Total hysterectomy

Horasio

candygirl wrote:

go on https://www.hystersisters.com for more info as this thread is bound to get locked!!its an american site and is brill for advice on hysterectomys:beer: :beer:

I used that site when I had my second op.

None of this was around in 1992 when I had my first op.

Horasio

Becles wrote:

They took my Mam's womb and ovaries out. She went straight onto HRT and is fine. She's 55 now and still active and young looking - sometimes gets mistaken for being my boys mother!

The thing that bothered her most was she always wanted 3 babies, but had to have the hysterectomy for medical reasons. She got depressed about not being able to have another baby, and would get tearful when other people had babies. Part of the reason was that both me and my brother were c-sections, so she'd never been through a vaginal delivery and felt she'd missed out. She attended the birth of my two boys who were natural births, so that helped heal that wound for her.

Just thought I'd tell you in case you have any desire for more babies and it might hit you harder than you think afterwards.

Getting over abdominal surgery is easier than getting over a natural birth

Becles

CCStar wrote:

Getting over abdominal surgery is easier than getting over a natural birth

I'm surprised at that as I thought it would be the other way round.

I can recall being quite poorly after having my appendix out. I lay about for a good few days afterwards, then had to do things carefully for a few weeks, avoiding heavy work.

After the natural birth of my boys I was back up and on my feet straight away. It was only a few days after my eldest was born that I finished some wallpapering and laid a carpet. He was born early and arrived in the middle of some decorating I was doing!

jo_b_2

aurora_borealis wrote:

I'm How long will I be off work? (that's the moneysaving bit )

My mother (in her mid-fifties) had a hysterectomy and is currently in her twelth week off work! :eek:

She does do a job that involves lifting and handling so, obviously, that's a factor in how long she has needed to be off work.

aurora_borealis_2

CCStar wrote:

I don't have HRT as I had too much oestrogen anyway

Do your hormone levels get measured then?

Bogof_Babe

Best thing I ever did. My gynae was thinking of leaving the cervix but I said no I want it all dealt with now, so it was. A blessed relief after 12 years of impossible periods and crippling pain.

I was out of action for about a fortnight, but by 17 days I was walking short distances like from the car park into town, and by 23 days I cooked Christmas dinner for four.

Have truly never looked back. Am on oestrogen only HRT but have cut down to one every six days. The only occasional symptom is feeling hot at night, but it is by no means a major problem.

Best of luck whatever you decide. In my case a total hysterectomy was the start of the rest of my life.

inkie

With regard to the time off work - it depends upon what 'work' is - some a colleague of mine (a nurse) had 6 months off due to the nature of work (moving and handling etc)

nearlyrich

I had the op at 35 due to a few problems including endometriosis and abnormal smears, I had 3 months off work, it was a desk job but quite stressfull. I had what seemed like an instant menopause, hot flushes the works and I was quite teary in hospital I was also really tired for weeks I just laid on the sofa most days. The surgeon left an ovary but I think it's packed in now after 10 years. I struggle a bit with my weight now but overall I would say it was a good plan for me I used to have a really tough time each month and it was like a massive release.

I hope you get sorted out soon, it's something hat you have to decide for yourself but if you have any questions I am happy to answer just PM me.

Claudie

Hi again

I too had a full hysterectomy, I was about 40 - I asked to keep an ovary as I was quite young and I didn't want to hit menopause full on but without boring you with details of my medical history, I couldn't keep them.

I describe my op as the best of times and the worst of times. I don't regret a single minute of it and am thrilled to this day that years of agony are over, to those of you who have experienced that you know what I mean!

But my recovery was so much harder than I expected - I had a 4 year old at home to look after and no family to help out, it was exhausting. I was told to rest but how do you rest with a small child?

I managed HRT for a few months but had extreme reactions and had to stop taking it cold turkey - I had severe night sweats and mood swings and crying jags, loss of interest, the lot. I can remember a colleague telling me pre op that recovery could take 6 months or more and I cynically thought to myself "well that's your wife" - I cringe with embaressment thinking about that as it took me at least a year to get back on my feet and feeling like my old self, and my health has never been the same. It has improved my standard of life tenfold if not more practically, but I am always ill now with something or other. Hystersisters is a brilliant web site for info and support - I highly recommend it.

But back to the moneysaving side - I found this site about the same time as my op - I didn't realise that I could claim on my mortgage protection while I was off on sick leave. DH didn't have any annual leave so he couldn't take time off work (he managed about 5 days when I first came home but that was unpaid). Naively I thought I needed to be disabled to claim; I ended up being off work for nearly 4 months so that was a huge help.

I don't want it to sound all negative as it really has improved my standard of living but it was hard mentally, physically and emotionally and I really wish I had been given far more real advice pre - op.

janb5

I had a vaginal hysterectomy a month ago( uterus and cervix) I was recommended this site https://www.hysterectomy-asssociation.org.uk by some kind person on this site. Really worth having a look,lots of people on there willing to share their experiences and this will allay your fears .

As for me I am recovering really well although the tendency is to do too much! I certainly wont miss heavy periods and smears!