Recovery Time?!?!?

I'm back, and I know I'm babbaling and asking to many questions, and crying to much but it is so helping me at this time, all the women here are wonderful, and I respect their words of wisdom. I am also very thankful for the support that everyone has given me, I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found this website.

My newest question is this:

How long is recovery, from what I'm readying people are leaving the hospital 1-3 days after surgery. My GYN told me I'd be in the hospital for 5 days, and honestly I would love to go home way sooner than that.

How long does the serious pain last for? If it is only a couple of days, I'm sure I can deal with it at home after the initial time is over?

How long till you can, drive a car, or play in the garden?

What is the time frame for sex? Does it hurt after? My husband is afaid he "Won't be able to get the car in the garage", (I think that may be wishful thinking on his part!!)

I know that everyperson is different, I was just hoping for some guidelines, and the women on this website are amazingly intellegent.

Thanx so much

Hi Cobowoman, First of all I want to send you a big hug and tell you everything will be fine.
I had a tah on a friday and went home late monday night, they wanted me to stay another night but I put up a fuss. The pain differs for all sisters, some say it felt nothing worse then a menstral cramp, some say it's the worst pain they ever felt. For me I hurt pretty bad for awhile,of course the more you do the more you hurt.
The typical time frame for sex seems to be about 6 weeks, for me it didn't hurt, there were postions that were uncomfortable. You and dh will have to experiment and relearn your body and what feels good for you. Take it slowly and be patient, just because you don't orgasm the first couple times does not mean it won't happen again.
Driving, the time frame differs also on that, most seem to be able to drive in 2 weeks. My dr. told me 4 weeks, he didn't ant me hurting my incision by slamming on the brakes.
It takes time and just because your six weeks are up doesn't mean no more pain, it means to go back do doing things slowly. At 5 months I still have swelly belly when I do alot of things, even when I do minimal things sometimes it swells.
Good luck hun!!

I would ask your dr. why s/he feels that you'll be in for 5 days and what you can do while in the castle to get released sooner. Basically, once you are managing your pain well with oral meds, urinating well, and showing signs of your bowels returning to normal, they will let you go home. ETA, that you are eating well too. If you have uncontrolled nausea/vomiting, you'll get to stay at the castle.

Every one is different in the healing process and every dr. is different as to what they Rx based on their experience and your case.

HTH,
Rhonda

I am 6 weeks post op. Don't apologize for asking questions. This is a wonderful site and it is for this very reason.

I had a TAH because of "huge" fibroids that were growing, belly the size of a 5 month pregnacy, periods that lasted 8-15 days, bleeding to death (or thought I would), cramps, etc. I say "huge" because the young resident Surgeon on my team of doctors called them that. He was really cute. I digress....excuse me.

Anyway, start a list of questions to take to your pre-op visit. My GYN just had to smile. My list was very long, I even included the questions DH had. I started with the suggested list that is here on this site and added to it.

Every surgery and recovery is different. Some have more pain or have a higher tolerance for pain than others. Everyone of us is different. Our hospital stays vary....depending on the route of surgery as well as other procedures we have done at the same time.

My doctor said my stay would be 3-4 days......I spent 5 days due to some minor complications. Your doctor won't keep you any longer than he/she feels necessary. For me it was having my pain under control and on pain meds by mouth, eating, bladder and bowels starting to work. I did end up coming home with a foley catheter for 3 days. This had to do with the complication.

My bad pain lasted at least 10 days. I had to get a refill on the Vicodan to take at night. But remember everyone is different. And true recovery can take up to a year from what I read here. My doctor said, rest, rest, rest for 6 weeks....NO Vacumming, mopping, lifting or sex for at least 8 weeks. But you find some doc's release for some of these activities sooner. Ask you Dr.

My Dr. said I could drive as soon as I was off all pain meds. I drove at 3 weeks.......I got home, said nope can't do this again soon.....started driving at 4 weeks. And now at 6 weeks I try to limit it to one trip to get my daughter from school (16 mile round trip on rough roads). The giggling of the truck makes my belly numb and uncomfortable. It is getting better.

I haven't played in my garden yet. I'm afraid I will overdo. Have given up all hope of a winter garden. DH and DD don't think about watering and pulling weeds. What's that?

And on the sex issue.....you will find some are released as early as 4 weeks, some not for 6 weeks, I won't be until at least 8 weeks (I won't see my doctor until then), and some even longer. And I must admit, I am scared it is going to hurt. DH has started a count down!

And the "car in the garage issue" was one of my DH's main concerns. We knew I was going to lose my cervix. Fibroid had invaded it! So length was at issue. My Dr. said that there would probably be very little change. Not enough to notice. I have a vaginal cuff. There is alot about this issue going on in the posts right now on the Post-op board. Those of us that are now getting close to the date to be released for the activity are scared and worried. So you may want to check some of those out.

I do believe knowledge is power! And that a educated patient is a wise patient.

And this is for all you Pre-op sisters. Those of us that are post-op don't always remember to post that we are having a good day. Hysterectomy is major surgery and some of us have complications. That doesn't mean you will or you won't. We come here when we are scared or have questions to receive support for the things that are happening to us in our recovery. The best advice that I have received from the Sisters is DON'T OVER DO IT. If it causes pain...then STOP! And if in doubt always call your Doctor.

And on a happy note. I am having a good day. I am going to do the dishes in a bit. And then watch a "chick flick" and wait on DH to get home from work. And by evening old will have appeared and I'll be a little tired. But every day it does get better.

My best to you all,
Theresa

Thank you for all of the great information. I agree with the children and DH not knowing what to do in the garden. Yesterday my DD and I cleaned out the whole garden, I have boxes and boxes of green tomatoes, don't know when I will get around to making pickled green tomatoes, but maybe DH will if I supervize from bed!!!

I will take it one day at a time, and let my body tell me when to stop. My mother is threating to tie me to bed (as is DH) as I'm a very bad recovery person, always trying to get up and do things before I should.

For once in my life, I will allow myself to heal (both physicaly and emotionaly) and let everyone else take care of me.

What is the reason for the swelly belly? Is it because of the surgery?

My gyn said that I would be in the hospital five days. I ended up going home in four. I probably could have gone home in three put I had not passed gas.

Pain depends on the person. I never really had any pain (I was just very uncomfortable at times) since I received a shot in my spine for pain management. I only received something in the recovery room for pain.

My doctor says I can drive at 2 weeks. I cannot wait!

Good luck with your upcoming surgery - you will do fine!

I'm not a medical person, but it is my understanding that the swelly belly is from the trauma of having things shuffled around inside. Everyone here says that it does eventually get better. I know that the by the end of the day (especially if I have been up alot) it seems bigger. But when I get up in the morning it has gone back down.

And in the past 6 weeks, I will say when I have had a problem and I did call my doctor.....she said, "You are doing too much! Rest, rest, and rest some more. I'd come here and look for answers too and the Sisters always say you are doing too much! And the reason for resting and not pushing it is the chance of developing adhedsions. That is scarring inside I think. My Aunt has had to have additional surgeries because of adhedsions and severe pain and problems with her bowel because of it. That has been her main advice to me....Slow down and heal, it will help prevent problems in the future.

I will take it slowly, Thank you for walking me through all this, it is a scary thing to have done.