Recovery Progress Reports for Hysterectomy dates Mar 29-Apr 04,2021

Hey all. Glad to see that your recoveries are going well for the most part! Praying that you continue to get stronger each day!

My recovery has not been a smooth one - if you recall, I am the one that passed out several days post-op... only to be sent to my PCP. I received IV fluid at my PCP's office for dehydration and they went ahead and did some lab work... which resulted in a trip to the ER for septic shock when my resting pulse shot up to 153 and my BP was 70/40. I went through 3 ICU's and 3 different hospitals in the last 2 weeks. They had to go back in and do a surgical clean out and also remove one ovary as it had died (evidently had become accustomed to a large blood supply from my huge fibroid and could not handle going back to a "normal" blood supply.) My super-star husband has not left my side and is taking good care of me. I just came home last night after surgery on Apr 2. Lots of dr appts in the future for me. My dr told me I need to expect a 12 week recovery and that is 12 weeks from DISCHARGE, not 12 weeks from the original surgery. It will be very long and very slow as my body has been through a lot and is very weak. I still have a cath in, hope to possibly get rid of that on Monday... otherwise will go with a self-cath regimen. Right now, I'm literally limited to trips to the restroom or simply moving from my bed to the recliner. Hopefully next week, I'll be allowed to walk around the house a little.

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Originally Posted by Lonelysheltie Very pale pink bleeding?? I guess? When I go to the bathroom. Still finding it on my pads as a ghost kind of secretion. I go for my follow up next week so I'm hoping there's nothing to worry about as pain is manageable with advil and tylenol. Definitely finding the way point post accurate though. Constipation is a big deal right now, again. Having to go back to the Stool softeners and things like that. Gas is super painful too. Hope everyone is healing faster than I am! Belly button burning/itchiness is driving me bonkers.

That itch is maddening! All 4 of my lap sites were itchy, and sometimes my cuff sutures. So annoying!

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Originally Posted by Lonelysheltie Very pale pink bleeding?? I guess? When I go to the bathroom. Still finding it on my pads as a ghost kind of secretion. I go for my follow up next week so I'm hoping there's nothing to worry about as pain is manageable with advil and tylenol. Definitely finding the way point post accurate though. Constipation is a big deal right now, again. Having to go back to the Stool softeners and things like that. Gas is super painful too. Hope everyone is healing faster than I am! Belly button burning/itchiness is driving me bonkers.

Lonelysheltie. I know it is hard to know what is normal and what isn’t. As you move about more, it can tug a bit on your stitches and cause a bit of pink. If it would be bright red, you need to rest with your feet up. If you fill a pad in an hour, that’s when you head to the ER.

I’m sorry you are dealing with constipation again. Keep drinking lots and lots of water and eating fiber rich foods. Many of our ladies find smooth move tea helps. You can also try propping up your feet on a short stool ... this is known as the “Squatty Potty” position and really does help. It is still important not to strain.

on your post op ... please let us know how it goes.

This is my first post. I started as a lapro, but my canteloupe sized fibroid caused doc to switch to abdominal hysterectomy. Surgery date was 4/1/21 taking uterus, cervix and tubes. Ovaries were left. Hospital stay was two days, self-weened off morphine pump quickly, bladder and bowl movements before leaving hospital. Everything seemed really good. I have a 6 yo and I have been assisting him with online kinder, throwing together a few pre-prepped meals, and generally resting. I spend 90% of my day in bed. Some days I’m more tired and sore than others. But, generally, I was feeling pretty good until yesterday when my bestie took me to the store to pick up a few items and get out of the house. After about 45 minutes of shopping/browsing (with my binder on!) I started to feel very painful pulling about 1-2 inches inside my right hip. Are there generally stitches/sutures tied to this area? It felt like something was tearing through muscle. I think that I “over did it” shopping and walking and have been in bed and resting all day and back to 3 hydrocodones (I had been on one a day for the past 3 days). It’s better today and the pain is fading. Is this what overdoing it feels like (from simply WALKING?!?) and can anybody tell me if that is an area where I may have pulled on sutures? Thanks for any feed back.

Best wishes and speedy recovery to all the ladies on this forum. And thanks to the Big Hystersisters who check in and give feedback. You are all appreciated.

Chicken Tender: It must be so frustrating to suffer this set back. All we want is a complication free surgery and a fairly normal recovery. The set backs feel so debilitating physically, mentally and emotionally. I hope things get better for you from here out!

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Originally Posted by GetMe My surgeon started my surgery robotic but when my uterus and fibroid proved to be to large and attached to my uterus in such a way she couldn’t remove she switched to abdominal surgery. So needless to say I have a lot of marks on my belly. I spent 3 days in the hospital due to the fact that my surgery needed up to be in the 4-5 hour mark. I went to my 2 wk check up and got good review. Pathology was clear but they also found mor fibroids in the uterus. My question is .. I feel at times poky spots in my vagina or in my belly. Do you think it might be stitches. I am trying to be good and quiet as far as movement goes but I was a twice a day workout girl cardio and weights and all this sitting is really hard. Shelly belly is going down but by the end of the day it shows back up. Mainly the itching and poking is crazy. Thoughts ladies.

GetMe ... were so glad to have you with us. on your 2 week appointment and clear path report ... we are rejoicing with you.

The poking you are feeling could definitely be stitches on the inside. Vaginal cuff stitches start to dissolve around week 4. Please don’t hesitate to ask your doctor.

I work out 5 days a week ... I knows how hard it is to stay down. Right now your most important task is to take care of you. I’m glad you’re trying to stay down.

Swelly Belly is your body’s reaction to the trauma of surgery. It is normal to have more swelling at the end of the day. If you’ve ever had a sprained ankle, you know the more you’ve been up and about, the more swollen it can be by the end of the day. It will get better, honest.

best wishes on your continued recovery dear. Remember we are here for you.

A question about the swelly belly. What exactly is swollen? Since the uterus was removed I figured there was just an empty hole that would be filled with the remaining organs, so I have no idea where the swelling is coming from...

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Originally Posted by ChickenTender Hey all. Glad to see that your recoveries are going well for the most part! Praying that you continue to get stronger each day! My recovery has not been a smooth one - if you recall, I am the one that passed out several days post-op... only to be sent to my PCP. I received IV fluid at my PCP's office for dehydration and they went ahead and did some lab work... which resulted in a trip to the ER for septic shock when my resting pulse shot up to 153 and my BP was 70/40. I went through 3 ICU's and 3 different hospitals in the last 2 weeks. They had to go back in and do a surgical clean out and also remove one ovary as it had died (evidently had become accustomed to a large blood supply from my huge fibroid and could not handle going back to a "normal" blood supply.) My super-star husband has not left my side and is taking good care of me. I just came home last night after surgery on Apr 2. Lots of dr appts in the future for me. My dr told me I need to expect a 12 week recovery and that is 12 weeks from DISCHARGE, not 12 weeks from the original surgery. It will be very long and very slow as my body has been through a lot and is very weak. I still have a cath in, hope to possibly get rid of that on Monday... otherwise will go with a self-cath regimen. Right now, I'm literally limited to trips to the restroom or simply moving from my bed to the recliner. Hopefully next week, I'll be allowed to walk around the house a little.

O dear one ... I am so sorry for all you have been going through. My heart hurts for you ... I had a similar experience years ago and I truly understand. Many Kudos to your husband for taking good care of you.

My thoughts and prayers are with you dear ... please know we are here for you.

love to you dear.

Hi Sisters, I am 46, my surgery was on March 31st. I had my uterus and cervix and tubes removed. This is my first post

I have not felt well enough to post earlier however, this past weekend I felt a little like myself again and was a bit more active. I enjoyed spending some time outside in the warm sun with my husband. We even gathered some cottonwood buds from some trees he fell on our property so I can make pain salve and soap with them when I feel up to it. The minimal activity must have taken its toll though because I slept most of the day today, I’m absolutely exhausted. I have a hard time knowing where the balance is, it is just so easy to overdo it. My new rule is up for no more than two hours, after that it’s back to bed for a rest! I have sharp pain when standing or sitting for to long at the laparoscopic sites and burning in my bladder with to much activity. I have issues with constipation and nausea still but I’m sure this will pass with time. My must haves are my pregnancy/ body pillow, heating pad (helps me relax and diminishes pain), baths(check with your surgeon), smooth-move tea/stool softeners and my water bottle. I had no idea how hard post surgery would be and I am so grateful to have all of you

I read your messages for the first two weeks post op and would cry because I felt for you and I wasn’t alone in my experience. This is tougher than I ever imagined and I can see that it is beyond anything I am experiencing for many of you but I know that our bodies are made to heal and heal we will! I have so much love for all of you!

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Originally Posted by Katrinaburbank1 A question about the swelly belly. What exactly is swollen? Since the uterus was removed I figured there was just an empty hole that would be filled with the remaining organs, so I have no idea where the swelling is coming from...

I had been wondering this also.

From the interwebs: “ Swelling is normal after surgery. As the body begins healing itself, thousands of cells are sent to the affected body part. This is part of the first stage of healing called the inflammatory phase. The influx of all of these cells to the area causes more swelling.”