How long does it take to physically recover from a hysterectomy?
My daughter’s doctor is telling her 6 to 8 weeks. I spoke with my dad’s wife, who used to be an RN, and she was shocked. She had one and she said it only took her a week or two to recover.
I don’t know if my daughter has extenuating circumstances tho, and it’s too late to call.
Now I’m confusedmy daughter has had 4 kids, the last of which were twins. Her body never quite recovered from that.
My dad’s wife has never had a baby.
Don’t know if that matters
What has your experience been?
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I had one and only because I had extensive bleeding due to a blood clot was I out of commission for 6 weeks. I was up and out and about in 3 weeks, but had issues only after the surgery which could not have been forseen.
Huge grain of salt here since everyone is different. But my sister had one a few years ago. I think some sort of cancer was involved. She was 40 years old at the time. I went up to help with the pee and poo bowl. But we were looking at around 3 weeks before I could stop wearing gloves.
It depends how it’s done. The old fashioned way about 6 weeks. If they go through the vagina it’s usually much quicker. Often vaginal hysterectomy is about 3 weeks recovery.
Wow. Vaginas are amazing aren’t they @JLeslie!
She is having similar issues, @Chyna. Maybe that’s it.
I will find out more with this info.
Thank you.
I don’t get it? It has nothing to do with vaginas being amazing. The classic hysterectomy, cutting open the abdomen, takes a long time for recovery. The hysterectomy through the vagina is less traumatic. It still isn’t just a few days for recovery.
@chyna Was yours through the vagina?
Depends on what you mean by recover. Abdominal surgery is major stuff. I only had a gall bladder removed, and while I was able to go back to work right away, I couldn’t lift anything heavier than a coffee pot for weeks.
6–8 weeks sounds like the recovery time for a laparotomy (abdominal incision). 2–3 weeks is more like the recovery time for a laparoscopic or vaginal approach. It’s worth bearing in mind that even if they intend to go in vaginally there is always the risk that they may have to switch to an open approach so I’d guess the surgeon is quoting the longest recovery time just in case.
@Lightlyseared Yes, that was what they quoted to me as mine was vaginally, but IF they had to switch, it would be a longer recovery time.
I was bleeding after the operation and they finally found that I had a blood clot after 4 weeks so she made me stay off work until the blood clot dissipated.
A guy at work told me his wife had it. He spent the week at home with her and also adult daughter was there to help for that week. Then another two weeks of her taking it easy at home. She had some complications which necessitated a trip to the ER for infection (itchy skin and leaking from the wound or something). So 3 weeks until she was truly up and at ‘em.
I faced one but didn’t have to have it. I was told at the time about 6 weeks. She really won’t know until it happens so you probably will have to assume 6–8 weeks and know that she may recover sooner.
@Dutchess_III
Even under perfect circumstances, I think a one to two week recovery is still too soon to go back to work.
Especially a physical job like fork lift driver. It’s more physically stressful than a desk job.
@Dutchess_III It has been many years since my vaginal hysterectomy. As @Seek says this is major abdominal surgery and recovery time is different for each of us. I think I went back to work after a couple of weeks but I recall feeling for over a month like I had had major abdominal surgery.
Mine was too.
I remember after 5 days I walked down to my mailbox to get my mail. It was perhaps 25 yards from my front door. I was so exhausted I had to lay down by mail box for half an hour before I could walk back to my apartment. Even vaginally, it takes a toll on your body.
Ugh. She just described the procedure. Wow.
When did they figure out they could go through the vagina? It sounds so logical.
I wonder too. The first I heard of it was in the late 80’s I think? Actually, it was the early 90’s when a friend told me she had it done, but I’m pretty sure her procedure was done in the 80’s.
The journal of the American medical association has an article from 1895 describing the history of vaginal hysterectomies. The first recorded removal of the uterus they could find was 1504 so I’d hazard a guess that we’ve using that approach for longer than the abdominal approach.
^^Interesting. It’s possible in modern day they weren’t doing it until fairly recently though. When I was a young girl I don’t remember anyone talking about it. Hysterectomy recovery times were always quoted as 6 weeks, so I wonder if they weren’t doing the vaginal procedures in the 1960’s and 70’s.
Maybe they just weren’t discussed. Vaginas are sacred you know.
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