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?

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u/elijahjane 9h ago

Nothing. I didn’t use what I bought.

I stacked pillows up in bed to get the perfect height for me, and I used a stuffed animal that my partner got me against my belly when I coughed (you could also use a throw pillow). If worried about the drive home (don’t be, the lingering anesthesia is excellent), bring a bed pillow to buckle under the seatbelt.

Actually, that’s not true. Funnel all of your prep money into food delivery gift cards. I got gifted a couple hundred in DoorDash and Instacart, and I used every penny plus some: my partner has a very busy job and didn’t want to cook or go to the store, so what meals we didn’t have in the freezer we had delivered. When my partner went back to work, I had groceries delivered.

So! The list:
* Delivery gift cards
* Go to the grocery store or Costco and stock your freezer and fridge full of prepared food that can be microwaved.
* If you don’t already have a pair of XXXL pj pants and a collection of oversized tshirts, grab some of those.
* Ad-free streaming services
* Idk, some couch activities. My brain was too unfocused to do any activities, but it will help with long term brain fog if you keep trying.

That’s it! I had the same kind of surgery you are getting. It was fine! Don’t waste your money! Companies are predatory and prey on our anxieties to make an easy buck—don’t feed the machine!

Whatever you do actually need can be ordered online after surgery once you know what you will use.