Ready or Not it's gonna happen Nov 20th

I have known for years that by the age of 40 I would probably have to have a hysterectomy, due to my family history. I am 37 and I am having a TVH-BSO on Nov 20th and have mixed emotions. How am I going to feel? Will my moods be better? How long will I be laid up? I am scared to death if you can't tell and need alittle bit of advise.

Surgery is scary especially when you have so many questions.

I kept my ovaries so I cannot help you with the hormonne part. Why don't you check out the hormone section of the site. I am sure that the women there can help you out.

As for the rest, I had surgery TAH and I am 35. I feel great and am happy that I had the surgery.

I know you are going to be fine.

Take Care

Hi Ogal,

Welcome. You've found the right place. The sisters here are warm, supportive and know just about everything you want to know about hysterectomies. You and I share the same surgery date along with Robin (Sunny814). I am really looking forward to having my surgery TAH/BSO. My Dr is planning on starting me on hormones immediately after but I may change my mind about that.

So anyway, just wanted to let you know that on this site, you are not alone. And I'm sure some of the sisters will have answers to your questions. You'll see. They are GREATTTT!


Karen

Hi, I to was very worried and scared. My surgery was Oct 24th and if I knew that it was going to be like this I would have had it sooner. I had my uterus and cervix removed but kept my ovaries. I am doing very well. You do have some discomfort, but I have yet to use any of my pain meds. The pain I had the past 4yrs was more than this. Wish I had the pain meds then . Also this site helped me very much and answered alot of questions for me. We are all here for you.

Welcome to Hystersisters, Ogal! It's very normal to be scared. The waiting is the worst part!

The initial recovery time for a hysterectomy is 6-8 weeks, and as my doc said to me, you will be out of commission for that long also. If you work you will more than likely not be going back for 6-8 weeks. The first 3 weeks you won't be able to lift anything heavier than a milk carton or at the most 5 lbs. This is a very exhausting surgery more than anything else and requires lots of rest to recover. I was really very tired for the whole 8 weeks, but of course it did get better each day. I went back to work at 6 weeks part-time. The first week 3 days, the second week 2 days and was not ready for a full week until my 3rd week back. You'll need to plan on having help for at least the first 2 weeks of your recovery and your activity will be restricted to walking from your bed to the bathroom at first and graduating to walking around the house, the yard, up and down the driveway, etc.

As far as moods, some women are pretty emotional after surgery due to anesthesia and just having the surgery itself. I have seen posts from women who have emotional ups and downs after their surgeries. I was fine in that department. I did keep my healthy ovaries, but I am 50 and my doc said they are pretty dried up, so he started me on HRT right after. I have had no problems with it at all. Some women have problems with insomnia after their surgeries...I'm sure for many different reasons..hormones, anesthesia, etc. In my case I think I had trouble sleeping because I was not used to being so inactive. As soon as I got back to normal activities I had no problems sleeping at all.

We are all different, having surgery for different reasons, and our surgeries are all different also depending on what problems we have.

There are many pull-down menus here that will give you lots of very good information. Take advantage of them, continue to post and read other's posts and you will gather information that will really help you during this time.

You will be in my thoughts and prayers! Love and s

Hi Ogal! Warm welcomes to the best support network for women & hysterectomy!

I agree with Miss Emma...except for me...I did not mind the wait! I planned my surgery so that Mom could be here, my SO could take time off when it was best for his company and him, my kids would be in school giving me less to worry about with them, and even so we could have a last little blow out for my birthday...which was three days pre-op!

I think that 6 to 8 weeks is a realistic timeframe...though I think you start to have noticeable improvements by 2 weeks...a setback time at 3 weeks when the stitches are dissolving, and then by that 5 week time, you are feeling pretty good with the exception of tiring easily. That was how it was for me...but we all heal on our own schedules. (I had a TAH)

I also kept my ovaries...so I can't help you on HRT issues...but don't forget "The Road Less Travelled" and "The Hormone Jungle" right here on Hyster Sisters! I can tell you that I had a few days where I certainly wondered if Doc did not in fact rob me of my ovaries too... but that was just some out of whack days!

I think it would be best for you to sit down and ask yourself in detail...what are you most scared of? There are a lot of aspects to this...the anesthetic, the surgery itself, the recuperation, the hormone issues, the sex issues...and then we can help you even more!

OOps...forgot to mention that we weighed a gallon of milk...and it actually weighs 9 1/2 pounds!! Can you believe that?! I was permitted to lift up to 10 pounds...this is another thing Docs vary on...

WOW - It is hard to get off this site! It's Saturday and I should have my hinny up doing housework but I just keep on reading!
Y'all are all great and I appreciate all the input! Why do doctors wait until the day before surgery to go over everything -- I am clueless except for this website on what is going to happen and what to expect!

Thanks for all the input and please don't stop I still have two weeks to go!

I agree, Ogal! (I keep wanting to type "Olga"...my ex-SIL's name!) It is so hard to get off the PC when you are having so much fun and getting so much great info, on HS!!

My Doc told me about the whole procedure, the day that we decided I would indeed be having it. Of course they tell you "their version" of it! I found out so much more...and made this HUGE list of questions for my Doc...after researching the internet. Odd that I never found HS until I was a few days post-op (And needing it BADLY!)....see..it really was a Godsend for me!!

I suppose some may wait until the day before, so that they are CERTAIN you are going through with it? Who could know?

Wanna know my biggest question I could not find any answer, anywhere?! (Please don't laugh!) If everything but the ovaries was going...and you are still ovulating...then WHERE does/do the egg(s) go??? REALLY! I did not know that!

O.K....stop laffin'...I'll go back to High School and pay more attention, this time!

Hi Ogal,

I am booked in on the 21 Nov for TVH and "pelvic floor repair".
Latter seems to be a nice generality for let's see what it looks like when we get in there!

This site is the best I have seen and cuts through all the gobbledegook to exactly what real people experience and do about their problems pre and post. I have to buy extra internet hours so I can rush to the site as soon as I am home from hospital.

With all the talk about gas pains I am putting big efforts into a health digestive system leading up to surgery: yoghurt up to my ears, abdominal exercises, plans to eat everything suggested like prune juice, more fibre rather than soft diet, etc. Also taking lots of Vit C, Vit B, calcium, Vit E until the moment I have to fast.

Good luck to you and others in our "week".

Bye,
Downsy