Wondering

Hi :confuse:
I have been gathering medical opinions and now am a bit confused. My reg. gyn suggested a tah because of possible endo. and adhesions in addition to uterine prolapse. I went to 2 urogyns and they both suggested lavh and then a tah if they saw problems. The second urogyn said if I had a lavh I'd be up and around after 2 weeks and able to go to my college classes, etc. Just won't be able to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for 3 months. My husband seems to have planted the 2week recovery info into his brain. I had previously heard that the reconstruction of vagina and rectum are what slows a person down much like the tah, because of all the muscles that are cut and repaired. So now my husband expects me to be almost normal 2 weeks after surgery. Is this a realistic expectation? If it's true I'll be thrilled, but if not I think I've just been set up to look like a whiner and lazy bum if I'm not running around after 2 weeks. Gretchen

Think of it as being "walking wounded". It's possible you'll be able to walk around (getting a rolling bag for your books). You'll want to park close to your classes. You may be able to go to class. But then you'll want to go home and do your studying lying down. I returned to my sit-down job part time at 3 1/2 weeks and full-time at 4. But when I got home each night, I got horizontal and pretty much stayed that way. I did start going back to weekly dance classes at 4 weeks, with doctor's clearance. Exercise was good for me, within limits. My DH covered all the other bases at home, and I needed that. At 10-12 weeks, I had another bout of exhaustion and he had to pick up more housekeeping slack again.

There's a difference between being able to do what you have to do, and being back to normal or better than normal. So, it's true, but it's not.

Hi, Gretchen,

Different women have very different experiences with recovery after a hysterectomy, and I think it's important to keep an open mind. I'd encourage your husband to keep an open mind about how long it will take for you to recover, too.

A few women might be able to attend college classes two weeks after hyst, but many other women would not feel well enough to do so. Two weeks to "normal" is not realistic, for a lot of us!

It might be helpful for your husband if you print information about recovering from a hyst, from the pull-down menus on the Hystersisters home page. If your husband is able to accept the fact that many women require six to eight weeks, sometimes longer, to begin to feel "normal" again, your recovery will be easier for both of you. Here's a link, to get you started with useful info for husbands:

Hysterectomy FAQ for Family and Friends

I hope your recovery will be smooth and short. It's really important to take all the time YOU need to heal, because you only get one chance to heal properly. Rest, drink lots of water, walk, and rest some more. I hope your husband will give you permission to heal, too.

Sending healing hugs,
Helen

thanks for the replies. Denise, I really appreciated your explanation regarding your recovery. Good idea about the bag with wheels. I have been hauling everything around in a huge tote bag as well as a backpack crammed full! I do realize that every woman is differerent, plus the problems aren't identical or in identical spots so that makes for a variety of recoveries. It sure would have been nice if the Dr. had mentioned that. My husband is usually patient and very sweet, but this is getting to us. I do understand his wishes to have everything back to normal (I feel the same way!)
Princessh, thanks for showing me the FAQ link. There's so much to see and I don't know my way around yet! Gretchen