1 week post hysterectomy: Vision distortion or numbness from intubation?

Hi there,

I'm just over a week post op from a robotic assisted hysterectomy. The surgery took longer than the surgeon initially expected, 4.5 hours vs. 2. Apparently I was a mess inside. Two side effects I didn't expect were 1) my vision to be impaired. It's about 90% what it was pre-op. Supposedly it was due to edema from the length of the surgery. Is this a common effect? 2) Numbness on part of my tongue. The feeling is similar to novocaine wearing off after a dentist appt. It isn't quite as intense as it was the first few days but it is definitely still there. I mentioned both of these to the nurse prior to discharge. I was told the vision would continue to improve with the anti inflammatory (it has) but not much about the numbness issue. I'm guessing it's from the pressure of the tube. Anyone else have this? And how long before it went away?

Not the vision but the numbness at the tip of my tongue. My nurses all said it was side effects from the breathing tube during surgery. Sometimes it gets placed just slightly wrong and puts too much pressure against the tongue. I'm 1 week post op and it is just now starting to alleviate some.

My vision was terrible and drove me crazy after surgery too!! 1 week out and about 80% back now, up close is still rough. What a way to make me feel older with reader glasses hanging off my nose after a hysterectomy lol! Tongue didn't happen to me, but I am a hygienist and can say it will return. Just as the nurse said the breathing tube probably put pressure on the nerve and "bruised" it. I have heard of it taking 2-3 weeks to be back to normal again. In the meantime, be careful eating so you don't cause a sore from biting it. Best wishes to your recovery!!!