How did you prepare for it ?

Hi
I am near Preston, lancs. I have not got a date for my hyst yet . But would like to hear how you are all doing after the op etc.. I have a lot of odd emotions swimming about in my head, how did you prepare for it ?
Deenic

Hi deenic

My surgery was three months ago, and I'm doing well. I still get tired and achy if I do too much, but every single week is better. I had my surgery due to fibroid-related pain, and I am very happy to say that the pain is gone.

As for how to prepare for it, well, it was hard for me. My emotional journey was challenging. I didn't want to lose my uterus at all, as I felt like it was an important aspect of my female identity. I am a person who wants to understand every little detail, so part of my preparation included doing a lot of research. In addition to reading through a lot of the resources here, I read a variety of books from the library, including both anti-hysterectomy books and others that were more encouraging. I wanted to know everything I could.

The other thing I did to prepare was to become addicted to HysterSisters. The women here allowed me to vent, question, fear, analyze, etc., and I was greatly comforted by the fact that so many other women were having the same thoughts and fears. I learned that all of my emotions were totally normal and that other women really understood me.

What are some of the you've been experiencing? Let us know how we can support you.

Hi Deenic

Pre op is a scary place to be as you have no idea how you will feel post op. I had imagined all sorts of scary things but the reality was so much better :-)

I knew that the op would be good for me in the long term but I was a basket case before it. I read lots of the pre & post op threads on here so that I was well informed but you do have to remember that most women go through this process with few setbacks or problems and they don't hang around for very long so it tends to make things a little one sided.

As far as the practical side of preparations, I started to stock the freezer by cooking larger quantities of meals & soups and freezing half in single portions. I started buying non perishable stuff for the larder and to stock the cupboards so that by the time I was post op the only shopping needed was fresh bread, vegetables and milk - I had done so well we didn't need to buy soap powder or toothpaste for 10 weeks!!

Once I had my date I started to work out who would be around to help me post op, cleaned the house & made sure all the washing was up to date and set up my recovery area.

If you have specific questions ask away - nothing is too silly or out of bounds for us hystersisters :-)

Hello Deenic,
I used to live in Cheshire, just down the road from you!

I was so sick and tired with my periods and my life being ruined by them. In addition we tried all kinds of other things before hyster, including two failed attempts to remove the fibroid, two IUD's (which both came out). So I was mainly excited about the surgery and could not wait for it. One of course worries and thinks of all bad things, but for me it was all about the long term improvement and the miracle of not having periods any more.

I am now 3 weeks past my LSH and the recovery has been quite smooth. I only had major pain for about 6 hours, and then the occasional gas pain, some significant. I had major help from friends for the first few days and still get occasional help with things I cannot do. There are those little things, like you cannot put socks on etc, that you never think of until you are sitting their with a sock in your hand and going "how in the heck..."

Getting fully healed is a long process, but I am fine with it and happy I made the decision to have the surgery.

I am 9 months post op, and so far feeling great. Preparing for it was simple, I was prepared to let go of the pain, bleeding and back aches that ran my life for so long. I had rupturing cysts on my ovaries ( ended up in ER one week before surgery), and a uterus that was full (over 12) of fibroid tumors. I am still down 27 pounds from surgery, down to a size 12, and I am feeling pretty darn good about myself.

Just by going to this site, you are preparing. Ask your doctor a lot of question- no question is stupid. Read all you can, not just the horror stories. Also don't dwell on the superwomen who are back to their jobs in a week and riding horses the next. We all heal at different rates. Listen to your body.
The hospital part was easier for me than the post-op period. It is VERY IMPORTANT to have somebody there with you the first few days. You will not believe how many things you drop and can't pick up! They recommend a "reacher" to pick things up but what do you use to pick up the reacher?
I fell two days after my surgery and laid on the floor for 3 hours because I couldn't get up. I had to wet my pants and had my new puppy chewing on my hands and hair- not a good week. I'm doing much better but still very tired and short of breath with exertion.
Take care of yourself. That's who matters most.