overwhelmed

I am still overwhelemed & I don't go in until June 17th for an abdominal Hyst.Any advice etc would be most welcomed. I am worried mainly about recovery length & pain etc. Please feel free to share anything with me.

...and welcome to this great site. So glad you found us...

READ as much as you can here and please ask any and all questions as they come up. The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked!

Recovery time, whether for a vaginal OR abdominal hysterectomy is generally the same 6-8 weeks. You'll probably be feeling a lot better way before that time, but you must not overdo it...you only get one chance to get your recovery "right!" Plan on having someone home with you for at least the 1st week post-op...after that, make sure your care-giver "sets" you up before they leave the house...i.e., phone, water, TV remote closeby!

Pain meds are great! As long as you strictly follow the dr's instructions, you'll be fine. The one mistake I made was thinking I should "wean" myself off the meds as soon as I got home---not a good idea. Staying on top of the pain by not letting any "lapses" occur will help you heal much faster~!

Good luck...we're all here for you. This is a great support site!

Hi, Chi!

You're definitely at the right place - And there's so much to learn, it would be impossible to tell you everything you need to know in one reply. There are so many boards here that will hold answers for you. I think you should browse through prior and current posts, and see what the ladies are talking about! I'm sure you'll find info that will apply to you!

If you have specific questions, start a post about a certain topic and there'll be plenty of us to tell you what you need to know! In the meantime, just take your time and look around!

I remember when I first became a member here, my biggest concern was my dramatic weight loss. I received much support my my dear sisters. I can never thank them enough.

One thing I can tell you for sure is this: For me, my hysterectomy was the best thing I've ever done. I haven't felt this good in years!