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

Have my 4 week check up tomorrow and boy am I having some sharp pains into the floor of my vagina. Still light red spotting and really really crampy. Hope it's normal but it sure is discouraging after feeling good week three and now feel like I'm regressing

	Quote:
Originally Posted by lymette71 I just found out the hard way to NOT let myself get constipated. Hoo boy, that was unpleasant.

I hear ya sista ! I learned with previous surgeries the "hard" way I rely on the "Bristol Stool Chart" these days and I have to say it's made my recovery pretty darn smooth so far (knock on wood-like a thousand times If you keep a little diary of what goes in, and what comes out, you can easily track the offending foods or activities. Ie, for me, it is clear that sugar and starch need to be gone from my diet for a few more weeks yet. It also helped me identify that sitting, even if comfortable for longer than 30 min stretches, slows things down. If I get up and walk for 2 mins, I'm good.
These were my discoveries, and we are all different in so many ways, but the basic body functions are pretty much universal.
I also found the rubber ring pillow a huge help! If I'm feeling gassy at all I have a sit on that for a bit. Something about the gentle movement it provides that just seems to allow my body to ease up.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparkly Snow Gotta say, the advice to "go ahead and jump back in" seems to be coming from mostly male docs. Could just be the threads I've looked at, but it seems that "he said" is in most of these.

Sparkly Snow,
I tend to agree with you. I have a woman doctor and she told me 6-8 weeks for recovery. She was VERY adamant about it, too. Most of the woman in my date groupd had male doctors and some were cleared for things like major exercise, heavy lifting and sex at 4 weeks.

I'm a firm believer in you only get one chance to heal right. Ladies, if you aren't comfortable with what your doctor tells you and you aren't ready it's okay to take as much time as you need. Even one heals at a different rate. Listen to your body. It will tell you much more than any doctor ever will.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by katrinawrites I feel stupid for going to the ER, but I'm glad everything was part of the healing process.

Katrina,
Don't feel stupid! You did the right thing. What if it had been something serious? Better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks, Raven1964. Doc took a long time to respond, and I was in the ER a long time. Sort of made me feel stupid when one of the residents told me six hours later "he said it's all normal."

Is anyone having breast tenderness?

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Deefromfla I have a ? i have felt kinda weird the last couple days, it's hard to explain but i feel pressure and a wierd tingly sensation between my incisions by my belly button and the right incision, been taking it easy today i just up to get a drink and i felt like i pee'd myself, freaking out and thinking i'm gonna see blood, i didn't thank god but was a grayish liquid like pee but a weird gray color, is that normal? Should i be worried? Should i call someone? I will be 4 weeks post op tomorrow, someone please if you have any information please let me know thanks so muuch, i'm kinda freakin here!

Hi Everyone just wanted to update from my last post..i did go to the he said i have a PID gave me some anitbiotics said the gush of fluid was from stitched healing....he said everything looks good except the PID....i was freaking out when he started to do an exam i was thinking it would be horrible, it was no walk in the park by any means but wasn't too bad, I do feel alot of pressure still....i went home and did some research of my own on the computer, then went into the bathroom to investigate for myself...and don't ya know my poor vagina was very red and swollen looking! So hopefully after i'm done with these antibiotics this infection will be gone, felt good today was able to go out for lunch and some errands....just wanted to update, and thank everyone again for their responses to my post, you all are the best, i have had ups and downs as most of us on here but i wouldn't be able to handle all this without you ladies, answering my ?'s and just reading other womans stories has really helped me in so many ways.....hugs to everyone and happy healthy healing to us all...8-)

4 week check update: Today was a first for a few things! First time I dressed in normal clothes and the first time I drove since surgery.
Appointment went very well. All I knew at the time of surgery was that the softball sized ovarian cyst was what they were concerned about and I knew when I woke in recovery that it was benign. He informed me today that I had that cyst and multiple others, numerous uterine fibroids and endometriosis. The endo came as a surprise. Everything was benign, thank God! I feel very blessed and grateful.
My personality is such that in stressful situations, I joke. When he went to examine me, I was STRESSED!!!! So I told him that since he was the man that changed my female dynamics, it was only fitting that he be the first man to explore THAT region.... Lmao!
I have been having that nasty brown discharge (sometimes spotting) since day 9 and it SMELLS!!!! Well, Mr. Dr. informed that I am to douche 3 times. I almost fell over and was MORTIFIED. I looked at him like he was an alien. Douche? I asked, I have only done that once and it was when I was 20 years old! He repeated himself, "douche, 3 times, water and vinegar". A douche is an enema up the whoo ha!!!! I know that you all know what it is, I was just flabbergasted. He said that it would rinse the healing tissue and help get rid of the discharge and odor. Okay.... Why 3 times? Is 3 a magic number? Have there been studies on this? Such curiosity. So, I stopped at the drug store. I did my first one today. Wait 2-3 days do the next and then repeat the process. Technically it is not the first time I have douched, but it may as well of been since it's been 25 years!!!!
Still 2 weeks to go before intercourse or baths. I have, however, been cleared for "external" stimulation. I HAD to test that out.... I am happy to say that I still work! Another first, my first "O' since surgery. And a very relaxing nap after....
It was interesting driving down the highway blasting the radio with a pillow wedged between me and the seat belt. Another first.
Still no lifting. Return to normal routines as my body allows. I'm not allowed to lift my grandchildren for another 4 weeks, that makes me sad. But, they like to snuggle up and that's good.
I do not return to see him for 6 months. I'm a happy princess today.

On a side note: dawn30fl, yes, I periodically have had breast tenderness. I didn't ask the doctor about it though.....

I started having sharp stabbing pains in my lower abdomen and it some times hurts down into my hips.

Thanks Lizbeth814! Good info!