Have questions...need answers!

Hi all,

I am a new registrant to Hyster Sisters and am currently 12 days preop. Have a few questions that I'm hoping other people have some advice on...

I am a Weight Watchers lifetime member and have been struggling with maintaining my weight (I have gained about 10 pounds in the last year and am trying to get it off). All the health problems and, I'm guessing stress of wanting to get this surgery over with haven't helped the battle. Just wondering how the surgery, anaesthetic, lack of activity etc affected others...I am really worried about gaining weight!

How long were you actually off work? My job is 99% computer related, and I'm having trouble believing it will really take 6 weeks as the doctor told me!

Also, how soon were you able to return to exercising? I started karate in September and don't want to be off for too long. There's no sparring, it's traditional karate.

I'm in to my doctor next week for my preop visit and will ask him of course, but just wondering what info you 'experienced' sisters could provide me with.

Thanks for any advice/suggestions/details you can provide me with.

Tricia

congrats to you for being a ww lifetime...i too am in ww and have found it a little difficult to stay on track. My surgery is 10-30 and i have to say my nerves are having the best of me. You know the best advise they give us is if one day is no good start over the next day. as long as you stick to your points there is no reason to worry....your doing the best you can!!

Good luck with the next few weeks and you go girl!!!

Hi Marie,


First congratulations on finding your way to us. We will give you support, hugs when you're down, cry when you cry and someone is bound to make you laugh....You are doing your job, which right now gaining as much information as you can.

Knowledge is power, and you need all the knowledge you can absorb over the next few weeks, to understand what is happening to you.

The more you know you will feel less like a victim. You will be strong and able to advocate for your health with knowledge to back you up.

You didn't say what type of hysto you are looking at. A vaginal is faster healing, generally, than an abdominal. Both will have some important restrictions- no mowing the lawn, tilling the fields, hand diggin a koi pond, that sort of thing.....you know like picking up anything more than 7-10 lbs, vacuuming, re-arranging the furniture....

Those who have mainly sit down type jobs think that in just a couple of weeks they should be back to work; however they need to realize that just bending over to pick up something is going to major stress on an area that just got cleaned out of organs and filled full of stitches. The swelling alone can last 3-4 weeks

You will need to discuss with your doctor what his/her plans are; because no matter what you think, you wont be able to go back without a release from the doctor.

In reality it takes the body a WHOLE YEAR to completely heal from major surgery. 6 weeks is just till you can function again.

IF you are a really good girl, you might be able to cut it down from 6 to 4 1/2- but again it is the doctor who has the last call

You will have a hard time bending over to put on your shoes, pantyhose, pick up the pen you dropped at work. By 2 weeks you will be able to sit up for longer than it takes to tinkle, and you'll be thrilled at the progress. Walking back and forth to the bathroom the first week is a major accomplishment- but by 4-5 weeks you might have worked up to a mile.

Believe it or not, walking will be one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It helps things heal faster, as long as you don't push it beyond what your body can handle. just add to the distance a little more every day. baby steps.

You may well fnd yourself gaining weight due to stress....but I do not believe you will have a problem getting it off. You have already proven to yourself that you can do this


s to you new sister.....it will be fine


Dilu

I work on a computer too - and from home even. I started back to work part time at 3 weeks. Full time at 4.5 weeks.

If I had to go into an aoffice, it would have been 6 weeks. Sitting for long periods of time can be very uncomfortable - I did a lot of work on a laptop in a recliner or in bed on a bed tray thing.

Everyone heals and feels differently - but although the different kinds of surgery give us different looks outside - our insides all undergo the same trauma, stitches, moving around, etc.

One of the most important things we can do is take the time we need to heal internally - by doing too much, too soon, you can actually cause yourself harm and delay recovery even more.

Talk to your dr, get all the info you can and don't make someone call the pillow

I had a TVH in March and was out 6 weeks from work and I am glad I went ahead and scheduled it off. I had trouble sitting and right at 6 weeks it got so much better. You could schedule the 6 weeks, but if you are better and it is okay with dr you could go in earlier. It is hard to go in at 4 and then go back out if you would need to.

The surgery does slow you down and tires you. I found that it is real important to heal properly so to have less of a chance for complications down the road.

I started back with exercise at 6 weeks with okay, and just start back gradually. I was in shape when I had the surgery and I have not gained weight since the surgery. It is important to eat healthy foods, drink water, and walk some during initial recovery.

That is great that you are already exercising. It will be a lot easier to get back where you were before.


Good luck to you.

s

Hi,

I had a LAVH on 8/22. I was off of work for 6 weeks infact I just went back on Monday. I also have an office job and 90 - 95% of my job is at a desk on the computer & phones, the other 5 - 10% of my job is filing. I don't think I could of gone back any sooner. I still find that I have a hard time making it past lunch due to a sharp lower pain in my left side. I find it helps to take frequent walks, which I seem to do because I have to pee about every 45 mins since sugery. Before I would go once or twice at work. I'm just making up for the trips I did not take before My boss and team seem to understand.

As far as exersising my GYN told me I could go back to Curves in 6 weeks, but my Family doctor told me when I saw her last week she thinks it would be best for me to wait 8 weeks due to the fact that I am still have pain in my left side (She thinks I may have pulled a muscle from trying to do to much to soon, like picking up cases of soda 4 weeks post up so I have been in pain for the last 2 weeks) So please be carefull and avoid sales on Soda until you are fully recoverd.

Please listen to what you doctor says and take the time to heal. I thought when my doctor told me I would be out for 4 weeks he was nuts, but I found myself begging for 2 more weeks off do to being very tired, not able to sit for long times, and bladder issues.

Good luck my thoughts and are with you!

Sweety Tweety

Thanks for all the help and info. I am having an abdominal incision, so I'll take all your advice to heart and try to take it easy (I'm not used to that).

Tricia

Hi there! I had TAH on 8-5-03. I found that my weight didn't really change with all the non activity, but I do work out 2-3 times a week and found my muscles got "mushy". At 8 weeks I returned to the gym and that's getting better. My job is also mostly desk/computer related and I came back part time at 4 weeks. It will really depend on you and how you are doing. Good Luck!
Firewife