Recovery Progress Reports for Hysterectomy dates Dec 27-Jan 02,2022

If your hysterectomy was between Dec 27-Jan 02,2022 this is the place to post your progress during your hysterectomy recovery.

If you have a question about your hysterectomy recovery, please start a new thread to receive answers and support for your concerns instead of including the question in your update! There is information on how to start a new thread in this link: New Here? or you can use this link: Post a New Topic in the Post-Op forum.

Post how you are doing here when you are home and well enough to sit a few minutes at your computer.

We hope you are recovering well with plenty of rest and water and a bit of walking. Don't forget to pamper the princess!



How to use the Recovery Progress Reports thread:

• 1. This thread is for the purpose of sharing updates on your recovery as you heal from your hysterectomy.
  
  
• 2. Generally, ONE or TWO posts on this thread per member/per day is adequate to share your daily progress and to share encouragement with your surgery week Sisters.
  
  
• 3. Remember to start a new thread on the Post-Op message board to ask your questions.
  
  
• 4. The Progress Report threads now begin in our special forum for all Hysterectomy Recovery Reports and will remain there for you to always find your discussion.
  
• 5. Remember all the love and support you got here as a pre-op member? Now it's YOUR turn to give back to the women in the Pre-Op Hysterectomy Support forum. Extend your hand and your hugs in replies to our pre-op ladies in waiting. This will complete our circle of women helping women!
  
• 6. You can also share support and experiences with post-op members in all phases of recovery in the Post-Op Hysterectomy Support forum by replying on the new threads they create.

• 7. We invite you to upgrade your membership - to Upgraded PLUS membership. Learn about our Upgraded Memberships.

The wait is over, you made it!
Welcome to the other side! I hope you are resting as comfortably as possible.

Please make yourselves at home here, this is the place to share experiences, concerns and questions with sisters who are on the same leg of this journey as you.

Pop in when you are able, tell us how you are doing, what is it isn’t working, ask questions, vent off some steam, don’t be shy or embarrassed-it’s all open game here.

As your Sunshine Sister, I’m just a bit further down the road on my own recovery journey. I will check regularly to help answer questions, offer suggestions and support-drawing off my own experiences and share articles packed with sound advise. The real value comes from your participation, supporting and connecting with each other.


The first few days may be a blur with lots of sleeping and coming off the anesthesia. Here are some tips for the beginning of recovery:

1. Get familiar with your DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS
2. DRINK WATER -LOTS- Numerous trips to the potty day and night will be inevitable, drink when you aren’t even thirsty. You want to flush out the anesthesia metabolites, flush your urinary track to help prevent a uti from catheterization and help keep urine dilute (the goal is nothing darker than very pale yellow) to ease bladder discomfort (this sensitive organ is cranky after being front row and center of all the action). Bladder spasms are expected-it’s easier all the way around to empty a full bladder than eeking out dribbles.
3. WALK every hour you are awake, even if it’s just a trip to the bathroom or a lap around the kitchen the first couple days. DVT(blood clot) is a real risk after surgery, getting up and moving gets the blood flowing to prevent clots.

Stay on top of your pain medicine. It’s helpful to write down a schedule. Being ahead is much easier than trying to catch up. Some find pain well controlled without prescription medication, others need stronger control. Now is not the time to be a hero, if your pain isn’t managed and under control, precious resources are being diverted from healing.

Piles of pillows, ice packs and heating pad are valuable tools to help make your recovery more comfortable. Ice packs for incisions, and tummy, heating pad for gas pains in the shoulder and ribs, or for other aches and pains from surgery positioning, etc.. Though heat may feel nice on your tummy, it’s important to keep the hating pad away from the surgical area ((#1, heat is related to inflammation, you want to discourage inflammation, inflammation causes discomfort, #2 your skin or tummy may be numb for several days or weeks and the risk of a burn is possible)) Ice will help reduce discomfort, swelling, and inflammation, it will be your friend for a few weeks.

Some of the first things you may notice or find concern with include:

• Frequent urination (yep, every hour or two)
•Sleep patterns and positions (none seem to work, some sisters sleep in their recliner)
•Gas and bloating ((gas-x, no carbonated drinks, no gassy foods, heat & hot tea)
•Constipation (water, fiber, stool softener, walking)
•Appetite or lack thereof (try to nibble something to keep your strength up)
•New or strong emotions including sadness and anxiety (don’t be surprised how easily tears may fall)

These are all normal aspects of recovery. As we move forward, we’ll get into more detail about your concerns and experiences. Even so, always listen to your body. Do not hesitate to call your doctor with any medical concerns you have.

Settle in to take this time to get the rest you need, for the next few weeks, guilt free!


Sending you the gentlest of hugs

Well, here I am approx. 12 hours post uterine eviction! I had a da Vinci robotic assist vaginal hyst and bilateral salpingectomy (kept my ovaries).

My Doctor wanted to send me home same day, but I couldn’t get my pain under control which I totally didn’t expect. I expected post-op nausea and vomiting to potentially keep me overnight. Thankfully, because zofran, a scopolamine patch, inhaled gas-sparing anesthesia, I only got a little bit nauseous and nothing came of it.

But the pain!!! I have this constant pelvic pain which is now starting to radiate to my lower back and flank. There’s a really cool ice pack connected somewhere on this bed and that’s awesome. I’ve been needing around the clock Diladud and I can only get my pain down to a 6-7 with it through the IV. I haven’t really rested yet because the pain creeps up to a 10 and I can’t get comfortable. Let’s hope post-op day 1 is better than today, day 0.

I’ve eaten half an insanely dry turkey sandwich and a few bites of sherbet. They weren’t kidding when they said you may have a reduced appetite!

Wishing all my fellow Sisters this week and smooth surgery and comfortable recovery!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by 1catshortofcrzy I have this constant pelvic pain which is now starting to radiate to my lower back and flank. There’s a really cool ice pack connected somewhere on this bed and that’s awesome. I’ve been needing around the clock Diladud and I can only get my pain down to a 6-7 with it through the IV. I haven’t really rested yet because the pain creeps up to a 10 and I can’t get comfortable. Let’s hope post-op day 1 is better than today, day 0. I’ve eaten half an insanely dry turkey sandwich and a few bites of sherbet. They weren’t kidding when they said you may have a reduced appetite! Wishing all my fellow Sisters this week and smooth surgery and comfortable recovery!

Welcome 1cat,
I’m sorry to hear your pain isn’t under control, hopefully those pain signals will settle down soon and your medical team can find a combination of treatments that will make you more comfortable, or order some tests to find out why you are having such uncontrollable pain.

As for your appetite, you are doing great! Half a sandwich is a lot for day one
Keep us posted.

Post-op day 1 and I’m finally home. We switched my breakthrough narcotic to Vicoden/Norco and it seems to be working better than the Dilaudid was. I have a nice plug-in heat pack on my lower back to deal with the radiating pain and will keep icing my belly. Still no real food today, but I tried! Treated myself to a Starbucks Pink Drink for a boost of caffeine and coconut milk which goes easier on my stomach than coffee.
I have a 1 week incision check with my doctor next week.

1st day postop but still at the hospital. Pain isn't too bad but the pain meds have made.me.throw up. Trying to drink lots of fluids so I can.pee without a catheter.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by christieb123 1st day postop but still at the hospital. Pain isn't too bad but the pain meds have made.me.throw up. Trying to drink lots of fluids so I can.pee without a catheter.

Welcome to the post-op side! I’m glad your pain is well controlled, but vomiting from the meds is awful. Are they trying different meds to find one you can tolerate? I can’t take Oxycodone/Percocet because it makes me severely nauseated and vomit too.

Keep drinking and keep us posted! I’ve found that my bladder is still mad and peeing is a stop and go event, but thankfully they bladder scanned me after my first void and I had emptied completely despite the struggle.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by christieb123 1st day postop but still at the hospital. Pain isn't too bad but the pain meds have made.me.throw up. Trying to drink lots of fluids so I can.pee without a catheter.

:
Hello Christie, we’re so glad you joined us!
I’m sorry to hear the medicine is making you sick. Some women are able to control their pain without narcotics. Are ibuprophen and acetaminophen possibilities?
Hopefully, you’ve been able to successfully pee on your own and have been discharged.
Keep drinking that water to help flush out your urinary tract to help stave off a uti.

Check in with us as you are able,

I've never been so excited about peeing in my whole life. Here's hoping I get to home without a catheter! I'm on Tylenol and Motrin only now and my body is much better now that the anesthesia and narcotics are out. This is such a supportive community!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by christieb123 I've never been so excited about peeing in my whole life. Here's hoping I get to home without a catheter! I'm on Tylenol and Motrin only now and my body is much better now that the anesthesia and narcotics are out. This is such a supportive community!

I’m sending you loads of positive “can pee” vibes and holding the vision you break out of there catheter-free! So glad to hear you’re feeling better and your pain is managed with just the Motrin and Tylenol. I’ve been able to space out my narcotic, but still need it about every 6 hours. It’s the back and hip pain I can’t tolerate.

Keep us posted on your discharge!