Surgery tomorrow...getting nervous now!

My total hyst is scheduled for tomorrow 7:30 a.m. due to a uterus that is the size of a 6-mon. pregnancy with very large fibroids. I am this morning a basket case of questions that for some reason didn't come to mind until today...when I'm supposed to be resting and enjoying myself!! So here goes...

When I first wake up, what kind of pain is usually there? I have a low tolerance, so of course this concerns me. Is there pain at the incision, pain in the whole stomach region? Is it mild, moderate, severe? Is nausea common? When will they want me to start walking? How does it feel when you stand up the first time?

Oh, God, I could go on and on, but this is enough for now. Thanks in advance for any insight anyone can give me. You girls are a blessing!!

Everyones pain is different just like we are all different. They will give you meds to keep the pain away. Don't be afarid to ask for it if you need it. My pain was mostly around the incision area. I had 3 c-sections so I was aware of what kind of pain I would have. They got me up and walking the same day as my surgery 7 hours or so after. The sooner you get up and walk the better it is for you. It lowers the risk of bloodclots, allows the gas to move and changes your mental outlook. Or at least it did mine. I knew that everytime I walked I was one step closer to going home. I couldn't sleep well at night so I walked the floor most of the night and surprised the nurses at how determined I was. They may not have been long walks but I did NOT was the gas to build up and be in pain from that. Good luck and know that the waiting is the hardest part. God Speed.

TAH/BSO

Hi there!I had my hyst last Tuesday. Still have my right ovary. I woke up & didnt really feel any pain. I was just really weak and tired feeling. About after an hour i started feeling the pain and they were super about getting that pain med thru my IV quick. I didnt feel pain in my incision areas, i think i just felt the internal pain. Felt crampy, not sure how to describe it. I think nausea is common because they told me dont be tough about pain or if i felt sick because they had meds for both. Standing up for the first time, i felt like i weighed double what i did. I think it was just from feeling so weak. The roughest time for me was before hand just waiting for my turn ya no? Turn it in to positive and just breath when you feel anxious, it helped me tremendously!I would start thinking bad thoughts and i would turn them in to good. "this is for the good, i will feel so much better after recovery, all the pains and troubles i have had for years will be gone" and i just took deep breathes and blew them out. Reminded me of when i was in labor with my kids HAHA. I no it is so nerve racking!I was a wreck for the whole week before. ! ITs amazing what a day will do when you are recovering, i am amazed!I no it talks about getting your bed ready/clean sheets blankest etc. I slept in my recliner for 6 days. I am finally in bed, but its because my husband missed me and he is lonely. But the truth is im glad he made me get back in bed. I missed him too and my bed and am sleeping much better. If you have lots of extra pillows they come in handy! I had one wedged under my back one between my legs and one to hug. I am not a back sleeper so all the pillows helped me be on my side. I just couldnt bare to lay flat or be on my stoamch. You will be just fine. i no its a scarey thing to have to go thru!((HUGS)) Amber

Hi Queen BEE!!!!! I`m a couple of day`s post op and I can tell you their pretty good at the castle about making sure you have no pain or nausea......they will be so very attentive to you in recovery as your anathesia(sp?) wear off............They will want to see you walk a few hrs. after you`ve been awake ....it`s the best thing for you and they`ll stay right with you as you walk Best of luck to you on your trip to the castle............((((((HUGS))))))

queenbee - I am right there with you. I am going tomorrow (19th) too. I am scheduled for 12:30 p.m. I just hope that I don't get bumped and have to wait longer. I am getting more and more nervous as the day goes on. I am at work now, so hopefully I will be kept busy and not have to think about it much. I haven't packed my bag or anything for the hospital yet (denial?). My prayers and thoughts are with you (and everyone else going tomorrow). We will be so much better off after this.

Diane

I had a TVH, but my pain was bad.An angel(nurse) was right by my side to take it all away and she did.By that night I also was up and walking.Take it slow at first and make sure you have some help because the pain med.'s came make up a little dizzy.


Walking also gets the bowels working again.The first time I got up it was a little uncomfortable, but it was not painful.The nurses are really good about keeping the pain away.

Well, about the pain, don't be brave. In the hospital, they always say, "On a scale of one to ten, what is your pain right now?" Even if you have had migraines and kidney stones and given birth and compared to those your pain is an 8.5 or a 9 at the moment, tell them "9 or 10 at least."

I say this because me with my stupid math mind (I am a dork)I was too specific and these particular nurses with their stupid not understanding me did not control my pain sufficiently the whole time I was there. One nurse (the smarter of the two, for sure) told me that it looked worse than 8.5 or 9 and I really should say it's a ten if it's a ten. I told her that it was a migraine in my pelvis and I couldn't bear it. (Eventually I caught on and started saying '10'.)

SO...I occasionally had brief moments of pain control, but I mostly laid there in pain. When they ask you, say 'ten'. Please.

Today I am one week post-op. My pain is so much better. I only feel it if I exert myself or stay in the wrong position. I only take pain meds when I feel that I must.

They will ask you to walk several hours post-op. To me, I thought they were insane and mean. I had complications and my pain wasn't controlled and now she wanted me to walk? Lunatic! However, walking, even a little ways, is important, as it gets everything moving. Soon I was walking back and forth to the bathroom every couple of minutes, it seemed.

You're going to be just fine. The way I saw it, the sooner I had the operation, the sooner my healing would get underway, the sooner I'd be out of the woods! Anticipation is the worst part.

I only wish I had done this sooner.

I would also add that you should make sure you have some gas-x and some stool softener at home. I'm glad I did.

You'll be fine. Let us know how it went.

Freemesoon

Hi QueenBee,
I am having my surgery on Friday. Mine is scheduled for 7:0o a.m. I think it is a good thing to have it first thing in the morning, that way you know will be on schedule and won't have to lay there wondering. Since I am new to this myself I can't give you much info about the surgery part except for the anthesia. I have got sick from it past and my doc said to let the anthesilogist know and they would give me something in my IV like Phenegran to help. Maybe ifyou explained you were concerned about it they would give you some meds to help too. Hope everything goes well and you have a speedly recovery! I will keep you in my prayers.