What should I expect??

I hope somebody can help me and set my worries at ease. I am scheduled for a TVH on Wednesday 12/10 due to 10 years of endo, newly diagnosed adeno, and also found out the reason for not having a period for the last 2 years...my uterus was folded in half and I have been bleeding into my own abdomen! I have been having increasing pain, etc...Anyway, I was wondering what kind of discomfort I should expect after my TVH. I have been reading posts which describe pain from abdominal sutures/staples, but I won't be experiencing any of that. Should I expect a swelly belly, swelling "down there," bleeding...etc.

Also, any hints on how to keep my weight down while "taking it easy" for weeks on end? I had a surgery 2 weeks ago and gained 4 lbs since then!

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

A huge "thank you" to all you beautiful princesses out there!

Bethany

Hi Hoffa,
I had a LAVH/RSO on 11/3/03 and just from my experance the healing time has been alot quicker. You will be sore as I am sure you know but after the first week all should be getting better. I was back at work 2 weeks after but remember rest drink lots of water and do as your told. Ohhh and take the pain pills you will need them.heehee.... Good luck and if you have any other concerns let me know I will help if I can.

Dee

Hi, Bethany,

I had a TVH/BSO. The worst pain I experienced was back pain, which surprised me. How bad? Well, let's just say I had the mother of all backaches, for about two weeks. The back pain was probably caused by the fact that it's necessary to cut the ligaments which formerly supported the uterus, during the hyst. Sitting up was painful, so I reclined most of the time. I found that ibuprofen helped my back pain far more than the narcotics my doctor prescribed.

I had no vaginal bleeding after my surgery, but some women do. I did have "swelly belly" for about six weeks. I also experienced a feeling of fullness and swelling in my vaginal area. I had bladder spasms, especially when my bladder was full, again for about six weeks.

The only form of exercise my doctor allowed while I was recovering was walking. I concentrated on eating right, and walked several times each day. I wouldn't recommend crash dieting while you're recovering, because you'll need a healthy diet in order to heal properly.

I hope this helps you to prepare. Good luck with your surgery!

Best wishes,
Helen