hysterectomy in February

hi, my name is stacie and i am 36 years old. I am having a hysterectomy in Feberuary. I Have two children and I am very nervous about having this done. I do not know what to expect after the surgery. We have planned a vacation for the end of March. I am wondering if I will be able to go. My greatest fear is that they will find something when they open me up. As of now I have no cancer. just a lot of bleeding and fibroids. My body has completely changed, I am very swollen all over. Will this go away?What happens after the surgery? I have already had one surgery, and that was not to bad. thanks for listening. Any reply would be helpful.

Hi Stacie! I'm sure you will do just fine. You are in the very worst part....the WAITING! It's a time when every imagination and fear can run through your mind. You will be having major surgery so that's normal. I felt the same way and I think most ladies here did.

Is your surgery at the beginning of Feb. or the end? If it's at the beginning you may be o.k. to go on vacation, but I would certainly clear this with your doc. You will be very tired. My doc told me that this is not so much a painful surgery as it is a very exhausting one. That proved to be very true in my case. I was very stiff for a while, but really had very little pain, and as I said, I was extremely tired for abut 8 weeks. After that I was beginning to perk up a bit, but I still had some tired days.

Has the doc said why he thinks you are retaining fluid? You will, more than likely, experience what we call "swelly belly" after your surgery. This is something most of us have had after.

I wouldn't worry too much about cancer. I had that same fear because I did have precancerous cells, my main reason for having my hyst. Everything was fine though. And, I like you, had fibroids which my doc did not know about even after a hysteroscopy and D&C. They were intramural so I think they were hidden in the lining of my uterus. When he got in there he said my uterus was very distorted with a large mass. I had lots of bleeding too.

No question is too silly to ask. Just ask away. And here are some links that may help you while you wait:

Anxiety and Freaking Out Before Hysterectomy

Pre op Hysterectomy Articles

Take care, Stacie! Sending s and more s!

Sherry

I too am scheduled for Feb.6 after putting this off for 14 months. I'm extremely bloated, cramping, back and stomach pain, generally miserable. Scared to death? Yes I am as I don't handle pain very well and that is my biggest fear. Cancer is always in the back of my mind but I don't have any reason to believe they will find anything other than what is going on now. I just discovered this site and when I saw your note I wanted you to know that I feel what you are feeling and hope everything goes well for you. Please keep in touch. Will you have abdominal surgery? I have been told that I am not a candidate for the 'bikini' cut because my uterus is so large and so far into my pelvis. This upset me terribly, not for vanity reasons but I have heard this is more painful/difficult.
Again I hope all goes well for you.

I think it's a normal for people to have those kinds of fears when they're told they need surgery. I did it too & have heard from others of the same fears. As they say...the greatest fear is of the unknown. Just take comfort in knowing that this surgery will get rid of those pesky fibroids & bleeding. You didn't say which mode of transportation you will be taking for your vacation or how long it will take to get there. If driving, I would stop periodically to get out & walk a little bit. On a plane or others, you can do it without having to make them stop. Don't be afraid or embarassed to ask your dr any questions you may have & of course, you can always ask here. Good luck with your surgery & I wish you a speedy recovery.

Hi, Stacie and ACassell! Welcome to HysterSisters, best site on the web for support and comfort and info! I think it depends on whether you have a vag or abdominal hyst, too. I wouldn't have been ready for a trip at 3 or 4 weeks post an abd hyst, but some ladies here have felt pretty good at that time after a vag hyst. With both, though, initial healing takes 6-8 weeks and you need to rest as much as possible during that time to let your body do the work of healing. The first couple weeks, you only take short walks for activity, and the rest of the time must be resting with feet up. Then you can slowly increase activity, but nothing strenuous that might cause abdominal swelling (no lifting, vacuuming, being on your feet for long periods of time, etc.) Pain is somewhat worse with an abd hyst, but controlled very well with pain meds. After the first week or so, you probably can control it with over-the-counter meds like Advil, and maybe take a prescription pain pill before bed if needed. In the hospital, the dr and nurses will work to keep on top of the pain so it never gets overwhelming. (You may have an IV where you administer the medication to yourself by pushing the button as you need it.) I think you'll be very glad you had your hyst when you're over the first couple weeks of recovery--you'll feel much better and be getting healthier without all the bleeding and uterus/ovary pains. However, if you have an abd hyst, you must not think that it will be like a C-section or simple surgery. This is major surgery and healing can continue for 6-12 months, so you may not feel 100% for almost a year. I feel great at 6 months post TAH BSO and feel good on HRT. Continue reading everything you can on this site and ask questions you think of. We'll try to help and make you feel more comfortable about having surgery. Hugs and best wishes!
Ruthie

Hi Stacie,

I know what you mean about being afraid they will "find something" when they are poking around in there. When I was about 15 my doctor dismissed my problems as "probably endo, but there's nothing we can do about that", and put me on the pill for 23 years. I didn't *think* I had endo, but in the back of my mind was still afraid my doc would find a mess. Turns out, when I finally did have a laparoscopy (before my hyst) that I had no such thing - just fibroids which, thankfully, are simple to get rid of. I had asked my doctor for photos, so now I have pictures of my innards, which are all healthy, clean, pink, and perfectly normal. There's a very good chance that you will turn out just the same. It's great knowing that someone has actually *looked*, and found *nothing* interesting. So I hope you will have the same experience. Keep your mind focused on that possibility - or at least try to give it equal time when you're worrying about finding bad stuff.