Recovery tips - robotic hysterectomy and oophorectomy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Easy recovery poster here -- forgot to mention that the only annoying thing was the constipation from the anesthesia/initial pain meds. Eat lots of fruit with fiber (especially dragon fruit) and drink the fiber supplements right after your surgery. Don't wait until you feel miserable.

How long did you take the pain meds?

[Anonymous]

I had it. Make sure you have your HRT prescription ready. No “let’s see how you feel.” Even if you’re post menopause, your ovaries are making a bit of estrogen and your body will react to its sudden absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't be scared from the previous posts! I had this surgery about 4 months ago. I had it on a Friday and was driving by Monday. I only took Tylenol for pain. I could definitely feel that someone had been moving things around inside me, especially when I stood up from sitting, but that passed after about 30 seconds.

The recovery was way easier than I expected. And I am not a particularly fit/healthy person.

Pretty much the same. It was such an easy recovery. I did wait to lift heavy things because of the fear of prolapse ( which my doc said not to worry about too much), but I only took Motrin and was moving and fine the next day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had it. Make sure you have your HRT prescription ready. No “let’s see how you feel.” Even if you’re post menopause, your ovaries are making a bit of estrogen and your body will react to its sudden absence.

NP. I was told I will not notice a difference (oophorectomy later this month) because my ovaries are medically suppressed. I am currently making under 10 pg/ml estrogen and wax told there will be no change between that snd zero. I cannot take HRT (BC).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had it. Make sure you have your HRT prescription ready. No “let’s see how you feel.” Even if you’re post menopause, your ovaries are making a bit of estrogen and your body will react to its sudden absence.

Did you take HRT right away? Were you post-menopausal ahead of surgery?

[Anonymous]

My mom had it in her 70s for a large cyst and had a really easy recovery. Obviously she didn't have to deal with the hormone changes since she was already in menopause. But physically, it really wasn't bad. I stayed with her for 2 weeks after the surgery and after the 2nd day home was thinking - why I'm I here? She's totally fine!

[Anonymous]

I’m 61 and had this done a year ago. It was supposed to be laparoscopic but ended up vaginal because the tumor they were worried about was to big to extract laparoscopically.

Recovery was actually easy; I never needed to take any of the pain meds they sent me home with. Do drink plenty of liquids. I also found Miralax helpful.

The best advice I received was to take your recovery very seriously; you only get one chance to heal correctly. Don’t try to be a superhero. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

The recovery wasn’t bad, but it did impact my sex life. I don’t know if it was scar tissue from no longer having a cervix or what but sensation for me was different/less.

I also have internal scarring/adhesions that still bother me almost 10 years later (though they’ve improved over time). That said, it’s all a hell of a lot better than cancer so I’ll deal.

[Anonymous]

I had the surgery a few years ago, along with bladder surgery and rectocele/cystocele surgery (all at the same time) and was back at work a week later. It was totally uneventful. The only pain I had was from the bladder surgery, and that lasted about 2 days. Maybe that blocked all the other pain? Anyway, it was not bad. They say to walk frequently afterward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had it. Make sure you have your HRT prescription ready. No “let’s see how you feel.” Even if you’re post menopause, your ovaries are making a bit of estrogen and your body will react to its sudden absence.

Did you take HRT right away? Were you post-menopausal ahead of surgery?

I was premenopausal and began HRT 3 or 4 days later. If you look at any surgical menopause social media group or hystersisters you’ll see that many women have new menopause symptoms after an oophorectomy even if they were postmenopausal at time of surgery. Not all, but many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a friend it was absolutely horrific. She had good reasons to get it done but would have second thoughts on it.

Seriously this. Try everything else first.

This is such a cruel and thoughtless post from someone without direct experience. Some of us didn't have an option and I'd rather be alive to see my kids grow up than die of something that could have been contained.

Like many of the PPs, I had this exact robotic procedure done in my early 40s because of high cancer risk. The evening and day after the procedure was really rough compared with past c-sections (and I'm in very good physical shape). My particular hospital stay was horrible (washington hospital center) because of incompetent nurses and numerous disruptions at night, but I wouldn't have been able to go home same day. Two full days after the surgery was much better. Plan to sleep and rest in bed for the first three days. After three days, I bounced back very quickly. You may wish to start on hormone replacement patches immediately following, but that's a personal call to make with your physicians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had it. Make sure you have your HRT prescription ready. No “let’s see how you feel.” Even if you’re post menopause, your ovaries are making a bit of estrogen and your body will react to its sudden absence.

Did you take HRT right away? Were you post-menopausal ahead of surgery?

DP but there are no real rules. Doctors were really divided on this topic during my hospital stay. Some recommended wearing the patch the same day as surgery. Others recommended getting it immediately following. One reactive doctor told me not to take it altogether. I ended up getting my patches a month after the surgery but I didn't experience significant symptoms (I know that I'm in the minority). What tipped the balance for me what protecting my bone and heart health, so I've been on the patches ever since.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm having this operation later this month - I haven't had surgery except for a c-section and my recovery from that was not bad.

What were your experiences? My doctor says 80% recovery in 2-4 weeks depending on how I do and 100% in 6 weeks.

Any tips to make recovery easier (other than make your family wait on you)?

I had same surgery about a year ago. Probably had the same Dr who told me same statistics. For me she was spot on! Overall easy recovery- stay hydrated and walk a little bit each day. Listen to your body. You’ll do great!

[Anonymous]

Ask about starting Miralax 3 days before surgery. I have horrible constipation after surgery and painkillers and it makes a difference for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a friend it was absolutely horrific. She had good reasons to get it done but would have second thoughts on it.

Seriously this. Try everything else first.

This is such a cruel and thoughtless post from someone without direct experience. Some of us didn't have an option and I'd rather be alive to see my kids grow up than die of something that could have been contained.

Like many of the PPs, I had this exact robotic procedure done in my early 40s because of high cancer risk. The evening and day after the procedure was really rough compared with past c-sections (and I'm in very good physical shape). My particular hospital stay was horrible (washington hospital center) because of incompetent nurses and numerous disruptions at night, but I wouldn't have been able to go home same day. Two full days after the surgery was much better. Plan to sleep and rest in bed for the first three days. After three days, I bounced back very quickly. You may wish to start on hormone replacement patches immediately following, but that's a personal call to make with your physicians.

I'm sorry, how on earth did you come to the conclusion that I have had no direct experience?