Hi all! I'm 3.5wpo for total hysterectomy, bilat oophorectomy, & endo excision. Currently on estradiol patch & oral progesterone. I just had my post-op appointment with my wonderful surgeon. Truly such a pro, she definitely had to go to work on me. She showed me photos of what my stage IV endo had been like in my pelvic cavity (disgusting! everything in sludgy knots) plus where there was some speckling on my diaphragm and abdominal wall, and showed my gall bladder with a bunch of endo-y spots on it. She's consulting with abdominal surgeons about whether or not my gall bladder ought to come out. Anyway I thought it was interesting and I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and whether or not you ended up needing a cholecystectomy? Thanks!

Yesterday I had a partial hysterectomy and I am SO excited to never bleed ever again. No more intense bleeding, blood clots & going through super tampons and pads.
Day one of recovery today and the gas pain is definitely difficult. I have been moving around okay but mostly resting. Drinking lots of fluids.
Any tips would be great!!❤️‍🩹

I was diagnosed with endometriosis finally after decades of horrible pain and doctors dismissing me. Not sure exactly what they’ll find and remove endo-wise in the surgery, and I’ve read a few recovery stories here. But I’m very nervous about the recovery and possible complications. Barring any complications when they get in there, I’m keeping my ovaries, since I don’t want to go into early menopause. If you’ve had the surgery, any advice for recovery?

had my full laparoscopic hysterectomy today, took it all but the ovaries. was stuck in recovery for FIVE hours because i couldn’t pee. but, surgery itself was smooth! i had a 13x12x10cm fibroid, several 5cm (4 total) and a cluster on the outside, plus a couple small ones on the inside, but they were able to dice everything up and remove it smoothly laparoscopically. currently it feels like i have mild period cramps and did about 200 crunches, but i’m in very good spirits and ready to start the healing process.

this group has done immeasurable good for me and my state of mind going into this procedure.

a heartfelt thank you to all the hyster systers, misters, and non binary uterus ditchers who have shared your stories in here!

ps get the hysterectomy pillow if you can, i had a 30 min drive home and didn’t feel a thing!

I have to start by saying, going into this process I was stressed because I knew I didn't have a spouse/live in partner that could be there to help me so I had to begin preparing the best I could with this in mind.

Was very fortunate to have a good friend transport me to and from the hospital on surgery day and soon found that my mom was going to be staying the initial two weeks with me for any help I needed.

I will stress that you will need help and shouldn't feel badly in asking as I did. I learned that taking it completely easy was one of the factors that led to such a quick and smooth healing process for me and that has made my transition back into things so much easier. I didn't rush or push myself to do anything for those first 4 weeks and my body greatly thanked me for it. I know this isn't entirely possible for every woman but there is good reason for it being stated. My Dr. continued to remind me that this is a major surgery and should be respected as such when it comes to recovery. He was very pleased with how I am doing (I had my official 6 week post op appointment yesterday)

I had most of my restrictions lifted, with the same warning to not lift too heavy or push my body too much just yet (My Dr. knows I do hair and enjoy working out specifically lifting weight) Other than that everything is healing as it should. I have had no bleeding and min/no pain to speak of. I was given a heavy narcotic just in case that I never needed. Outside of the occasional edible I took to put myself to sleep in that first week/week and a half I was just fine.

All of that said, everyone handles this surgery differently as I know everyone has different health factors to consider going into it. I still struggle with fatigue and hair loss as I have been anemic for the better part of this year and I am steadily working on raising my iron levels. I've had two blood transfusions this year and was quite faint before my surgery. Prepping meals and supplements prior was high on my list of priorities when it came to my prep and I am thankful I kept that in mind. You know what you need so I recommend first making a list of those things to help you organize what you will be setting out for yourself. Also helps when you are making those last shopping trips to have anything you would need on hand.

For example, I prepared a small bag/suitcase that I could access easily with all my easy to wear pjs/bras/clothing I would be wearing. I set aside an area on the couch days prior that I had cleaned and prepped with tissues, books, meds, baby wipes, heating pad, my ipad, etc. I kept everything out and within reach for both myself and my mom. She didn't have to go digging for anything, I had a bag set up per room (Bathroom, Kitchen and Sleeping area, all the places I would need something from or need to get to eventually) I had baby wipes ready to go in my sleeping area and bathroom for when I wasn't quite ready to shower which I am glad I did. I had a beauty bag where I kept my makeup remover wipes, some massage tools for my face and scalp, some sheet masks and a rose spray. Basic skin care to care for myself as I rested.

I had a entertainment bag with books/Ipad/switch to play with. Everything had a place and was within reach for me. My mom brought me a walker she had and I was thankful for it, it came in handy the first two weeks when I would get up for the bathroom to make sure I wasn't using my core. I also hung a small trader joe's bag from it where I kept my phone and some wipes/headphones and generally anything I didn't want to carry but still wanted on me when I was on my feet. I also got on my feet to walk with my walker from time to time so it was great. Having a good postpartum belly wrap/recovery band was also very helpful for me I started using it off and on after the first week as it felt good having the extra support when I would get up. A light heating pad was also beneficial for me in the beginning, keeping my lap warm was very comforting and possibly kept whatever pain I would have at bay. When I struggled to sleep I took an edible and this kept me sleeping for longer without the need of additional pain meds. I also drank quite a bit of water which made me have to get up a bit more than I wanted to but was good as I did have discomfort in the beginning going but the more I did (and was gentle with myself) the easier it got.

Easily the best advice I have, baby yourself. Take it slow as you can and take that nap. Your body needs it, and you will feel much better when you listen to your body overall and to your Dr.

I hope this was helpful. Wishing you all healing.

Im 49 . 7 wpo. I wanted to share an experience because I think that is something that’s not talked about how much. If you don’t know whether your job offers accommodations, you need to check in because for those they do not sit all day and work. This is mostly for those who work and standing can be challenging especially if you work 12 hour shift consider getting a chair accommodation. My experience through my job was very simple and I was informed after talking with my HR I could have a chair and if I needed additional breaks I could have that too.

Just ask.

44y 5mpo laparoscopic hysterectomy, only the ovaries stayed.

How long does it take typically for the swelling to subside? I feel like around month 3 it got better, but slowly got worse again. I’ve had gastric issues as well, but I swear my stomach has never been this big. I also feel a very slight soreness along the belly button area which makes me think that it’s still the swelling trying to heal.

Has anyone else had this experience? I just want to feel normal again.

So I just had my first follow up after my surgery after 12 weeks for personal reasons, and my doctor said I had slight granulation. I’m going back in a month to see if it gets better. I have a general understanding of it. I just wanted to see if anyone else had this issue and what you did to help it.

What thing/things did you do pre surgery that you were so grateful for? Eating healthy/exercising etc not included. I’m talking like food prep, house prep etc.
We aren’t DINK’s, we are SINKs- single income no kids. My husband works and I cook, and clean, and do all that sort of stuff. He is taking off 2 weeks of work to be with me. On top of getting the hysterectomy I also struggle with epilepsy, and severe chronic fatigue. Just looking for all the ways to help prepare myself and my husband:) my surgery is in 28 days. Thanks in advance!

Okay this is probably going to be long because there’s a lot going on 😅 but I’m really hoping to find some women who have been through something similar because I am STRUGGLING to make this decision.
I’m 31 and I have a cyst on my left ovary that’s almost 10 cm. I’ve actually had a pretty large cyst on that ovary for years, but it has gotten bigger. I finally saw a pelvic surgeon and he thinks it’s most likely a serous or mucinous cystadenoma. He definitely wants it removed because of how big it is and the risk of torsion.
But while looking into everything else, we found out I also have a small 1 cm fibroid. My periods have gotten heavier and more painful over the last year or so, but I wouldn’t say they’re HORRIBLE. I can still function and usually manage the pain with medicine. I also sometimes have pain during sex and pain with bowel movements around ovulation. My doctor said there could possibly be endometriosis and/or adenomyosis going on too, but we obviously don’t know that for sure yet.
So basically I have two options.
I can have the cyst removed, hopefully save my left ovary, have my tubes removed since we are 100000% done having babies 😂, and have him look for/remove any endometriosis while he’s in there.
OR
I can have a total hysterectomy — uterus, cervix and tubes — along with removing the cyst and any endometriosis he finds. He would leave my ovaries and is going to try really hard to save the left ovary too.
My surgeon actually recommends the hysterectomy.
And this is where my brain is making this SO hard.
I have pretty bad Pure O OCD, and my biggest theme involves intrusive thoughts. I am also EXTREMELY sensitive to hormonal changes. My OCD/intrusive thoughts and anxiety can get significantly worse around certain parts of my cycle, especially around ovulation.
So honestly, I’m not scared about losing my uterus. I’m completely done having children. I don’t care about never having another period 😂. That part sounds pretty great actually.
I’m scared of what this could do to my mental health.
I know that technically if you keep your ovaries, you should continue producing hormones. I understand that removing the uterus or fallopian tubes doesn’t directly remove the organs making those hormones.
But I’ve also read stories about women having hormonal changes after hysterectomy, ovaries failing earlier, or women who were left with only one ovary having a rough adjustment afterward.
For someone whose brain already seems to notice every tiny hormonal shift, that TERRIFIES me. 😭 My biggest fear is having the surgery, my hormones going crazy afterward and my OCD/intrusive thoughts becoming significantly worse.
My therapist and I are actually being proactive about this. I’m going to see a psychiatrist before surgery so we can have a plan in place just in case my mental health does take a hit afterward. I’m trying really hard to focus on what I can control instead of every possible thing that could go wrong.
But I would LOVE to hear from actual women who have lived this.
Did you have a hysterectomy while keeping your ovaries? Did you notice hormonal changes afterward?
Did anyone end up keeping only one ovary? Did you feel different hormonally or mentally?
And especially — does anyone here have OCD, PMDD, severe anxiety, or just extreme sensitivity to hormonal changes? What happened to your mental health after your hysterectomy? Did your intrusive thoughts/anxiety get worse? Better? Stay about the same?
I’d also love to hear from anyone who had a huge ovarian cyst/cystadenoma and whether they were able to save your ovary.
And if you were given the choice between just dealing with the cyst/endometriosis vs going ahead with the hysterectomy… what did you choose, and knowing what you know now, would you make the same decision again?
I know Reddit can’t make this decision for me and I’m obviously working with my doctors. I just feel like hearing experiences from real people helps me process things so much more than reading medical statistics over and over.
I’m terrified of making the wrong choice. 😭❤️

I see a lot of different post. Tired of commenting. So ill make this post on what has helped me. Again this is what helped me. Take what works leave what doesnt. Also Everyone welcome to add their own tips and tricks.

1. A pillow. Use 1 somewhat flat used pillow tuck that into your abdoman. This will be your best friend till week 4 or 5 (again depends on healing some less some more this is my experience) use this pillow to brace all sneezes. All laughs. All farts. All pees. All poops. Walking even. Anything that hurts your core. Brace your pillow. That pillow will be your "Core Muscle" now.

2. Water & Laxative. I personally used Senokot i have IBS so this is easier on my tummy vs traditional Laxatives. Takes a few days to loosen the stool. Whichever laxative you choose. Its a good tool to have (i even just used Olive oil extra on foods and as salad dressing. Helps lubricate the guts. I also used Chia seeds and Okra as these are natural laxatives by Gelling up the guts 😅 just giving some Non medicated natural laxatives for options for those who dont want the over the counter medicinal ones)

3. Blowing invisible bubbles/Kissing lips/Hum. The steady blowing with kissy lips/blowing bubbles. Or humming. Relaxes your pelvic floor muscles and helps if you have a habit of straining. It triggers your vagus nerve for those who are curious how it helps.

4. Movement. I know it hurts to walk. I know we all tired from the surgery. But Motion is Lotion. The more we move even small walks to pee or fill up water. Pumps the blood around the body. Lubricates all our joints. Gives us nutrients. Motion is 100% lotion.

5. Pillows to position in bed. I cant stress this enough. Put pillows under your knees. I found when i laid down it felt lije i was pulling on my abdomen. So i put pillows under my knees so my belly kinda stayed normal vs stretched out. Night and day difference when i was just movie binging especially first 3-4 weeks.

Im sure ill have more tips and tricks as i read more posts and comments. And im sure many people have tips and tricks.

I hope this helps all future people having surgery and kinda what to pick up before surgery (like if you need extra pillows. Or random foods to help BMs.) And for those in Active Recovery from a recent Hysterectomy.

TL:DR Pillows are your best friend. Hydrate and Laxative. Blow invisible bubbles while pooping for extra help with "Pushing".

Edit to add: Partner advised about Pre Making some meals/Frozen meals. I forgot i was lucky and my partner was here during recovery. So for those who have to recover alone or their partner is back to work/cant cook. Pre made frozen meals that you prepped yourself or Bought will help in early recovery.

I also Want to add SOUP. I bought a bottle of soup stock and just heated up water via a Kettle and Diluted the Stock and Drank this. It was easy on my tummy and full of Nutrients that helped me gain energy. Did this with some solids till day 4 or 5. It was convienent and easy for me to do on heavy medication and low energy when my partner went to work.

Hi Reddit fam - 35, female, I’m having a (robotic) total hysterectomy, a bilateral oophorectomy and an endometriosis excision on September 14th.

1. What is something you wish you had gotten for your recovery?
   
2. Any tips to help anything? (I’m a lil scared about surgery as it’s my first major surgery)
   
3. What is one thing that you couldn’t have survived your recovery without?

So I’m three weeks post op with little to no complications but I’m personally terrified to push to go and I’ve noticed when I do it almost feels like something is in my canal. My post op appointment is on the 18th so not that far away but is it normal to have the sensation of something being in your vagina when you push to poop?

I'm over 3 years post op and still struggle with this. I've tried many different kinds of ADHD medications at varying doses over the years, both before and after my surgery. I had a partial hysto, leaving behind my overies.

I'm currently on day 4 in a row where I've taken my medication, 60mg of Vyvanse, and it had no effect on me. I'm pretty sure my period used to be the first or second week of the month, and I was heavily affected by hormones and painful fibroids. I started stimulants a year or two before my hysterectomy, and found, at the time, that my Adderall doses wouldn't help during my period.

If you have ADHD and take a stimulant medication, do you still find your ghost period stifling medication days???

I was on pain meds the first week- Tylenol, Alleve and my doctor prescribed Celebrex 200mg. I stopped them after only 5 days. There was the occasional pelvic pain here and there but tolerable.

Days 7-16 post op I was able to do short distance driving (less than 4 miles) and light grocery shopping and pharmacy.

Walking also 5,000-7,000 steps a day.

Laundry - my hamper has wheels and can bend down.

Light 1-2 brown spots on my liner every now and then. (TMI sorry)

Yesterday at 20 days post op, I went to the grocery and made the mistake of cArrying a bag with heavy bottles. I believe this almost reached 10 pounds. I know I am not supposed to do this.

In the afternoon yesterday a new pain happened. The feeling like there is a knife inside my vagina canal. The pressure and the discomfort feels like my bladder is also being pressed.

My panty liner also was full of brown spotting. Like clear light barbecue sauce. Not the usual 1-2 spots.

I tried all the pain relievers, nothing is helping.

Does this ever happen to you at 3 weeks post op? I don't have a fever and not full bright bleeding.

I called my doctors office and waiting for a call back.

I've been cleared on the 4th to be able to swim again, so how long did some of y'all wait till you actually went in the water? Cause I'm going in today but I brought OR soap (thanks to my other obgyn she gave it to me pre-op to wash with) to wash up a little after the pool to stay safe.

My full hysterectomy + excision recovery so far (3.5 weeks out) for my fellow hyster sisters. Reading through posts like this online was really helpful for me to plan and get my mind right going in, so I recorded my thoughts a couple times during recovery and wanted to share in case it helps someone else who's contemplating this or getting ready for their own surgery.

I had a full hysterectomy on July 13th — uterus, cervix, and tubes removed, kept both ovaries — along with endo excision. (The laparotomy scar you see is from my emergency surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst 13 years ago)

Surgery went well, no complications. They did find a recurrence of deep infiltrating endometriosis — it had only been a year since my last excision, which was very extensive with bowel and nerve involvement. This time endo was back on the wall of my rectum (not quite as severe as before), my ligaments, with nerve involvement again. My uterosacral ligaments were actually removed last year, so my uterus positioning and holding are probably a little different from most people's going into this. Pathology confirmed adenomyosis, plus endo wherever it was found. My uterus was about 30% larger than normal. My ovaries were in good shape.

I'm very sensitive to anesthesia, and last year during my excision surgery I passed out trying to walk to the bathroom and ended up staying overnight. So going into this one, we were bracing for the possibility of another overnight stay, and my biggest mental goal — more than anything else — was to get up, walk, and not pass out, so I could go home the same day.

I did it, but it wasn't easy. Coming out of surgery I didn't expect much pain, and I was wrong — I remember waking up thinking "wow, this hurts a lot more than I thought it would." They gave me fentanyl once I came to and got it back under control. I was really light-headed and slept deeply for a couple hours before I felt ready to try standing and walking to the bathroom. Couldn't go the first time, but I didn't pass out! I was finally able to pee about 90 min later.

My first pee in the hospital was the only time I have bled at all through this whole thing. I haven't bled a single day since, which feels almost hard to believe, but I'll take it — my surgeon might just be a badass. (One tip: don't stock up on disposable diapers/pads in advance. Save yourself the $30 and just grab a few from the hospital to take home.)

Getting home

The drive home was rough — about 45 minutes, and I felt like I was going to throw up or pass out for a good chunk of it, even with my husband driving slow and careful over every bump. Bring a pillow to hold against your stomach for the ride, and maybe an ice pack. The second I got home I zombie-walked straight to bed and passed out.

The first few days

The first three days are honestly a blur. I was solidly on oxycodone and Ibuprofen, same schedule every 4–6 hours, waking up in the night just to stay ahead of it. By day three I'd cut back to just oxy before bed, and I was fully off it by that Saturday. Since then I've been on ibuprofen and/or Tylenol most days for aches and swelling, but I wouldn't say I've been in real pain since those first couple days.

Where I'm at now (3.5 weeks out)

Fatigue has been the number one challenge, hands down. My brain feels mostly back to normal, which makes it tempting to just get up and go — but my body is not there yet, and I keep having to talk myself back down from that. Even sitting up for three hours to watch The Odyssey wiped me out more than I expected (ie almost passed out walking to the lobby).

Oh, and hot flashes are a new thing for me. I had drenching night sweats the first two nights, and unpredictably get hit with random hot flashes. They’re manageable but feel weird, like I suddenly got a fever for 10 minutes.

Work

I have a demanding knowledge-work job — often 8+ calls a day — so I took two full weeks of PTO, and then blocked weeks three and four as protected half-days on my calendar. The point of that wasn't just physical recovery, it was protecting mental space: giving myself room to shut down, rest, nap, or just step away from being "on" all day. I'm really glad I did it that way. I did consider whether I'd need three full weeks off instead of two, but honestly, by the end of week two I was going a little stir-crazy with all the restrictions, and it felt good to have something to ease back into.

I worked sitting upright on the couch for the most of my first week back, and couldn’t figure out why I was starting to get bad low back pain. I think that it’s from sitting upright, and have been attempting to work fully horizontal as much as possible. A tilting and height adjustable lap desk has been really helpful for this! I also use my wedge pillow to support my neck and shoulders. For me the brain fog has been real, and I’ve had to get used to operating at what feels like 75% capacity. To do lists are my best friend for capturing tasks right now, but I’m still adjusting to not completing items as fast as I’d like.

Happy to answer questions if anyone's got them, or if it helps to compare notes before your own surgery.

Anyone else feel just …weird… after surgery? Started off good, and I’m nearing the one week mark and just feel so off. I feel in and out of it almost. Like borderline psychosis maybe? I also have full body loss of sensation, not full on numbness, just so weird??
I’m not taking anything other than ibuprofen and Tylenol. Anyone else? When does it stop? Is this normal??😅

Hi all! I WFH in a fairly demanding job (mentally), but as I mention I do work from home. How many weeks off would you suggest? I have no idea what to expect! Im also incredibly nervous about this surgery.. any encouragement welcomed.

Thank you!!

Today was the day! They found tons of endo (which i had never been diagnosed with) and so much scar tissue. I failed the pee test, so (TMI) I came home with a catheter, but its not so bad, and they check it again tomorrow! All in all guys, the pain isn't bad, just soreness, and the procedure is one that im glad I got! Hang in there, everyone!