TAH Any tips for an unprepared hyster to ease recovery?

I had a TAH on Tuesday morning, after my doctor found a large mass Monday afternoon. There was barely time to pack a few things for the hospital. Thankfully, the mass was not cancer, but a torsed (twisted) ovary that was rapidly becoming more necrotic. I'm sure recovery would have been easier if I had been able to prep ahead of time. Any tips to make this time more comfortable? I have been searching the site on my phone as I can't yet sit at the computer, but it's not very efficient. Thanks for your help.

Take it easy easy easy.

Let people help if they offer it to you.

I have made a fort of pillows on my bed where I can rest. I lay at an angle so Im not straight up if I want to sleep and Im not flat where pressure from my belly makes it hurt.

I have also found that I could never have enough water so keep as much as you can near.

When you can get up and walk a little even if its just pacing the room a few times. It keeps the blood flowing and makes you feel better.



I hope this little bit helps. Heres to a speedy recovery!

just keep trolling thru this site,you will find help.i dont know what i would've done if i hadnt found it.i had TAH
1st week total houserest.do you have someone helping you w/ housework?or will? if not ,dont be like me,let it go.just forget about house.
you usually dont drive for 2 weeks.i felt like sloth around home and did too much too soon.my family acted like i was on vacation.so dont move around too much they'll think you're better.
you're only better 40%6 weeks,80% 6 months 1 year full recovery.that's what the stats are on this type.
have bottle of motrin or advil handy.i thought liquid-filled helped better.
try to do mini-baby steps around house.believeit or not ,this does help w/ BM's and gas.
have heating pad and icepack handy and ready to go.
i dranks tons of sweet tea.
dont overdo it even if you feel really good. pace yourself.if you can take a full 6 weeks off,do it. i felt the best @ 8 weeks though but then i overdone it quite a bit.so just be careful.
no pushing things especially vacummn cleaner.
stay away from stairs.
good luck to you-hugs

Have family or friends gather these things for you:

Practical Items: Soft toilet paper , stool softener, gasx, thermometer (so you can confirm if you have a fever), hydrogen peroxide (incision cleaning), hot pad for your back, small pillow to cover your stomach (helps to cover so you can protect from pets etc or so you can rub to make it feel better).

Entertainment: Magazines (first couple days it is hard to concentrate between nape), books for the next couple weeks!

Make sure you walk around when you can or do "airplane exercises" if you cannot walk much to keep blood circulating. Higher seat furniture is easier to get in and out of once you can sit. Use your arms to get up and down from bed and chairs rather than using your stomach / back.

Ask someone to help get the things you use most to the counter level so you don't reach up or down.
Best wishes on your recovery!

Before you decide to move such as getting out of bed or standing up, take a deep breath then move as you let the breath out. That helps with keeping the tummy muscles relax and it hurt a lot less.

Drink lots of water, eat well, walk as much as your body will let you (as soon as your tummy feels heavy, it is time to go horizontal) and rest a lot.

If you are dealing with gas, there are a number of things such as gas x or moist heat. Moist heat is done through heating a damp towel, wrapping it in a dry one and applying it where you have the gas pains.

It takes 6 months to a year to be completely healed so look at this recovery as a marathon, not a sprint. Without any major complications, we are about 40% healed at six weeks, 80% at six months and it takes a full year for us to get back to 100%.

I hope this helps!

i discovered the wonders of the ice pack today - works wonders.
let people help you and do things for you.
get plenty of rest.
pillows, pillows, pillows: you'll figure this one out.
many bleesings for a speedy recovery

Excellent advice by all the others, just wanted to stress again, takes a lot of time to heal, and you only have the one chance to heal properly. Take your pain medicine if you need it. I am almost 5 weeks and over did it today and needing dilaudid tonight. I thought by week 3 I would be making suppers, chaffeuring the kids, going for a pedicure. Not, not, not. I can't e en do stairs yet without bleeding. Some people can but increase your activity very very slowly. Wping the kitchen counters still hurts. ReAhing up to middle shelf for a cup still hurts. Get family to put everything you need on the counter so you don't reach up or down. Even reclining on couch or chair is not as good as laying flat, need to lay flat lots. Stay in your pjs so people don't think you are better too soon. Take All the help offered and ignore the mess and dirt on your floors. If no one else cleans it up, it will still be there. I have a robot vacuum, awesome help, not that I could even move it til this week, but could get kids,to put it on in kitchen...to keep it from becoming a hazard zone. Good luck and come here often. Luckily I got an iPad before this as even laptop is too hard to hold, pull towards you. I am just now doing that. Hugs

Thanks for all these tips. I didn't even think about ice!! I just had hubbie go get me an ice pack and the relief is wonderful! The hospital did give me a little pillow and it is my constant companion. I should name it!! I do need to lie down more though. Yesterday I think I sat up too long, even though it was in a reclining chair. Today I will stay in bed more. Thank you all again. So glad my doc sent me to this site.

i would recommend a lot of mini-baby steps,believe it or not it does help everything fall into place.i hope you start feeling better soon but your mind will be telling you to GO!GO!GO! but your body is gonna say NO!NO! listen to your body.just rest a lot and read a lot of books or watch useless t.v. programs.unplug your phone and only answer or use when you feel like it.i got bad nervous about telephone and ending up unplugging it.i hurt so bad i didnt want to talk to anyone at all.watch out for those well-meaning ppl. that you know will get on your nerves.that way no hurt feelings.dont do any house work,let it go,your house will still be there when you recover,please dont let it drive you crazy.keep ahead of your pain,take pain pills on regular schedule even if no pain.this helps to stay in front of pain.hugs