What To Expect After A Hysterectomy

After having a major surgery like a hysterectomy, each body is different. Some women heal very fast, while others take a little longer. Life was slightly different for me after the surgery. I thank God for being there for me from the beginning to the end. I promised you that I would share my journey with you. Below is my story. It is everything that I expected and did not expect after a hysterectomy.

I had mixed feelings when my doctor told me that having a hysterectomy was my best option. On one hand, I knew that I was going to feel better afterward. And on the other hand, I was worried about the complications involved. In a way, I was not really sure what to expect. The days leading up to my hysterectomy were very tough for me. If you are not sure what I am talking about, please read my previous post. I can’t tell you how many times I googled the word hysterectomy. I wanted to read stories from women who have gone through the same predicament, but that did not stop my fear. So today, I want to share with you what I went through. Hopefully, my story will help you or someone you know.

What To Expect After A Hysterectomy

No woman wants to hear that her uterus (womb) has to be removed from her body. Even though I knew that I did not want to have more children, the idea of losing a part of what makes me a woman felt so wrong. My doctor could tell that I was not comfortable with the idea, but that did not stop her from telling me that she would also remove my fallopian tubes………..and my cervix. And because there was a possible tumor hiding behind my right ovary, there was a possibility that the ovary had to be removed also. But, my doctor assured me that she would only remove my ovaries if she had to. Removing my ovaries would send me straight to menopause, and I did not want that. I could not imagine going through menopause at 42!

Was having a hysterectomy the right thing to do?

Having a major surgery during a pandemic can be scary. It got to a point where I was more worried about catching the virus in the hospital than having a successful surgery. I kept asking God for a sign that I was doing the right thing, that everything would be okay. On the day of the surgery, a friend from my church called me. She told me she had to call me because she wanted to pray for me. When she told me she had 3 different surgeries because of uterine fibroids, I knew that was a sign from God. I knew I was doing the right thing.

Being alone in the hospital

Knowing that my family was not going to be at the hospital with me made me very sad. I also had to get tested for COVID-19 and self-quarantine 1 week before the surgery, which meant I had to stop working earlier than I thought. To tell you my spirit was crushed would be an understatement. BUT, this song carried me through the whole process. I knew that I was not alone, even when my family could not be there with me.

Everything leading up to the surgery was great. My husband and the kids dropped me off on time. The surgery was scheduled for 12:00 PM. After getting prepped, the last thing I remembered was my anesthesiologist asking me to remove my mask. When I woke up, I was feeling the worse pain ever.

Post-surgery life

I was put on a liquid diet right after the surgery. My doctor told me if I ate anything solid, it would come back up. So, I went one full day without having any solid food. Needless to tell you how happy I was when they brought me solid food for dinner the next day.

Painful Sneeze and Coughs

Before I had the surgery, both my sister and my best friend told me having a pillow over the incision site while I was coughing was a must. My nurse also advised me to have a pillow handy. My sister also brought me a neck pillow and a belly binder. When I tell you that belly binder helped…….it helped!

Finding the right sleeping position

Finding the right sleeping position after my hysterectomy was very hard. I spent most of the day in the recliner during the day. Just like a C-section, having a pillow in between my legs and laying on my right side helped me sleep at night. When I got tired of sleeping on my side, I used two pillows under my legs and slept on my back, which was hard to do when I had the fibroids.

Gas Pain and Constipation

Remember I said I was feeling the worse pain ever! I never thought gas pain could be so awful. Since I was given a pain blocker right above the incision site, I did not feel the surgery pain until two days later. But the pain medication prescribed before I left the hospital,  helped a lot.

Breast Pain Around That Time of the Month

I had the worst breast pain around the time I was supposed to have my period. You know the kind you have just before your period!? Yes, that kind!  Because my ovaries were not removed, I did not start menopause, which I was very worried about before the surgery. But now, I have a reminder of what could’ve been. I read on the internet that it’s probably my hormones.

In conclusion, I am glad I went through it all. I am glad it’s over. No more heavy periods. I don’t have any back pain anymore. No more iron deficiency due to blood loss. I am already sleeping better. Now my next step is to lose the weight and continue to live my best life.