New here, hysterectomy (LAVH) scheduled for 7/13 Questions about stairs

Hi all, first off, this is a wonderful site. I have found a lot of answers to questions I've been having (and feeling sheepish that I didn't ask more questions of my doctor after we decided to go ahead with the surgery).

I have a diagnosis of adenomyosis, possible ovarian cyst (my right ovary is always kind of "angry" especially at ovulation). I've been having digestive problems for a long while now, then my bladder began acting up, and adding lower back pain and random leg numbness into it...we decided it was time. My doctor said he suspects endometriosis but won't know until he "looks around" in there. This is the doctor who delivered our last child and we trust him.

I homeschool and have four kids, all of whom are awesome and a husband who is completely on board with helping me recover. I joked that I should reschedule so I can see the newest Star Trek movie in the theater this summer and he said, in all seriousness, that he would get me there in a wheelchair if I wanted.

Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and thank you ladies for helping me research preparing for this big step in my life. My only concern is we have a lot of stairs in our house...our bedroom is below the first floor, so there's stairs down there. Though there is a full bathroom with a shower down there as well, I am afraid I'm going to feel a little imprisoned for a while. I know walking around early in recovery is a good thing, but it's going to be hard pacing around the basement! Any advice for stairs in the first few weeks?

When I had asked my doc about stairs, he said they would be uncomfortable to go up and down. Take it slow, rest as you need to as you are going up and down, and hold onto the railing. It will get easier over time. The key is listening to what your body is telling you from a pain and fatigue perspective.

I'm with you on Star Trek! Love it!

Best wishes for your surgery.

Hi and welcome,

Please speak to your doctor as soon as you can for advice about climbing stairs. It really depends on your specific surgery and unique needs and only your own doctor can decide.

From my readings, it appears some doctors are strict -and say NO stairs for the first week, and than, only one trip up and down daily for the next 2 weeks. Other doctors say do things in moderation. A lot may depend on how you feel after surgery.

Good luck and take care.

Hugs!

Thanks! I had a c section 16 years ago and remember then that my doc's orders were only one stair trip a day. I will ask. I'm not worried about running the household or anything, just being able to poke my head outside once in a while.

My dr reassured me before I even had time to ask that stairs were ok. Falling is the thing that you are mainly trying to avoid, which she told me to do by using handrails and not carrying large or awkward things up and down. For me, it was not really uncomfortable, just take it slow. Check in with your dr, I had no restrictions at all on stairs.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by samcarter1701 My only concern is we have a lot of stairs in our house...our bedroom is below the first floor, so there's stairs down there. Though there is a full bathroom with a shower down there as well, I am afraid I'm going to feel a little imprisoned for a while. I know walking around early in recovery is a good thing, but it's going to be hard pacing around the basement! Any advice for stairs in the first few weeks?

I'm glad you have a full support system with your family! I have a trusted doctor as well whom I've seen through my no-kids days to now, and it's a good feeling.

I agree that tackling stairs depends on your surgery and how you recover. Part of it is the fact that you'll have multiple internal cuts and stitches as well as the external, and part of it is you'll likely be on some strong pain meds that make you woozy. Climbing stairs takes abs stability to hold you steady, and the surgery weakens that quite a bit. We have two sets of 6 steps leading from our driveway to the front door and from our garage to the kitchen. Upon coming home, on Day 1 post-op, there was no way around it. My doc said to take it slow and easy, and the advice I got at a Hyster-prep class said, if you must traverse steps, put one foot flat on a step, then bring the other on to the same step - I did this to get inside, and my husband was right by me.

Other stair cases I avoided, and the prep class suggested moving your base operations to the main floor if the master bedroom is upstairs. By Day #11 when we visited mom-in-law and the guest bedroom is upstairs, I was able to take a regular stair case, but I did so slowly. Not all women are ready at that point - and that's where you'll want your doc's guidance.

Remember to take it easy when you get to the other side - you can't hurry your recovery.

Samcarter1701... I'm so glad you asked the question about stairs! It's on my list of things I needed to find out as well. We only have 3 stairs in the garage for me to go up but our Master bedroom, with the comfy mattress and full bath, are upstairs and that's 15 stairs!!! Upstairs isn't all that bad and all but I"m thinking if I can't do the stairs then I'll get a good ole' Queen size metal bed frame and have my Hubby bring down the mattresses.from the Guest room and set it up in the family room for a few days or however long I need. We DO have a couch in the family room but it's over 20 years old and even a great leather couch gives up after awhile. I have to sit in a certain spot with a pillow behind me as it is, just to be comfortable. And I think it would be easier to get up from a mattress than this couch as well.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Calligraphy Samcarter1701... I'm so glad you asked the question about stairs! It's on my list of things I needed to find out as well. We only have 3 stairs in the garage for me to go up but our Master bedroom, with the comfy mattress and full bath, are upstairs and that's 15 stairs!!! Upstairs isn't all that bad and all but I"m thinking if I can't do the stairs then I'll get a good ole' Queen size metal bed frame and have my Hubby bring down the mattresses.from the Guest room and set it up in the family room for a few days or however long I need. We DO have a couch in the family room but it's over 20 years old and even a great leather couch gives up after awhile. I have to sit in a certain spot with a pillow behind me as it is, just to be comfortable. And I think it would be easier to get up from a mattress than this couch as well.

Looks like we'll be having our surgeries around the same time! While I'd like to be on the main floor, no bathroom there in our old house. My handy DH put a shower in the bottom floor, so I'm good to go. I'll have to rely on my crew here to fetch food and such, but I'm not worried. If anything I'll probably be shooing them away so I can rest!

Yes.. I go in for my pre-op on 7?14 and have surgery on 7/20!

My Step Daughter will be with her mom so it'will just me and my Hubby. We do have a bathroom on the main level but no shower since both of ours are upstairs. I wouldn't mind being upstairs with the shower, bedroom, and all that if it was only for a few days if I can get up there to begin with. But if it's going to be much more than that and I can't go up and down the stairs very well, then I might opt for the main level just so I can see more of the outside and not feel as cooped up. It's really going to depend on what type of surgery I end up having to go with I think.