LAVH 11 days post op

I am 54 years old. I never had any problems when I was younger but in the last 10 years started having problems. I was bleeding more often and the pain became worse. I went on bc pills and that helped for a while. A couple of years ago, I decided surely I was close to menopause and went off the pills, only to be in worse pain again. I talked to my Dr and he said...lets do a blood test to see if it is showing you close to menopause. After the blood test he said...sorry you are showing nothing as far as being even close, so I went back on the pills. Last year the pain began to get worse even on the pills and by the end of the year I was in agony every month, with the severe cramps that would seem to go all the way thru me. I was also constipated alot and felt I had to urinate really often. I did not make the connection with these symptoms and my menstrual problems. finally at the first of this year I the dr did an ultrasound and found I had alot of large fibroids. I was glad to know there was a real reason for my pain. At that point he tried what he called a medical d&c, 3 bc pills per day for 7 days, which made me nausous and I had cramps the entire 7 days. At the end of this 7 days I was in so much pain. I layed on the couch with a heating pad any time I was home. My dr had me try one more cycle to see if anything improved at which point it didn't. so he scheduled me to see a gynocologist to get his opinion. I saw the gyno on April 3, and after an exam...he said...I don't even need to see an ultrasound to know you have fibroids, your unterus is the size of a 15 week pregnancy. He gave me all the options that could be tried, but he said, honestly I don't think any of these will work for you, I agree with your Dr that a hysterectomy is the answer. He said, it was his experience that women usually hit menopause at about 51 or they waited until about 57, so we scheduled suregery for May 7. he discussed whether to leave the ovaries or remmove them. His advice was to remove them because they would very soon be shutting down and leaving them would only leave me open to a chance of ovarian cancer down the road. He told me if I was in my 40's he would say keep them but being 54 he felt it wise to remove them. so I agreed. He talked to me about the sudden menopause symptoms I would have soon after surgery.
so I scheduled my time off from work, at least 3 weeks, leaving time after to be decided by how I felt. I dreaded the surgery itself but looked so forward to no more pain from periods. I had one more to get thru before the surgery.
Sunday before, I ate light, but didn't have to do any bowel prep. My gyno said it was ok to eat normal, just nothing to eat or drink after midnight, but I ate lightly because I was so afraid of being sick after the surgery.
Monday, May 7, my husband and I were up at 3:30, left for the hospital at 4:30, arriving at 5:30 am. My suregery was scheduled for 7 am. I was nervous but not too bad. I had never had any type of surgery before, only been in the hospital twice when my children were born. I got registered which was easy since the hospital had called the previous week and got all my info. then I was taken with 3 other people upstairs to the surgical waiting room and soon after a nurse came to get me to take me to the surgical waiting area. My surgery was done in the main OR, instead of outpatient because my insurance would not pay for it in an outpatient . Because I was still having regular periods, she told me to give them a urine speciman for a pregnancy test. In a few minutes, a nurse came in, got my IV goiing and asked questions about my meds, ect. Then my husband came in with me and we waited. During my hour in the surgical area I made 3 trips to the bathroom. the nerves and teh hospital cold was making me have to pee all the liquid I had drunk the day before..lol. A few minutes before I was taken to surgery the anesthesiologist gave me some meds in my IV to relax me. It took effect immeidiately! This was good stuff! All my fears and nerves just seemed to go away. My husband laughed about it later because he said I was twitching my foot and when the meds took effect my foot suddenly stopped. A nurse wheeled me to the OR and when I got in there they asked me to scoot over to the other table. Then they covered me in really warm blankets and got me all adjusted on the table and then put the oxygen mask on me and told me to take deep breaths. I thought I would begin to feel sleepy but I was just gone. The next thing I remember I was waking up in recovery. the nurse was telling me...your surgery is all over...and in my mind I thought...my surgery? what surgery? I don't think so...then I looked around a bit and realized that yes this must be recovery. the nurse was asking me if I was in pain and I remember I was so surprised that no I was not in any pain...really weird. I was not nausous or in pain, just really sleepy and my lips and mouth was sooo dry. As I opened my eyes a little more I saw my best friend who is also a nurse at this hospital beside of me. she held my hand and talked to the nurse taking care of me. She was off work on this day but came so she would be there to see me as soon as I woke up. this was wonderful. I later learned from her the assisting nurse had already given me demoral and that is why I was feeling ok when I came around. I am not sure how long I was in recovery. I remember the nurse telling me friend that she was getting ready to take me to a room. And it seemed within minutes I was being wheeled to my room and scooting over to my bed. By the time I was in my room, I began to hurt, it was like the most incredible menstral cramps I had ever had. so they gave me something in my IV to help this. The floor nurse said, my Dr had said everything went well and as soon as I could pee and walk some, that I could go home. I didn't wake up with a catheter, just had one in surgery and then it was out. the first trip to the br went really good, I could pee fine and the nurse thought this was wonderful because she said the first trip usually didn't go well. I was a little dizzy from the meds but did well and she brought me some jello. One bite and I was so nausous and sick, thought it was coming back up. but I layed down then and almost went back to sleep. When I raised up my husband went into a panic because my top lip was swelling really bad. He called the nurse who said it looked like maybe they had pinched it in surgery. I later learned from my nurse friend that this was probably from the breathing tube on my lip. the next rip to the br went better, I didnt get sick and everything seemed to be working well. so the nurse brought me some broth and toast and after eating that they gave me a pain pill to see how I would tolerate it. Everything seemed to be going good, so the nurse said, if I could walk to the end of the hall I could go home. So by 3 pm I was on my way home. And was home by 4. I sent a text to my daughter that I was on the way home and also to my work place. I didn't feel too bad, was in some pain but not really bad. I realize now the IV meds were still working and I realized afterwards I couldn't remember details about my ride home. My daughter and son were at my house shortly after I got home and seh fixed me some chicken soup and I took another pain pill about 6. I felt not too bad, really painful to get up and move and hurt pretty much all the time but it was like the worst cramps. About 9:30 I was in worse pain, all my meds wearing off, and I felt really sick. I ate some crackers and took 2 pain pills and went to bed. I was extremely uncomfortable and this would prove to be the worst night. I was either so nausous and sick, hurting really bad or trying to pee all night. this was not going nearly as well since I got home. I could hardly go at all, I would go a tiny bit and and then another tiny bit, and trying to go hurt so bad inside. I was still having problems peeing the next day and so called the dr office and they said this was normal and should get better as the swelling went down. I was still so nausous I could hardly sit up so I talked to my physician and he called me in some Zophran to help the nausea. This helped soooo much! What a Godsend. I took 2 pain pills at a time along with the Zophran all day Tuesday and Tuesday night. I managed to get a shower on Tuesday but was so weak and sick feeling. tuesday was the worst day by far. My daughter had to go home on tuesday night so Wed I was on my own...hubby had to go back to work on Tuesday. He was really worried about me being alone and called during the day to check on me. But Wed was better. I was still hurting quite alot, the pain just didn't seem to go away. but it was not unbearable and most of the tiem not worse than the cramps I had had for months. Thursday I felt worse again, not more pain but just generally didn't feel well. Friday was better, bleeding almost totally gone,(now just brownish to clear fluid, that really stinks, I might say) went back to the dr to get stitches out which only consisted of the small incisions from the laproscopy. My husband took me since it is an hour drive. By the time I got home I was hurting really bad from the ride, so took my last pain pill and went to bed an hour or so and it got better. And so at this pint I think I am home free. Sat and Sun, didn't feel good, the BM was the worst! It felt like it was just packed inside me and I couldn't get it out. Soooo bad! I had taken stool softeners for a couple of days and continued to do so over the weekend. Finally Sunday night I got relief. this second week has gone better. I think I feel really good and then I am just exhausted. My back and under my ribs has hurt more this week and I have had a headache every day since the surgery. I thought it was just from the pain meds and anesthesia at first but it is still there every day! I have also had some menopause symptoms, hot flashes, suddenly being in tears for no reason and my ear seems to ring along with the headache. I can really tell everything is getting better every day, but I am impatient and want to feel better right now. I know this is not going to happen and I have to take it slow. I have done light housework this week, fixing really simple suppers and loading and unloading the dishwasher with hubby's help and doing some laundry. And trying to walk some too. But just a few things and I am wiped out. Wed I even made it to go out and eat with hubby, son and granddaughter. This was nice to get out. But I have never felt so incredibly tired in all my life. I am totally exhausted after typing this, so think it is time for nap time. This sight has helped so much, before and after. When I have a question, I can find an answer here...thanks. My 2 week check up is next Tues the 22nd. And I am hoping to be back at work the Tuesday after memorial day, since I have a desk job. But this may prove to be only half days if I get too tired. I can't say having the surgery was fun, but I think going to be so worth it! I am looking forward to no periods, no more pain! This is a really good thing and I am so glad I have had the surgery, it is behind me and life is going to be good when I am all recovered. Thanks!!!!!!