Surgery Tomorrow - Last-minute Q's

Hi, everyone!

I'm finally having my surgery tomorrow (1/4/11) and couldn't be more thrilled! I just have a few last-minute question. I've read countless posts and just felt like I needed to ask some of my own questions to put my mind at ease.

I am having a vaginal hysterectomy, keeping ovaries. I am self-employed, so I need to get back to work ASAP. Everything I've read so far sounds like two to six weeks, so I'm hoping to be more on the two-week end of the spectrum. I sit down for my job and some days I work an hour, other days I work eight hours. Has anyone gone back to work after two weeks or am I just being foolish thinking that's possible?

Also, I've just recently come across the idea of the ovaries not waking up right after surgery and experiencing menopause-type symptoms. Does this happen in all cases or just some people? My doctor didn't say anything about this.

Thanks for any info and any tips you care to pass along will be greatly appreciated!!

i see a lot of people who have just a hysterectomy, feel pretty good right away, take it especially easy while you are home and that will help your recovery too,

my ovaries have went into some sort of shock, lots of hot flashes and night sweats, haven't talked to my doc much about it as he just wants to throw hormones at me, not interested at this point

how's your bowel prep going?

In day 4 after da vinci surgery. Kept ovaries. Had bladder sling procedure as well. Have found that sleeping with lots of pillows helps. Also is helpful to have one propped under my knees. Was taken out to lunch with family today but it was too soon...very tired and nauseous upon return. Otherwise, frequent napping and walking around the house is going well. Each day gets easier. Pain is really not too bad. Motrin works fine.

I had a TVH on December10th, kept ovaries. I know some women go back to work at two weeks, but I would not have been able to. I am now a little over three weeks post op and still feel very tired, foggy brain as well. I still have abdominal aches and pains so I am glad I am of fro six or seven weeks actually. But then, others move forward faster, so it really just depends on your surgery and the way your body heals. I underestimated this surgery, I am very happy I had it done, but recovery is slow. Good luck with your surgery!

Im going in tomorrow as well and will have everything but my cervix out. I am going back to work in two weeks, even if I have to suck it up. Theres no other choice for me.

I know everyone is different, but for me I absolutely could have gone back to work, even at one week post-op (I'm a student right now, so I didn't have to). I was sore 1 & 2 days post-op, but by the 3rd day I was doing really well and had lots of energy. I only had one hot flash around day 4 post-op, otherwise, no indication of any hormonal imbalance.

Take Gas-X and lip balm to the hospital with you...I was so grateful I had both.

Best wishes!

I felt like I could have gone to work at 2 wks but had to wait until 5 wks since there was no office type work available. But I would have been tired very easily so not sure it would have really worked if I'd gone back. Not everyones's ovaries "rest" but mine did and it lasted several weeks of frequent hot flashes. Yours may do fine so just wait and see. Best wishes on your surgery and recovery.

I had a LAVH and was working from home three days after surgery...really could have been working the next day, but what the heck, I'd planned to spend three days in bed, so...I work for a company that does a lot of telecommuting, so I had arranged to work from home for the week of the surgery and two weeks after, but I would have been able to go into work at two weeks without any problems (I was back to full normal activities, errands, shopping, etc. except for a lifting restriction after four days). At three weeks I went back into the office, which involves a two-hour commute -- car, bus, subway. That's how it worked out for me -- others have had very different results, and you may too, so be careful about setting expectations.