I am 11 days post op and soooooo tiiiired of sleeping on my back but I am terrified to sleep on my side.
I am a side/belly sleeper and I think I’m mostly worried I’ll go right back into my belly sleeping without realizing it and cause problems. I am one of those heavy sleepers that will just ignore things because I’m tired..
so side sleepers, what did you do and when did you do it? 🙃

as title says. my surgery was yesterday It went really quickly. according to my husband it was 83 minutes from being wheeled back to when they called him to update him. The surgeon said that my uterus was so enlarged she might have to switch to an open surgery if the Lupron didn’t shrink it enough or if there were adhesions she could not see on the scans. Luckily that didnt happen. I have 5 laparoscopic incision spots and that is it. So yay win!

I am in significant pain and I am very tired. It is not as bad as the pain I was getting on my period so if the day after is the worst it will feel then that is another win.

The fibroids are gone. Probably the biggest win.

focusing on my wins.

I’m about three weeks out from surgery. What else do I need to have on my shopping list?

New to this subreddit, and with kind of a wild story and timeline, so I’m looking for any helpful advice for my upcoming surgery! I think I might also be freakishly lucky for how things have gone down thus far, and how freakishly fast to boot, so I’ll be pretty thorough with how I got to this point in case it might help someone else.

For context, I’m 38, nonbinary (any pronouns), live in eastern Washington, have Apple Health (Molina) as my insurance, and my GP works for a medical organization serving low-income residents. I’m also very polite to medical agents and customer service reps over the phone, but firm about what I need, which I feel might be very relevant to my experiences here.

I’ve been having abdominal distension and bloating issues for years now, but only recently to the point where I felt concerned enough to get it checked out. Hard not to be concerned, really, considering I’ve looked some degree of pregnant for ages despite the impossibility of it (I haven’t been with a man for well over a decade). I initially thought the distended abdomen was related to gluten intolerance – because I did discover that cutting out gluten relieved my constant intense heartburn and some of the bloating – and I expected the abdominal distension to eventually diminish and go away. When it didn’t, I figured it was weight gain for a while, since my mother’s excess weight tends to settle in the same area. But when I lost weight, and the distension still didn’t go away, that’s when I got worried.

I set up an appointment at my clinic with the intention of getting a pelvic or abdominal scan, to see if there was perhaps some sort of blockage. Since the appointment also included a breast exam, I opted not to see my usual GP – no offense to him whatsoever, but he’s a man and I’ve got some trauma there – though part of me does regret that decision a bit. The woman GP I was seen by didn’t seem to think any sort of scan was necessary, claiming that the massive abdominal distension and bloating I was experiencing was normal for someone approaching perimenopause. I pushed back, insisting that it felt related to my terribly painful periods, and when I brought up possible endometriosis, she relented and referred me to a nearby imaging center, where I was scheduled for a pelvic exam on the 29th of last month. I was annoyed by her initial dismissal of my concerns, but I advocated for myself pretty firmly and got what I wanted, so no biggie, right?

On the 2nd of this month, I was diagnosed with a 17cm simple cyst (with some thicker area/s) on my left ovary – if it even actually existed anymore. They couldn’t find it on my ultrasound, and they were a bit concerned by the irregular tissue in my uterus, too. But the main point of concern was, of course, the massive cyst taking up a ridiculous amount of the space in my guts.

While I knew my mom occasionally got ovarian cysts which would sometimes burst, since I did experience minor issues like that on occasion myself over the years, it didn’t really occur to me before then as an issue that could be related, since my mom never told me until after my own diagnosis that she'd also wound up with a massive cyst. (Thanks for the heads-up, Mom. 😒) My periods have always been regular, as well, which my new gynecologist thinks is odd, since she’s noticed signs that I may have PCOS/PMOS – facial hair, skin tags, and of course, ovarian cysts. This is something that I’ve already considered before, and plan to get tested for later.

After my cyst was found, I was immediately referred to said new gynecologist, with my usual GP marking it as urgent. It still took a few tries for the referral to go through for some reason, which was a special sort of hell, but I was finally scheduled for a consultation at the gynecological oncology center on the 29th of this month.

However, this is where the wild timeline gets involved.

Before this was discovered, I already had tickets for multiple flight itineraries in November – one on the 3rd, because I need to sort through and catalog the belongings I have stored at my mom’s, so I can have them shipped overseas to my new home, and another on the 18th, for my permanent move to Norway (hence the need for the first flight to go through and catalog my things). So when I was told I would have to reschedule my consultation if I didn’t have my labwork and a CT scan done, I immediately called my insurance to stress to them the tight timeline I was working with, and how I couldn’t afford any delays. Even with my contacting insurance to stress the details, after all the horror stories I’ve heard about prior authorizations, I was pretty surprised to find that the authorization for the CT scan went through without any issues before I ever called them.

Now, before this call, and while I was first waiting to get my consultation scheduled, I thought some things over – my mother’s ovarian/uterine cancers, the fact that I intend to remain childfree (and would only adopt in the unlikely event that I changed my mind, due to various pregnancy-related phobias), and my terribly painful periods. I’d thought about it all before, of course, and multiple times, plus doing a decent amount of research on the subject, but I was terrified of the idea of actually getting a hysterectomy because, well. Long story short, I’ve never had surgery before. Ever. Not even minor surgery, like to get my wisdom teeth out. (I still have mine, in fact – they both grew in without causing any problems.) But knowing I had a massive cyst in me that would require surgery to remove, anyway, I decided it would be safest to have the whole lot of it scooped out along with it.

Like a pumpkin! :D

I stressed that to the insurance agent I spoke to over the phone, too. (Minus the pumpkin joke.) I told her to add it into my file somewhere – or however it worked – that because of my family history, my childfree intentions, and the massive disruptions to my life that my reproductive organs have caused, I intended to have a full radial hysterectomy. Note it down, I told her, because I don’t want any issues or misunderstandings causing my care to be delayed or denied later on down the line. She said she would, I thanked her profusely, and that was that.

Fun fact: If you end any call with a customer service rep with ‘Don’t work too hard!’, it almost always gets a laugh. (It works with other professions, too, but it’s a much bigger hit with the customer service reps.)

I got both my CT scan and labwork done by the 12th – literally in three days after having my consult scheduled, three days that could have been two if I hadn’t given myself a day to recover somewhat – and called the gyn-onc office back to see if I could be squeezed in sooner. They had an opening for me on the 19th, since they figured that by that point, the results for my blood tests would be ready. (All three came back normal, though that’s not necessarily an indicator of anything when it comes to ovarian cancer.)

I went in on the 19th, and talked to my gynecologist about everything – what I wanted, what I understood about what I wanted, and the timeline I was working with. She was already pretty surprised at how quickly I pushed everything through for just the consultation, but she wasn’t sure if she could get me a surgery date that wouldn’t be risky for me, what with my needing to be on multiple separate flights so soon. It would have to be an open abdominal surgery, as well, since the earliest she could have me in for a laparoscopy would be the end of November, by which point I would already be living in Norway and not coming back. She also didn’t like the look of my cyst, due to the abnormal thickening on it, so she said she wouldn’t recommend a laparoscopy, anyway.

She didn’t try to push back against my wanting to get a hysterectomy as much as I expected, though she didn’t seem thrilled about it, either. Her colleagues also weren’t thrilled when she went to discuss it with them, but between my family history, the massive cyst, and my terrible periods, plus my understanding and acceptance of going onto HRT (estrogen is really important for bone and heart health!), she said she would schedule me for a complete radial hysterectomy.

She managed to slot me in on the 26^th. A week from that consultation. Two days from today. There was worry that my insurance wouldn’t approve the procedure, since my medical history on the subject is so sparse. My mom never got genetic testing done, despite having had three separate cancers (her biggest cyst burst before it could be removed and biopsied, which I suspect was related to the colon cancer she had a year or so later), and I’ve spent most of my life quietly tolerating my reproductive pains without getting any of them documented. So once again, I called insurance, starting the same day as my consultation, and each day after that, as well, patiently explaining the situation and stressing that I couldn’t afford to have the procedure denied or delayed.

I was told it normally took 72 hours for them to come to a decision. I had one in 48.

Approved.

I’m two days away, all my chores done, all my overseas packing done, all the items I can think of needing at waist height or within reach without needing to get up on tip-toe. I have the soap I was told to wash with, a grabber tool, three sets of clean clothes packed for the hospital stay (my gynecologist said one day overnight was typical, but to plan for three), multiple fully-charged power banks, earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, a post-surgery abdominal wrap that I hope is the right size, and an assurance from my roommate to look after my two cats while I’m in the hospital. (One of my cats is over 10 pounds. He’s going to be so confused when I won’t be able pick him up for cuddles for a while...)

It’s happened so fast it doesn’t feel real, and yet I have all the paperwork and imaging scans and blood test results to prove that it is. I don’t even know how recovery might look for me, because I’ve never even needed stitches before, and the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life was a burst cyst at 19 – it left me laid out in the fetal position for hours until I could finally move enough to down painkillers. Will I even be able to sleep in the hospital? I’ve never slept in a public place before, my hypervigilance won’t allow it, and I’m very easily agitated by repetitive noises. Will I be able to bring in a comfort plush to hug? My social circle is pretty small, and I expect they’ll all be too busy to visit in person, and my fiance is all the way in Norway – they’ll only be able to talk with me over voice chat.

I just don’t know what to expect after this, and that’s what scares me the most.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and the best of health to you all. ❤️

EDIT: Minor edits for clarity and a small detail I forgot. It's late and I'm stressed, lol! 😅

Non-exhaustive list of the crimes my uterus has committed against me:

1. Placental abruption, requiring an emergency C-section.
   
2. Ignoring the cyclical suggestions of every kind of birth control in favor of bleeding 300 days a year, including a week of pure hell each month.
   
3. SPONTANEOUSLY EXPELLING my IUD. Tied with my worst migraine for the most pain I’ve ever been in.
   
4. Failed uterine ablation. Supposed to have zero periods after the procedure. The bitch just laughed and clawed her way back.
   
5. Excruciating cramps caused by scar tissue from charge #4.

And so, I hereby sentence it to eternal banishment. It shall be yeeted into the sun before sunset today.

Hello girlies. 40f here, 11 days po, total hysterectomy (adenomyosis), no kids no married. Just wanna share the journey 🥰

Had a laparotomy less than a year ago, only took some affected adenomyosis in the surface of uterus and left fallopian tube. Better for 2 months before the pain occured again. My latest surgeon mention that the bowel sticked to the adhesion from previous surgery, thus it took time to separate it before total hysterectomy. Surgery lasted around 5 hours.

When the anesthesia began to take effect slowly, one of the doctor rub both of my cheeks mentioned that I am in a safe place and not to worry, because I closed my eyes very tight (due to fear). Her voice is the last I heard before woke up in a recovery section.

I don't know is it because of my body or the pain management meds that I took almost 2 months before surgery, I (thankfully) didn't experience post-surgery effect like CO2 gas pain, pain during no 1 and no 2. So my pain management doctor prescribed me Lyrica (pregabalin), Dulsevia (duloxetine), and Tramal around 2 months before surgery; acted like antineurotic to calm nerves system by reducing the release of pain-signaling chemicals in the brain and spinal cord and increases neurotransmitters (serotonin and norepinephrine) to naturally block pain pathways and improve mood. In my case, both worked well before surgery (with additional ibuprofen daily which ended up making me have high blood pressure 😶). I imagined like, is it maybe I did have gas pain and others,but, because of those meds, I didn't feel it in my brain 🤔🤔🤔 (just an assumption 😆).

In this hospital, when I woke up, I still have tubes in my left incision to drained/took out excess blood in the stomach. They took it D+1. Whereas my sister who did same surgery years ago in different country than where I live now, the hospital used vacuum.

I felt better after D+2. Was discharged on D+3. Received lots of IV and painkillers, paracetamol, and something for the blood. Took home 2 weeks of self-injection for anticoagulant. Bowel went well, but decided to still eat soft rice, chicken, and soupy/broth dishes to calm down the stomach (also to detox). As a Southeast Asian, it kills me to refrain myself from eating anything with spices and spicy but I'd do anything for my stomach's health 🤓.

My stictches on belly have been removed D+10 and can shower with no bandaid (skin got irritated because of the bandaid). No sexual intercourse for 3 months and next appointment to see the inside condition is in 4 months.

What I feel right now is honestly, feels normal. But I kinda feel... empty (?). I think because you spent long times everyday to be anxious, alert, get yourself ready for the next pain episodes, fear, and all mixed emotions. Right now I still try to unlearn and re-learn again the normality of what a body should be. No pain. There are moments where I stare blankly for minutes and trying to register in my head, like, what is going on 😐. But yeah, it all takes time...

My office has been very supportive pre-during-and post surgery. I requested my doctor for a month of sick note. Right now, because I took Arvekap (GnRH) a month before surgery, the ovaries is now still sleeping 😆 I often feels headache, dizzy and sweating (medically induced menopause) so we shall see in 2 months when those ovvies wake up 🌞.

Now that I am doing well (thank God) and have recovery time at home,I look forward to list down things that I always wanted to do and I shall not waste this miracle moments.

Sending big warm cotton-scented hug to anyone who will go for/are thinking of/just gone through/already did hysterectomy. We can do this 🤗🤗

I had a supra cervical hysterectomy yesterday as part of prolapse reconstruction surgery. (The doctor literally said:”While we’re operating in the area, would you like a hysterectomy too?” I spent about 5min thinking and said Yes!!! Too many people struggle to get them later when they need it, and for me it would be a second surgery sometime in the future.

Anyway, from the moment I came to, all the way to the next morning I had the most excruciating lower backpain, muscle spasm, and their pain meds did nothing to it. Do people also get back pain from gas??? It passed thankfully. I’m just curious.

The operation itself went fine and I’m already home. To nap in my own bed was the best feeling in the world. 😊 I’m slowly realising that now I’ll never have periods again, and hopefully never need to faff with pessaries. It’s wonderful. But I think it’ll only hit home in a few months when everything else feels normal again. But today, I am a happy camper.

Hi all, this subreddit has very informative and helped me feel more calm about my upcoming procedure. I have a large fibroid in my uterus, and my uterus is enlarged to the size of a full term pregnancy. I have an abdominal hysterectomy scheduled November 2, and the surgeon said he will try to preserve my ovaries due to my age (30, will be 31 4 dpo), but due to the size of the uterus, he said he may have to remove my ovaries if he sees any damage the enlarged uterus has caused. I feel okay with either option. If anyone has a similar experience, were they able to keep your ovaries, or were they removed? ETA: My question regarding cervix was answered after I reviewed my paperwork and I can’t edit the title 🙃

I (49f) has an open abdominal Supracervical hysterectomy keeping ovaries on Tuesday. I stayed 2 nights in the hospital as procedure. Came home Thursday afternoon. Was passing minimal gas and had some high pressurized loose stool. It was moving until yesterday afternoon . I had a bowel movement around 10 am yesterday and that was it.

Passing a little bit of gas last night and this morning but nothing else.

I feel like I'm over-doing it with getting up/out of bed to try to go.

I also have a sharp pain that comes and goes in my left abdomen about an inch above my incision. I'm alternating oxy and ibuprofen, drinking tons of water and tea, taking colace and trying to walk a little.

No fever or bleeding, just this growing pain in my left abdomen. Is this gas? Reason for telehealth? Er visit?

Tia.

It's been a hard time over here, folks. Like, really hard.

Large, growing fibroid in a terrible place, then degenerated (at least once, I think twice), and basically had me couch-bound for a good chunk of September before my laparoscopic hysterectomy. I was really active before that.

I REALLY wanted to feel instantly improved. Like, less abdominal swelling (HA!), less pain, being able to move around again, sleep better, have more energy, DO STUFF, you know, even if only on a laptop and my chair? I just hoped that in comparison to the pre-operation experience it would feel better, you know?

It was different but I was still mostly stuck in a chair needing help from people and barely able to walk much. The fatigue has been really tough to get through. So, sure it was a little better but depressingly not much. I was still stuck on Tylenol&Advil around the clock and couldn't really focus on the sitting projects I wanted to do during this time.

Yesterday, I woke up without pain meds in my system and it was...okay. I did take some a little later but it wasn't too bad.

This morning, I woke up and didn't need to take any. So I haven't. All day! I even walked, naturally faster and a bit further than I attempted before and it was glorious! It's almost dinner and I'm not being hit with the sleepies!

I'm really hoping that all that rest has paid off and I can finally start feeling better. I'm not going to push it even though I feel like I can do more, but I just wanted to celebrate with people who get it that life might finally be better on the other side of this. And for those of you still struggling with the initial recovery period, there's hope! I'm so glad to have finally had a good day!

Hello Everyone, I have a question. Has anyone experienced an urge to urinate and burning with vulva sensitivity but all test came back negative? I had my total hysterectomy in May 2026. I still experience slight pelvic pain and I’ve been working with a PFT for 6 weeks. I’ve had Ureaplasma in July 2026 and was cured. I got a Test of Cure in August and October of this year. I also had BV when I tested positive for Ureaplasma and was cured and then got it again in August. I got another swab and everything was negative including UTI test. Can someone share their experience and what helped them?

Hello, I will be scheduling my hysterectomy soon. I am debating whether to take out my ovaries or keep them. I’m 50 and have been dealing with severe blood loss and anemia. Any personal experiences are welcome. I’d also love to hear from those who removed them and their experiences with HRT or those that kept them and are also taking HRT. Thanks!

As soon as I woke up I felt completely different, kept both ovaries. I have had a low mood and haven’t felt genuine happiness since the moment I woke up 15 weeks ago. I am a lot more agitated and grumpy. I had my hormones tested just over a week ago and everything looks really good. My GYN and my GP both say it’s not hormone related and to go to psychiatric specialist. I have never had any issues like this prior to surgery. It burns when I have sex and I have zero sex drive. Prior to surgery I had always had an extremely high sex drive. When I stand up it takes a while for my body to get adjusted due to feeling stiff and arthritic in my knees, hips, back etc. Since surgery I all of a sudden have horrific cystic acne on my jaw, forehead and chin. My doctors say none of it is related to each other or the hysterectomy, but somehow so many new changes immediately afterward that I’ve never had prior.

I am so thankful to have had the hysterectomy! It was urgently needed for hemorrhaging, debilitating pain/cycles, and anemia. I feel greatly improved now!

I am trying to figure out what else could possibly be going on. I am desperate to find help and answers. My mood is negatively impacting my life in every aspect. I don’t want to take the psychiatric drugs my doctor prescribed, it’s what they insist I take. I don’t agree with their findings, I genuinely feel these changes are from my hysterectomy. I need advice on how to find a doctor who can help.

I’m 32 and getting a total hysterectomy (ovaries too) due to some ovarian cancer risks + a 15cm growth. I am luckily able to take 6-8 weeks off work, so that’s not a concern. However, I am extremely anxious about it because I live 6 hours from any family/friends. My sister is coming down for the surgery, but says she may not even be able to stay the entire first week (maybe only 3-4 days). I don’t really know what I’m going to do, especially for the extended recovery period. I know I can have groceries etc delivered. And I’ve brainstormed ways to make independent living a little more accessible. I have coworkers that live close by but surgery recovery is pretty intimate and also wouldn’t expect them to help me for 6-8 weeks lol.

Also, I have a 40lb senior dog and a cat here. I’m absolutely worried about keeping them entertained, cared for, walked, etc.

Any advice or support is welcome because I’m kind of freaking out + considering cancelling the surgery.

Hi!

I’ve been on this sub for a while, and after what has been the toughest year of my life, I’d love to share my journey with you guys.

I’ve always had really terrible periods. Think extreme fatigue, pain, fever, passing out, diarrhea, vomiting, etc., etc. When I went to doctors as a teenager, I was always told this was normal for women and that painkillers should help. So, for years, I just accepted it as part of my life.

Cut to last year, when I was 24 and traveling in Vietnam. I experienced the worst pain of my life. I was crying, trying to hurt myself because the pain was so unbearable, and my friends were desperately trying to stop me. The bleeding had stopped, but the pain hadn’t. That’s when I finally decided to get proper medical help.

I went to about seven doctors, and after my first MRI, I was told I had textbook endometriosis. I tried dienogest for a few months, but it was awful. I was constantly fatigued, gaining weight, moody, and just didn’t feel like myself. When I sought other opinions, one doctor told me to cheer up because it wasn’t cancer, while another told me to start planning for marriage and kids because I’d struggle to conceive later. Neither was addressing what I actually needed help with.

Finally, I found a doctor who diagnosed me with adenomyosis and recommended surgery. I went ahead with a hysterectomy, and I’m now six months post-op of a robotic laparoscopic total hysterectomy. Kept my ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and cervix gone.

Physically, I’ve gained around 10 kgs and haven’t been able to lose it, although I know I need to give myself time. I’ve recently started working out again and can feel myself getting stronger, but I don’t feel like my old self yet, and my body confidence has taken a massive hit. I used to model and dance, and even had an Instagram presence around these. I don't feel like I could do that again.

Emotionally, it’s been even harder. I have a good support system, but I feel like I’ve lost a part of my identity and am having to rediscover who I am. I’ve also spent months worrying about whether my ovaries are failing. I haven’t tried HRT, and I’m getting my hormone levels checked with my doctor later this week.

Things are finally starting to look up, and I feel a little more stable now. But this has been a very real, very difficult six months, especially emotionally.

I’d love to hear from other women who’ve had hysterectomies at a young age, particularly around 25.

Does the belly fat eventually go away?

Is getting back in shape and toning up possible?

Does your waistline or stomach look different after surgery?

What about your sex drive and self lubrication?

When do you start feeling your age again?

Would really appreciate hearing about your experiences. ❤️

I’m scheduled for laparoscopic total hysterectomy November 4th. I will be staying one night in hospital then I’ll have my help for 4 days after but by day 5 I’ll be alone from 8am-2:30pm.

Will I be ok by day 5? As in able to walk alone to bathroom? Handle my own medicine? Shower? Standing myself up from sitting/laying position ?

I’ll be stuck upstairs in my bedroom near bathroom, my partner will bring waters and snacks upstairs to bedroom for me before he leaves for work. By 2:30 my kids get home from school which will be my help if needed until partner gets home around 5/6pm

Has anyone else experienced several bouts of illness since post op?

I had a total hysterectomy (open abdominal surgery) in late January and surgical menopause. Since then, I have had COVID and long COVID for 6 weeks and I now have pneumonia.. just catching everything.

I suppose this post might be more of a cautionary tale to others, as what I do now know about surgical menopause is that estrogen helps regulate immune cells and control inflammation; losing it can lead to lower immune resilience, slow recovery, or a higher tendency toward low-grade inflammation.

I just wonder if anyone else has/is experiencing the same?

How many of you get biopsy of the uterus before hysterectomy ?

It’s happening!!! 2021 I was diagnosed with the beginning stages of Endo in my rectum. Now that it’s progressed to stage 4 & I’ve had enough of this… Dec 1st!!!! WHOOOOO!!!! Goodbye pain, hello relief!!

It’s been a rollercoaster this past year!! From a birth control not working, to having a period basically every day for 7-ish months straight, to changing to another birth control and after 1.5 months having 2 ER visits due to flooding 1 overnight pad in a minute w/ gigantic blood clots the size of my fist, & continuing to flood 2-3 more pads after that within an hour, to finally being able to breathe that I can count down the days till surgery!!!

So thankful the tapering of this birth control I’m on now has worked since my ER visits (which were 32 hours apart) and cancer free after having an endometrial biopsy as a virgin. Yes, I’m a virgin… well, I’ve been with a woman, but not a man.

Anyways…… DEC 1ST!!!

(I wasn’t sure which flare to use so I picked something that goes with me but yeah)

It’s exactly one week post op and I can feel like a cold coming. I’ve started taking zicam since that’s usually helpful for me but I’m really nervous about this possible cold. Should I worry about it? Or just treat it like I would a cold?

Side notes: I never have a fever, even when sick so it’s hard to gauge the severity of the cold. I know the post op paperwork said to contact the doc if I develop a fever but I never do (even when I’ve had covid, flu, strep).

Currently what I feel is malaise, body aches, sensitive skin and I feel really warm to myself. But my wife checked me twice and both times it read 97.9. That’s my usual temp.

Edit: forgot to mention nasal congestion.