Upcoming hysterectomy 2/9: I live 5 hours away from hospital.

I have surgery scheduled Feb. 9. (next week) They hope to do a laparascopic procedure but warn it may not be possible due to my weight, in which case they will do a TAH with oopherectomy. The nurse who gave me pre-op instructions at the cancer center said I should be able to handle the five hour ride home the day after release if someone drives, of course, and if I get out and walk every half hour. The roads are paved but can be rough and icy through the mountains this time of year. One 100 mile stretch has no services like gas stations or restrooms and spotty cell service.

I'm trying to figure out a schedule for my driver, but from my reading here it seems most people would not like to travel that soon. Could anyone give me advice on how soon after surgery I should be able to travel home? I have a place about 1 1/2 hours from hospital where I can stay with friends for a few days, but I hate feeling unwell at somebody elses house.

Hi Radieux to HyserSisters!

How soon you can travel that distance is a difficult question. Everyone is different, but you will definitely want to have someone else drive.

I know I would not have wanted to travel that long that soon, but understand you wanting to go home. Explain the 100-mile stretch scenario to your doctor. You may still be able to get out and walk a bit. You will also want to have a pillow.

I had a TAH BSO, and was in the hospital for 3 1/2 days. The average stay in the US is 3 to 5 days.

Thank you for your kind reply. I was told my hospital stay would be 1 to 2 days if all goes as planned, and 4 to 5 days if I need a larger abdominal incision.

I had a TAH with a three-day hospital stay and a two-hour ride home. I was already off narcotics by the time I left the hospital. The nurse gave me a dose of ibuprofen about an hour before I left. I also took 50 mg dimenhydrinate (Gravol, Dramamine) as I always get motion sick, but it also has the effect of making me drowsy. In this case that may have been a plus. :-) (Do *not* mix dimenhydrinate with narcotics without checking with the medical personnel first.)

I got in my friend's truck and we just drove, with a restroom break at one hour. I think I would have been okay with a longer drive as long as there were restroom breaks. (My body was carrying a lot of retained fluid at this point.)

My friend brought a small flat pillow for me to put between my belly and seat belt, which was great. She offered a choice between her car and her husband's pick-up. I opted for the pick-up as having a smoother ride. I'm 5'10" and was able to use my arms to pull myself up into it. If I'd been shorter, I would have needed a step to get into it.

PS The nurses at the hospital encouraged me to walk around a bit and sit upright in an armchair starting the first day after surgery. I wasn't too keen the first day but was much more so the second. This helped me prepare for the ride home.

I had the lap with vaginal hysterectomy. I left the hospital about 24 hours following surgery. My ride home was about 1 hour and I didn't have any issues. I did not accept any pain meds following surgery and didn't take any for my ride home (wish I would have). I used my belly pill between my abdomen and seat belt worked perfect. I was able to recline the seat back to be more like a recliner which was really helpful. A pillow behind my back and head would have been nice though. With such a long ride, I would request to stay at the hospital as long as possible till they kick you out and ask for pain meds before leaving the hospital to help with your ride. And since you have a place you can stay 1 1/2 hours away I would see if you can plan a stop there with a possibility of 1-2 night stay, you will better know what you can and should do when the time comes but it's better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Contingency plans for this type of transport is probably your best bet. Speak with your dr. and see what his/her best suggestions would be. Best of luck, hope all goes well.