Hi
I thought I would share my recent hysterectomy experience in the hope that it might reassure women waiting for this surgery.
I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy on Monday (19th August) for endometrial cancer stage 1A.
I was first one on the list and the whole admission process/ meeting the anaesthetist and surgeon was slick and professional. The operation was just over an hour. I was back on a ward and wide awake 2.5 hours after my surgery.In fact I was wide awake for the rest of the day and was emailing an estate agent and even agreed an offer on my late mother’s house!
i felt a bit tender on Day 1 and Day 2 but honestly no pain. I had bought a heat pad but haven’t needed it. I slept well the first night home using my daughter’s pregnancy pillow.
I am up and about, showering easily, getting upstairs easily. Day 2 I felt a bit woozy, but nothing major. I’ve taken pain killers at night just to get me off to sleep really.
I honestly feel so much better and more able than I thought I would be. I’m eating well - making sure I take lactulose! I seem to have developed one of the side effects of blood thinning drugs, which is itchy skin.
The difficulty could be forgetting I’ve had this done and over doing things!
Whilst we are all different, I hope this helps reassure anyone waiting for treatment.
Hi Wise Owl
I am pleased that your hysterectomy has gone ok and you are recovering well at home.
I am sorry that you have developed itchy skin from the blood thinners- do speak to your CNS if needed as there may be some cream that could be prescribed to help with the itch if it is bothering you.
Thank you for sharing and I am sure it will help reassure ladies who are coming up to their own hysterectomies.
I hope that you do not have to wait too long for your post op pathology to come back but in the meantime we are here if you need us.
Wishing you a continued good recovery.
Jane
Hi Wise Owl- I remember the bruising too. Try alternating sides, nothing too close to belly button. Put the needle in at a 45 degree angle slowly and remove slowly- i found it stung less. For me the injections were one of the worst bits. I tried numbing the area with ice before helped a little- but it was the doing it at the angle and really slowly that helped the most
I was so glad when the injections could stop and the bruising took a while to fade. I did find that I pinched the skin a bit too hard sometimes as I tensed when the needle went in. It was better when I lightly held the skin and did at an angle. Doing it slowly seemed to give some control and I had less bruising then
