TAH recovery comparable to C-section recovery?

I am to have a TAH on December 12th. I have had 2 c-sections and was wondering if any of you post-op ladies have also had c-sections and would you compare the recovery to the recovery you went through after c-sections. Or is the hysterectomy recovery worse. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Barb, I go to the castle 2 days after you and I was asking the same thing. I went c-section with my first child and had awful pain afterwards. Well one of the post op ladies in chat told me it was worse than a c-section. Not alot of hope or what I wanted to hear, but I guess it's best to go in knowing the worst. We will survive though, they all say get good drugs and use them in the hospital. I intend on following their directions.lol. Best of luck to you.

Okay Ladies-
To answer your question, NO, NO, NO! Recovery from a hyster is nothing like c-section! I have had 3 c-sections so I am speaking from experience here. I will admit that before my hyster I had always believed that to be true (ducking from Twysmiling's swing, lol).
I am 7 1/2 wks. post op. My recovery has been for the most part uneventful. Different than my c-sections is the fact that I had hot flashes and night sweats from the first week through my 3rd week post op. That I have been tired, and still am tired half way through the day. This kind of tired is one that sneaks up on you. Your going about your day feeling fine and within 10 minutes you feel totally wiped out. My belly still swells. In the morning when I get up it is it's normal size (can fit into my jeans) after being up for 2-3 hours it is swollen. By the end of the day it is about 3X it's normal size. At the end of the day, I have pain in my abdomen. Nothing really bad, but enough to be annoying. And the more active I am during the day, the worse it is.
I have not done anything yet! No vaccuuming, lifting,etc. So all of this is coming from just being "upright" all day. I am 35 years old, in good health and far from a hypocondriac. I have had 13 surgeries with my hyster and have recovered (up till now) in what the Dr. considered record time, lol.
So the moral of the story here is plan for a long recovery process. Don't expect to be 100% for at least 6 months to a year. (after 2-3 months you will be markedly improved and pretty much able to function as you did pre-surgical, but you will still have days of fatigue and tummy swelling).
You have to remember the difference here. With this surgery, you are losing organs. Major ones, that help your body to regulate hormones, etc. When you have a c-section they only take out the baby (which isn't something that is a permanent part of your body).
Give yourself time to heal, don't expect too much of your body (listen to it) and know that even though the road to recovery can be long, in the end you will be so much better off!

I totally agree with KAT. Had two previous c-sections and had convinced myself this would be same, no sweat. So, when I wasn't feeling as good as I thought I should was sure I must be nuts, and just get over it.

Did many things I shouldn't have trying to push myself to feel better. Had TAH/BSO on 10/31. This is totally different. Much longer recovery. Most of the discomfort with the c-sections was from the incision and stomach muscle. The pain now is all on the inside. The pulling, burning and swelling did not happen after my c-sections.

You will find yourself unable to bounce back as quickly as you think you will. Let your body be your guide. You will know when you are and have been doing too much, it will hurt. So stop everything and rest, it really does help.

I am now 4-1/2 weeks post-op and still try to push myself to get things done. At the end of the day, feel like I've been run over by something.

Yesterday went shopping and by the end of the night, had to lay in bed with otc meds and heating pad to try to feel better to get to sleep.

Everyone has said it will get better, and some days I know it has.

Hope this helps!!

Thank you all for your responses. I think it's good to know this before the surgery. I was thinking it was going to be about the same thing. It's good to know it isn't going to be. I was planning on going to my daughters 15 minute preschool Christmas concert on the day of discharge but now I think I will plan otherwise. I'm going to hate to miss it but I think I will have my DH borrow a video camera and tape it for me instead. And thanks again ladies. Not what I wanted to hear but very helpful information. I am so glad I found this site!