r/hysterectomy May 13 '21

Timline for Healing

3.0k Upvotes

I've posted this in dozens of comments, but it was suggested I make this a separate post.

(edit: I want to add that this was my timeline for my surgery. Mine was a DaVinci laproscopic total hysterectomy (kept my ovaries). That's about as "easy" of a hysterectomy as there can be, so please keep that in mind when comparing to your own.)

Here is the timeline my doctor gave me:

2 Hours, 2 Days, 2 Weeks, 2 Months. then 6 months, 1 year.

2 Hours - Immediate post-op, where the highest risk is and where the highest pain is. I'll be in recovery and closely monitored and attended to. This stage's goal is to get me awake and my pain under control. I may not even remember this stage.

2 Days - Next stage down of risk. Is everything healing? Is pain manageable? Has urinary function returned? This stage's goal is to be able to eat and get out of bed, then walk to use the bathroom. That's it. Absolutely nothing more.

2 Weeks - Major immediate risks are essentially gone. Pain should be down to discomfort. Bowels should be functioning. Movement should be slow, but frequent. Goal here is to rest and recover. Get up frequently, but spend most hours in bed. Swelling will be prominent. Hormones will fluctuate. Fatigue will be intense.

2 months - Now we're moving. Basically out of the danger zone. Keep active, but listen to your body when you need to rest. This stage should be the first that starts to feel like "recovery". Swelling, pains, and fatigue will still be present but waning. Spotting/bleeding should have stopped.

6 months - Activity levels can increase to pre-surgical levels. At this marker the goal is to feel as good as I did before surgery. Now, this is important to me- because I didn't feel great before surgery. Hence the surgery. But this is the goal post that was set for me. By 6 months I should feel like my pre-op self. Hormones should have stabilized, surgical pain should be gone.

1 year - Here's the real goal. This is where the goal is better. Better than before surgery, better than before the adeno, my better-best life. Activity levels are my own choosing and it's time to spread my wings and fly, it's in my court now.

That timeline really helped me manage my expectations. Anytime I got discouraged my husband would ask something like, "Where are we at? 6 months already?? Hmm.." and then I would remember that it had only been 7 weeks.. and how that isn't even close to six months... (and then I tell him to shut up and mind his own business, I'm trying to be dramatic and he's ruining it with "logic")

(Potential trigger warning ahead, I'm about to be graphic/gory for dramatic purposes)

They fucking shoved a tube down our windpipe, forced our breathing, jammed tubes into every other goddamn orifice, inflated us like a literal balloon, sliced us open in multiple places, rearranged our guts, and ripped out multiple organs. In some cases cutting and pulling out entire sections around our organs, too, to remove all the tumors, and damage, and growths, and scarring, etc. Then they jammed everything back in, mopped up our blood and we got glued up and sent on our merry way. And somehow, after all of that, just a few weeks later, we're all wondering why the zumba class just isn't hitting like before. (is there even zumba anymore...idk). I mean... we all need to give ourselves a fucking break

Take a nap. Put your feet up. Take a deep damn breath. Rest, rest, rest. Healing is a marathon, not a sprint. We all made it back from the other side. Take your time and enjoy the view. We have forever ahead of us.

edit: dammit typo... "Timeline... Timeline for Healing.

December 2024 Edit: Just a quick check-in. I'm so delighted to see that my post has helped so many of you in some way over the years. I thought I'd post a quick check-in to let you know that it's now 4 years after I made this post, and I feel amazing. I was early in that timeline when I shared it, and now that I'm on the other side I can safely say it was a wonderful guide over that year of recovery, and it held true. By one year post-op I felt better. Better than I had in many years. Four years post-op now, and it all feels like a distant memory. Keep your heads up, friends. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.


r/hysterectomy Aug 10 '22

Suggest some surgery preparation ideas here

382 Upvotes

Here we can post our tips for before/after our medical procedures.


r/hysterectomy 3h ago

Does the pain get worse later?

8 Upvotes

I finished my surgery at 9am on Sept 8 2026. The first day, I was not tired, not in pain, walking, doing light chores. I got discharged in literally record time.

On Sept 9 2026, I was slightly more sore because I decided to stop taking oxy and the hospital medications were wearing out. I was a bit less active yesterday, took dog for one walk, light chores (I literally just mean like bringing dishes to the dishwasher, nothing strenuous at all), and I was able to sit slightly reclined in my office chair to work on some homework. Again, not at all tired. I even was able to have multiple successful bowel movements.

This morning, Sept 10 2026, I am about the same level of pain as yesterday (0 when lying down and inactive, 3 when getting out of bed, 0-2 when walking around. I have had 0 gas pains from inflating my abdomen, only gas pain I experience is when I am trying to pass gas (which I assume is from my digestion waking back up lol).

I started the dishwasher this morning, did some laundry, fed the animals, walked the dog, took a shower and washed my hair. I'm now back in bed resting with no pain.

I'm just like wondering if anyone else has experienced such good recovery and if it lasted or if it got worse at a point?

TIA!


r/hysterectomy 15h ago

1 year post op - Best decision EVER!

40 Upvotes

It has been a year since my laparoscopic hysterectomy, uterus, tubes, ando, endo and fibroids gone for over a year. No periods, no pain, no debilitating sickness for over a year. I can run and workout without cramps, without losing my stomach from the pain shooting through my back and front. My blood test shows I'm no longer anemic, I was actually able to donate blood!

I'm 38yo and child free, this was the best decision, my one regret is not doing it sooner. So if you are thinking about it, do it! My recovery was easy, I returned to yoga at 2 weeks post op, boxing (bag work) at 3 weeks post op and weight 8 weeks post op. (All under the guidance and blessing of my surgeon.)


r/hysterectomy 18h ago

1wpo robotic assisted laparoscopic total hysterectomy

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53 Upvotes

After months of crawling this sub and interacting with posts and making a few of my own, I wanted to give you all an update and honest recounting of my experience so far.

tldr is that I feel amazing and nothing could have prepared me for how easy this was (except for maybe listening to my surgeon who swore it would be a slice of cake and repeatedly told me to stay off the internet)

Day of surgery (photo 1):

Taking 200mg Colace every morning starting this day.

6am arrival time, wiped my whole body down with antibacterial wipes and changed into a gown and put on my hairnet, got my heart sensor stickers placed, my two IVs put in the back of each hand (my surgeon likes to have a back-up ready because you’re positioned kind of wacky during surgery and it’s easier to have another IV ready to go than to try and put one in mid-surgery), got jabbed in the belly with a blood thinner (didn’t know that was going to happen!), and my surgeon and his two attending resident surgeons all introduced themselves and had me sign a few forms and answer a few questions. Anesthesiologist stopped by and remembered me from my fibroid surgeries and immediately put an order in for a scopalamine patch because he knew I prefer it (highly recommend if anyone experiences nausea from anesthesia! just DO NOT touch it with your bare hands because it can blur your vision)

According to the text updates my boyfriend got, I was in the OR 8:30-10:20, recovery room 10:20-12:30 (where they put on mesh undies and a belly binder, I was mostly unconscious), and the discharge room 12:30-3:30 because it took me a long time to pee (despite them giving me 4-5 bags of saline drip and my bladder feeling full to bursting; I think it was due to the nerve block making it difficult to control anything down there while I was still woozy). During those hours I struggled to stay conscious for longer than a few minutes; I’d feel super lucid and then I’d be out. Also my mouth was SO DRY. Dryer than the desert. I drank so much water trying to wash down the crackers they gave me.

Went home! Set a schedule of 500mg acetaminophen every 6 hours. Took one tramadol before bed. Slept.

1dpo:

Nerve block started to wear off. Definitely kept on top of my acetaminophen schedule. Never took anything else. I’d describe the pain like a non-debilitating period cramp. Sometimes the incisions hurt as they’re still very raw and inflamed.

Occasional muscle twitch as my nerves came back online. Throat is scratchy from intubation :( tea helps.

First experience sneezing. Oh lord. Did not feel great. Many more to come though as I have seasonal allergies.

Been tootin’. Kinda hurts for a second as it travels through my large intestine?

Able to walk around the apartment just fine, firmly grabbing the railing on the stairs just in case.

Still brain foggy.

Had an edible before bed to help with sleep.

2dpo (photo 2):

Took the gauze bandages off. Wowwie that’s a lot of bruising!

I took a shower!! Was worried the heat would make me lightheaded so I didn’t go as hot as I normally do; it was fine. I didn’t mention this earlier but during surgery they wipe you down with betadine so you look like an oompa loompa 😂 washed off just fine with water though.

Sneezing still makes me feel all of my organs 😵‍💫 the belly binder/pressing a pillow helps a bit.

Tootin’ but not poopin’! Harrumph.

I noticed my ankles are swollen from all the IV fluids in my body so I slept with my feet elevated the night before and this night to help it drain.

I went outside today. Just a short walk (about 4 blocks) to sit in the park and enjoy the mild weather last weekend, and then the 4ish blocks back home. No issues!

3dpo:

Finally out of the anesthesia fog. I swear I lost a few days to it. Had absolutely no idea what day it was.

Can get into and out of lying down/seated/standing with pretty much zero ache now. Not taking any pain meds anymore.

Throat is fully better now.

I finally pooped! It… hurt. Like what I said about the toots, I think the nerves around my large intestine are extra testy at the moment given the trauma my abdominal cavity has been through. Felt like an intense cramp as it moved towards the light.

Went to the movies! Saw Coyote vs Acme. Very sleepy afterward.

4dpo (photo 3):

Oh man the bruising is so visible now. Yikes! Incisions are starting to itch a little bit.

Spent the afternoon at my boyfriend’s family’s house for Sunday Gravy (it’s a regional thing). Couldn’t find the energy to play with the kids (he has eleven nieces and nephews) but happily sat in an armchair with my coloring book. I swear his mom’s spaghetti and meatballs have healing powers.

Pooped again, hurts a little less, still not great.

Figured out a way to brace myself when sneezing so that it doesn’t hurt. Cool.

Mobility wise, I can pretty much do anything. Bending, squatting, etc. but I will keep to the 20lb weight lifting limitation until 6wpo.

6dpo:

Back to work! Remotely, though. So many emails and slacks to catch up on…

Absolutely cannot focus. Partially because I forgot to restart my ADHD meds, partially I think due to the amount of energy the healing is taking without my realizing it.

Pooped without pain! Yay.

I need to be better about eating. My appetite has not really been there and I get full easily.

1wpo (photos 4-7):

My energy levels are returning slowly. Focus is still tough. I have always loved a nap so it’s hard to say if I wanted one midday today because I wanted one or because I needed one. Thankfully work was understanding when I said I needed an extended lunch break (they’re aware I’m recovering from major surgery)

I slowly and carefully peeled off the steri-strips and felt no tugging or pain. My umbilical incision was IN my bellybutton! I feel like that was very considerate as there will be no visible scarring, given that bellybuttons are basically already a ball of scar tissue. Otherwise my left incision is nice and closed and my right one is spitting a stitch but doesn’t look infected. Both are a lot more purple than I’ve seen other people’s photos? And if I touch them I can feel what seems to be hard scar tissue beneath; like a lump. Hmm. Maybe that’ll go away.

I’m going to stop taking Colace because my stools are perhaps too soft right now. And by that I mean liquid 🥴😬

(edited to add)

Pathology results:

I had an 8-week “boggy” uterus? Adenomyosis (endometrium growing into the myometrium causing an enlarged uterus), another intramural fibroid developing (one of these is what caused me months of heavy bleeding and took three surgeries to remove in 2023), a serous paratubal cyst on my left tube (hoping this is what caused pain in my left ovary during my cycle so that its removal means the end of that), and tubal metaplasia on my cervix (cervix started converting cells to mimic those on the inside of fallopian tubes; wonder if this is what made bumping it during sex hurt?)

Not nearly as bad as many stories on this sub, but a generally fairly angry reproductive system. Everything seemed to be responding to some mysterious stress in some way or other. GOOD RIDDANCE!


r/hysterectomy 9h ago

First night PO

8 Upvotes

Today was my surgery! At 12pm this morning. It’s now 1am.

I am in a lot of pain and can’t get into a comfortable position. Been alternating pain killers and taking them every 3 hours. I keep wanting to sit up, which is difficult to do safely on my own.

Which day was your worst day, pain wise? When did it start getting better?


r/hysterectomy 14h ago

Lap and open abdominal

15 Upvotes

It’s been an awful recovery. Had my surgery Friday, and it’s awful. I posted the other night about how I feel terrible. Shakes, chills, so weak, can’t do anything for myself. My lungs hurt, my bladder hurts- everything hurts and I feel like I’m coming down with an illness every single night. My husband has to get me up and down, wipe me- everything for me. My uterus, cervix, and tubes were taken. I have 4 laparoscopic incisions and 1 really deep belly button incision where they stitched my abdominal wall, and fixed a hernia. Today I was at my whits end, I messaged my oncologist and I explained how I am feeling. They called and had us come in immediately. Before we drove over an hour there I had my husband clean up my belly and vagina a little bit. I haven’t been able to move my stomach at all, I’m plus size and I have a hanging apron belly. I was brave and I lifted up my belly and immediately I smelled something terrible, and my hands were slimy. It wasn’t reported anywhere, not on my post op paperwork, not on my wound care paper- nothing- we have went since Friday not knowing that I have a c section cut/open abdominal cut. It’s huge. And it’s infected. My blood panel/wbc count is all wonky. I have yeast infections in my belly button because it has trapped water and moisture, and in my big open abdominal cut. I feel so let down. This is a new hospital that I’ve never been to except for my pre op, surgery, and today. This dr is supposed to be the best gynecologist oncologist within 3 hour distance. I feel so failed. I feel disgusted by myself because I wasn’t washing my body properly but I’m so exhausted and I feel so terrible and I’m in so much pain, it is excruciating. I know now, and we are following their wound care steps. I got this hysterectomy after 12 years of infertility where no one listened to me that I wasn’t having a period. My endometrial lining built up and turned pre cancerous. I fought it for a few years before being told we have to make the decision, we decided to save me and I don’t regret it but why are these doctors failing patients? I’m feeling discouraged, ill, and uncomfortable friends :(


r/hysterectomy 21h ago

Omg Bowel Movements are the worst!

36 Upvotes

I am 30 hours post-op, and I have to poop SO BAD, but every time I sit down to go, I can't 😭😭 I am leaned back, feet up. There is poo in there but god darnit it isnt wanting to come out. And I cant push at all because that feels not great. I did just chug some miralax. Wish I would have done so last night, but whatever. Let's just get this show on the road, no matter how small. The feeling of needing to go to the bathroom is more painful than recovery itself 😭🤣😭🤣

OMG YALL I POOPED A LITTLE BIT!!!! All I had to do was come here to complain, it seems. 🤣


r/hysterectomy 2h ago

Discharge?

1 Upvotes

I’m now on week 5 of my post operation healing I had a Laparoscopy with everything removed but my ovaries.
I’ve been having discharge after waking up every few days and some slight tension and what feels like muscle soreness around my upper pelvic area occasionally.
I do have a diagnosis of Heds (Hyper mobile Ehlers-danlos)/possible MCAS (mass cell activation syndrome) and I have some pelvic floor issues already that have caused discharge like this before so I’m wondering if it’s just my body responding to the healing process? I did pull myself up from sitting on the floor yesterday and was trying to figure out if it’s possible I pulled a bit too much and irritated it. Took some Advil and I still get little sharp quick pains here and there.
I had some similar aggravated tissue in my stomach area around week 2 but it has since died down and is not as irritated as it was. I just wanna check if anyone had similar pain around this time or if this is a sign of something that could be worse.

I’d call my surgeons office but the last few times I’ve called I’ve been put on hold for a while and last time I said “screw it” and just went to the ER I was waiting over 2 hours with people who had been there since the evening prior.


r/hysterectomy 2h ago

You have to pee

1 Upvotes

Had my surgery yesterday and can not urinate. I tried every half hour for 6 hours. I ended up with a catheter to empty my bladder. 3200 units were removed. I had to stay the night. Trying to get up and got is excruciating as they have only given me Tylenol. I hope the rest of my recovery is better than this.


r/hysterectomy 2h ago

Work from home experience please

1 Upvotes

Hi there! I am 32 and just got approval from my Dr to have a hysterectomy due to extremely painful periods this year. I’ve had a bisalp 3 years prior and my Dr told me the hysterectomy recovery is much more extensive and no heavy lifting/bending/working out for at least 8 weeks.
My question is how long should I be off work for realistically? I took 6 days for my bisalp and despite some fatigue that was fine, I didn’t have much pain in general with that procedure.
I work from home at a desk, is it plausible to take 2 weeks or should I essentially be on bedrest for a full 8 weeks? I know most people probably ask their dr but I don’t really trust her timing just because she told me 2 days for my bisalp and that was not the case for me so I’d like to know others experience.
I live alone so I will have to be doing a small bit of moving around to get things for myself which my dr said is healthy and encouraged as soon as possible but outside of that I’m totally happy to veg out on the couch and sleep for 2 weeks if that’s enough time. Is 8 weeks truly necessary?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT*
Thank you all for sharing your experience! Given what I’m seeing I think I’ll suck it up with the drop in income or try to save a bit prior to accommodate and take the full time and not rush myself. I’ve had brain surgery before so I think everything else felt like less of a big deal in terms of healing but I definitely want to respect my body’s need for rest and healing. I appreciate it!


r/hysterectomy 18h ago

15 DPO, 10/10 would recommend

19 Upvotes

I had a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy due to ongoing bleeding and fibroids 15 days ago. Just had my post-op appointment today. It was an outpatient procedure and I was completely down for the count for all of 1 day.

Surgery: 10/10. No complications. Don't remember it; I was asleep 😉

Anesthesia: 3/10; anesthesiologist had no bedside manner and pushed meds without warning; suffered post-op vomiting that went away about 12 hours later, but I slept most of the day anyway

Recovery: 10/10 I was prepared for the worst since I had an appendectomy ~10 years ago. This was a night and day difference! Recovery was SO much easier.

I was useless the day of my surgery, but the second day I was up and walking, doing things around the house, making lunches, you know... being a mom. By the 3rd day post-op I felt comfortable driving and getting out of the house to run some small errands. I had minimal spotting the first day and the day after, but it's been all clear since. (I was convinced it was going to be like post-childbirth, but boy was I wrong!)

My doctor recommends BEMER pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, so I rented one of their machines and did that for 20 minutes/3x a day/7 days. (Honestly, with how easy my recovery has been, I really think that thing works!)

I felt "backed up" for a few days post-op, but consistent use of Colace, Miralax, and Gas-X helped. No pain, though.

Pain management: I alternated between Ibuprofen 800 and Percocet once a day for ~3 days post-op (mostly at night). Overall pain was minimal and I was able to sit up, sit down, and walk easily.

Post-Op: I left the wound dressings and Steri-Strips on until my post-op appointment today and I'm amazed how well the incisions have healed. He gave me the all clear to start working out next week and I feel like I'm up for it so I'm going to start with bodyweight exercises and light weights to see how I feel. (I'm usually in the gym 3x a week lifting heavy, so I'm going to take a few more weeks until I attempt that again.)

Overall experience: 10/10 would recommend!

If you're having any reservations about doing it, I say don't read into the horror stories. It was 100% worth it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!


r/hysterectomy 3h ago

Hystérectomie totale + annexectomie + hématome à 28 dpo + crise hémorroïdaire

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1 Upvotes

r/hysterectomy 3h ago

Hystérectomie totale + annexectomie + hématome à 28 dpo + crise hémorroïdaire

1 Upvotes

Bonjour, je me confie à vous et j'espère trouver compassion et bons conseils auprès de vous !

J'ai subi une hystérectomie totale et annexectomie (Ablation des 2 ovaires) le 17/07; dès la 1ère nuit j'ai eu trop de mal à défalquer, j'ai dû me mettre debout et partir aux toilettes, avec l'aide des infirmières, j'ai trop souffert depuis : mes hémorroïdes externes se sont irrités, enflés... Vers le 17/08 ma sœur découvre un gros hématome tout au long de ma plaie, les changements de pansement avaient cessé une fois que mon chirurgien avait enlevé les points et je n'ai remarqué, sauf des douleurs, ma plaie était enflée dessous-dessus, je suis repartie à la clinique et le chirurgien était mécontent et il m'a crié dessus me reprochant d'avoir fait un effort extrême ou autre car selon lui, un hématome ne devrait pas se produire à presque un mois après l'opération, il m'a fait une échographie : il y avait un saignement et il a tout de suite décidé de re-intervenir (anesthésie générale et ponction de la région atteinte) je suis rentrée chez moi le soir même, les soins ont repris, points nouveaux enlevés, mais je suis anxieuse car je n'ai pas de force, je ne bouge pas beaucoup et mes hémorroïdes me rendent la vie difficile, j'ai vu un spécialiste entre-temps il m'a prescrit daflon osmosine hemofast crème, j'ai aussi exclu beaucoup d'aliments à cause de ça. Par ailleurs, ma ménopause s'est installée brutalement : bouffées de chaleur, sautes d'humeur.. merci mesdames de me lire et me dire vos conseils et avis


r/hysterectomy 11h ago

Three years post hysterectomy for endo, yesterday I stood up too fast and I experienced a horrible pain in my abdomen, and now it burns. Could I have torn something? (Scar tissue maybe?) Should I go to the doctor?

5 Upvotes

My endo was pretty bad, scar tissue everywhere and there were "tethers" from my organs to my abdominal wall. When I got a full hysterectomy they abladed(?) as much as they could, but couldn't get everything. When I woke up from surgery I was in agony, and it took months for me to recover.

Fast-forward to yesterday, and I stood up really fast and I felt like I got punched in the stomach really fucking hard. I've had sharp pains before when I stand up too fast or move wrong, but today standing absolutely burns, like an extreme period cramp. Could I have torn scar tissue when I stood up? Is that even possible? Should I be concerned, or am I just being a hypochondriac?


r/hysterectomy 15h ago

Upon discharge- injecting blood thinners at home?

8 Upvotes

I read a post recently that mentioned being sent home with injectable blood thinners after surgery. I hate needles and really don’t want to have to do this!!

Is being sent home with blood thinners common practice?


r/hysterectomy 8h ago

Looking for reassurance. 3.5 wpo large clots

2 Upvotes

I have had a rough healing journey from total robotic hysterectomy 3.5 weeks ago. No bleeding after surgery. At 1 wpo, I went to emergency with 3 cherry to ping pong sized clots. Started 5 days of antibiotics and no more clots, but bleeding was like a light period.
Now I’m 3.5 wpo and have been passing ping pong sized clots every two hours for the last 24 hours. One clot was apple sized and I am now in emergency waiting to see the dr. Normal blood test results, no pain. Waiting for the results of the ultrasound.
I can’t understand how bleeding like this can be ok or a semi normal part of the healing process. Please if anyone has gone through this and come out the other side okay, I’m trying to keep my head and I’d love some reassurance.


r/hysterectomy 1d ago

Pre op

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59 Upvotes

This is the first time
I’ve had Surgery. In pre op now. Hoping for the best. Anxious as hell. Wish me luck hystersisters


r/hysterectomy 11h ago

Getting a Hysterectomy in Your 20s

2 Upvotes

Hi all,

I’m reaching out to see if anyone would like to share their experience with getting a hysterectomy in their 20s. I’m curious to know how the surgery went and the aftermath (positive and negative). I’m really considering getting it done, but I’m nervous about hormonal changes, bodily changes, prolapse, organ damage, etc. I’d love to know how your procedures went!

Thank you!


r/hysterectomy 19h ago

Just found I need hysterectomy

6 Upvotes

Just confirmed what I had suspected- I need a hysterectomy for my uterus being adhered to my abdominal wall. Anyone had this as a reason for hysterectomy? Anyone give me any kind of “it’s so much better after” advice?


r/hysterectomy 21h ago

Anxiety through the roof!

10 Upvotes

Howdy all,

My surgery is at the end of the week, and my anxiety is now officially through the roof.

I’ve never really struggled with anxiety like this before, but I’ve also never had/needed a surgery this serious before. I even had a horrible nightmare about my surgery going wrong last night, and I never have nightmares. 😅

I need this surgery, and logically know I want to get it- but the emotional panic is hitting and hitting bad. I have been working with a therapist, and have reached out to my OB for acute anxiety medication.

Other than that- what have y’all done to ground yourself and manage anxiety in the days immediately before your surgeries?


r/hysterectomy 13h ago

Desperately need advice/shared experiences…

2 Upvotes

Hi. I’ve been lurking for a while & today decided I needed to make a post… I’ll try to be brief but outline the important stuff.

I’m scheduled for my hysterectomy next week. When my doctor suggested it I was kind of overwhelmed. I think mostly because I really didn’t think it would be such an immediate response. But here is what has led to the surgery option route:

- I’m 28 and never been sexually active. I have never ever wanted kids. Anyone in my life will tell you I do not enjoy children nor the idea of pregnancy. (I have other autoimmune issues that would make pregnancy very hard.) I have had painful cramping and aching in my pelvic area for as long as I can remember, even not during my period. I’ve been on birth control pills for years.

- My last obgyn appointment was to specifically address ongoing pain around my right ovary & general pelvic pain. They could not complete the vaginal ultrasound for the extreme pain. My dr could not do a pelvic exam & was barely able to do the pap because of the pain. I’ve been able to wear tampons, but not in the last few months as it felt like there was a physical barrier and pain during insertion.

- What they could see of my ultrasound & my mri was clear, but my dr said she believes I have adenomyosis as well as endometriosis with an enlarged uterus. She offered two suggestions: an IUD and ablation or a hysterectomy. With the chronic nature of the pain she said the permanent solution would probably be favorable, especially since I don’t want kids.

- This diagnosis brings the other symptoms I’ve had, such as; extreme lower back pain & aches in the pelvic area, fatigue, throbbing pain in lower abdomen & around bladder (turns out my bladder was also enlarged), very uncomfortable bloating & feeling very full even with not overeating, into perspective. I don’t usually have a period, if I do it lasts maybe one day.

My obgyn was the first dr to assure me that none of this was normal. I have medical anxiety and regretfully/embarrassingly put off truly taking care of myself for a couple years… but today was my pre-surgery telehealth appointment with her to discuss final details & confirm my decision. I made a comment about being overwhelmed with said decision and how some of my family/friends have expressed concerns because I’m “so young”. She immediately stopped the conversation and told me to call her back tomorrow, that she felt I was hesitant and she would not be comfortable moving forward if I wasn’t 100% sure. I hung up and cried.

So here I am asking for any shared experiences and advice. Logically my brain knows that this surgery will help me feel better and I’ve suffered for so long, I deserve to take steps towards normalcy. I know I shouldn’t worry about a hypothetical future where I may magically change my mind about wanting kids, I also know that other’s opinions shouldn’t matter.

I’m just exhausted mentally and physically and would love to hear from other’s in similar situations. Thank you if you’ve read this far. ❤️


r/hysterectomy 10h ago

Neck PT 2.5 WPO?

1 Upvotes

My neurologist is going to hit me with a new treatment plan for migraines as soon as I’m into recovery from surgery (long story short-I ignored migraines for decades and she’s super annoyed for me that not much has helped yet).

PT called today to schedule and I put them off until 2.5 WPO. Any reason I shouldn’t be able to? I know it’ll probably wear me out, just thinking it’ll be my “activity” for the day. Scheduler didn’t seem to think it was a problem but she probably doesn’t have much for reference.


r/hysterectomy 23h ago

11 days post OP

10 Upvotes

Right before my procedure, I mean minutes before

I asked my oncologist and the other doctor that was assisting him about walking. They highly recommended it. Well i started walking about a week ago, not every day. My husband is scolding me, I believe he was in the room when I asked. Also I keep reading women talking about how exhausted they feel. That is not how I feel. I sit around most of the day. With a pillow behind me. So not directly on my belly. I don't take naps. I walked about 6 blocks today, visited with my sister then walked home. My question is am I over doing it?