Newly diagnosed

Hi Samantha14 and welcome to the Online Community. I just dropped by and noticed you've not yet had an answer. Although I've a different cancer to you (Womb) I can say I had a hysterectomy. Will your op be laparoscopic (keyhole)? If so the recovery time is very quick and I can say I felt discomfort as opposed to pain. Some ladies on my group were in and out the same day. As my journey was long my surgeon recommended I stay in an extra day then I had problems with trapped wind and constipation and stayed another day.

I didn't confine myself to bed when I got home and was able to take my little dog for a short walk after one week and back week 4 was virtually back to 3 miles. I was driving at 6 weeks but check with your insurers - they seem to have different criteria. As long as you can do an emergency stop is the norm but take a pillow to start with to collect your tummy.

You might also find this link to what to take in my overnight bag useful for when you have surgery.

It’s always helpful to others if you write a little something (or a lot) about yourself and your journey to date. You can enter it into your profile (click on your username and select “Profile”) It’s helpful to other members with a similar diagnosis who can then hopefully answer your questions. It also means that you don't have to keep writing the same thing over and over. You can amend or update it at any time. 

To find more information covering diagnosis and treatments there are pages covering most types of cancers which can be found on our Online Information and Support Section. 

Macmillan Support Services also offer lots of information, support, financial guidance or just someone to listen. It’s free to call 0808 808 0000. Most services are available 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Have a look by Clicking here to see what is available and we also have our Ask an Expert section, but do allow two to three working days for replies from our expert team.

Sending you welcoming hugs B xx

Hi Samantha

I had a full hysterectomy last December and this is what I experienced 

 COVID test 3 days before (might not do that now) and early in at 7am, once you are in the nurses really take over and will make you feel at ease and guide you through some admin and get you ready. You will put some “attractive compression stockings on” and speak to the. anaesthetist and you walk down to surgery.  They talk to you all the time and your asleep very quickly. Post surgery for me was really ok, I woke up and attached to drip for morphine which you control the amount, I didn’t use it that much so they took it away after a day, it does make you groggy so I used paracetamol and ibuprofen and could manage quite well. You have a catheter in and have that taken out the next day, which isn’t painful. You have to pee three times so they can measure your output, so drink lots and eat as this helps to get your bowel moving. So op day is day 1, by day 3.. the wind pains come through and this was more painful than the op pain... drink peppermint tea and move around ...walk up and down the ward, rock backwards and forwards at the end of bed...it will help.

I was out of hospital on day 3, i just wanted to be home... I was constipated but took medicine home with me for that..  you will be very slow and stiff.

if you have help at home or can arrange some I would say organise that, as rest in the early days will make you recover quicker long term.

So items to take in to hospital, phone and long lead charger, peppermints and mint tea for the wind pains. big knickers 2/3 nighties/ wet wipes.. I took in far too much expecting to get dressed every day…I was in my nighties the whole time so just a very loose coming home outfit. 

I was very confident in my medical team and my nurses were very helpful and caring, talked me through the blood thinning injections which I had to do for 26 days after operation. It’s not easy for the first week but the pain can be controlled and with rest you will feel better after the first week.

Try to just accept that there is a plan for you and the operation is just part of that plan to make you well.. eat as well as you can pre and post operation..lots of fruit and protein to repair your body.

Take it easy for the first two weeks and accept all help you can, body is in shock from operation and slow and steady really does help long term recovery…..don’t lift anything heavier than a kettle…

Good luck and a big hug 

Sue xx

Thankyou so much sue my surgeon called today went through it all I’m up at Glasgow can’t hve visitors so more nervous of being on my own and going through the menopause so early but like you said this is a part to make me well I have kept a note of things to take esp with helping with wind thankyou for your advice hopefully be back on after op with an update xx

Let us know how you're getting on. Have you had your op yet XXX

Hi I had my op last Thursday the 21st got home today didn’t eat or drink for days was severally I’ll glad to be home and feel a lot better xxx

Wishing you a very speedy recovery. There's no place like home. X