Healing and Recovery from Hysterectomy?

[Melalvai]

That's so nice that they send emails to you on the anniversary of your surgery!

They call it your hysterversary.
My hysterversary is Oct 5!

[Chinook]

Interesting. The summer of 2005 my first year of bike racing was abruptly interrupted with an emergency abdominal surgery. Laparotomy for the removal of an ovarian cyst. I was over-zealous - I overdid it after the first week of recovery and ended up being bedridden for an extra few weeks. I still show a slight swelly-belly even though everything is intact. I was an outlier as far as my recovery was concerned. All I can say is that you can always regain your strength and fitness but you only have one chance to heal right. Take it easy and the best of luck to you!

[AppleTree]

Hysterversary, what a hoot... does Hallmark make a card for that one yet?

Chinook, thanks for sharing your story. I would be so tempted to overdo it myself. My cycling fitness thus far has been really hard won over the past few years, and I just hate the thought of losing it in a few months, but that's the way it goes. So far everyone's advice has been GO SLOW. I think I will take it.

To everything there is a season! A time to crank the pedals and a time to plant your butt on the couch and knit.

Thanks again TE sisters, for sharing your experiences with me.

[goldfinch]

I found my hysterectomy very freeing. No more birth control, no more bleeding. Nice

[AppleTree]

After reading a small selection of the hystersisters tales of recovery I am beginning to have 2nd thoughts about doing the surgery now. From what I've read it sounds like it will be at least six weeks and more like eight weeks to even begin any serious activity. And that is IF all goes well.

I am thinking of putting it off until October or so. At least then I'd have the summer to be active and achieve my cycling goals...and the winter to recover and slowly work my way back into shape.

There isn't a terrible urgency to have the surgery, my diagnosis was adenomyosis... nothing life threatening. The worst that could happen between now and then might be another horrible menstrual cycle, but I'm thinking there might be something the doctor could do to prevent that in the meanwhile? Hormone shots?

I feel like I am moving back from the brink, and I'm afraid my family might think I am crazy. Maybe I am??

[Catrin]

I had this, and it got quite painful before the end - and not just during my periods...my surgery was actually precipitated by an ovarian cancer scare, but in the end it turned out I had a bad case of adenomyosis and while my ovaries were quite scarred I didn't have cancer

It is your body and your decision to make, but it is only early Jan, if you have the surgery now you will be back on the bike by spring.

FWIW, my specialist told me that the only trustworthy way of diagnosing adenomyosis was after the uterus was removed. Now my surgery was in 2008 (and no one thought about adenomyosis at the time), so perhaps diagnostic tools have progressed since that time.

[AppleTree]

I had this, and it got quite painful before the end - and not just during my periods...my surgery was actually precipitated by an ovarian cancer scare, but in the end it turned out I had a bad case of adenomyosis and while my ovaries were quite scarred I didn't have cancer

It is your body and your decision to make, but it is only early Jan, if you have the surgery now you will be back on the bike by spring.

FWIW, my specialist told me that the only trustworthy way of diagnosing adenomyosis was after the uterus was removed. Now my surgery was in 2008 (and no one thought about adenomyosis at the time), so perhaps diagnostic tools have progressed since that time.

Catrin, I'm so glad that they found your issue wasn't cancer, that must have been extremely scary for you... what a relief to find out it was NOT.

My doctor also said about the same thing, he couldn't say with 100% certainty, until after the surgery, but from the ultrasound they did, and the symptoms it was fairly evident.

Yes, the menopause thing is scary in and of itself... ah well, we'll see how it goes. I'm calling the drs office tomorrow...

It's been so helpful to me to be able to vent here and get such helpful feedback.

[Catrin]

Yes, it is great to be able to vent and also get feedback from other women. I guess my only concern about your putting off the surgery until the end of 2012 is the possibility of things becoming as painful as it was for me...while I wasn't riding or active in any way at that time - I would not have been able to have done much without pain at the time. Now every woman is different, and your doctor will have thoughts on this and since your specialist is pretty sure what is going on there may be good options to prevent it from becoming much of a problem over the season.

Keep us posted, whatever you decide.