New diagnosis

Hello! I'm 53, was diagnosed in July and am on day three post hysterectomy. Everyone is different of course but I have to say that while surgery is scary I've been pleasantly surprised by how much less awful it has been than I imagined! Like most anxiety the waiting and the worrying is often worse than the event itself. Being fit and healthy before you have the surgery is definitely a plus for recovery I think. I know it might sound a bit pollyanna but it helped me to think about how lucky I was that it had been caught early and that there was a treatment available that had a high success rate. It's good that you don't have too long to wait for surgery and if you're private at least you'll get a private room, the noises from the ward kept me awake the night I was in and I ended up feeling frazzelled and a bit hysterical from lack of sleep, plus they forgot to feed me so I was super hangry too! Definitely take ear plugs, an eye mask and snacks! Once you're in recovery you'll probably feel so much better, I know I am! 

Thanks for your response.  It's good to hear that the operation was less awful than you imagined.  I try to tell myself that this is a common operation, and the medical team know what they are doing.  I hope your recovery goes well.

Have they given any indication if it will be done laparoscopically or open surgery? Recovery time is much quicker for the former though it’s important to give your body plenty of time to recover. 

Certainly it’s a very routine surgery and your medical team expert. General anaesthetic can be rather daunting if it’s your first time but you are closely monitored throughout the procedure 

Hello Green61

Welcome to the Online Community. I am sorry to hear that you had a diagnosis of endometrial cancer at the end of August. It is a worrying time when you first get diagnosed and it is good that you have managed to arrange your hysterectomy so soon. I was lucky in that mine was done 4 weeks exactly from my first symptom so was also glad not to have to wait. Hopefully you will get your scan results back soon and they will be reassuring. 

I understand how you are feeling, things can move so fast and you don't have time to process it all. It is a hard balance to try to get on with life, whilst accepting it is totally natural to feel scared about the surgery. I am glad that you found the booklet useful- I know I did last year. 

I had not had surgery before my hysterectomy apart from having wisdom teeth out many years ago. However although it is big surgery, it sometimes good to perhaps remember how routine it is for the surgeons and how many they do. Mine was very straight forward and was done via keyhole. I had very little pain afterwards. They really do look after you well and I discharged the following morning. I found it was about taking things easy for the first week and then to start doing a bit more without overdoing it. But be guided by your body as it will tell you with aches/pains/fatigue if you do too much. Once home, I never needed anything more than the odd paracetamol. To be honest for me the worst things were having to do the injections after the op and the not being able to have a soak in the bath for 6 weeks as it is showers only. To give you and idea- I was able to walk around my garden comfortably 48 hours from being home and could potter around at home. Within a week I was able to walk to local shop (5 mins) 

Hope this helps a bit but if there is anything you need or want to ask then please do so. 

Jane

Hopefully laparoscopically, but I guess I will have that confirmed at my consultant appointment on Wednesday.

Thanks Jane, that's all helpful to know.

Hi Green61, I was 69 when I was diagnosed in July 2022. I had to wait a couple of months for my op but the scans etc and a couple of pre-arranged trips took my mind off it a bit. My only previous surgery was for carpal tunnel surgery so I was a little apprehensive; especially as I had to have abdominal surgery due to 3 fibroids in my uterus! It was nowhere as bad as I imagined. Despite an abdominal lateral incision I didn't have a lot of pain, more a case of discomfort and a bit awkward trying to find a comfortable position in bed. Post op recovery took about 6-8 weeks but I started short walks, 5 mins, within a couple of days and gradually increased them. Hope all goes well for you.

Hi green61

i had a vertical abdominal incision for my hysterectomy as I had had previous abdominal surgery there was too much scar tissue to do it laparoscopically. I had a few days in hospital as my blood pressures kept dropping but to be honest it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. I had some pain afterwards but that’s because I had a long vertical incision. I managed a short supermarket trip with my son after 21/2 weeks. The main thing is make sure you rest when your body tells you to. Let us know how you get on.

Linda

Hi green61 

I'm sorry to read of your cancer diagnosis but a very warm welcome to the group. I was also 52 when diagnosed last January 2022. My profile is there if you would like to read. My story is unusual in that, 2 weeks after surgery I didn't feel as though I was recovering from surgery but preparing for the next major op. I wasn't offered CT or MRI pre surgery but I had my surgery relatively soon after diagnosis. I'm grateful for that. I'd previously been fit and well pre diagnosis and had never had surgery before but it was fine both times. I woke up very calm and pain free.

There are lots of lovely ladies on here and they will offer you advice and support. Best wishes for your surgery.

A x

Hi Green61, welcome to the group! I was diagnosed in November 2021 and had my hysterectomy laparoscopically in January 2022. I was determined right from the outset to post openly about my experiences to hopefully benefit others and will post below a link to a diary type thread that I wrote that will hopefully demystify it a bit. I was fortunate in that I’d had a C section under general anaesthetic in 1989 and also two carpal tunnel decompressions under GA since then, plus a hysteroscopy under GA, so I wasn’t unduly worried about the op, The “what if I don’t wake up” thought did cross my mind but I told myself that they do these ops many times every day and that I’d be monitored closely and in the best place to be resuscitated if needed! Here’s the link: community.macmillan.org.uk/.../hysterectomy-day-and-after---diary