TAH ahead

I too am having a TAH on Feb 12th. I heard about site from the nurse doing my pre-op testing today. I have done no prep for this. I think I have been in complete denial. I am starting to get pretty nervous about this, but reading things on this site made me realize I have some preparing to do before the 12th. Best wishes to all of you.

Getting things ready and setting up the house for my trip back home from the "Castle" have been very therapeutic!! Nothing like cleaning and reorganizing to keep the jitters at bay!! I am so glad to have found sisters that are scheduled for the same date.....

I'm also scheduled for tvh Feb 19 so i don't have many words of experience. however i can give some encouragement. just hang in there. we will both soon be on the post op side and i'm sure it'll be over before we know it. i'm a little scared too but i know it is just the unknown that bothers me. we will both be just fine.

I'm really thankful that we can go through this together, and come out the other side to pass our experiences on to others who are waiting.......

Just realized i put wrong surgery date on my first post. Surely I'll be forgiven. Mind going so many directions, can't even type what i'm thinking.

My menstrual history has been dotted with irregularity, spotting, heavy bleeding, etc, but nothing like what has been experienced by most women on this board. But one day last August, I started my period a week early, and something told me that I was headed for a hysterectomy. Sometimes you just KNOW. I guess the fact that I am 51 and had started thinking about perimenopause made some alarm bells ring. The bleeding never stopped, and over the Labor Day weekend, the dam broke. That night, I had a nightmare that I was at the doctor's office and I passed a blood clot that looked just like a bloody human brain. I woke up and thought that the dream was telling me that I had lost my mind! hahahaha!!!! So, I went to the doctor, had the tests, blah blah blah and sure enough, I ended up with a TAH/BSO. The result is that I am no longer anaemic and my digestive system works a lot better! I had a bulky uterus that was pushing on my intestines, and they weren't happy.

Thoughout the experience, I had very very little surgical pain, but gas pain was awful. Didn't last long, though.

I'm not doing HRT, but as time wears on, if I need it, I will consider it.

I didn't have any emotional upheavals. I was just grateful that all had gone well and that my health was preserved by the op.

I do not feel less of a woman.

I did what had to be done and I don't look back.

Well I am 1 week and two days post op and i feel really good. I am so glad I went through with the surgery. I had my doubt right up until I had the surgery but I can now go to the bathroom without laxatives. (just using colace a softner due to the pain pills) but I feel really pretty good. No hot flashes yet and no mood swings and I had my ovaries taken too. I guess that can happen later. Good Luck.

I was also scared before my surgery. I agree that the info. on here is wonderful and most women feel the way you do before the surgery. I was really nervous about waking up in the middle of my surgery. You know, how the horror stories go. As I was laying down on the table, my anesthesiologist was pushing something against my forehead that was a little uncomfortable, so I asked him what it was. He said it was to monitor my brain waves so that he would know exactly how asleep I was. That made me feel so much better. Once they started to give me the meds. to make me woozy, my heart started to race. I didn't think I was that nervous, but the alarms started going off and the anesthesiologist said "are you that nervous?" I told him that I didn't think so, he gave me a little oxygen, and that's all I remember. So many people asked me before my surgery "are you scared?" or "Are you nervous yet?" which didn't really help. Just remember that these people are professionals and this is stuff they do every day. I don't know if you are religious or not, but I also prayed a lot before surgery and even while they were prepping me. I was worried about being away from my job, being away from my family, not getting housework done, etc. But once it's over, all you need to worry about is getting better. Let your friends and family help you in any way they can. So many people brought us food and helped my husband out with the kids during my stay at the hospital. I'm 10 days post-op and feel pretty good with all things considered. I am taking it one day at a time, and am really enjoying my time with the kids lately. They've had several snow days so they are home from school. Good luck and try not to worry!!!

Hi All! It is nice to know that we are going through this together and that we will soon be on the post-op side! I can't wait! UltraNifty, I know what you are talking about! I have been cleaning and organizing and making lists and checking them off - LOL! It's a great feeling! It will definitely be time to rest once my hyst day arrives! We will all be fine and sooo grateful to be Uterus free!
CapeCodder
TAH/BSO scheduled for 02/12/09

Hello - my hysterectomy was 4 years ago - I do remember vaguely that there was constipation for about a week after surgery; there was some pain for a few days (not as long as I'd expected) but in general, looking back - it really wasn't so bad. The only thing that lingers is tiredness - I'd say you mus tbe patient with yourself on that score. Be gentle and obey your body. If it says..."I'm done, I want to curl up and snooze" - do it, spoil yourself because you'll certainly get better quicker if you REST a lot and give yourself plenty of time to recover your energy. I'm back to normal. I swim, run, bike-ride, perform in a rock-band and make wonderful love... life is great. The surgery is now a faded memory that was needed and is now almost forgotten.
Say a prayer - God will see you through it all and you'll be smiling again - down the road a bit.
All the best to you Sister, Kimmie.