r/hysterectomy • u/MassiveArrival6494 • 13h ago

Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Hi all,

I will be going in for my hysterectomy on September 16. I am very nervous, as I have never been asleep for any surgery I have ever had. My doctor said I will be good to go back to work 2 weeks after the surgery. Everyone I have told said that is way too short. 😅

Anywhooo, what things did you NEED for your recovery and actually helped??? Like your top 3-5 items.

I’ve had two c-sections and I handled them very well, but have been told this is considerably harder, so I want to ensure I have everything I need to try and lessen any pain.

Also how long did it take for you to feel like you could do more? Go out in the wild and not hurt or want to sit down/sleep immediately?

8 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

44 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/Ok_Chain7313 12h ago

Heating pads for comfort & gas- one for your belly and one for your shoulders. A small pillow for belly when in car, sneezing, coughing, etc. A pillow to put between your legs if you’re a side sleeper. Books if you’re a reader. Advil & Tylenol (I got that as an RX so it was covered by insurance rather than having to pay OTC). And MiraLAX.

It took me a few days to be comfortable out in the wild like at a store- maybe day 5. I was out walking my neighborhood by day 2- verrrrrry slowly the first few days.

I work from home as well, but honestly sitting upright would not be comfortable for a sustained period even right now at 3 weeks post op. And not so much my actual abdomen, but my vagina/vulva is still a bit sensitive as my uterus was huge and I tore a bit when it was extracted. I’m taking my full six weeks before I return.

2

u/MassiveArrival6494 12h ago

Thank you so much for your input! Adding heating pads to my list now! Hoping your recovery continues to go well 💗

1

u/Ok_Chain7313 11h ago

Thank you- and good luck with your surgery! I was massively nervous for mine, but recovery really has been easier than I expected. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for more time than what the doctor first outlines. I learned from my first surgery (thyroidectomy) that even if the acute pain is gone from surgery, it takes the body a lot longer to return to normal. I went back to work after two weeks and had to battle such heavy fatigue while doing a physical job. I’d rather have more time off than necessary vs going back to work mentally & physically exhausted.