dVH/RALH: Will recovery from hysterectomy be like myomectomy (fibroid removal surgery)?

I am 9 days away from dVH/RALH, and just wondering if anyone in "Hysterland" has had surgeries to remove fibroids (mymectomy) before they had a hysterectomy?

Is the pain and recovery comparable?

Just trying to get a feel for what I am in for...thanks, in advance for sharing!

I did not have a myomectomy, but I wanted to respond so that your post moves back up to the top since some of our sisters have had both types of surgery. Good luck to you!

I'm wondering too! I may have to try this if Ins won't cover the H.

Well I guess I can answer my own question now that I have had both types of surgeries.

Actually, I have had a myomectomy surgery by the traditional "open" abdominal method, and also by laparascopic surgery, and now a hysterectomy by daVinci method.

I would say that the daVinci was very similar to the laparscopic surgery. The thing is, the first time you step out of that hospital bed, it all feels the same at that point...ouch! But the recovery is much faster for the minimally invasive methods.

I did have a small set-back, about 3 weeks after surgery, I experienced severe abdominal pain and my husband ended up taking me to the ER.

Evidentally when they do daVinci hysterectomy, they take out your uterus in pieces, sorry TMI, I know, and sometimes there is some tissue still sort of stuck (to what I don't know?!) and it will eventually break free. I had LOTS of bleeding all of the sudden after the pain...like blood clots and the whole shabang.

I had NO bleeding what-so-ever after my surgery until this happened, so I initially thought I had done to much (because I felt so good) and this was the result of my bad behavior, but in the end, I think it was just going to happen at some point.

Now, I am 4 weeks post-op and still have some slight bleeding. I am wondering when it's going to finally stop. Sheesh, I am glad I didn't throw out all my pads.

All in all, I would recommend the daVinci hysterectomy. I had to drive a couple hours to get to a hospital with the robot, but it was worth it!

Good luck to all. :-)

SamandScruffy: I'm having the Davinci on 7/20/09 -- so thank you for sharing a little bit of your experience.

I hope you will continue to do well!