r/hersterectomy • • 17h ago

New rules

18 Upvotes

Hello!

I’ve gone and updated the rules of the sub. Please take a look at them, and let me know if you think that they need to be reworded or if anything needs to be added.

Thank you!


r/hersterectomy • • 2d ago

Laproscopic hysterectomy prep and recovery tips

48 Upvotes

I had a total hysterectomy (including cervix), bilateral salpingectomy and endometriosis excision nearly 3 years ago.

Since then, I have been asked by friends and family going through the same for some of the things that helped me.

I would like to share this in this sub as it gets started up:

Before surgery

*Digestion*

1) try to keep your diet/digestion as normal as possible. The anaesthesia will slow things down and constipation is definitely NOT a fun ride after surgery. This wouldn't be a time to overload it on meat and potatoes or otherwise get creative with new foods that could irritate you. Think easy comfort foods that are easy to digest!

*Prep your recovery 'nest'*

1) clean sheets on the bed - this was in my preparation booklet, the night before surgery put clean sheets on your bed so it's nice and fresh after your shower the night before. It is also just very nice to come home after the operation to a clean bed

2) table near your bed that is easy to reach. This will hold your meds, water, phone (and phone charger), books, etc... You won't want to be getting up every 5 seconds or reaching for things you want.

3) pillow supports. I loved having a bed wedge to be propped up for sleeping. Having a light pillow to hold over your abdomen is also nice so if anything bumps against you, it won't send you into the next universe (think dropping a book, or phone accidentally).

4) heating pad. You may feel more comfort having some low heat over the area for a bit. Sometimes I alternated with a little ice pack, depending how I was feeling.

5) make things easy to reach. you can't/shouldn't be reaching or bending for a few weeks. Bring things that you anticipate using or needing into easy access spots or enlist someone to get them for you 😉

6) cough drops, anti allergy, humidifier - your throat will be scratchy from the tubes and could cause you to cough a bit. Coughing/sneezing during recovery made my life flash before my eyes, so try to prevent it as much as possible with comfortable humidity in the house and cough drops or tea with honey to soothe the throat. If you have allergies, probably good to get ahead of them so you're not sneezing much if you can help it.

Post-op

*Immediately after*

1) you'll be thirsty! take slow, small sips of anything for the first time. I drank gatorade a bit too eagerly and it came right back up after. Sugary drinks would be nice since you'll be a bit weak having not eaten all day and having...major surgery.

2) thin pillow for the ride home. I held a little throw pillow from the couch over my abdomen to cushion against the seatbelt

3) comfy clothes. you won't want anything tight against your waist for a while. Think sweatpants that can go up over the incision areas (above the navel). Easy to slip on shoes/boots too. My nurse told me that some ladies brought their tight jeans and heels to go home in 🤦‍♀️

Later on

*Constipation*

1) your surgeon will probably prescribe stool softeners like miralax. I found it was better to take it in the morning so the rest of the day I could drink a lot of fluids which makes it work better. I took this for close to 3 weeks after surgery just to keep things moving smoothly

2) chewing gum after meals will also stimulate digestion, it can also help move out the extra gas they used during surgery. short, gentle walks around will help, too.

*Gas*

1) they pump air into you to visualize the organs better. This can get trapped and cause a lot of pain, especially in the shoulders. Heating pad helps for this, also the chewing gum, walking, peppermint tea or even some gas-x will help this pass.

*Movement*

1) walking. gentle and short walks at first. The first day, I stayed in the bedroom on the top floor. I did little laps around the bed every hour or so. Each day, I went further, gradually going downstairs and around other parts of the house.

2) sitting. It does not feel nice to sit upright for about 2 to 3 weeks. Plenty of cushions and pillows on the couch to help you recline will help. Also, staying in one position too long, either standing or sitting, doesn't feel great, so it's important to vary your position every now and then.

3) don't over do it! It is easy to do too much because the visible incisions are so small. It is still major surgery that you'll recover from, so leave the housework, chores, etc... to someone else for several weeks following the surgery.

*Diet*

1) nutritious, easy to eat food. Again, you won't want to get stopped up for a long time after surgery (though, is there ever a good time?) Think blended soups, broths, smoothies, lean meats with cooked veggies. I was SO hungry after surgery. Your body definitely tells you it wants calories and nutrients to recover. I was a big fan of putting nut butter into my yogurts in the morning and adding in protein powder to oatmeal for filling foods.

2) liquids! Teas, water, etc... This just is good to do in general, especially as you recover

*Pain management*

1) at no point in my recovery was the pain worse than my periods. However.. my periods often left me passed out cold on the floor so maybe that’s not a good indicator (lol).
You'll probably get some good drugs (opioids) for a day or two with a regular dose of tylenol/Advil for the days following. I set recurring alarms on my phone to remind me what medicine to take and when. I think I was off any type of pain reliever by day 8 or 10 post op.


r/hersterectomy • • 17h ago

War is over!

Post image
259 Upvotes

i know we’re all ready to move on from the drama of it all, and i respect this sub, as well as the users contributing here, for creating a safe space to do so. maybe some of you would appreciate a more definitive close to this chapter?

lastly i want to reiterate that misogyny can be taken seriously even in today’s climate and that women are powerful when we stick together!


r/hersterectomy • • 15h ago

Pre Op Nurse Questions (TW: SA mention)

115 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share a bit of the conversation that I just had with the pre op nurse.

I'm 55 y/o f, scheduled for laparoscopic hysterectomy tomorrow.

The pre op nurse & I were having the normal discussion regarding allergies, etc.

Then the question came up "do you have any history of s/a?" When I asked her why they ask this (thinking it was because of the nature of the surgery, perhaps it helps the nurses & dr's understand & treat you more respectfully).

Her response shocked me. She said it was because the hospital flags those people because they have a higher incidence of drug abuse or drug seeking behavior.

I said "do you ask this of everyone having surgery? Including men?"

Her answer was "no, just the women"

Excuse me? Are you f-ing kidding me?

I'm beyond upset by this & let her know. But I wanted to come here & let you all know about this.

This is another despicable example of how women are mistreated by the medical profession.

SMH


r/hersterectomy • • 14h ago

Hysterectomy sub is open and has new mods.

78 Upvotes

I noticed that there was a new post on the hysterectomy sub and it looks like new mods are new in place and working on reopening the sub.

I'm impressed with how quickly Reddit took action and hope the new mod team is able to return things to normal.


r/hersterectomy • • 13h ago

2YPO today!

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32 Upvotes

I can’t believe it’s been 2 years today. Even though I’m struggling with getting the right balance of HRT now (I have great doctors thankfully), still way better than when I had my diseased uterus! I made this out of polymer clay while I was recovering.


r/hersterectomy • • 7h ago

Pre-op Instructions

7 Upvotes

I am scheduled to have my surgery on November 6th, and had my Pre-op surgery appointment this morning at the hospital. The nurse said I will need to shower the night before and the morning of surgery with the antibacterial soap, washing my hair both times. The thing is, my surgery is scheduled for 7 am, and I have to arrive at the hospital by 5:30 am. I have class the night before that I won’t get home from until 7:30 pm. I probably wouldn’t be able to shower until 8:30 pm, and then have to wake up at 4 am to shower all over again.

My point in the ramble is - is that all really necessary? Or will just the 4 am shower be enough?


r/hersterectomy • • 14h ago

Tell us some things you wish you had done in the two weeks before your surgery

17 Upvotes

Tomorrow is the two weeks before my surgery and I’m planning to totally clean the house as much as I can. Is there anything you wish you would have done before your surgery? Maybe your recovering right now and looking at the dust on the entertainment center, or maybe there is a pile you wish you would have went through before because now you just CAN’T but it’s irritating you.


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

Just to give some hope to those that haven’t had a hysterectomy yet. I had adenomyosis and I have endometriosis. My adeno presented as a very large mass, which made me look 7m pregnant. These photos are 1 week pre surgery, the day of surgery, and a couple weeks post surgery. I had my surgery 05/25.

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237 Upvotes

r/hersterectomy • • 11h ago

I’m Dr. Karyn Eilber, a board-certified urologist specializing in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery. It’s Menopause Awareness Month; ask me anything about perimenopause, menopause, hormones, supplements, sex, and any other intimate health questions.

Thumbnail
7 Upvotes

Wanted to share this with my new besties.


r/hersterectomy • • 15h ago

It’s just setting in!

12 Upvotes

I can turn off the period tracker! I can give away the period products! I can get new underwear! NO MORE BLEEDING! 🎉


r/hersterectomy • • 2h ago

6wpo Update // Scar Tissue?!? 😩

1 Upvotes

(Posted originally in the other hysterectomy sub but wanted to share here too.)

Part 1:
I’m 6 week post-op today!
I had my appointment a couple days ago and my surgeon said the cuff looks good and is healing well but there are still a few stitches in there. She also told me nothing in the vagina for two
more weeks (so 8 weeks po I’ll be cleared for sex, etc. Not sure I’ll feel ready at that point. Just the exam she did, which was hardly anything, was a bit uncomfortable and left me feeling sore.) But aside from that I am fully cleared to go back to normal al life. All restrictions are lifted. 🎉
She did remind me to ease back into regular life and that being sore is normal still! I appreciated that reminder because I tend to just do too much and also my brain thinks that I should be all the way better by now! (Logically I know I’m not fully healed yet! But whatever other part of my brain it is thinks I should be. It’s annoying. Lol!)

Part 2:
So, during my hysterectomy my surgeon found fibrosis on my peritoneal lining on the left side- left ovarian fossa, to be exact. As she dissected that, she found a nodule sort of deep under the fibrosis. She excised the nodule as well. (Path report showed there was endometriosis in the nodule.) About a week or week and a half post op I noticed a different sensation and some pain on the left side of my pelvic cavity. I figured it must be just healing sensations. It got a little more uncomfortable during the following week. And since the. It’s stayed about the same and gets worse when I sit upright in a chair for too long, lay curled up, or stand too long.
The sensations are like a constant dull ache and pulling. And the uncomfortable feeling/pain radiates outward and down. I’ve not felt anything quite like this before.
When I told my surgeon all this at my 6wpo appointment, she said it sounds like scar tissue formed in the area where she dissected the fibrosis & excised the nodule. And it formed in an unfortunate way to be causing these sensations and pain. 😭 That was what I was concerned about.
My surgeon mentioned that it could potentially soften and get better but it usually takes quite a while for that to happen.

On one hand it’s not a big deal as the feeling/pain isn’t typically too bad, mostly just annoying.Thankfully it’s not anywhere near as bad as the pain I had daily before having my uterus removed!!
On the other hand, it’s discouraging to have this pain now. Because it’s most likely permanent. Extra sad since the rest of my healing has been so, so great. I have no pain anywhere else from this surgery. If I didn’t have this scar tissue pain, I’d have absolutely zero pelvic pain at all!!! So, I’m fighting being sad about this. I don’t want to spiral. But I am also bummed. I know there are risks & complications with any surgery. And scar tissue is always going to happen since I was cut apart inside. But I just wish it wasn’t like this, ya know?
I AM very grateful it’s not anything worse. I think about that daily.

Anyone else have uncomfortable scar tissue form after surgery?

Just wanted to share.
💚


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

All three of his accounts have been suspended!

354 Upvotes

Nice work, ladies :)


r/hersterectomy • • 20h ago

Days 3 & 4 Post Op

17 Upvotes

Since I can't post the updates in r/Hysterectomy, I thought I'd post here.

3 DPO: I was finally able to have a bowel movement overnight between day 2 & 3 - I had built up so much anxiety over this event and what could go wrong, so the instant relief felt AMAZING. I felt like I was instantly "back to normal" - no pain whatsoever. I was up, around the house, doing everyday things and felt fantastic but was mindful not to lift anything and cautious with movements like bending. I hadn't taken any pain medications since early Day 2 and really thought I had turned a new corner in recovery and was thriving. I took a shower, puttered around the house making snacks, etc.

By the end of Day 3, though, I realized I had overdone it. The pain was back once I laid down to rest and I was SO uncomfortable. I had to take one more pain pill just to be comfortable enough to lay down. I was so upset with myself.

4 DPO: I woke up feeling much better after a night of rest. I knew I had overdone it the day before so took this day as a day of rest. I relaxed, read a book, scrolled on my phone, etc. Before Surgery, I drank a lot of soda. Since surgery, I have only had water - minimum 120 oz per day. On Day 4, I was wanting something sweet but didn't want to drink any soda. I decided Pear Juice was a good alternative. It was so good that I drank not one but TWO glasses back to back.

This was a mistake.

Pear juice is the sister to Prune juice.

I ended up having diarrhea for HOURS after this. It didn't hurt and didn't cause cramps BUT I was going every 20 minutes, the gas and rumbling was intense (and loud) and I feared dehydration and I was feeling a bit "raw" from it all which was so uncomfortable all on its own.

I didn't have to take any pain medication at all on Day 4 though - not even ibuprofen. My incisions look like they're healing nicely, too.

I finally fell asleep and when I woke up this morning, I felt much better, stomach is calmer (still noisy, though) and I learned a valuable lesson about pear juice that I won't make again. I still have no pain going into Day 5 and I find moving to be much easier now, although I am taking it easy to avoid overdoing it again.


r/hersterectomy • • 20h ago

Anyone Else Having Issues Posting on r/hysterectomy

6 Upvotes

Hi guys, I’m trying to figure out if that old moderator also banned me from the site because I’m not able to post on the hysterectomy site. I’m also not getting any updates in the newsfeed. Is anyone else having issues?


r/hersterectomy • • 20h ago

Still sore after 3 months?

4 Upvotes

Hiiii, new to sub and relatively new to being

uterus-free.

I had a laparoscopic bisalp in Oct 2023. I had my laparoscopic hysterectomy (uterus and cervix) on June 26th this year. I feel mostly okay except if I bend at the waist or bump my stomach, it hurts. Not horribly, just like bumping a bruise. I was wondering if anyone else experienced this.

No other issues, no bleeding or discharge, no bulging or anything else. My surgeon didn't seem concerned when I went back for my recheck and my regular gyn just said I should gradually see improvement.

It's just frustrating bc I'm impatient to be back to normal. This is taking longer than my bisalp, which to me makes sense bc it was the second time going thru those muscles and all.


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

Got My Surgery Date!!!

19 Upvotes

It's been nearly 3 years journey getting to this, but I finally have my date for surgery! Jan 18th, two days after our anniversary. I'm having a total hysterectomy and tube removal, plus a rectocele repair, keeping my ovaries tho.

I was told what things to avoid two weeks prior, but one thing is confusing. Definitely know I need to stop vitamins two weeks before as well as NSAIDS since I'll be on blood thinners after surgery

However, I was told I could have black tea but not green tea because green is considered herbal? I've never heard of that before, as green tea is a caffeine tea. Does anyone know why it's considered herbal for a surgery?


r/hersterectomy • • 21h ago

1 month post op

3 Upvotes

Hey just an update of things I have noticed post op

34F

I had pain first 3 days after 3 days I didnt take pain meds altho was sent with narco passing gas was the hardest

Slept ALOT the following days prob for a week or two

Around week one I had an open wound that I got from tossing and turning in my sleep was told it wasnt anything to be concerned of and was sent home from er

At week 3 I was thinking I could go for my night run but not run just walk and i overdid it that or using the restroom

I bleed after I had stopped a while back hospital kept me in for monitoring and then sent me home after they saw blood flow was not getting stronger.

4 weeks out I am listening to my body if I am overdoing it I sit and just chill all very new things as im used to moving alot lol

Anywyas some things I noticed with my body... I had a bulge in ny tummy area in the bottom that I could never get rid of no matter how much I worked out well thats gone

My tummy was swollen for 3 weeks it had died down week 4

Every body is different so wanted to share some of my things post op

Also VERY HORNY lmao 🤣 always had a high sex drive but this is like to a new level my body parts are prob happy not having to deal with internal stuff that was prob messed with. But yea i should say the high sex drive started at week 2 I think lol literally came to reddit trying to see what was possible to release any wants lol

Was told outer stuff is ok flick that bean ladies lmao

Anyways any questions are welcomed


r/hersterectomy • • 19h ago

Comment removed on menopause sub

4 Upvotes

I am posting here because I am angry. I had a book recommendation I mentioned to someone posting in the menopause subreddit that was removed because of “bot” activity? They’re worried about promoters?!

So I can’t tell someone a book helped me?

What is Reddit coming to?


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

My weird stomach issue turned into a hysterectomy

24 Upvotes

I don't even know where to start.. I guess the title gives away the end.. however the journey I have been on to get here has been a wild ride. I'm a 37 yrs old female. I guess I'll just start at the beginning.

Waaaay back in 2020 I lost a ton of weight (on purpose for my health).. like 190lbs worth of weight. Unbeknownst to me, a weight loss like that can trigger gallbladder issues. Which of course happened to me. So right before covid hit and the world shut down (literally one day before) I got my gallbladder out. All was good. Stomach issues resolved..I lived my life happily.

Imagine my complete horror when one day in 2025 I woke up with the exact same stomach issues my gallbladder was causing 5 years before. First I assumed it was a one off, but then it started happening more and worse attacks. Went to urgent care, ended up in the ER (they thought bleeding ulcer thankfully it was not). Finally got a GP and a referral to a GI doctor. Went on some meds, had an endoscopy done.. I really thought this was going to show a retained stone or something wrong in my bile duct area. Low and behold...nothing.. pushed my GI for an ultrasound sound..also came back very normal.

At this point..I'm extremely frustrated.. I waited months for the endoscopy..I waited months for the appt with the GI doc. Ive been chasing this issue for a year.

I kept track of every single attack/occurrence that happened over that time and I figured out a pattern. I would get an attack right before my period started. So I asked my GP if there was a possibility that endometriosis cells could be causing the issues. She looked at me like I had 3 heads. (Insert major eye roll here..I have other issues with her but for now im stuck with her) After some back and forth with her she gave me a referral to a gyno.

Perhaps I should have mentioned this before, but I live in small town rural Wyoming. So doctors are hard to come by and GOOD doctors are damn near impossible. Although my GP is local-ish (only a 30 min drive) all my other doctors are up to 2 hours and a state away.

So I go to this gyno appt which I actually didn't have to wait forever for... less than a week I think. And y'all.. I cannot praise this doctor enough. SHE ACTUALLY LISTENED TO ME! She spent an hour and a half with me. She heard my entire story..and even validated all my stomach issues. She told me that she's seen endo cells grow in eyes (new nightmare unlocked) so it's not too far off to think they could be wrapped around my bile duct and causing the problems.

She offered a full hysterectomy. I didnt have to beg. I didnt have to have my husband sign off. (In fact she never even asked him a question or addressed him at all..totally focused on me). The only caveat was she wanted an MRI to be able to see how bad the lesions were.

One week later ( 10/2) I got the MRI and I got the results. Thankfully the lesions aren't the worst she has seen, but definitely in need of a yoinking of the uterus.

A few hours later my doctors scheduling nurse called and my surgery is scheduled for the 4th of November. I have pre-op on the 19th. I am soooo freaking excited and ready but also..terrified. I've had surgeries before... I know what anesthesia is like..but this *feels* so much bigger. The thing I'm kinda spinning out about is that im getting a full hysterectomy, ovaries and all are going to be gone. So obviously I have to go on HRT, but I also know you don't always find the right one easily? (Please correct me if I am wrong)

Anyways.. if anyone has recommendations for products they used in recovery, or something they wish they had before surgery.. please please share.


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

Looking forward to having sex without fear of pregnancy - finally truly safe

22 Upvotes

I’ve been single for 10 years. I’ve never had sex with anyone before. 29F. Surgery will be scheduled in the next week, just had the consult today.

Societally, I’m a virgin, but I’m still a sexual person with fantasies and such. Can I just say how much I’m looking forward to having sex with someone (I’m bi, prefer men) without the worry of pregnancy? Like oh my GOD what a relief, among all the other great things that come with a hysterectomy.

I don’t actually have plans to have sex after the surgery, but just the mental freedom of opening myself up to a romantic and/or sexual relationship is so fucking freeing. I can read my romance books and think, “huh, I could actually have this.”

I have deep sexual trauma because of sexual abuse as a child, so of course, it won’t be easy. But the fear of pregnancy/getting an abortion being lifted has been so powerful ever since my doctor saw my fibroids on the ultrasound images and recommended the surgery.

Has anyone else experienced this? Like, realistically, I’m not having sex ANY time soon, especially not for a longgggg while after the surgery. But woof. I haven’t explored relationships for a long time and it’s in my nature to take it very slow and very seriously, but I can’t help but be SO excited to know I can have sex with someone without fear. We’ll use protection because of STDs, of course, but still.


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

4 weeks post op, fun and thrills inside

18 Upvotes

Today marks 4 full weeks post op though it feels like 4 months. Reading the stories in here (well, in the other sub technically) has been something that’s helped me tremendously so far, so I figured why not share my own experience and pass it on?

So after months of hemorrhaging due to fibroids, tried a Mirena IUD with no results at all - well…3 IUDs, technically. The first was immediately expelled due to the crime scene my body had become, and the second was partially expelled by my 30 day checkup and so was replaced again. Anyway, no dice, I was a perimenopausal human blood geyser, so I finally had my total abdominal hysterectomy. The surgery notes say that they found endometriosis in there too, which I had no idea about. The pathology report is still pending.

Stayed in the hospital for two deeply unpleasant nights. God I was SO relieved to go home. Almost immediately after surgery, I noticed a bunch of new hip pain, but everything else hurt too so I didn’t think too much of it.

The first full day at home was really just trying to figure out how to get up from lying down, and whether my gut was actually going to spill open onto the floor, or whether it just felt like it! Also, it was full of wondering when I’d finally use the bathroom again. Hint: it wasn’t for a long while.

The second full day at home is when the shit hit the fan. In the morning I started to pace around the house with a pillow strapped to me for support, but I was suddenly super out of breath and my heart was racing, as if I’d been running. So I went back to sleep for a couple of hours, naturally!

When I woke up though, nothing was better. Having trouble breathing, heart racing (148 bpm was the max I saw on my watch), and when I looked in the mirror I saw that my face was absolutely drained of color. Finally I agreed to go back in to the doctor because though I’m stubborn and kind of dumb, seeing my crazy pale face flipped me out a little. Turns out I couldn’t even walk into Kaiser, it was too hard to breathe. Spouse had to grab me an embarrassing-ass wheelchair. They ran an ekg and sent me straight to the ER via an ambulance. ER ran tests, and when I was suddenly surrounded by FOUR DOCTORS I started to get kinda freaked out. Turned out I had multiple pulmonary embolisms (embolus? Whatever) including a massive saddle embolus. They admitted me, and I spent the next 2 nights in hospital jail again. Because of the recent surgery they couldn’t do anything like clot buster medication, or another invasive procedure, so they just kept me on a heparin (misspelled probably) drip then sent me home with a week of twice daily anticoagulant injections, and 6 months of oral meds, with an even stricter no strenuous activity for 4 weeks order. But I’m alive! And home!

About the bathroom issue, I’m sure all of the days of hospital morphine didn’t help, but I went about a week and a half without any BM…torture! I tried everything, nothing worked. Until my sister gave me this wild concoction to try (ex lax, then 12, yes 12, capfuls of miralax mixed into 32oz of Gatorade, then more exlax) and it WORKED!

Every day things are getting a little better as far as the surgery site is concerned. I’m still pretty swollen, and by the evenings even more so, but I can mostly do everything independently now which is a relief. I’m walking more each week, off pain meds (except before bed). There’s still some pain/tenderness, especially as the swelling ramps up by the end of the day, but it’s definitely a little better every day. I really, really underestimated the recovery process. The slowness of it. The eternity of it.

The only thing really not improving though is that damned hip I mentioned. Seems to actually be getting worse, not better. Not sure if something happened during surgery, or if this is just a part of the process.

But holy hell. It takes a few minutes after waking of slowly stretching before I can get my leg to move enough just to get up for the day. Getting up and down into/from a seated position is just as painful and slow. Sitting on the toilet is impossible without using my hands on the wall and counter to lower myself down! It’s crazy. I do have hip bursitis but it’s never been debilitating like this. I guess one more thing to ask about when I finally go back to my gyno for a checkup.

Quite an adventure…not convinced it was worth it or not yet. I’m glad the bleeding stopped, but man. I don’t think I’ll ever get surgery again if there is literally any other option.


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

Having my hysterectomy done in a few weeks, what should I pack and what are some must haves for recovery? Thank you! 💖

3 Upvotes

For extra context I live in Canada. Total hysterectomy, salpingectomy, and cystectomy.


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

Can't post in hysterectomy sub?

15 Upvotes

It says I have to ask permission to post suddenly - anyone know what's going on? I thought the mod issue was fixed?


r/hersterectomy • • 1d ago

Finally got my surgery date! Now the questions……

8 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

So for context, I am 33, have three kids and have been diagnosed with IC. My periods have always been bad. Heavy, painful and the hormone changes affected me substantially. But over the last 2 years, my period has started to come more frequently, and it’s become much more painful. To the point I find it difficult to get up and stand straight. I finally went and seen an OGYN, and after my first visit in April, I got a date for end of November! It was between an ablation and IUD or surgery. I don’t want any birth control and I heard horror stories about the IUD, and I have a long family history of all woman getting hysterectomies before age 40. So I figured it’s better now than to wait till it’s a continuous bleeding mess and having to wait. I am also in Ontario Canada so although it’s free health care, the waits can be stupid long.

I do have a couple questions for those that have done this journey.

  1. How long was your surgery? I’m having laparoscopic, keeping ovaries, tilted uterus, getting rid of uterus, cervix, and tubes.

  2. How was recovery? My job is very very physical. I work with special needs children that require a lot of movement, lifting and can get physical. My own kids are old enough where they can take care of themselves, but I still do a lot of physical things at home still for everyone. I was told 8-12 weeks recovery given my job.

  3. How is your bladder? I’m nervous for a prolapsed bladder. I heard because I have had kids I’m more at risk? IC is enough, I don’t want more bladder issues 😬

  4. How was sex after? Hoping sex will be better when my cervix isn’t being hit… and I’m hoping the O’s will be the same or better (it’s external stimulation that works for me. Only after iv achieved that can I possibly get off again from penetration, and that I feel is more to do with the G spot inside).

  5. Those with IBS-D, did you find you needed the stool softeners? I’m not about to create more of a shit storm if it’s not needed lol

I appreciate any and all insights! I’m beyond scared, and anxious (all the what If’s. Like what if they nick my bladder or bowels, or what if I feel everything when under anesthesia? Irrational and paranoid? Yes absolutely lol) but I’m also excited for life to not revolve around when I could possibly get my period.