Recovery Progress Reports for Hysterectomy dates Apr 16-Apr 22,2012

So I just found the site.

I'm 11 days Post Op and I'm still scared.

I had the Da Vinci hysterectomy surgery because I had been having severe constant pelvic pain in my right side for the past 9 months. Every test I took turned up negative...CT scans, etc. I never had any issues gynecologically in my life, so they removed my appendix back in July thinking it would solve the pain problem but it didn't.

I'm praying that this works. I'm trying to do everything that they tell me for recovery. I'm a very active 45 year old with two children, so just laying around is not natural for me at all.

I'm always the person that doesn't have the issues that others have so I'm always having to guess if I'm progressing in the normal ways. I'm glad that I found this site!

I have not experience any real pain. Gas every now and then. I've lost 40 pounds so far. My Dr. said my uterus was the size of a turkey. lol She says I am feeling this good because my uterus was pressing on my other body members. I feel 10 years younger!!! Yippee!! I go tomorrow to get the staples taken out. My only problem is the binder they gave me.. it makes the staples and the incisions feel itchy and uncomfortable. Also what is the best way to wash the area of the incision?

I really feel good todd have been walking around the house more my legs are aching the right more so than the right they aren't swelling but I am terrified of blood clots. They told me I didn't have to wear the stockings when I got home if I am walking around each day. Any ideas?

To blessedx9, I would call dr and report leg symptoms. Better safe than sorry ...

Here is a link to Checkpoints Weeks 1-2. It talks about incision care among other things--check it out.

Keylola, You don't have to wear the binder if it isn't helping you. Lots of women recover very well without using one, others find them very helpful.

dcnqueen0503, Try starting a thread in Post-Op about vertigo or using the search feature. I'm sorry you're having problems with it and hope you get some answers.

For those of you having problems finding your way around the site--it can be daunting. There is so much here! I like to use my control panel. It lists threads you have subscribed to (or posted on). Check it out. You can access all your stuff there.

If anyone on the thread has suggestions to help others find their way around--please share.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by dcnqueen0503 To blessedx9, I would call dr and report leg symptoms. Better safe than sorry ...

They stopped aching I used a heating pad overall good day.

I have been terrible about getting on here and reporting back! bad taylor!! I had a LAVH April 17th due to bleeding non-stop for 2 years and cramps that were destroying my life. I warned my doc and anesthesiologist that i get nauseous from the meds so before I woke up I got benedryl and a shot of some nausea meds. Helped a ton! I woke up and after coming to i realized I didn't have cramps. I was definitely sore but no cramps. First time in 2 years that I haven't! I did a little victory dance ( in my head). Catheter was still in because I was really dehydrated when I came in that morning so I had to stay on IV fluids for another 1500cc. I couldn't feel it at all. After about 3 hours of me eating ice and chicken broth the cath came out. Best advice for that one, take a deep breath in and breath out when they pull and it's so quick and painless! The breathing is a great distraction to the tube being pulled from you va-jay-jay. I was able to get up and walk to the bathroom, with help immediately after the cath was out. I was on morphine the first 24 hours to avoid taking oral meds. I was able to eat as soon as I peed and I didn't really stop. I was in some discomfort but by 6pm I was up walking and in the chair in my room with visitors. I stayed on fluids until roughly 4am the next morning. I had been up to pee so much they finally stopped them so I could sleep. Ha! Sleeping in a hospital isn't easy. The next morning I did laps around the floor and felt so good! Because of the position of my uterus it was pulling on nerves or putting pressure on them and my legs were going numb after sitting for more than 10 minutes. After surgery my legs hasn't gone numb once, even with all the sitting around! Warning to all sisters! Ask if you have vaginal packing. A nurse (and bless her heart she was wonderful except this one thing) thought I had some so she came in to pull it out and there wasn't anything there. It was awful!! I know she was trying to do her job but that mistake was a big set back for me. I was going home at 1pm the 18th until she came in. It made me bleed a little bit more than I was the previous day and it just took the wind out of me. I was better after more pain meds (now oral). Just make sure you know if you have it or not incase someone going looking for something that isn't there. No permanent damage. By that afternoon I was better, but not feeling good enough to leave. I spent one more night in the hospital, as a precaution but spent most of the night walking the halls in my lovely compression stockings! Came home on the 19th, taking motrin and Percocet at night. The pain never got worse than a 4 after I left. I was able to get to the grocery store (mom drove) by saturday. Post op day 9 now and I'm completely off meds. What helped me- I started taking gas-X and stool softeners as soon as I could take oral meds. Do it. first poop is a doozy! took me until Thursday night to be able to. Gas-x is amazing for the bubbles. I seemed to get those under my ribs and in my shoulders. I took both of those for 4 days after surgery just to make sure everything was moving along. wear dresses if you can. pants and shirts put too much pressure on the incisions. I haven't hardly bled since the packing incident and a liner has been more than enough protection for me. walk as much as you can without straining yourself. it helps get your bowels moving and the gas bubbles get out. i starting putting gauze pads (held by paper tape) over my incisions while I sleep so the steristrips don't catch on anything. mine are starting to come off and the ends are snagging everything. anything you keep under your sink and use regularly move BEFORE surgery get a ton of pillows, you get comfy in weird positions! and be patient!! I love you all! This is a big surgery but we are queens and can tackle anything!! Please ask me any questions you have!! I'll be better about posting updates on here!! You were wonderful to me before, helped keep my head straight!
best wishes!!!!

sorry for the novel

wow things have changed today from yesterday. My DH put me on bed rest today and told me not to do a **** thing.

yesterday evening i was spotting a little ( not a lot just a little pink) and was kinda crampy, still am. My incisions are sore and a little red i think this is from my clothes rubbing.

I'm not liking this little roller coaster



I hope everyone else is doing well today

	Quote:
Originally Posted by huskrfan ok i think i must have been hit by lightning or something since my last post. Im feeling like crap, all of a sudden my tummy hurts, i have no energy, im cold and dont want to get out of bed. Has anyone else had sudden crapyness like this or is it just me. i hope im not comming down with a cold too.

I also hit this terrible bottom on my 6th day of recovery yesterday. It was like falling into a black hole. Not so much physical problems as just endless hopelessness and no way to see any future. I also had no energy, and just went to bed and slept a marathon from last night about eight until 7 this morning. I feel a little better now, and hope my spirits will be a little brighter today.