Ladies - questions please about hysterectomy recovery

[SweetJoy]

I'm 4 weeks out from a total abdominal hysterectomy, with a vertical incision (for large fibroids). I'm getting around well, back to many activities but still haven't had my 6 week check. So far my doctor has told me no vacuuming, lifting anything heavier than 10lbs, intimacy, etc.
What I'm wondering is - how soon did it take you to get back to all of your usual activities? I'd like to start using the treadmill again soon, but I'm afraid to tax my abdominal muscles too early. My 3 year old is 35lbs, and I miss picking him up! I also have Jillian Michael's 30 day shred, and I'm afraid to even look at it! I'd love to hear anyone's recovery stories. Thanks!

 

[mhsjax]

I'm 4 weeks out from a total abdominal hysterectomy, with a vertical incision (for large fibroids). I'm getting around well, back to many activities but still haven't had my 6 week check. So far my doctor has told me no vacuuming, lifting anything heavier than 10lbs, intimacy, etc.
What I'm wondering is - how soon did it take you to get back to all of your usual activities? I'd like to start using the treadmill again soon, but I'm afraid to tax my abdominal muscles too early. My 3 year old is 35lbs, and I miss picking him up! I also have Jillian Michael's 30 day shred, and I'm afraid to even look at it! I'd love to hear anyone's recovery stories. Thanks!

It has been 2 years for me, but if I remember correctly it was at the 6 week mark that I was given the all clear. I had a horizontal incision though. I will say this, that first ab workout was a new kind of pain. It wasn't super intense, but a very different type of feeling. I was probably pulling at things that weren't there before, I had never had any type of surgery, not even a c-section with my 3 kids.

Good luck and don't push yourself, you don't want to injure yourself even more and create a longer wait time.

 

[mamajo]

I was lucky to have lapro done! I would think with incisions, the healing time is much worse! Do NOT vaccum!! I was amazed that I did a couple weeks out and suffered afterwards big time!! Nurse knew I did it without even telling her. She said, "They always vaccum! Don't vaccum!!"
That said, you really need to heal and then there's the scarring inside. Sometimes if you move wrong you'll feel like your ovaries (or phantom ovaries) are being yanked out sideways! Yi YI Eye! Even now, 6 years out!
Take care and let yourselves heal.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

I also had a horizontal incision. I was told I would be off work for 6-8 weeks. At 6 weeks I felt fine but made the mistake of picking up something heavy (took the spare tire out of the trunk). Bad move! Something in there started bleeding, and although I did not need further surgery, it was another 4 weeks to get back to pain-free.

 

[azdizzymom]

I had surgery similar to yours 3.5 years ago. I had the vertical incision due to large uterus and fibroids. First let me say you will feel fabulous once recovery is over---it was the best thing I have had done. I only wish a doctor had listened to my complaints earlier....finally got one who listened.

My recovery went well....I was driving out of necessity to get kids from school after 2 weeks. It was about 6 weeks before the treadmill and it was tiring at first. That was the main thing...you feel ok but get tired easily. The first week I had my mom here so I didn't do anything---I did 'laps' around the house---just at a slow pace and I am talking maybe 2-3 minutes a few times a day. Once I was able to get on treadmill I took it slow.

Good luck---take it easy.

 

[SweetJoy]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Tiredness is definitely an issue, mostly when I do too much. And this bloated feeling in my abdomen - I sure hope that isn't permanent! Guess I'll just take things little by little, I definitely don't want to injure anything internally.

 

[mtblujeans]

My youngest son was born via a large abdominal C-section and then I had a hysterectomy thru the same incision about a year later. I felt like it took me 2 years to recover from his birth.

You'll have to give yourself more time than you have the patience for, unfortunately. You have your check up in 2 weeks and they can give you an idea of how well you have healed and what you will be able to do.

You have had some major abdominal muscles cut and it will take time. The tiredness will subside, too, but probably not fast enough for you. The fact that you seem to feel well and eager to get back to the activities you describe sound as though you are healing very well.

 

[SweetJoy]

My youngest son was born via a large abdominal C-section and then I had a hysterectomy thru the same incision about a year later. I felt like it took me 2 years to recover from his birth.

You'll have to give yourself more time than you have the patience for, unfortunately. You have your check up in 2 weeks and they can give you an idea of how well you have healed and what you will be able to do.

You have had some major abdominal muscles cut and it will take time. The tiredness will subside, too, but probably not fast enough for you. The fact that you seem to feel well and eager to get back to the activities you describe sound as though you are healing very well.

Yes, thank you - I'm doing well. My incision healed very nicely, I was worried about that but it's been fine. I am afraid of doing something I shouldn't and tearing something. I almost picked up my little guy the other day without thinking, luckily my husband reminded me just in time. I am glad to have had this surgery, though - the fibroid was causing me a lot of trouble and discomfort. I have to remember to take it slow - slower than I'd like - because I feel ready to do more.

 

[PattnFmly]

Definitely take it slow! My incision was horizontal, but I had a bad week right before, was in the ER due to non-stop bleeding and was given multiple pints of blood. Healed fine, but slowly. Went back to work at 8 weeks, walking a couple miles a day commuting, and was so very tired. Luckily it was winter and I could just sit around the house and let things happen around me. DH was great about doing everything. I didn't really feel myself for about 9 months afterwards and agree with the PP about feeling "funny" things when moving wrong! Even at almost 3 years out! Just take it easy and relax. Be patient!

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

Have you checked out hystersisters.com? I am 2 weeks out from a da vinci robotic assisted hysterectomy and the hystersisters site has been so informative about what to expect for my recovery! There are forums broken down to the exact week you had your hysterectomy. It is nice to post with people who are basically at the same stage of recovery you are. Some had abdominal, some had the more minimally invasive type (like me, just 5 small incisions) all different ages, all different stories, but you can get good information! Happy healing!

 

[disykat]

Wow - you are doing great! Count your lucky stars and don't mess it up by doing too much too soon. After breezing through recovery after 2 c-sections I thought I'd do the same with my hysterectomy and had 10 very hard weeks!

 

[lovin diz]

Have you checked out hystersisters.com? I am 2 weeks out from a da vinci robotic assisted hysterectomy and the hystersisters site has been so informative about what to expect for my recovery! There are forums broken down to the exact week you had your hysterectomy. It is nice to post with people who are basically at the same stage of recovery you are. Some had abdominal, some had the more minimally invasive type (like me, just 5 small incisions) all different ages, all different stories, but you can get good information! Happy healing!

This is what i had done. And it was awesome. I was scared to death about not being able to do things for 6 weeks. Surgery went well, and the nurse kept asking me on a scale of one to ten how bad did i hurt. I was a zero. No pain at all, until the next day, i had "gas" or air stuck in my shoulders. I have never had anything like that before in my life that lasted a few days. 2 weeks later i had to work. (we have our own business) and i did fine taking breaks etc. Good luck!