2 months post hysterectomy on 11/4: if i could tell you anything it would be

Black Cohosh has been a miracle fix for me. It helps with body aches and depression as well. It even helps with energy. I am taking 560 milligrams.

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Originally Posted by NothingElseWorx Thanks Corky. I guess what made me click on this was "what would you tell a newbie" and when I read it all, I thought, no one is talking about emotions and depression which have been the hardest part for me. In the end, I couldn't really afford therapy and all these different doctors. They prescribed me a lot of different things, a couple of them I took, and a couple of them I didn't. But I disagree that they aren't addicting. It took me six months to get normal after taking Paxil for a year (15 years ago) and I don't know many people who are able to get off psychiatric meds once they start. So I am just living with it. It's tough right now and I am being negative--ovulation is the worst. I didn't ovulate for 20 years because of the pill, and when I tried to get off the pill, I grew a bunch of fibroid tumors, and that's what led me here. So the hard part is adjusting to a new hormonal normal and dealing. On another note--the only really hard physical part for me has been the bowels. 14 months out I am just starting to get right, and I could have done it sooner if I had understood that you can have a BM every day and still be chronically constipated! Look at the Bristol Stool Sample Chart--not pretty, but the single most important piece of info that nobody told me but I am glad I finally figured it out on my own! Probiotics and Miralax were the answer for me. I was afraid of Miralax because stool softeners and laxatives produce violent results and I didn't want to face that pain again, BUT Miralax is totally different, it truly is gentle.

NothingElseWorx; First, after so much 'healing' time, it sounds like you are feeling better. Your post was interesting and helpful to me because although I am only 8 1/2 weeks past my surgery, my biggest issue (and most painful) has been my bowels. None of the preparation for this surgery or expectations of how I would heal ever prepared me for how I would literally have to learn my body all over again. The cramping I have experienced has been similar to contractions and debilitating at times. Very hard to explain to anyone who has not been through it. For me, I saw a gastroenterologist who prescribed Librax, which has been very helpful to me. Eliminated most of the severe cramping and seems to be giving me a chance to heal and regulate my bowels. I drink water consistently and cranberry juice, nothing carbonated, and just appreciate the hours I can be comfortable. I have had to completely change my diet as well, but I consider this all a process and realize it will take time. I also wanted to thank you for the info on Bristol Stool Sample site, although not pretty as you said, very informative and so helpful to understanding.
Thanks for sharing your post..and wishing you to feel better each day...

I love this site! 💜💖 and Yes i agree with you that HysterSisters provides the most valuable information ever. My Gyn/Surgeon was so casual, making me feel like this wasn't even a major surgery.... I've never had surgery before... but I Learned Today!

I wish I would have found this site earlier in the game... Thanks for your post sis! 😊

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Originally Posted by corky1 I am doing well...really at end of this long journey...TAH on sept. 4th...I thought today...if I could tell a "newbie" anything...it would be "you'll be taken out of your life for about 6 weeks"..it seems no one mentioned this ..like no dr., nurse...only hystersisters prepared me... yes the pain isn't the worse thing...(for me)..I mean I've had worse dental pain...but the recovery involves so many adaptations to one's life for awhile...I'm so surprised no dr./nurse prepares a woman..there should be pamphlets explaining this...i.e..you won't be lifting wet laundry, you probably won't take out the garbage, you may not be able to respond to friends on telephone for first week..you'll sleep continuously, you'll have good days and bad..recovery isn't linear...you'll have odd aches, cramps, bowel problems you've never had before...but all in all this is normal and just the way it will go...you may not feel like socializing, shopping...tastes will change..etc..etc...it's all on hystersisters sites but from my experience this is the only place that informed me...I was comfortable...made it this way and enjoyed my time off work and had few post op problems...but I didn't know how patient, courageous and creative I was going to have to be with my life for awhile..i'm pretty much back to normal now...so I think..as I lay here napping..if I was to tell a woman anything...it would be.. "you'll be taken out of your life for 6 weeks..you'll be doing a lot of things differently or not doing them"...but you get there..your life comes back...this is what I'd say..

Thank you for posting this Corky 1. It really does help a Newbie. I will be 4 weeks post op on Jan. 1st and you really do put your life on hold for 6 weeks. I'm getting better everyday but it helps to read posts like yours, it gives me encouragement.

I'm up on six weeks. I think it's been a mixed bag, recovery wise. I bled quite a bit for four weeks. It worried me a bit, but now I'm just having a light looking spotting now and then. I still feel a lot of pressure at times, and twinges here and there, but the biggest surprise was how tired I was for so long. I'm a up and get it done type person, and for three weeks I had to really be very self aware and slow moving. Even until this last week I was uncomfortable sitting and standing up - probably because of the additional repairs they did to my bladder and rectum. That was really the most difficult. Now however, each day is noticeably better. Thank goodness!

Thanks Sherripreston, I am glad you are on the mend, and I think it will happen sooner for you than it did for me because you took action to see a gastroenterologist right away. I wrongly believed that my pain was coming from my cervix and that I was just taking a long time to heal (felt just like the cramps from my old mess of a uterus!) Love and Blessings to you all in the New Year!!!

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Originally Posted by corky1 I am doing well...really at end of this long journey...TAH on sept. 4th...I thought today...if I could tell a "newbie" anything...it would be "you'll be taken out of your life for about 6 weeks"..it seems no one mentioned this ..like no dr., nurse...only hystersisters prepared me... yes the pain isn't the worse thing...(for me)..I mean I've had worse dental pain...but the recovery involves so many adaptations to one's life for awhile...I'm so surprised no dr./nurse prepares a woman..there should be pamphlets explaining this...i.e..you won't be lifting wet laundry, you probably won't take out the garbage, you may not be able to respond to friends on telephone for first week..you'll sleep continuously, you'll have good days and bad..recovery isn't linear...you'll have odd aches, cramps, bowel problems you've never had before...but all in all this is normal and just the way it will go...you may not feel like socializing, shopping...tastes will change..etc..etc...it's all on hystersisters sites but from my experience this is the only place that informed me...I was comfortable...made it this way and enjoyed my time off work and had few post op problems...but I didn't know how patient, courageous and creative I was going to have to be with my life for awhile..i'm pretty much back to normal now...so I think..as I lay here napping..if I was to tell a woman anything...it would be.. "you'll be taken out of your life for 6 weeks..you'll be doing a lot of things differently or not doing them"...but you get there..your life comes back...this is what I'd say..

corky1
What a great way to describe this experience!! I am going into week 9, feeling better each day, still struggle with bowels but as I said in an earlier post, it is a big part of recovery. (just wish I had known what to expect in that regard Hearing from other people such as yourself is just very comforting to me especially on some days when you feel like you take a step back instead of forward. Positive thinking really works!! Thanks for your post!