long drive after hyst?

I don't have mine scheduled YET but I have a question for you ladies that are post op.

I'm hoping to have mine scheduled for late May or early June. we've been planning a trip to CO (I'm in WV) for over a year and I'm trying to figure out if this may still be possible, like in late July or August. my SO will be doing the driving in our nice, very comfortable van (it's a Mark III custom van) so basically it would just mean sitting in the van for the drive and then staying with my mom while we're there.

I'm mostly concerned about the drive itself. from what I've been reading even that will be an issue for a while after surgery, when would it be ok to consider a drive that long? thanks for any answers

hi lady meatball


i am nearly 4weeks post op now and i braved going in the car yesterday for the first time.i also drove.but i did only go on a short run of 10minutes and im fine.had a cushion in between my scar and the seat belt for extra comfort. i would imagine a long journey might be uncomfortable and tiring because even sitting in a chair in my house for two long can get uncomfortable and i have to lie down and put feet up and stretch out.
but sayng that everyones recovery period is different. some ladies have no probs getting about whilst others including myself have a slighty slower recovery but i think i have been TOO carefully because im always worried of doing internal damage.
why dont u go before your op?

hope this helps and have a nice trip if u do go.

thanks for the tips

	Quote:
why dont u go before your op?

yeah, we're discussing that and it was the original idea...I just don't know that I can do it, even with the major painkillers I'm on. I put all this off for too long as it is, waiting for us to have the money. I can't really put it off much more...

The risk of blood clots is very real after surgery, and immobility increases that risk. My opinion is that you would need to get out at least once every hour and walk, even if it is only to walk around the van once or twice before continuing on.

Exercises you can do while sitting are....rotate your feet in circles at the ankles, wiggle your toes, point your toes towards your knees, or anything else that will keep the blood circulating in your legs.

Whether travel soon after your hysterectomy is advisable is really a decision that needs to be made with the help of your doctor.

Although I was very fortunate not to have to deal with pain or swelling, I did have to change positions frequently. In a car, that isn't so easy. Some women have difficulty with the seat belt hitting the wrong place. Frequent stops would be necessary, as Catherine said. You should really discuss this with your dr. first... Enjoy your vacation, whenever you decide to go.

I had my surgery 12-13 and we drove 3 hours home for Christmas - I wouldn't do it again. Course, I had had a bladder infection and the antibiotics didn't do anything the first round and before I left, my urine was clear - it wasn't until we came home that I called because I wasn't doing so hot and they said over the weekend my sample showed I still had the infection. So I'm sure that didn't help. But those 3 hours there and 3 hours back were not good. That wasn't even two weeks though. A month . . . I don't know - if it were me, I would wait and have the surgery when you get back from vacation if you can. That way you will enjoy it so much more. I thought I would be walking the mall at four months and it didn't happen. I a pretty healthy 35 year old who was exercising 45 to 70 minutes 4 - 6 days a week before surgery - and it wasn't until 2 months that I started to feel halfways normal again. Way longer then I ever thought it would be.

Good luck! Rachelle

thank you all so much for the replies! I do intend to talk to the dr about this but I won't see him for another 2 weeks or so and figured in the mean time I'd get some personal stories. I figure the more info the better, right?

shameless plug - we have pics of the van up at http://www.meatballfabulous.com/ilrezingaresco/ . it's a luxury van and is extremely comfortable and rides very smoothly so I'm not really concerned about comfort while riding in it (with a tummy pillow, of course!). I have been in massive amounts of pain recently and actually get more comfortable in it than the furniture at home! we've budgeted a rest break every hour anyway since we'll be travelling with 2 children and two pug dogs, I can get out and walk then. still, I don't know...at this point everyone would be Honkerblonked (oh, that replacement is too funny!!) at me if I put off the surgery any longer so if the trip doesn't happen after surgery it would mean putting it off until next year don't want to do that at all but getting this over and done with has to be top priority.

:sigh: we've been looking forward to this trip for over a year now...figures

Ladymeatball - everyone is so different in their recovery. I love traveling in our Tahoe too and had the seat adjusted. We also stopped halfway and spent a few hours with family that live in between. It just takes a lot out of you. You wouldn't think it would, but it does. You could still plan it and see how it goes - I know some women that were driving themselves the day after the got out of the hospital. I had one friend that didn't even stay in the hospital overnight. And that is why I thought I would be back to myself at least by 4 weeks - I wasn't prepared for it to be even longer. I know the infection I had didn't help and is probably why it took even longer. And the only reason I had the infection is because I had to have a catheter put in on day 2 and the nurse was not very nice about it - it hurt like heck going in and it hurt coming out.

I do know if you do plan the trip, and you don't feel up to it - if you are like me - you'll go anyway. That is what happened at Christmas. My husband's family was all going to be together for the first time in 7 years and my kids were so excited to see my family and my husbands that I didn't want to let anyone down. My doctor wasn't going to let me go and if she would have told me no - then I would have stayed home but since she didn't . . . well, we went anyway.

I guess you have to think of going on this trip and not being a 100% or taking it next year and being able to enjoy it all. I am still taking naps some afternoons when I get home from work and it's been four months. Just be prepared to not be a 100% and then if you are, wahhooo!!!! You are one of the lucky ones!

Rachelle