Recovery Progress Reports for Hysterectomy dates Dec 12-Dec 18,2011

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Originally Posted by Tallgem I still have mine also. My surgery was on the 15th and my staples were removed the 23rd. I just let the soapy water run down my stomach. I'm in no hurry to pull them off before time. I have my 3 week appoinment Friday.

I still had mine tape on for my follow up and my doc took them off..she told me to put bandaids over them to protect until they fully heal..even though the scars are really small it was still wierd to see them there instead of the surgical tape..

It's 3 weeks ago today since surgery for me. It feels like forever ago, though. All the pain and frustration from a week and a half of catheters and not being able to urinate on my own have all since been forgotten. There are moments in my day when I even forget that I've had surgery because I feel so good.... then there are moments when I'm aching so much that I just want to cry. Are you all finding the heating pad or the ice pack a better help?

I've been on antibiotics since the day I got home because of a urinary tract infection from all the catheters going in and out. I thought the thick discharge I was having the past few days was just a bit of a yeast infection from all the antibiotics, but after reading on here it seems that many of you are experiencing the same thing as our stitches are dissolving. I feel better knowing that it's probably not a yeast infections!

Does anyone else have a solid lump under their incisions? The two incisions on my sides and the one in my belly button are healing great. You can barely see them. The lower incision in my pubic area (the largest of all the incisions) has a hard lump under it. It sticks out about half an inch further than the rest of my belly. I am assuming that it is scar tissue developing, but was wondering if there is anything I can do get rid of it. I have to wear leotard and tights for work and it's definitely going to be noticeable protruding from my gut like this if it doesn't go away! Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

I spent a few hours today at the motocross track watching my husband practice and am completely exhausted from it. There's no way I'll be back out there riding with him for at least another month and that is so depressing to my spirit. I go back to work in one week, and work for me is far from a desk job! I know I won't be able to dance full out with my students. At this point I hope I just have enough energy to just make it through a night of teaching! When does the exhaustion go away? It's killing me having to lay low like this!

May tomorrow be a stronger, healthier day for everyone!

Had my first outing today, 19 days post op. Dh was going for groceries and I decided to go along. We went out for lunch on the way home. It was nice to finally get out of the house. I didn't push, pull or pick up anything! He went on other errands after dropping me at home - he put all the groceries away. I went to lay down for an hour or so and then wanted to prep some of the veggies/fruits. All I could manage was cleaning some peppers and green onion and I was DONE. Got out the heat pad and went to bed. Wow, my bottom is really sore and I am crampy. I would not blame the walking I would tend to blame the car ride. Rough-ish country roads for 20 minutes both ways. I am glad I went out but in no rush to do it again soon. Other than that progress is steady. No more spotting and sleeping well at night. Finding that although I lay down several times each day I usually do not fall asleep, however by 9pm I am out for the night.

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Originally Posted by ladybug1965 Yes, I've heard they're really easy to make. Since I used to have an online natural products store, I was able to get mine wholesale, so I never made any. When my daughter first asked me to get some for her, I thought they'd be gross. LOL I guess she will be getting my stash now. Back when I had my children, I wasn't so natural, so I didn't use cloth diapers...and I haven't progressed to cloth TP. I do have a friend who uses it, and coincidentally, her name is Michelle, too.

I love it!

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Originally Posted by Tallgem On another note our family Pomeranian passed away in my mothers arms yesterday morning at 7. We are having him cremated. He had a heart condition. My mom and I were both soo sad. It's like we didn't want to come home. I walked and walked and walked all day! I feel okay. I'm a little tired today but we are out in the streets running errands. Gema

I can completely empathize - We had to put down our 15 year old basenji 2 weeks before surgery. She had always been a great cuddler whenever anyone was sick....I am so sad and miss her so much during my recovery. It is so disheartening to not have her around any more. I miss my girl. I hope your heart and your body heal well. You are not alone in your grief.

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Originally Posted by mxdancer Does anyone else have a solid lump under their incisions? The two incisions on my sides and the one in my belly button are healing great. You can barely see them. The lower incision in my pubic area (the largest of all the incisions) has a hard lump under it. It sticks out about half an inch further than the rest of my belly. I am assuming that it is scar tissue developing, but was wondering if there is anything I can do get rid of it. I have to wear leotard and tights for work and it's definitely going to be noticeable protruding from my gut like this if it doesn't go away! Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

I, too, have mini "eggs" under my two far right incisions. It is scar tissue, but at this stage I think it can be gently broken up...I've been working on mine VERY GENTLY. And of course, only if the incisions are closed. Not sure if it will do the trick, but it does seem to be improving incrementally. Good luck and please let me know if you learn anything else that helps.

I wish I were doing better but lifting toybox wasn't a good idea and neither is constipation. I told my nurse about the curry incident and she suggested I do that again. I currently take gasX, stool softner and veg lax 2ce a day with coffee orange juice and prunes. You'd think that would be good enough. I've used enemas every other day for a week to keep bowels from getting clogged. Nausea went away once I put on a shot of progesterone USP oil. I did 2 pumps 1st two days and am taking 1 at night which is 6.5mg. It also helps the blood sugar, shakies and the growling irritability and muscle tightness. I notice I naw on my teeth too. I'm losing stitches which are very small. I notice odor more after I've used the progesterone. I hear odor is normal (as long as you don't vomit or have fever) with the stitches too. The hot flashes come and go. It's most irritating when it wakes me up and then I have to pee and remember to drink water. Dreams are regular again probably due to progesterone. I am using fans again. My doctor will call me tomorrow and let me know if she needs me to come in because of the toybox lifting. I only hurt if I've been sitting or standing too long or if stool is nearby. The good news is my bladder feels good. Hope you all are feeling better those who are not yet and congradulations to those that are feeling good. Do not over do it like I did cause it'll take you back down. P.S. how to get rid of i'm new here smiley?

Looks like I figured it out.

Started having a brownish discharge on Tuesday (1/3). Thankfully, because of this website, I knew it was something normal and probably related to my stitches disolving from the cuff.

I Love this site!!!!!

Started back to work 1/2 days on Tuesday (1/3). Got home yesterday totally exhausted and tried to take a nap on the couch - No go!

Today, I got home from 1/2 day at work and promptly went to bed for a 2 hour nap. It worked, I napped and I Loved it!

I'm working 1/2 days this week and next and am so thankful that my doctor is way smarter than I am on knowing how much work I can do. Like most of us, I'm getting 'cabin fever' from being in the house so much but at about 3.5 hours into work, I can't wait to finish that last half hour and get home to take a nap!

As with many of you, I'm looking forward to the 'swelly belly' thing to be done. I can wear jeans but as soon as I'm in the house, I can't strip them off fast enough to get into my PJ pants. I was never a PJ pants or sweatpants lady before the surgery. Now - Love them!!!!!!

Hubby has seen me reading the posts on this site and asked me about it. I told him that it is a site that helps me know that what I'm experiencing is normal. He smiled and said that any site that helps me not 'freak out' over things in my recovery process is a great site! LOL! I love my hubby!

So, on behalf of my hubby, thanks to all you ladies out there for helping me not 'freak out' at every twinge, discharge, ache, pain and delayed BM. We are all lucky to have found this site and, more importantly, be able to tell other ladies about it so they can have the same support as we are finding in each other.

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Originally Posted by stefwiss My biggest issue that is interfering with recovery is terrible insomnia. It sounds like others are having similar issues. I have been taking 6mg of melatonin and percocet at night and still spend a lot of time staring at the inside of my eyelids. I finally gave up and asked the dr for some medical assistance even though i didn't want to turn to that. Tonight i take ambien and hopefully get some good sleep!! Is anyone else struggling with this issue? I feel like i could heal faster if i was averaging more than 4 hours a night.

YES!!!! Definitely a huge issue for me as well. For the most part only sleep I get is between 5am and 11am (if I am lucky!). I am worried about this as well when I return to work next week. I have always suffered from insomnia. I was going to try to get up early and stay up all day all this week to prep me for return to work next week but figured I should take whatever sleep I can get now. Gonna be pooped after work regardless.