keyhole hysterectomy

Goodness, a hysterectomy is a far bigger operation than a C section! A friend of mine had the procedure you're referring to and her recovery took several weeks not days.

She did get extremely frustrated at not being able to rush about like she did before the op. while she was recuperating, but is fine now.

My daughter was very tired after this procedure and she did nothing as DH and I went and stayed with her and did everything. Prior to the operation she got as fit as possible and we went on short walks as suggested afterwards. She was looking and feeling well quite quickly but not able to return to work for a few months. After about a year she then had hormone problems with lack of oestrogen and was prescribed gel which has improved the situation. However she has had under active thyroid for over 20 years - pregnancy induced. This lack of oestrogen upset the thyroid balance and she has been well over a year getting it all stabilised. It is still far from satisfactory and she has had a number of menopausal problems. However since her operation her anaemia has been sorted!

I didn't know it could be performed with keyhole surgery.

However, it is still a big operation and a huge change to your body.
Early days yet, I would have thought.

It used to take at least 3 months to get over it, didn't it?

And when you have a C-section you have something to show for it and take your mind off it!

The removal of a womb really can't be compared to a c section - far more complicated.

Yes, with a C-section there is a wound to heal but everything else should be there still intact.

I do wonder sometimes if keyhole surgery, although it sound less invasive, may not at times be more trouble than a traditional op. With a larger scar, there is more room to manoeuvre and perhaps, in some ways, less disruption?

I had abdominal hysterectomy 28 years ago and the first 2-3 weeks I remember as I was very tired and obviously sore. I found it best to give in to it rather than fight it, don't forget the anaesthetic takes some getting over as well.

By a month I felt pretty good, but over-doing it slowed me up for several days afterwards. I was signed off for 3 months as was nursing (heavy lifting was the norm!) and really the last month was a holiday-but then, I was only 33....
I just remember it as being the best days work the surgeon had ever done, I was so relieved and happy!

Like loopy I had an abdominal hysterectomy. I was in hospital for 6 days. The first day was a complete wipeout - I have no memory of that day other than pain. When I came home I was surprised at how exhausted I was, because towards the end of the hospital stay I'd been feeling so much better. I spent the best part of 2 weeks in bed most of the time (apart from about 4 hours where I sat on the sofa!) then a couple of weeks where I was up and about but doing nothing more strenuous than making a cup of tea!
I had 3 months off work - I could have returned sooner, but it was the Christmas and New Year break, plus I wasn't getting paid so no reason to feel guilty at being fit but at home!
It is major surgery, so quite normal to be exhausted after only 10 days nina

Sorry I wasn't suggesting she should be fully recovered. It's very early days. I know it will take at least six to eight wks. I was concerned that she's in pain most evenings.

I was under the impression that keyhole speeded the recovery process. From what's been said that isn't the case with a hysterectomy.

My neighbour underwent the keyhole operation nearly 3 mths ago and I was distraught that she was only in hospital for the day,admitted at 7am,op at 11am and given the all clear to come home at 7.30pm I was totally shocked but she assured me she felt fine and the surgeon had cleared her for coming home.
She did rest at home for the first week but was out and about on the second but had to put her feet up and rest in the afternoon for a good few hours.
Now she is as fit as a fiddle and back to driving her car,nothing like I underwent when I had a total removal the recovery was a good 3 months before I started feeling anything like normal.
maybe you friends body is just telling her to slow down a wee bit its not only the operation that affects us its the after effects of the anesthetic I think some people react better than others.

For me it's definitely a side effect of the anaesthetic - seems to take me quite a while to shake off the tiredness rather than the surgery, one more good reason you're told not to drive for some weeks following a major op.

glamma my friends op was on the Saturday and she came home on the Monday.
They don't let you hang about these days

nina Do you not think maybe the fact they send you home so quickly makes you think (subconciously) that you are better than you really are and tend to forgo the instructions to take things slowly,whereas even up to a few years ago you stayed in hospital and where watched by the staff as to how you where coping with recovery,I think the same thing happens when giving birth the new mums are sent home within hours and just carry on as though nothing has happened no wonder there is such a high rate of PN depression among young mums it was seldom heard of years ago as we all had bedrest,but society is so different now isn't it and everything done at yesterdays pace.

Even when you have keyhole surgery you are still having a major organ removed - just not so much of a surface scar to heal. When DD had her gall bladder done by keyhole the surgeon told her she still needed to be careful as an organ had been removed - you need time for it to all heal inside.

Yes, that could well be the case glammanana