April the 4th SCARED!!!!!!!!!!!!

okay I went to dr oday decided to have a TVA BSO. Not looking back just don't no what to expect. The last time i had surgery I went through a deppression after, DON"T WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN!!!! Please tell me how thousands of women do this eveyday,(at least thats what my 19dd keeps telling me) How bad is the pain? Will I be alert that day after surgery, I got sick on morphine before think that might happen again? Are you just sore or do you realy hurt? How long before you begin hot flashes?
Just tell me all you can!!!!!!!!!!!! April the 4th the Dat

Hi four-n

Take a deep breath and try to relax. Everyone's recovery is different so you'll get many different responses.

Although I went through the fear, the emotional roller coaster, the sadness, etc. before surgery I really couldn't wait to have it done. The TAH was my third overall female surgery at the age of 37 and enough was enough. I was tired of the pain and of the leaking accidents at work. That's how I managed to deal with it.

I was almost 100% alert by that night, sort of by design because I did not like the feeling of morphine at all. Being in a fog is no fun. But hey, it kept me pain free so the tradeoff was worth it. Again, please keep in mind that this was just my experience. If you're worried about getting sick while on morphine then ask for anti-nausea medication.

Best wishes to you

Whew! Let's see -- where to begin? Almost all of your questions have more than one answer! You might want to make a list of them and bring them to your next appointment with your doctor, because he or she can probably do a lot to help you out.

First of all: If you've gone through depression after surgery before, let your doctor know about this before you go into the hospital. There are lots of ways to manage depression and anxiety -- everything from relaxation techniques to exercise to counseling to prescription meds.

Pre-op nerves are normal, so don't feel guilty about being nervous! The important thing is to get all the assistance and support you can. If you have a close friend or relative who's been through it, maybe she can spend time with you beforehand or even come with you to the hospital.

Pain after surgery varies, of course, but if you're in pain when you wake up, let the nurses in the recovery room know right away. (They'll probably ask you first, in fact!) You'll probably be able to get medication right away that'll make you much more comfortable. If you're sensitive to a pain medication, your doctor should be able to prescribe a different one. (For example: My mother gets nauseated if she's given Demerol, but she can have morphine safely.) Ask your doctor if you can have patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) the first day after surgery, and, if so, to explain ahead of time how it works. I know that the two times I've had PCA, I've been both comfortable and alert.

You should also discuss with your doctor whether or not you can have hormone replacement afterwards, and if so, if you can have them right after surgery or if you have to wait. There are several forums on this site devoted to managing menopause symptoms either with or without hormones, so you should be able to find lots of women who will share their experiences!

Good luck, and hang in there!

Pulling for you,
Juliepede

Dear four-n-tennesse,

I'm so glad that you found us and posted!! Welcome to Hyster Sisters!!

I don't know how long ago your other surgery was, but lots of advances have been made in pain management, and for most of us, the pain is controllable after surgery. Please talk to your doctor about the reaction that you had after your last surgery. There are other drugs besides morphine that he can prescribe. I had a TVH and went home the day after my surgery, and was alert. I did rest alot on the couch for the next week or so, though.

Depression can be a side-effect of any surgery, and again, this is something that you and your doctor need to talk about in advance so that you can work together in preventing it from happening again, if at all possible.

I think your DD is probably just trying to help you to not be so frightened, when she says thousands of women have this every day. Yes, lots of women do, but it is still major surgery, and you will need to have help afterward so that you can heal properly.

Be sure to read the pre-op and post-op hints that are found here:

http://www.hystersisters.com/dirpre.php
http://www.hystersisters.com/dirpost.php

Print some of them out for your family to read, too, so they'll understand what you will and won't be allowed to do afterwards.

Please keep on reading and posting - we'll do our best to help.

's

Karen

Make sure you tell your anesthetist that morphine has made you sick in the past. There are other effective pain medications. I had Dilaudid during my last surgery and am still on it nearly four weeks post-op. I do not react to it the way I react to morphine.

Joselle