Hysterectomy recovery

[imimahoney]

For those who have had one recently can you recommend anything (belly binder, for ex) to make the recovery process a bit easier?

[underwaterrhymes]

What type of hysterectomy are you having?

I didn’t use anything, but mine was laparoscopic morcellation in a bag and she did it through my belly button and along the abdominal scar line from my mastectomy reconstruction.

[imimahoney]

Mar 17, 2024 10:58:24 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

What type of hysterectomy are you having?

I didn’t use anything, but mine was laparoscopic morcellation in a bag and she did it through my belly button and along the abdominal scar line from my mastectomy reconstruction.

It's for my friend and she will likely have a scar similar to a c-section scar due to the size and amount of her fibroids.

[underwaterrhymes]

Mar 17, 2024 11:40:19 GMT -5 imimahoney said:

Mar 17, 2024 10:58:24 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

What type of hysterectomy are you having?

I didn’t use anything, but mine was laparoscopic morcellation in a bag and she did it through my belly button and along the abdominal scar line from my mastectomy reconstruction.

It's for my friend and she will likely have a scar similar to a c-section scar due to the size and amount of her fibroids.

Ah, okay. My hysterectomy was far less invasive. (I had one fibroid and they were able to do the morcellation in a bag technique. I kept my cervix and ovaries, but ditched the uterus and tubes.) However, my reconstruction for my mastectomy involved cutting from hip to hip (although it’s a higher scar than she can likely anticipate.) I did not use a binder, although I know many people who did. I found having a pillow to hug was very helpful and I slept in a recliner. However, I was also recovering from a mastectomy, so I don’t know that my advice / experience is relevant for her.

Has she joined the HysterSisters group? If you don’t get responses here, that is a great resource.

[JayhawkGirl]

I started taking Colace stool softener about a week before. Figured no need to have any existing back up before all of the pain meds and anesthesia made that even worse. My doctor was on board with that. I took Colace with every pain pill still need milk of magnesia twice so I would encourage having that on hand. Also, Gas-X for once you get home. And a heating pad to put on your collar bones/shoulders because the gas pain is legit.

I really really liked these ice packs. Rester's Choice Large Ice Pack... www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5HMD8C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

My BFF brought me some really nice smelling lotion and I appreciated having that. I was most comfortable in really loose soft target night shirts, and actually wore one with super stretchy loose pajama pants as an outfit to Mother’s Day two weeks later since my mother insisted we all needed to come by. I was too out of it to fight it. I should have.

I had had two C-sections, and felt like I can handle this. It was a very different recovery and for me it was one that knocked me on my ass. I was dealing with lots of fibroids, they were able to do the orthoscopic w vaginal removal, but just barely. I’ve never vaginally delivered a child. I was cut off guard by the internal discomfort from the removal.

[imimahoney]

Mar 17, 2024 14:56:45 GMT -5 JayhawkGirl said:

I started taking Colace stool softener about a week before. Figured no need to have any existing back up before all of the pain meds and anesthesia made that even worse. My doctor was on board with that. I took Colace with every pain pill still need milk of magnesia twice so I would encourage having that on hand. Also, Gas-X for once you get home. And a heating pad to put on your collar bones/shoulders because the gas pain is legit.

I really really liked these ice packs. Rester's Choice Large Ice Pack... www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5HMD8C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

My BFF brought me some really nice smelling lotion and I appreciated having that. I was most comfortable in really loose soft target night shirts, and actually wore one with super stretchy loose pajama pants as an outfit to Mother’s Day two weeks later since my mother insisted we all needed to come by. I was too out of it to fight it. I should have.

I had had two C-sections, and felt like I can handle this. It was a very different recovery and for me it was one that knocked me on my ass. I was dealing with lots of fibroids, they were able to do the orthoscopic w vaginal removal, but just barely. I’ve never vaginally delivered a child. I was cut off guard by the internal discomfort from the removal.

Thank you for the tips!

[JayhawkGirl]

Mar 17, 2024 19:22:38 GMT -5 imimahoney said:

Mar 17, 2024 14:56:45 GMT -5 JayhawkGirl said:

I started taking Colace stool softener about a week before. Figured no need to have any existing back up before all of the pain meds and anesthesia made that even worse. My doctor was on board with that. I took Colace with every pain pill still need milk of magnesia twice so I would encourage having that on hand. Also, Gas-X for once you get home. And a heating pad to put on your collar bones/shoulders because the gas pain is legit.

I really really liked these ice packs. Rester's Choice Large Ice Pack... www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5HMD8C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

My BFF brought me some really nice smelling lotion and I appreciated having that. I was most comfortable in really loose soft target night shirts, and actually wore one with super stretchy loose pajama pants as an outfit to Mother’s Day two weeks later since my mother insisted we all needed to come by. I was too out of it to fight it. I should have.

I had had two C-sections, and felt like I can handle this. It was a very different recovery and for me it was one that knocked me on my ass. I was dealing with lots of fibroids, they were able to do the orthoscopic w vaginal removal, but just barely. I’ve never vaginally delivered a child. I was cut off guard by the internal discomfort from the removal.

Thank you for the tips!

more thoughts- cotton briefs sized up a couple sizes. I didn’t bleed much- panty liner was fine after the first day or two - but I just didn’t want any pressure on my stomach. And, the bleeding will stop. Then start again bc the scabs have come off and a new one forms as you heal. My primary doc filled me in on that having just had her own.

I ordered a binder, which I had just gotten rid of my c/s binder about a year prior. I didn’t use it.

And I can’t stress this enough -take it so easy. You don’t want to open the cuff and need emergency surgery (which happened to one of my son’s teachers and she shared w me after I sent a note explaining life would be off kilter for a few days for DS as my parents kept the kids which they never do).

[liverandonions]

My friend got me this pillow and it was awesome. It has a pocket in it for a hot or cold pack.

a.co/d/1iyn91x

Also, definitely stool softeners. Peppermint gels, peppermint tea to help with gas and digestion.

[springchick32]

I had the same surgery 1 year ago for the same reason.

Pillows for propping herself up and bracing the stomach when she cough/laugh/sneezes. She will have zero strength in her entire stomach area for a few weeks.

Hot packs

Plenty of nightgowns, she won’t want anything around her waistline for several weeks. It was months for me, I had to fold all my pants low or pull them up higher

The hospital gave my loose fish net undies and she will want pads the first few days.

Stool softeners of course

My appetite was shot so I didn’t eat much at all volume wise so maybe some small snacks

I also used a cane lol. It helped with walking around and going up and down stairs. Movement was so slow for me

Binder


A shower chair will really help to

Grabbers to pick things off the floor since bending over will be difficult

[glitzy07]

I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy in November and here's what I used or didn't use:

- Extra pillows - I bought 2 body pillows and used them on either side of me to help me sleep on my back, since I'm normally a stomach or side sleeper
- The ice packs that JayhawkGirl posted above were a life saver!
- I bought a binder, but never felt like I needed to use it
- My husband was sent out the day of my surgery to buy cough drops, tea, and apple sauce. My throat was pretty sore from the breathing tube.
- I basically lived in nightgowns and a robe for the first week. Then I could wear loose fit pants as long as the waistband wasn't too tight near my incisions.

[namasteak]

Mar 17, 2024 11:40:19 GMT -5 imimahoney said:

Mar 17, 2024 10:58:24 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

What type of hysterectomy are you having?

I didn’t use anything, but mine was laparoscopic morcellation in a bag and she did it through my belly button and along the abdominal scar line from my mastectomy reconstruction.

It's for my friend and she will likely have a scar similar to a c-section scar due to the size and amount of her fibroids.

I have a similar scar from my diastasi repair. If she hasn't rented or bought one, a power lift recliner was a life saver for me. I slept in that thing for months! This was 2020 but I bought it for $300 on Amazon.

A grabber stick and zip up nightgowns are similarly helpful smaller items.

[ellipses84]

I had a hysterectomy pillow, which is just a 10x10-ish inch pillow with a pouch that holds a hot/cold pack. It was great!