LAVH: Don't know how to prepare

I am having LAHV (ovaries and uterus) on Wednesday. Don't know what to expect for recovery. I hear people say they were taking down Christmas trees 2nd day and I hear people say I won't be able to even pickup a skillet for 3 weeks. I have unique diet restrictions that make it difficult for anyone to cook for me. I'm not quite sure how to prepare. Also how long before I can expect to tackle the stairs to my second floor. All the fun stuff is up here.

I can't answer all your questions, but I know when I had my c-section I was restricted to a flight a day at first. I went straight up to my bedroom where I had it all set up. DH would bring anything else, like food. Can you prepare some meals ahead and freeze them? I think you will be expected to be up and walking a bit everyday, how much your doctor will have to say, but to prevent blood clots I know they don't want us to lay in bed all day. Ask if you can do the stairs once or twice a day if you go slow and it doesn't hurt. I think you get different answers because not all our doctors give us the same post-op instructions, and everyone heals at a different rate and feels pain differently. Hope this helps a little bit
Best Wishes
alicia

Don'twantto

Welcome to Hystersisters. Check out the Hysterectomy Checkpoints for ideas on how to prepare and what you can expect to be doing for several weeks.

Your surgery will be laproscopic with the various organs removed vaginally and it is common for those with laproscopic surgery to "overdo" it. Everyone's healing is unique but maybe someone who had a supracervical hsyterectomy (left the cervix) could have been taking down a Christmas tree at 2 days post but I believe that to be the exception not the norm.

The removal of your ovaries is an oopherectomy so if both ovaries and tubes are being removed you will be having an LAVH + BSO (bi-lateral saphingo oopherectomy).

As for the stairs, not frequently and 1 step at a time is how you do them Do your food preparation ahead of time so that you can just have someone warm it up for you or at some point in your recovery you can warm it for yourself. You will have liftings restrictions at first.

for a successful surgery and an uneventful recovery

G

dontwantto,

I had LAVH on 12/28. I did not prepare any frozen food in advance and wish now that I had. My recovery has not been so bad, for me anyways. I am following my doctors orders. I was told that I was not to lift anything heavier that a gallon jug of milk. No bending, no driving for 2 weeks, mostly the typical things. If I had it to do over again, I would just have paper plates and cups to use and discard during this time. I found out last night that husband was not to happy having to unload the bottom rack of dishwasher and put the other ones in. (Women's work is not for him, Oh well!) I had made Chicken and Noodles in the crockpot and a loaf of bread in the bread machine, because of another snow storm coming our way. So, there were extra dishes. If any are chipped, they are in the trash and I will buy new ones. lol Try to have any pots and pans up on counter so you don't have to bend down. I know I wanted some scrambled eggs one morning and couldn't get to the skillet. Same with food. In the beginning, I did not have much of an appetite, so I ate mostly soup, yogurt, cream of wheat, fruit, things like that. I only have one step so that has not been a problem with me. My opinion, I would not think that the steps would be as hard on you with LAVH versus the Abdominal Surgery. But, listen to your Doctor about that. Think about having someone fix a cooler for you with easy things you could eat each day, if you have to stay upstairs.

Good Luck to you.

I had LAVH on 12/16 with left ovary removed. I felt very good but still did not do much. I really did not much of nothing first two weeks. Very frustrating because you do feel ok but I was so scared of messing something up. Your body will tell you too...I would get sore and spot some if I did too much. I took small decorations down but DH took tree down and will be moving storage boxes up. Take care of yourself... one thing I learned on this site is you only have one time to heal well. It has been really hard for me because I am very independent.

P.S. I had two C sections. Nothing like that.