4 months Post Op

Hi Everyone,

I had my surgery on May 25, and I was wondering if any other sisters that are still experiencing fatigue. I feel so tired all the time that I can barely get out of my own way. I'm wondering if this is normal at this point? I do have times where I am full of energy, but for the most part I'm pooped out all the time. I'm on Alora .o1 I think it is and, Estratest. Anyone else out there taking the same HRT? Or experiencing the samething I am?

Thanks,

Mary

:eagle:

Hi Mary,

The Post-Op board deals primarily with the usual recovery issues of the first couple of months, but as someone who has been here for over a year, I'll share my experience. At 4 months, I was just beginning to start feeling like myself, and still had swelling and tenderness, and healing pains once in a while. I have seen many other sisters complain of not having their energy level restored for many months as well.

In my experience, this is normal for the major nature of this surgery. I didn't really feel I was "recovered" until I was 8 months post-op. In fact, a gyn has stated that it takes from 6 months to a year to heal totally inside from this major surgery. So, it's not too surprising to still have fatigue when one is still healing in there. The body is spending its energy on the all-important healing process, and there's not always a lot left over for feeling "normal".

Hang in there...it DOES get better.

My very best to you...

I'm 8 wks post op and take Estratest, too. I'm happy w/ Estratest except that I have a lot of hair loss daily. I'm pooped, too. I don't feel that my tiredness is due to the Estratest but rather due to the surgery itself.

I think that I'm just fine and go about my day like I used to and then I just collapse. I keep thinking that I'm back to normal but then my body tells me otherwise. I helped move some furniture on Sat., thinking it would be no problem. Well, I had no problem lifting and carrying the stuff. It was the next day, and the next, and the next that were problems. My abdomen feels like it did about 3 wks. post op and I have a low grade fever. Geez ... no one told me about all of this stuff before I had the surgery.

Me either, Toots...I don't know what I would have done without this site!

I don't want to discourage you, but I am just over 7 months post-op and STILL get extremely tired if I overdo it for a day or 2. This saturday we took our daughter (3 1/2 years old) to a 6 Flags Amusement park and we had a great time. But from lifting her on and off the rides, the next day I was pretty sore and totally exhausted . As Linda stated, it can take 6 months to a year to totally feel like ourselves again, and that has been my experience. Listen to your body, do what you can, and continue to rest. Linda knows what she's talking about....

Wishing you all the best,
Rita

:usflag:
Hello ladies!
I haven't visited this site for a long time now. I guess I am trying to pretend that I am back to 100%!
I am 4 mos. post op this week. I am still finding that a good nap is needed occasionally. I too still get the swelly belly if I over do, and feel tired towards the end of the busy week. BUT...I am starting to feel that "good" feeling everyone was telling me about before the surgery! They all said "you're going to feel SO much better afterwards"! I have been waiting...patiently for a long time and it is starting to creep into my life. I get a few days in a row where I feel SO good, lots of energy and really feel like I am on a more even keel mentally. it's very refreshing. Back to work, doing extra projects and things that I thought would take FOREVER to do again. I am glad to read that others are in the same boat as me, feeling better, but still have some lingering reminders...now I don't feel quite so alone. I was beginning to think that there was somthing wrong with me, not being back to 100% after all this time. I have been going to the gym three days per week, something that I didn't do before the surgery. Trying to lose some of the weight I gained from "taking it easy". It's slow going, but I will keep at it! Good luck to all of the ladies in waiting. it feels SO good to finally be on the other side and soon you will be too!

Hello Again Ladies,

Just wanted to thank you all that replied to my post. It's very comforting to know that this "pooped-out feeling" is pretty normal at this stage in the healing process. I think sometimes I feel like I should be all healed up by now and just getting on with my life. I think it's expected of me by some too. My husband has been wonderful , but I think he doesn't realize what this operation has taken out of me. Oh well I guess I just need to keep going the best I can and not worry about what everyone else thinks!!

Oh I wanted to say that I too have had lots of hair loss. I never gave it a thought that it could be the Estratest. Not only has a lot of it fallen out but it's dry as straw!! I was blaming it on the operation itself.

Thanks again,
Mary

Hi there! Me too on the still tired thing. It's been just six months and I'm still tired. Also, my estrace pills stopped working on the hot flash and moody controls, so I'm switching to the Vivelle DOT patch on Saturday.

My GYN tells me that sometimes her patients have something change gastrointestinally that just cause the estrace to stop working but the patch usually takes care of it. I've had the usual thyroid tests and thanks to this site I knew to request T3/T4 testing, so I've started synthroid.

Patience patience . . . I'm like all of you, I expected to be up and running at 100%. Boy! have I had my patience muscles tested! LOL

Hang in there and keep treating yourself well and keep connected to this website!

wendy j

I think that for most of us, people around us are expecting us to be totally healed by now. I do have some girlfriends who know what is going on and respect the times I need to back off and just kick back. Hubby has been wonderful, but the rest of them think I am nuts, and I find myself "sneaking" naps, lol.
I feel SO guilty napping during the day, but it must be something that I need because I still get to sleep at my regular time at night. I was really feeling bad yesterday, and am VERY thankful for all the support I find here! After the first few weeks, people stop asking how you are doing and just assume you're back to normal....I think I start to think that too, then I over do and "it's back!" I coughed yesterday and got a scarey cramp...thought I had done something VERY bad, today it's better. I am finding that on Thursday...I am pooped out...drained. Especially if I have had a busy weekend before...too many days in a row of go go go and I just wilt! ha ha
Monday...:jumping:


Wednesday...



Friday....

Thanks for ALL the support and information, You are ALL very special to me.

Sherry

TVH/kept ovaries

Hi Everyone,
I haven't been checking in at Hystersisters recently; there have certainly been other things on my mind, especially since Sept. 11. So I was especially glad to read this message and the responses that have been posted as a reminder that I'm not alone.

Today is 15 weeks since my surgery and although I'm feeling better in most ways, I am still tired and sore. My abdomen definitely hurts in response to some kinds of activities (including extended walking, carrying packages or other moderately heavy things, sitting in one position for a long time, etc.). For the most part, the remaining numbness in that area is just "weird" and not a bother. However, there are some times (like leaning up against the bathroom vanity while getting washed) that it's still a surprise to be touching something and not feel it.

This is certainly a small price to pay for relief from the heavy bleeding, anemia and pain that I had experienced for so many years. I don't miss dealing with any of that AT ALL! But there's a part of me that's been thinking, "well it's almost four months so why aren't I feeling better" and that's been a little discouraging. Just like some of you who have posted about this, I've been feeling guilty about taking occasional naps when needed -- why is it that we as women have such a hard time giving ourselves permission to listen to our bodies and care for our health? I know it's a part of our take-care-of-everybody culture, but I have learned that it is MOST important to do as much self-care as possible when things are stressful. And certainly recovering from major surgery is one of those times! In case anyone is confused from the progression of thoughts in this paragraph, I've been able to go ahead and do the naps, etc. as needed. Now I just have to get past the guilty feelings, even though I know this is an important part of my own health (and also related to being able to care for my family and keep up my professional responsibilities).

My DH has been supportive about most of this, although I'm sure that there's some "when is she going to feel completely well again" going on for him too. This is just one of those things that's going to take some time... and that includes adjusting to the swelly belly thing also! I did some shopping this past weekend (couldn't put off buying clothes for a special event any longer) and was both pleased and disappointed. My size is the same, but I still need at least the elastic side inserts to be comfortable (if not the full elastic waist, which is in most of my everyday clothes and has been for a while). I guess the swelly areas take up the same kind of space as the big uterus with fibroids -- just softer, more variable and definitely less messy!

Sending healing energy and positive thoughts to all
Nancy