surgical antibiotics upset the normal, protective balance of bacteria down there, leaving you vulnerable to these types of infections; in addition to what your doctor prescribes, I would recommend a probiotic supplement, or regular servings of live culture yogurt, to help to restore this balance. Best wishes for your continued recovery!

Well, your doc wanted to you to feel your limitations. You're certainly feeling them. :-(

I had a TAH myself with a fairly easy recovery, but there's no way I could have returned to a full-time job at two weeks. The exhaustion and bloating you're experiencing are pretty much the natural consequence of that. Try to arrange things so that you can crash as soon as you get home to get as much rest as possible before you have to return to work the next day.

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Originally Posted by basketballwife Hello, I had a total hysterectomy on Nov. 16, 2016. I went home that night, had my 2 week post op this past Tuesday. My dr took me off my pain meds due to doing too well. He is afraid I'll tear my cuff and then have to redo my stitches , if that happens I'll be on bed rest for 8 weeks. He wants me to feel my limitations. I went back to work on Wednesday. I'm a 3rd grade teacher. I'm exhausted and bloated. I sit most of the day. Today I noticed a yellowish discharge that has a foul odor. I'm guessing an infection of some sort. Anyone else experiencing this or has in the past? Have appointment on Monday.

Returning to work at 2 weeks is ambitious in my opinion. Although some women are ready and feel well enough to do this, many others are not. The exhaustion and bloating are standard signs of doing too much. Your body is still healing at 2 weeks and is protesting this amount of activity. Is it possible to work half days for a few weeks? It's so difficult to try to push through hysterectomy recovery; often our bodies just protest even louder!

Tips for Returning to Work

Can I Rush Recovery?

At about 10 days post op I had a strange odor down below and orangish discharge. I was worried about infection so I went to the doctor. All was ok, luckily. It is common to have a stronger or different odor as we heal. Bad or foul odor should always be checked by your doctor, as it may mean infection. Even if the odor is bothersome, remember to continue to follow your restrictions and no baths, doucheing or using scented feminine cleansing products. It's just part of the process.

Vaginal Odor While Healing

If you continue to work, try to put your feet up under your desk. Take a cushion for the seat or for your back. Let your family know you're not 100% yet and when you get home, you need to lie down for a while. Try eating frozen meals or take-out for dinner when possible, and leave clean up for your family. Your job is to rest from your day and prepare for tomorrow!