No Date: Reality of recovery time

Hi ~ Since everyone here is Pre-Op, I'm not sure if anyone can answer this, but my question is for very specific information about recovery time for an abdominal hysterectomy with uterus and ovaries being removed.

My doctor said 2 days in the hospital, 2 weeks in bed, and then 2-4 weeks "low key"...

What I want to know if what condition will I be in during those 2 weeks in bed? Are we talking, flat on my back and drugged up or what?? ;-)

I work from home and am on my laptop/phone. I dont' have to stand or run around, so my "work" sitaution is different from most. I'm just trying to get an idea of what to tell my employer about the amount of time I actually won't be able to work at all. Should I still count on 2 full weeks? 6 weeks?

Any ideas? I wanted to post this on the Post-Op forum, but wasn't "allowed" so not sure how much all you Pre-Op folks know about this...

Thanks!

Well I had the davinci 11 days ago. Spent one night in the hospital. My dr gave me instructions of no lifting over 10 lbs and " if you have to think about it, don't do it". I was really weak forth first two days but I did get up and walk around, ate at the table, took showers. I was most comfortable in the bed propped up with pillows behind my back. You could definitely use your laptop in the bed. In the past few days I have stood at the sink and washed dishes, started laundry (after my dtr loaded it) and put away/hung up clothes.

2 weeks in bed seems like a lot to be, but I'm still pre-op and having a TVH so what do I know. I'd say take the 2 full weeks off and you can likely go back to work after that since your job is "low-key". Ask your doctor what he/she thinks as well.

I had SAH on Feb 10. I was 2 days in hospital, then 3 or 4 days in bed, then I started to hang around in other parts of the house. I went out for the first time at 10 days, spent 5 or 6 hours out, and was ok. A few things I did notice; I had more pain days 10 to 20 than I did the first 10. Also, after day 20, I was super tired for at least a week. I'm now about day 30, and spending most of the day dressed and doing stuff. I do lay out and watch TV later in the day, then get up and do dinner and stuff. House is still a mess, but I'm starting to think that's because I don't like house work. My belly is still super sore around the incision, and I do end up taking Motrin for that at least once a day.

I'd say you could probably do some work from bed starting around week 2 or 3. I have an active outdoor job and won't be going back until a little after week six. I hope this helps, and good luck!

Us post-op'ers check in here too! :-)

For me, the first week you are pretty much goofy on pain killers and the anthesia still wearing off. In bed til I got so bored then walking around a bit, get tired quick and back to bed. Week 2 I started feeling like a normal person and wanting to get back in the swing of things, but quickly finding myself going back to bed and you still do some goofy stuff. (twice that week I lost the remote, once it was found in the fridge, the other in the microwave) The third week things start coming together in your head, your body is a bit achy and sore, reminding you to behave and be nice to it. The fourth week I was nearly "recovered", just required more sleep and rest than I "normally" do.

I don't want to sound depressing, but think of those first two weeks like how you feel with the flu. You're not miserable, you can get up and move about, but your world revolves around making your body more comfortable. There's just no extra time for anything else.

Working from home will help you get back to work faster, as for most of us riding or driving a car is painful. (the bumps!)

Thanks, everyone. Sounds like I should plan on not working for at least 2 weeks.

I just joined this site today and know there was an acronym page, but now can't find it. I don't know what SAH and TCH, etc. mean. Where do I find that???

Thanks again...

SAH=supracervical abdominal hysterectomy. That means I had hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) above the cervix (kept my cervix) via abdominal incision. BSO, LAVH, LAH etc are all terms for other kinds of hysterectomy/fallopian/ovarian removals and approaches. BSO=bilateral (both sides) salpingo (fallopian tubes) oopher (ovarian) removal. LAVH= laparoscope assisted vaginal hysterectomy, etc etc.

Hope this helps!

I think you can find the acronyms list under hysterectomy definitions on home page?

I'm on day 12. Everything gone but one ovary.

Yesterday was my first day 'out'. I went to a movie. Today I spent about 5 hours total out of the house, but needed to find places to sit often during my excursion.

Week one for me- not really able to respond much to texts, email, etc. Drugs are working their way out... Day 5 I mistakenly moved the house-cat by lifting her up. (She only weighs 9 pounds). MISTAKE.

I wear my swelly belly wrap everywhere now if just to remind myself NOT to pick things up or do anything that would hamper my healing.

I was meant to spend 2 days in hospital and once home not to lift anything heavier than a kettle or drive for a minimum of six weeks, then another 6 weeks of very light duties. Everything out but 1 ovary!

Reality:
5 days in hospital due to complications.
I'm just over 2weeks post op now and basically have been working 4hrs a day from day 6, I work from home and can do most of it in bed, but it still takes a lot of me as I'm sitting up and twisting to do it.. I just can't stand sitting around doing nothing lol.

My DH is back to work tomorrow and I have 2 small children and 3 school age so I'll basically be back on my normal routine, due to family convenientely not being available.

I know when I see my gyno I'm going to be in trouble but theres not much I can do about it.

I also had a SAH which is less surgery than a TAH. I spent 4 days in the hospital (that includes the surgery day)although I could have come home on Day 3. As to the 2 weeks in bed, I was in and out of bed right from the beginning. I would spend a couple of hours reading in bed, get up, spend a couple of hours on the computer, go have lunch or dinner (hubby did all the taking care of me), walked around the house or outside and went back to reading in bed. It wasn't much different for me than a very lazy weekend. I wasn't bed-bound by any means. I basically did that during all of my recovery and added outings as I felt more up to it. That was my recovery.

Everyone is different and no one can predict how you will be feeling or how much pain you will be in. You may be bed-bound for two weeks or you may not. It was a pleasant surprise for me to find out that I wasn't in any pain and that I was so mobile. I wish you have a great recovery.