How long after your TAH were you able to drive?

Also how many nights did you stay in the hospital?

Thank you! Elyse

I stayed in the hospital 3 nights/4 days (incl. day of surgery). I was able to drive after 3-4 wks. I had a vertical incision and was surprised at how many muscles that affected... still can't do a great sit-up. I know part of it is they want to make sure you are off pain medication also.
Make sure you take a pillow with to put between the seatbelt and your abdomen.

Surgery was on day 1 and I was released on day 5. My doc had told me in advance that I would be there 5 days. I didn't drive until the 4th or 5th week. It really does use more muscles than we think! I also didn't drive because I had problems getting into my truck. Without running boards its a rather large step. My sister found me a 4 lb set of folding steps (with handle) that I used until I fully healed.

I stayed in the hospital five nights, I think. I don't think I drove until I went back for the six week checkup. I believe they told me to wait six weeks, but so much of what happened five years ago is fuzzy now.

My TAH/BSO (horizontal incision) was at 1 pm on Wed Nov 11th and I stayed until Sunday. Doctor was hoping to release me on Saturday but I had a 'sleepy bowel' that just didn't want to wake up.

My post-op instructions were no driving for 2 weeks. I didn't feel up to even trying until 2.5 weeks and then because I had not taken any prescription pain pills yet that day and only went to the drugstore (near by).

Everyone heals differently. Before driving make sure you off any prescription pain pills, and feel confident that you could slam on your brakes and/or swerve should you need to do so to avoid an accident.

Hi! I had a TAH on 11/13/09. I spent 3 nights in the hospital as well. At my 1 week check up the doctor told me I could drive as long as I wasn't on any pain meds, I didn't actually drive until a little over 2 weeks. Good luck to you!

How Long after your TAH were you able to drive?
Post Op instructions said no driving for two weeks and then only drive if I was no longer taking narcotic pain medication. I was able to stop taking the narcotics by then, so at the two week mark, out of sheer boredom, I drove so I could get out of the house.

How many nights did you stay in the hospital?
My surgery was on a Friday afternoon and I was released early Monday evening. So I was in the hospital for 3 nights.

I had a TAH, in hospital wed thru sat afternoon..my dr has told me no driving for 6 wks..i am going mad in here..when my friends come over I feel like a puppy begging to go for a ride..I am an on the go single mom and this is horrible..at least it is almost Christmas and there are decorations to put up. I feel like a teenager wanting to go use the car without permission. Plus, I have a slow leak so every 2 days someone has to come over and take to gas station to fill it up. I so just want to drive the 2 blocks to the station and do it myself. I am being good though, dr's orders. Off the pain pills except at night, doing great..ready to go!

I had a SAH BSO, horizontal incision, and was told I could drive after 2 weeks. Bottom line, I didn't - still was too uncomfortable. I tried it at 2.5weeks and quickly came home. The motion of the car was very uncomfortable - you don't even realize it, but you are unknowingly using your abdominal muscles to keep up with the motion/roll of the car. I'm now 5 weeks post-op and honestly, still am uncomfortable in the car - as either a driver or passenger. When you do go out in the car it helps to take along a small pillow to buckle over your belly. It does help minimize the pressure from the seatbelt especially over the bumps.

wow..that makes sense..thanks so much! This is the most boring thing I've ever done I think. Thank goodness u guys are all here!