<p>Age 48, had a total abdominal hysterectomy 1 week ago. No more ovaries, uterus or cervix. I guess I should be expecting the onslaught of medically induced menopause. Oh JOY!</p>
<p>I’m in pain but surviving (they cut in the same spot as my c-section 20 years ago). Moving hurts, laughing kills.</p>
<p>Wishing you gentle healing sueinphilly. Major surgery is not fun, at all. Be good to yourself and allow others to support you throughout your recovery.</p>
<p>Treat yourself well; rest as much as possible the first week</p>
<p>Hi Sue,</p>
<p>My mom 32 years ago, had the same operation as you did. She did really well.<br>
She is still doing well and she’s 79 years old!</p>
<p>I had 3 abdominal surgeries in 2 years back in 1987,88. All went well.</p>
<p>We both rested as much as possible post surgery. </p>
<p>Best wishes for a speedy recovery!</p>
<p>Hi Sue,</p>
<p>I’m 52 and had my surgery a few months ago. Because of my age and the fact that it was partial I didn’t have the hormone issues. I was able to be return to work in 2 weeks, but recovery took the full 6 weeks. Some days I felt great and on others I was in a lot of pain and/or just plain tired.</p>
<p>Take it easy and take care of yourself.</p>
<p>Best wishes for a speedy recovery.</p>
<p>Make sure you follow the doctors instructions no matter how stir crazy you might get. My mom was convinced she could drive and push a vacuum while she was still supposed to be recovering and she was wrong. We are still dealing with complications from her hysterectomy last april because she was in too much of a hurry to get back to her life and she hurt herself. Don’t try to be a trooper about it. Rest as much as humanly possible and don’t hesitate to ask friends or family for help. It’s important not to try and do too much, even though our womanly instincts may be screaming about it. :P</p>
<p>I had the total done last year. ovaries and all. My sister told me my mood would be so mellow afterwards. She was totally right. I went from cranky to care free almost overnight. That’s the blessing of the hysterectomy. Down sides are dryness. Think of all membranes drying including eyelids, eardrums, etc. There are plenty of products to help. First winter afterwards, I had incredibly dry scalp…like a midwestern snowstorm. Take your time on the post op days and weeks. Dont lift thing. You may have recovered from a c section in two or three weeks but you had natural cortisoid hormones from pregnancy helping the recovery. Not this time honey. There is a self help group called Hyster Sisters online check them out.</p>
<p>Had the same surgery in 2004. Don’t try to do too much. </p>
<p>My gyn suggested I wait until 6 weeks after surgery to decide if I needed to try estrogen therapy. I didn’t feel I needed it–no horrible symptoms from instant menopause. In fact, I was so happy not to have heavy, incapacitating periods (from fibroids) that I kept asking myself why I hadn’t had the surgery 3 years earlier when those symptoms started.
Good luck with your recovery, Sue.</p>
<p>Don’t overdo it but do move around as you are able. Get plenty of rest, especially if you are anemic from blood loss in the months leading up to your surgery–I was desperately tired for a few months afterward. Take some of the online “support” sites with a grain of salt. I remember reading on when I had my surgery in 2002 that grossly overstated the likely length of recovery, post-op pain, and such. I didn’t need to be frightened that way, and neither do you.</p>
<p>Feel better!</p>
<p>I think you need some of that Haagen Daz or Ben and Jerrys ice cream they were talking about on another thread.</p>
<p>I hope you feel better soon!</p>
<p>I had my hysterectomy a few years before you, and that night in the hospital, the hot flashes began. If you are not feeling that already than you are lucky, and maybe you were perimenapausal already. It took me a while for the hot flashes to stop but my sleep pattern has also changed. I no longer require as much sleep. </p>
<p>Take good care of yourself and just focus on recovering. If you don’t have a cleaning person it may be a good time to get someone in, so you don’t start doing things in the house. I did not go on estogen replacement but I found estroven (found in drug stores) to be somewhat helpful. I hope you feel better soon.</p>
<p>Had the same surgery 6 years ago, but kept my ovaries because I was only 41. They’ll have to come out in a few years tho because I have a family history of ovarian cancer (mom & paternal aunt, but my BRCA test was negative). </p>
<p>The surgery was the BEST thing I ever did for myself. No more severe pain, bleeding, exhaustion, crabbiness, and needing a bathroom every hour every 3 weeks. Even with my ovaries, PMS symptoms have been cut by 75% (still get the carb cravings every few weeks). Don’t believe all the horror stories the media and certain groups try to give you about hysterectomies ruining people’s lives. A majority of women who have had them done say their lives have clearly improved since the surgery.</p>
<p>Do take it easy for at least another month. My surgery also went thru the same incision as my 2 c-sections. I’m not sure that makes it any easier. But you will recover in a month or two.</p>
<p>I’ve been home taking care of my self since 4 days post op. I am continuing to lose weight (almost 20 lbs since last year). I was 5ft 5in, 120 something lbs and now I’m at less than 103. Digestive tract is not right yet. I have to shovel my car out today to get to the doctor tomorrow. They did a lot of tests before surgery to explain the weight loss but didn’t come up with anything. hopefully the anemia/low red blood count will go away (still taking Iron) and I’ll get some strength back. Eating nauseates me. I’m not in that much pain</p>
<p>I’m just happy to have the blood loss issue solved. I pray the rest of the issues will resolve themselves over time</p>
<p>sueinphilly, that’s quite a weight loss with no explanation. Good for you for getting it all checked out. Try eating saltines all day long to help the nausea.</p>
<p>Ask a neighbor to shovel your car out. There’s no reason for you to do it yourself, and every reason for you not to do it yourself. Don’t be shy about asking! People are pleased to help a neighbor who needs it.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the very best. Do take care and let us know how the doctors visit went. </p>
<p>I have severe endo and have had ovarian cyst surgery - but it has come back. Trying to get senior son to college first then deal with it.</p>
<p>No way should you be shoveling out your car. take a cab! You had major abdominal surgery from which it takes 4-6 weeks to heal.
Here’s to a speedy recovery for you.</p>
<p>got someone to clear the path for my car. We’re supposed to get hit with another 12-18 inches of snow tomorrow into wednesday. I’m not supposed to drive for 4 weeks, but I really don’t want to walk to the bus stop thru the snow already on the ground a few blocks away. Got my taxes and my son’s taxes done and filled out the fafsa. I suck at doing nothing.</p>
<p>daytime tv. Ellen is on at 3, channel 10 I think. ;)</p>
<p>{{{hugs}}}</p>
<p>sueinphilly, for Pete’s sake, don’t you have a friend who’s just dying to do you a favor? Ask for a ride!!! It’s not the end of the world!! If I were in Philly, I’d drive you myself.</p>
<p>sue, if I were in the area, I’d be giving you rides every day until your complete recovery! Please be careful and do not try to do anything you are not supposed to be doing now! (been there, done that with something else). Speedy healing to you.</p>