My Sis Needs a Hysterectomy

[Luv Bunnies]

My sister confirmed yesterday that she needs to have a hysterectomy. She has a very large fibroid in her uterus and the whole thing needs to come out. It will be scheduled for sometime in June and she was told to expect 4-6 weeks of recovery time.

For those of you who have had the surgery (or know someone who's had it), what can she expect in terms of recovery time? My sister is 49. She's not married and never had kids. My mom and I will be her tag-team caretakers while she recovers. Luckily, I work at a school and get the whole summer off so I'll be able to devote a lot of time to helping her. Thanks in advance for any experiences/advice.

 

[JessicaR]

Have a look at hystersisters website - lots of great info there.

Her recovery time will be dependent on the type of procedure she gets. There are laparoscopic procedures that cut recovery drastically for some. Partial, total, radical. There is also abdominal or ******l.
Are they taking the uterus only or will she have her ovaries and cervix out too?

I had a supra cervical hysterectomy and my recovery wasnt bad at all. I was up and about the next day with pain. I think it was about 2 weeks that I wasnt as uncomfortable. I had a tiny incision in my belly button and two others less than 1/2 inch lower. The worst for me was the way my ovaries hurt from being moved around I guess - I was more sore than in pain.

 

[luvmythree]

I had one a few years ago. I was in the hospital for a couple of days and then I came home. I had pain for about a week but nothing advil couldn't help. I was able to be mostly functional and take care of my 3 kids without much issue. I got tired easily but I could function alone during the day. I had the hardest time not being able to drive for 6 weeks. Otherwise nothing terrible and I have absolutely NO regrets having it done!

Hystersisters is a great website...tons of informative women there.

 

[DebbieB]

A coworker had an abdominal because of a large fibroid last year, it was the size of a grapefruit so the full cut was the only way. She was off 6 weeks. She also had her ovaries out which threw her into instant menopause, the hot flashes have been rough for her. She has a history of blood clots so she had to get out walking ASAP after she came home.

 

[tvguy]

I'd get a second opinion. My wife has the same issues and her doctors are doing treatments to avoid a hysterectomy. But she is several years older than OP sister.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I had one ywo years ago for very large fibroids. I was 56, so I don't recover as quickly as a 25 yo. Chances are she'll have an abdominal hysterectomy-if the fibroids are very large, that's the easiest way to get them out (easiest for doc). I was home in 2 days, but had a "jiggly stomach" so I walked real slowly for about 4 weeks. It was a little over a week before I drove-my doctor's advice was "When you feel you can slam on the brakes without immediately worrying about the pain from the seatbelt on your belly, then it's OK to do some driving."
I was up and around, doing housework and grocery shopping within about that week also. I also highly recommend those hystersisters forums. They were a godsend to me.

 

[mhsjax]

I had one 1.5 years ago same reason. I didn't have to have it, but I wanted everything out, I was told it was a quality of life decision, and it took me a nano second to decide.

Anyway, she will probably have an abdominal hyster. They also took my ovaries, which slammed me head on into menopause. That is the hard part. The surg was really pretty easy. It was done on a Wed morning and I was out on Friday around noon.

YOur sister shouldn't push herself, she will be healed on the outside long before the inside heals. She probably will be driving within a week or so. I did take pain meds, and no tylenol didn't cut it for an abdominal surg, well it may have, but I wasn't going to be in pain, so I took my pain meds. I didn't even need all of them, I had quite a few left over. I was told not to lift anything over 10 pounds for a couple ow weeks, and he told me no laundry during that time, no walking the dog, in case the dog took off and jerked me.

All in all, it really wasn't bad, but I did get tired and sore easily.

 

[Beachbumpirates]

I had one Feb 17 of this year and can say the waiting was the worst part. My fibroid was 1500 grams (about 3lbs) and the size of a canteloupe so it needed to be done - no options. It was truly not as bad as I had anticipated. I work from home and was back to work 6 days after surgery. As others have said Hystersisters.com was a huge source for me. Feel free to PM me. Good Luck to your sis!

 

[ckmommy]

I had a lap. one 2 years ago--had cervix and uterus taken out. I was 35 at the time. It was one of the easiest surgeries as far as recovery for me. I was walking the kids to the bus stop 2 days post op and walking a mile by 4 day post op. I tend to push myself though. Mine was done out patient. I went in at 6 am, I was home in my own bed by 2:30 pm. I went home with a pain medication ball that deflated as the meds in it emptied. That was great--no need for any other meds.

 

[quigs3]

My recovery was not difficult other than lower back pain. The key is not to push it, and take the time off from work that doctor recommends. She shouldn't try to go back to work too soon.

 

[mhsjax]

As you ca see, a lot depends on weather or not it is a laparoscopy procedure or abdominal. If the latter, you won't be going home that day and you won't be back to work in a few days. Which one is being planned for your sister?

 

[doxdogy]

I mine about 15 years ago and it was abdominal. The worst part was rolling over a night. I literally had to flip. Once my stitches were gone, I had no problems rolling over. I also had to sit with a pillow across my stomach. However the pillow was also for protection in case a mutt decided to jump in my lap. It took me the full six weeks to recover.

 

[TB'sWidow]

I had my abdominal one 9yrs ago and my recovery was slow at first because I just had a baby by c-section 4 months before. I will say I am happy that I had mine done, I felt so much better once I recovered. I also had a complete hysterectomy but I refused hormones since I have a primary relative who had breast cancer. Mary

 

[mhsjax]

I had my abdominal one 9yrs ago and my recovery was slow at first because I just had a baby by c-section 4 months before. I will say I am happy that I had mine done, I felt so much better once I recovered. I also had a complete hysterectomy but I refused hormones since I have a primary relative who had breast cancer. Mary

If it makes you feel any better, I did try hormones, they did nothing for me, in fact they made my mood worse. And the hot flashes, nothing, no difference. But the mood was terrible. So I took myself off of them.

 

[tvguy]

I had one Feb 17 of this year and can say the waiting was the worst part. My fibroid was 1500 grams (about 3lbs) and the size of a canteloupe so it needed to be done - no options. It was truly not as bad as I had anticipated. I work from home and was back to work 6 days after surgery. As others have said Hystersisters.com was a huge source for me. Feel free to PM me. Good Luck to your sis!

Interesting. My wife's fibroid is about that size according to her Doctors, and they say if she can get through menopause with it, there is no reason to ever remove it.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Interesting. My wife's fibroid is about that size according to her Doctors, and they say if she can get through menopause with it, there is no reason to ever remove it.

Just to warn you-fibroids do USALLY shrink after menopause, but not always. I was several years when my fibroids were removed. We expected them to shrink, but they didn't.

 

[mhsjax]

Interesting. My wife's fibroid is about that size according to her Doctors, and they say if she can get through menopause with it, there is no reason to ever remove it.

Yes, but if you are anywhere from 10 to 12 years from menopause it can be a long wait. Not to mention it can be very unhealthy. I was becoming severely anemic. Beside, now I never have to worry about uterine or ovarian cancer. I am good with my decision. It isn't like it used to be, Dr's aren't hysterectomy happy, but sometimes it just isn't worth it to keep on going. Not to mention, when he did get everything out, he told me that not only did a have a huge fibroid, I had adhesions on my tubes and cysts on my ovaries. He looked at me and said no wonder you only have ab out 5 days a month when you aren't in pain. That stuff needed to come out.

 

[pepperw23]

I have a fibroid the size of a cantaloupe. My Dr. left it up to me if I wanted to have the surgery or not. I chose to play it by ear.

As I lay here tonight with severe lower back pain, I think I have changed my mind. I'm calling him on Monday.

Anyway,as a previous poster said, hystersisters is a great website.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

OP here - The doctor estimates my sister's fibroid to be at least five pounds. It's visible when she lies on her back and she's having trouble buttoning her pants which fit her otherwise. It's going to be done with an abdominal incision and she should be able to keep her ovaries. Thanks for all of the advice and experiences. I will definitely tell her about the hystersisters website.

 

[SueInBoston]

It's good that she's keeping her ovaries, that will help with menopause.
A few things I remember from my own surgery 8 years ago..

-hot flashes lasted about a week after surgury, I was going nuts between hot and cold, couldn't drink anything warm, easily agitated..but it did go away..

-gas pain (have gas x on hand)

-couldn't laught or cought without pain (it was horrible, my children would come home from school and tell me something funny, it would hurt so much when I laught)

-I slept downstairs for the first week home..

It's been 8 years and that was the best medical decision I ever made, after years of endo, lap surgeries, infertility, ablation, a hysterectomy finally rescue me from heavy bleeding and severe pain every month.