How soon can you drive after total laparoscopic hysterectomy?

Hi I was advised 6 weeks. I’m 3.5 weeks in and already on countdown!!

Yeah tell me about it! Not fun being housebound. I figured if I can walk 15 mins- and if I could drive, that would  open up my day to at least be able to drive to the coffee shop and treat myself to a light lunch and coffee. 

I’m lucky enough to live 10 minutes walk from the sea, so once I was sure I could tackle hill from bus stop, have started walking down then getting bus back. Good for my wellbeing as starting to ge a bit down in house waiting for next appointment. Worth checking if bus stop near by?

I was told by my consultant take someone with you and if you can comfortably do an emergency stop you’re going to be fine. I was driving by week 4. Hope this helps.

I’ve checked with insurance company who said I should follow consultant advise - so unfortunately 6 weeks for me! Mine had to be switched to abdominal but he told me 6 weeks when laprascopic planned.

The official advice is when your medical team deems you fit to do so. If you do so without that your insurance may become invalid. The main concern is that the anaesthetic is fully out of your system and you’re fully physically able to do an emergency stop. What I started doing from day 2 post op was getting in and out of my car on my driveway a couple of times a day. That didn’t hurt so I would start the engine and practice going forward and back still within my driveway. And practiced the moves needed for emergency stops. I’m not going to say in this post when I started driving as I don’t want to influence others, but to start with I drove 400 yards up the road to some woods where I could walk my dog off lead. Then half a mile to my local Tesco. But I didn’t drive on any major roads or for longer than 5-10 mins till about 6 weeks post op. Just to add that I was walking 30-40 mins a day by the time I went for my results appointment 2 weeks post op, so I was pretty active, and my consultant said I could stop wearing the elasticated stockings then too. 

That’s a good idea. Though I don’t fancy the big step up to get into a bus, that might hurt me at the moment. 

Thanks for your input. I see the general consensus from NHS guidance on the Internet, seems to say 4 weeks. 

I guess we all heal at different rates, But I’m going to try and increase my walking gradually. I’m still walking quite slowly due to a little pain and much weakness. 

That’s very helpful thanks. 

1. I was told 6 weeks. That felt right for me as internal healing takes time and I felt completely ready at 6 weeks.