Recovery wardrobe - How big is big enough? - Discomfort comapred to A C-Section?

I ran around different stores last night looking for a "recovery wardrobe". I know this sounds vain but I have lost 30 lbs since February and have maintained my weight loss for three months. It killed me to look for big, loose clothes! I got rid of all my old, big underwear and sweats - had I known that I was having surgery, I proabable would have saved them (although if I had known about surgery, I probably wouldn't have worked so hard at changing my eating habits either!)

I bought sweats and a couple of "lounging outfits" to help me feel "dressed". I bought everything one size too big. Now that I've read a few posts about swelly bellies being like a 5 month pregnancy, I'm concerned that I should have bought X-large instead of large. My hyst will be done abdominally - am I underestimating how big I will get? How long will it be until the swelling subsides enough to wear my normal clothes?

I also saw a post about your pajamas shouldn't be "slinky / silky" . Why is that? I had a C-section 11 years ago and found that my silky stuff felt better because it didn't bind like cotton did around my middle. Should I compare my future "discomfort" level (I refuse to say pain) to my C - or will it be worse because "parts" are being removed?

I have so many questions, i don't even know if I should start a new thread for each one! Argh! The pre op jitters / anxiety is hittling me bad today.

Thanks!

Sugery scheduled for 10/15

Hi there,

I had a TAH with vertical incision on 9/3/02. My fibroid was pretty large (18 week uterus) so my stomach, even with swelly belly, is about 3 inches smaller than before surgery...I have lost 12 pounds or so too since surgery...I am short (5'2") so this makes a big diff on me. I didn't have much of an appetite when I got home and ate much smaller meals than I was used to. Everyone seems to be different. Some are more hungry...it may have to do with the hormone thing.

I have basically lived in cotton stretch pajamas...the elastic waist comes above the incision which is pretty long an goes up beside my navel...It does seem that everyone enjoys having a few pants with elastic for when they have to venture into the world or some type of jumper or such. I am comfortable in casual, soft rayon pants with elastic that still look nice with a button style camp shirt....I am definitely looking less pregnant than before surgery, but everyone is a bit different. Maybe it depends on how big your parts are they are removing.

Best of luck with your sugery...let us know how it goes.

Debra

i would consider my belly about five months pregnant looking. i wore size 4 before surgery, i bought size 7 panties and they barely fit. I cannot fit into ANY of my pants. Even the one's that used to be big on me or my old comfy sweat pants. I had to borrow some for now until I can get to the store myself. Each person is different. some don't even get swelly belly at all.

I have been looking at wal-mart and they have some really cute jammies. They have some that say princess with a crown on them. I am going Monday to buy 3 or 4 new jammie shirts for after my surgery. Thats all I plan to live in.

Hi...I am scheduled for a TAH/BSO later in October. I have had two c-sections and when I asked my doc if the pain would be similar...he said not really....that there won't be cramping like you would have from your uterus contracting and trying to get back to normal...but more of a gassy pain. I don't know for sure since I haven't been there yet. Hope that helps a bit.

I also visited Walmart and found those wonderful cotton pj shirts and bought a couple. I plan on wearing my hubbies sweats after...just as I did after my kids...I just hope I don't have to live in them as long.

I have read other posts regarding the support undies...I was wondering how soon after the surgery would these be comfortable to wear?

Take care

I guess I'm lucky, in a way, that I usually wear my clothes loose, so I won't have to buy a lot of new stuff. But I did buy some "shaping" undies, on the advice of both the women on this board and a personal friend who had surgery 6 weeks ago. I only went one size larger, because I can't imagine they'll provide much support if they're too big. And I'm SO hoping I'll come out of surgery smaller, like DebraRH, due to the size of my fibroids.

(I guess I'll know in two weeks whether my recent weight gain was due to growing fibroids or nervous eating!)

Anyway, I've decided not to overthink it all too much. If I got the wrong size, I'll just ask someone to pick up some more. I love the idea of sending my boyfriend to the lingerie department at Macy's!

Buy some cute jammies with elastic waistbands. Seems the big jammies allow me to pull them up high away from my tummy and I feel like I look a little more attractive than if I was wearing sweatpants all the time.

I'm not the cutest, sexiest thing right now... with my big belly and bruised parts. But showering every day and putting on a little eyeliner, mascara and cute jammies has made me feel better about myself.

Grandma undies and extra big stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!

That settles it, I'm going to Walmart this afternoon to check out their PJ's! Hopefully, I can get finished up with work soon and will have some time before Survivor starts! (Hubby said he'll fix dinner tonight..)

Thanks so much for everyone's responses. My fibroids aren't that large so I'm not expecting any weight loss or a reduction in my girth.... Despite my recent weight loss, I still have a belly. I am worried about gaining though. I'm a stress eater. Last night I had to make myself stop eating those mini oreos by the handful. Perhaps my fear of my first bowel movement will keep me from over eating after surgery!

The post about C-sections being more crampy vs. gassy helps. I'm going to ask my Dr - but I am not sure how accurate his answer will be because he's a man! I don't remember cramping so much - just that my incision was so sore - I guess there is no getting around that one....

Unfortunately, my husband is not a very big guy so wearing his sweats are not an option. I guess that I'll keep tags on everything I bought and wait and see if it needs to be exchanged (although I shudder at the thought of my husband trying to find the right size, handling the exchange, etc.).

I read on this link https://www.hystersisters.com/fifteenthings.php that we will discover just how much we spoil our families.... I'm such a control freak, that presently I won't let anyone else load the dishwasher, do the laundry, do the grocery shopping, etc because "they may not do it like I do it"!! (Note - I HATE to cook so I'm always willing to give that job up.) My laid back sister had a TAH a year ago and laughs when she thinks about me letting anyone do "my job" when I'm recovering. Hopefully, I'll not only feel better but will come out wiser too and learn to accept a little help once in a while. (I'm not sure I'll ever officially be laid back though - I'm a Type A all of the way)

Thanks again!

This may sound like a dumb question, but if your tummy isn't already swollen with fibroids and the like are you ladies saying that after the hyster it will be swollen? Please excuse my ignorance.
Twosister

Twosister,
Everyone is different from what I have a read on here. I am still waiting to visit the castle so I don't have the experience yet to share. But it seems that some women do...whether they have fybroids, etc, or whether they don't. I think your insides get tender and swollen and sometimes the incision site can be the same way..it just depends on the person. And no question is silly or "ignorant".....we don't find out answers if we don't ask...and everyone here on this site is so wonderful.