6 mos post-op partial - exhaustion

I am about 6 mos post-op of a partial hysterectomy. I was told there would be little to no effect on my body once I recovered from surgery. But I am absolutely EXHAUSTED. Prior to surgery I could work out 2 hours a day, work a 12 hour day and still come home with energy. Now, I'm lucky to work out 1 hour a day, work an 8 hour day and make it to bed before my legs give out! And I'm starting to gain weight. Not sure if this is due to the surgery or a change in hormones.

Anyone have any ideas if this is due to the surgery? I'm not on any hrt because I kept my ovaries. Please help! I want my life back!

do you feel like your ovaries started working again after your surgery? sometimes they dont..have you had your hormone levels checked? how about your thyroid?

I am at 5 months tomorrow and only just feel that I really have the energy to get through my normal working day. Although I sit at a computer all day I work in a stressful, high pressure environment where I have to use my brain and I had thought that I left that behind me in the castle until very recently!

But to get me through a 9 hour working day and the 2 hour commute I am having to have a full 8 hours sleep during the week and 9 or 10 hours at weekends

We really don't get told the truth pre-op. Initial healing is 6-8 weeks and total healing is anywhere from 6-12 months.

Try to look back at how you felt 4 weeks post op and how you feel now, I'm sure you will notice a huge difference. I know it is frustrating and I too want my life back. I know I am getting there and I am hoping that over the next few months I will find ME again.

Woody - what kind of surgery did you have? If you had your uterus and your cervix out, you actually had a TOTAL hysterectomy. Removal of just the uterus and leaving behind the cervix would be a partial.

I'm right at 6 months post op from my TAH (Total Abdominal Hysterectomy, removal of uterus and cervix through the abdomen) and I still get tired from being on my feet too much. But this tiredness is nothing compared to the sheer exhaustion caused by all the bleeding I used to have - especially since it caused me to be anemic.

My ovaries are working but I have experienced some hot flashes recently - and the night sweats. It might be coincidence since I'm nearly 44, or it might be caused from the surgery, because often the ovaries will stop working because of the reduced blood flow to them after surgery.

I have to get rechecked in January and I am going to get my hormone levels checked then. You might do the same - you didn't mention your age so I'm unsure where you are in relation to a menopause possibility.

Also what Maty said - I can compare myself to how I felt 3 months out, when I still had twinges, and pain when I sneezed, and a great deal more tiredness. Now I don't have any pain at all, just once in a while I feel my ovulation (and my face still breaks out like a teenagers when I'm ovulating) - BUT NO MORE AUNT FLO !!!!!


(I do need to get in better shape, that's probably my biggest problem)

Woody:
I agree with all of the above posts... I am almost at a year and still have to take a nap occasionally, but it is not that down to the bone exhaustion I had post surgery... Look at your gains, keep focusing on the positive..
And listen to your body... if you need rest, do it... the healing is still going on. Now if we could only get the doctors to be honest with us pre-op....

Hi Woody,
I'm nearly at 5 months and definitely experience both things people have said. On the one hand I'm immeasurably better than at 2 months but no where near where I'd like to be -- but for me it's not only physical exhaustion (which for me manifests as needing tons more sleep than I think I used to) as the emotional stuff. I kept my ovaries but had mini menopause right after surgery with night sweats. That's stopped but I'm having acne and breast pain. What a thing!
It makes me feel better to read people's responses to you because I thought you were supposed to be all better by 6 weeks.

It sounds to me though that you may be someone who pushes herself very hard and as a close friend of mine always says to me, Be Good To Yourself! You already sound like you're doing three or four times what many people EVER do!!!