I'm really afraid of the pain

Ok, I'm gonna have to be the voice of dissent I suppose but if you read my hyster story then you'll see I had really rotten hospital service and was in pain. Was it horrid? At times, like when I started throwing up AND passed gas for the first time at the same time, yes. Every time I got out of bed (which was alot as I was determined to get the gas moving) was stabbing pain but I had NO help and NO CLUE how to properly do it without causing myself any more pain than necessary. I had that morphine pump PLUS toradol (once) until 3 hours before I left the hospital a little under 60 hours from check in. I needed it. I also have a very high tolerance for pain meds so that didn't help. I'm now on my 6th day post op and yes, still taking pain meds but am also responsible for everything around here-read yes, I am having to cook, dishes, laundry, you name it. Not my idea of a perfect situation, but neither is being in jail for shooting my NSDH (who will be my ex husband as soon as I can go to work and get an attorney). It is different for everyone and please please please make sure you go over with your physician AND the hospital what pain meds you will be given, the dosage and frequency. And if you hurt, then scream your lungs out honey because as I found out, unless you raise hell, you may live in it. Alot of it will be mental, so try and stay positive but you may be in the majority and just be in moderate pain for the first 24 hours. I'll keep me fingers crossed for you!

Hi Vuebird,

I can remember my 2 c's and the pain, though mentally you can displace it for the reward, however in this case our true reward is the end of the pain we have been dealing with already (and let me tell you my broken ulna was far more painful than either of my c's, but nowhere near as painful as this pelvic problem). All I can say is, make sure you ask for phenergan to take with your painkillers, not only do they help with any narcotic induced nausea (stops the retching and the pain involved with that), but it helps you sleep, which is so important in healing. You can also ask if you can take ibuprophen with your pain killer as this seemed to help reduce the swelling which causes alot of the pain also.

The most IMPORTANT thing I remember (and my E.R. nurse sister pounded this into my brain) was to take the meds before you feel the pain, if you have to watch the clock to insure you take them on time, do so. At night I would set my clock for evey 4 hours to wake me up and I would take my meds whether I felt pain yet or not. It reduces the effects of the pain meds if you wait until the pain starts again. As for myself, I intend to try and sleep my way through the first 2 weeks, other than the necessary bathroom trips.

One other great thing to have is a wipes warmer next to your bed filled with your favorite wipes to remove the grim of laying in bed and just to make you feel fresh when you need it. Its a great way to wipe the sleep off you face without feeling llike you have to get up and wash you hands and face. I also kept a small bottle of mouthwash next to the bed to freshen my breath whenever I get that sour stomach taste in it, (just don't forget a spit cup with some paper towels stuck in it, in case it spills).

I hope this gives you some advice so that you feel more prepared for the after. Just try to remember each day past your castle day is just one day closer to no pain, no pain, no pain. I will be thinking of you and sending 's and ers.

Good luck and God speed on your recovery, Idell

Thank you so much for all the advice from each and every one of you.

I'm just going to do the best I can I guess and "git er done" LOL.

I just soooooo want to get this over with. Two weeks from today!!!!!

I know how you feel. I read all the posts I could & felt like I was going into this informed as much as possible. I made a list of what I thought I needed & shopped. I even printed up a list of questions & took them to my doctor & made notes as she answered them. I told her I had gone to the hystersister website & she had heard about it. I told her I thought it was very confusing in that there were so many different experiences. Her answer was that all these women had all different kinds of symptoms, proceedures & reasons for their particular surgeries. They were in different kinds of physical shape, ages, their doctors had varying experience behind them as well. So it is hard to compare one person's experience with another.
I can tell you for me, this was not horrible, the pain was very manageable.
I remember being preped for surgery, putting on the gown, relinquishing my clothes, cell phone & glasses! Putting on that gown, watching them put those crazy white stockings & booties on as well as some sort of inflatable things on my legs, starting the IV. And I'm thinking but I feel fine! Sure I had like level 9 pain cramps the week before, but that day of the surgery I felt fine & they were about to cut me open!
Its a hard, hard decision. I'm 48, soon to be 49. I've had "female" pain since I was in my late 20's. It came & went, no one could quite figure out "why". As I got older, it got worse & worse. At 48, I'm wondering how many more years do I have to put up with this???
I think if they could tell me I was going to have 6 or 12 or 16 more periods, I could deal with that! But you don't know. In fact the lady that did all my pre-op bloodwork was 55 & still having regular periods! No thanks!
So, you read & make your decision. And you know what? For me, I sailed right through it--on May 8th! I'm doing great! The pain I had in the hospital was no more than a 5 compared to what I had gone through with the cramps I had before the surgery.
I'm sure there will be more stuff to go through. I'm on a hormone patch. That seems to be working. Cross your fingers! I haven't had the urge to kill anyone or cry. So far I haven't even grown a mustache!
So, take care of yourself! There are lots of nice folks on this sight very happy to help, listen & share stories. You're not alone! You'll be ok.

I am having surgery in June and I am so freaked out about the pain. Although, I can't imagine a pain worse than the initial prolapse. It was excrutiating! I had vicodin and it didn't even help. Since it made me sick, I stopped taking it. I am worried about the pain, addictive meds, and complications.

Donna......... your reply is soooooooooooooooooooo funny!!! I love it! What a great sense of humor!!

Okay, this is silly, but...I'm less afraid of the pain of the operation than I am of getting the shots. I don't take them well, especially intramuscular. I had one in the hip ten years ago that still hurts on wet days.

The gas pain is far worse than the pain after surgery. You will have the PCA to help you through. I barely remember the pain. I had a demerol PCA instead of Morphine and it worked much better for me. I was off the PCA by 6:00 a.m. the morning after surgery. Off pain meds though I have them if I need them 24 hours later.

Arlyn, I never had a shot, all was through IV or oral. They didn't even take the IV out until the Dr. released me to go home, just in case they needed to give me something. Maybe you can ask to not have any shots at all and have it all go through IV.

Best wishes,

Sandra

I'm not sure what type of hysts you women are having but, after my TVH 2 yrs ago, I had virtually NO pain. The worst thing I had in the hospital was the vomiting from not tolerating the morphine well. Once I got off that (about 6 hrs post op), it was smooth sailing.

Once home from the hospital (I was in about 24 hrs), I only took Advil. Think I may have taken the Vicodin once to sleep, but threw up instead and went back to the Advil.

Sisters from all over the boards will tell you that waiting is the worst part of having your hyst. Believe them!! Keep yourselves distracted while you're waiting. It will be over before you know it

Take care and we'll see you on the other side!