bellemagic
Junior Member
Baking Aunties Cookies
Posts: 64 
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Post by bellemagic on Jul 23, 2014 23:02:33 GMT
My mother is having one next week and I was wondering what kind of things she will need for aftercare.
Did you have an item that was invaluable to you during your recovery?
How long before you were feeling well enough to take on your own personal care?
I want to help her in anyway I can so any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!
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Post by Dixie Lou on Jul 23, 2014 23:10:42 GMT
I had a vaginal hysterectomy several years ago. First off I say for her not to let the pain start. Take a pain pill when she first feels a twinge because it can get out of control fast. I needed help for a few days for getting up and down and getting comfortable. I made the mistake of trying to sleep in my own bed with a pillow top mattress. It was too soft and I could not move. I felt great within a week but have her take it easy. I went from feeling great to dead to the world within 10 mins. It took about 6 weeks before I was really ready to take on the world.
It was the best thing I've ever done for myself !!
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Post by deshacrafts on Jul 23, 2014 23:15:07 GMT
I had a partial hysterectomy in March (I still have my ovaries). My pain was mild, even in the hospital after surgery. I pretty much could manage as far as showering and such. The biggest thing is to sleep/get rest. I think having someone to make meals for the first week would be the best thing I could think of.
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Post by librarylady on Jul 23, 2014 23:51:40 GMT
Prepare meals for her and put in freezer.
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Post by papersilly on Jul 23, 2014 23:56:10 GMT
I had a full hyst. It was a better, faster recovery than my gallbladder surgery. It was still major surgery but it went very well. Less pain than my gallbladder surgery too.
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Post by miss_lizzie on Jul 24, 2014 0:29:55 GMT
I had a hysterectomy last year, and I had to sleep in the recliner for the first couple of weeks. Sleeping flat was too uncomfortable. Some things that really helped were:
--a small pillow to place on my stomach when I needed to cough or be in the car.
--one of those grabber things. I couldn't bend comfortably for quite a while.
--loose stretchy clothing. I lived in those snap-front robes for a couple of weeks. (Such a fashion plate!)
--a "command central." Wherever your mom plans to hang out the most, make sure everything is handy--remote, charger, books/magazines, Kleenex, phone--anything that she'll want by her.
What a good daughter you are!
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Post by donna on Jul 24, 2014 0:29:58 GMT
I agree with the meals. I would also suggest helping her set up an area that she will spend a lot of time in with a place for meds, reading material, her tv remote, etc.
I had an abdominal hysterectomy in 2009. I spent a great deal of time in my recliner in my bedroom. I even slept there for a couple of weeks.
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Post by miss_lizzie on Jul 24, 2014 0:32:33 GMT
I thought of something else. Make sure she has easy-to-put-on loose clothes to wear home from the hospital.
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mjmone
Full Member
Posts: 441
Jul 3, 2014 2:58:29 GMT
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Post by mjmone on Jul 24, 2014 0:37:43 GMT
It has been a while, I got one of those 'binders' off the hysterectomy site...the one where you can put a hot/cold pack..and LOVED it www.hystersisters.com/store/tummy-care/perfect-pocket-abdominal-binder-with-2-cool-packs/I'm not a back sleeper, so getting a pillow pet, so I could sleep on my side was a lifesaver Azo Cranberry Pills became an essential, esp the first few days as my body was relearning how to p** without my uterus's help. Tell her to take it easy, even if you feel 'pretty good' its easy to hurt yourself. I LOVED it, used the 6 weeks to read and scrapbook. |
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Post by donna on Jul 24, 2014 0:40:04 GMT
miss_lizzie and I think alike!
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Post by M~ on Jul 24, 2014 0:45:51 GMT
My mother is having one next week and I was wondering what kind of things she will need for aftercare. Did you have an item that was invaluable to you during your recovery? How long before you were feeling well enough to take on your own personal care? I want to help her in anyway I can so any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy last December. I only stayed in the hospital overnight. 1) I made sure I had comfortable clothes. For me that translated into yoga pants and men's undershirts.  2) I washed all my bedclothes right before my surgery. I knew I was going to be in bed most of the time and it made me feel really good to come back to fresh sheets/blankets, etc. 3) Make sure she has her pain medications! 4) I bought body wipes so that I wouldn't feel so disgustingly grungy and to make sure that I didn't get my incisions wet. 4) If you aren't going to stay with her, it would be cool if you made food for her just to heat up.
It took about 3 days post-op for me to be able to take a shower and dress myself. I was back to work in 4 weeks.
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vmcm
Shy Member
[URL=http://s199.photobucket.com/user/vmcm_photos/media/pa_v2_CDAE69979FE4.gif.html][IMG]http://i199
Posts: 15
Jun 26, 2014 5:41:29 GMT
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Post by vmcm on Jul 24, 2014 0:54:17 GMT
Go to hystersisters.com for amazing information and support. There is a thread about what they wished they knew beforehand, and there were great ideas for maximizing comfort during recovery. It was a great support system and very informative.
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Post by Penellopy on Jul 24, 2014 1:19:11 GMT
I had a complete abdominal hysterectomy several years ago. I stayed in the hospital 2 days. Went back to work after 2 weeks.
1. I made sure I had loose fitting clothes.
2. I slept in the recliner for a couple of weeks. Could not lay flat in the bed.
3. Walk. I walked every day. Sometimes I would have my husband take me to the store to walk around. Pushing the buggy helped to steady myself as I went along. I was walking hunched over from the incision, but I was walking.
4. My staples were removed before I left the hospital and they put steri-stripes over the incision. I could shower with those. My doctor said leave them until they fell off.
That was the best decision I ever made. And the easiest surgery I have had. I think as long as you keep a positive attitude about the whole thing, do little things to keep your strength up daily, and rest when you begin to tire, the recovery is a breeze.
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Post by Heart on Jul 24, 2014 1:35:43 GMT
I had one in May- I had a total laproscopic hysterectomy with DaVinci - and I didn't need a lot of this stuff. I had an exceptionally easy recovery and I feel immensely better than I ever did before surgery. I went home the same day and took a shower the next day. I was back to work in 2 weeks.
The thing I would say is to be patient that she may be tired more than in pain. I was exhausted all the time- so I slept a LOT.
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lambchop
Junior Member
Posts: 83
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Post by lambchop on Jul 24, 2014 1:43:06 GMT
You have already gotten some great advice. I had an abdominal hysterectomy on November. Maxi dresses were the best thing for clothes. It was probably two months before I could wear even stretchy pants. My favorite thing was a pillow that someone gave me that you could put in the microwave to warm up. I put it right on my belly and it was wonderful! A heating pad would work too, but it gave me great relief. Good luck to your mom. She is lucky to have you worrying about her! |
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Jul 24, 2014 3:54:54 GMT
I loved having a pillow across my midsection. It kept the kitty and dog from climbing on me, but kitty would find her way up while I was sleeping, she seemed to sense that I needed a heating pad of kitty sorts!
DO NOT let her lift anything or push anything! That hurt the worst!
I was also give this wide elastic compression type of thing, that I loved wearing-it made me feel like I was not going to fall out or something!
Don't let the pain begin, make her take her meds!!!!!
I got up and walked a bit, gingerly at first but I did not feel too horrible, the staples pinched some.
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Post by PEArfect on Jul 24, 2014 6:05:47 GMT
I had a laproscopic hysterectomy, left my ovaries and cervix. I agree with keeping up with her pain medications before she's actually in pain. The only thing I really needed help with was getting up and back down. I was up and about the day after fixing meals.
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conchita
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,141
Jul 1, 2014 11:25:58 GMT
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Post by conchita on Jul 24, 2014 6:27:02 GMT
Did any of you who had laparoscopic surgery experience gas pain? I don't mean farting, but they pump gas in your belly. The day after surgery I had gas trapped in my shoulder blades and I think that was the worst part about recovering. Everything was relatively easy going from there as long as I took it easy. I, too, slept in an oversized recliner, wore nothing but gowns because the elastic waistbands hurt and it was easier to pull up when I went to pee. I also walked around the house, very slowly everyday. The small cushion is essential. Have it in the car when you're ready to transport her home.
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Post by deshacrafts on Jul 24, 2014 11:05:52 GMT
Did any of you who had laparoscopic surgery experience gas pain? I don't mean farting, but they pump gas in your belly. The day after surgery I had gas trapped in my shoulder blades and I think that was the worst part about recovering. Everything was relatively easy going from there as long as I took it easy. I, too, slept in an oversized recliner, wore nothing but gowns because the elastic waistbands hurt and it was easier to pull up when I went to pee. I also walked around the house, very slowly everyday. The small cushion is essential. Have it in the car when you're ready to transport her home. Yes, I did, I forgot about that, my neck and shoulders hurt like heck for a few days after the surgery. |
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bellemagic
Junior Member
Baking Aunties Cookies
Posts: 64
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Post by bellemagic on Jul 24, 2014 11:51:09 GMT
Thank you !
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Post by donna on Jul 24, 2014 17:07:05 GMT
conchita, I had that neck and shoulder pain after my c-section with my first son. That pain was worse than the incision pain. I did not have that pain after my hysterectomy and I think that is why I had a better recovery from the hysterectomy.
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