It isn’t just the physical aspects of recovery from hysterectomy that a woman should be concerned about, but the possible emotional repercussions that such as surgery could have. The recovery from the actual surgery depends upon the type of procedure you undergo, however there are other changes that a hysterectomy will bring about, that a woman should know about.
Time taken for recovery from hysterectomy depends upon the type of surgery. A vaginal or laparoscopy assisted procedure requires a shorter hospital stay and a shorter recovery time. A procedure that uses an abdominal incision will require a longer hospital stay as well as a longer postoperative recovery time.
The abdominal hysterectomy means a significant sized incision in the belly, which means a more painful and slower recovery. This will effectively take at least 6 weeks to recover from.
A vaginal hysterectomy on the other hand, requires no abdominal incision so there is that much less pain and the recovery from hysterectomy may take as little as 2 weeks.
Prepare for the hysterectomy
Women who have undergone this procedure advise that it is best to prepare in advance by completing chores around the home beforehand.
Clean the house, do the laundry, freeze pre-cooked dinners in advance of the surgery, because there is much that will not be possible to do later for quite some time why you recover from the hysterectomy.
What will help you with your recovery from hysterectomy
If it is possible have someone to stay with you for a few days when you get back from hospital. If a spouse or a friend or relative can stay for a few days this would be very helpful.
Otherwise make sure that you take all possible precautions – rest as much as possible, don’t climb stairs, do not lift anything.
Stock up on books and DVDs to keep you occupied as you recover, keep pillows handy for ease of lying down and also keep a cordless phone handy just in case of any emergency. Things such as a hand rail for using the bathroom, a grabber to pick things off the floor, a heating pad for the incision can make things easier.
Follow all of the doctor’s directions and dos and don’ts about recovery after the hysterectomy particularly with regard to taking care of the incision to keep it dry to help healing and prevent any infection.
Emotional recovery from hysterectomy
Women experience menopause symptoms to a lesser or larger extent after the procedure. The extent of the symptoms depends upon the kind of surgery (whether ovaries are removed or retained) and the age of a woman (pre or postmenopausal). There may also be issues such as being unable to have any or any more children for younger women to deal with when they undergo this procedure.
In general younger women or reproductive age will have a more problems when it comes to emotional recovery from hysterectomy. To deal with this aspect of recovery, joining a support group or even getting involved in an online forum can be comforting and helpful.
