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An ob-gyn shares tips to speed Hysterectomy recovery in the hospital and at home.
Dr. Shana Miles
Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgeries in the United States, with hundreds of thousands done each year. Removing the uterus can be part of the recommended treatment for uterine fibroids, abnormal uterine bleeding, endometriosis, gynecologic cancers, and other health conditions.
I’m a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, which means I specialize in doing big surgeries like hysterectomy through tiny incisions. This is a modern and safe technique that makes healing faster. But it also makes it easy to underestimate how long it takes to truly recover.
If you are considering or planning for a hysterectomy, here is what I want you to know—plus, what you can do to speed your recovery at home.
Not Your Grandmother’s Hysterectomy
Your knowledge of hysterectomy may be based on your mother’s or grandmother’s experience. Historically, doctors did the surgery through a large vertical or horizontal incision, opening your whole abdomen.
But over the last few decades, hysterectomies have evolved into a much less invasive and more manageable outpatient surgery. While some hysterectomies are still done with open surgery, today’s surgeries are more likely to be done through the vagina or with tiny incisions in the abdomen. If we make any incisions, they are usually 1 centimeter (half an inch) or less. You’ll start feeling better much sooner than with open surgery. Indeed, most of my patients are surprised to learn they can go home the same day.
So it’s easy to forget you’ve been through major surgery. You may have tiny incisions on the outside, but a huge change has happened on the inside. Removing the uterus puts stress on the entire body. You need to give yourself time to heal and not jump back into your normal routine too quickly.
Ways to Help Yourself Heal from a Hysterectomy
Recovering from hysterectomy begins before you arrive at the hospital and continues for weeks afterward. Throughout that time, your health care team works together to help you recover as quickly as possible. They follow research-based protocols—some seen, some unseen—that are intended to:
- manage your pain
- lower the risk of infection
- get you up and moving sooner
- decrease your symptoms of nausea
- get your digestive system moving again
- restore your energy
- and more
You, too, have an important role to play in your care. Here are some things you can do to speed your recovery from hysterectomy. Guidance may vary based on your age, mobility, and other factors.
Before Surgery
Don’t hesitate to ask questions during your preoperative visits. The answers can help you feel less overwhelmed the day of the surgery and more prepared when it’s time to go home.
- Quit smoking. If you smoke, look to quit at least 4 weeks before your surgery. Giving up tobacco will help your wounds heal faster, among countless other health benefits.
- Take medications as prescribed. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection and pain relievers to decrease inflammation. Side note: Surgeons do not prescribe opioid pain relievers as often anymore because they can be addictive, and their side effects can slow recovery. Effective alternatives include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and ketorolac.
- Apply a scopolamine skin patch. If you are at high risk for nausea and vomiting after surgery, you may be given a skin patch to help prevent those symptoms. The patch releases the same medication you might use to prevent motion sickness.
- Drink up. You will likely fast for 6 hours leading up to your surgery, with one exception. A couple of hours before the scheduled start time, you can drink a bottle of a clear sports or nutrition drink (any color but red). The carbohydrates give your body extra energy to get through the operation.
- Skip the bowel prep or enema. Traditionally, clearing your bowels was part of preparing for a surgery like hysterectomy. But there is limited evidence that this step decreases the risk of infection. You may be able to skip it. If you’re unsure, ask your doctor.
- Arrange a ride home. Line up someone you trust to take you home when you’re discharged. Don’t rely on a rideshare driver!
The first 24 hours after Hysterectomy surgery
You may feel groggy, nauseous, and bloated when you wake from surgery. In the first few hours, the goal is to keep you comfortable and manage your pain while minimizing other complications.
- Take a walk. You should be encouraged to get out of bed and walk around as soon as your anesthesia wears off and it is safe to do so. Movement helps prevent blood clots in your legs. Even sitting upright in a chair helps.
- Consider wearing compression stockings. They help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs, called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
- Eat and drink something. We want to keep you hydrated and get your digestive system working again after hours of fasting. Eating also helps your body reabsorb the gases introduced during surgery. Chewing gum can also help with this.
Your time at home
You may be ready to head home if you can walk on your own and eat without trouble, and if your pain is well controlled. If all goes well, chances are good you’ll be discharged the same day as your hysterectomy.
- Have someone with you. Find a family member, friend, or neighbor to stay with you or check in on you, especially during the first few days of recovery.
- Take time off. Everyone is different, but most people need to take a few weeks off from work. You can expect to feel tired for the 2 to 4 weeks after surgery, even once your pain subsides.
- Get up and moving. We don’t want you spending all your time lying down. Each day, aim to spend at least 8 hours out of bed and off the couch. It’s OK to take the stairs, too. Again, this movement will help prevent blood clots and lower your level of pain.
- Continue taking pain medicine as prescribed. Don’t be afraid to use pain medicine for the first few days. Even if you start feeling better, the pain can come back if you skip doses. It may help to set reminders on your phone.
- Eat and drink normal foods. Follow your usual diet as soon as you feel up for it. You can break this into several small meals per day. If you experience constipation, a mild laxative or stool softener may help.
- Use a heating pad on your abdomen, like you would for your period. This is another safe and effective way to relieve pain.
- Keep your incisions dry. Showering is usually OK after surgery—and probably feels pretty good. Though if you have surgical glue on your incisions, your surgeon may ask you to keep the incisions dry for the first few days. When you shower, just be sure to gently towel off afterward. Avoid soaking in baths, pools, or hot tubs until your wounds have healed.
- Take it easy. You may have trouble walking long distances or going up several flights of stairs at first. This is normal. Listen to your body and slow down or stop if you need to. Also, you should not lift heavy objects until your surgeon says you can.
- Resume activities gradually. Take short walks and gradually increase the distance each day. Talk with your ob-gyn about when it’s OK to start exercising again, especially with high-impact activities like running or soccer.
- Take “pelvic rest” seriously. This is a big one! Place nothing in your vagina for as long as your ob-gyn recommends, usually 6 to 12 weeks after your hysterectomy. That means no tampons, no douching, and—you guessed it—no vaginal sex. Trust me, you don’t want to risk tearing the stitches that keep your insides in place as you heal.
If you feel out of breath or extra tired, it could be a sign you’re trying to do too much too soon. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing could also be a sign of a clot in your lungs. If you are short of breath even while resting, call your ob-gyn or go to the nearest emergency room. And if you notice heavy vaginal bleeding, fever, or have any other concerns, call your ob-gyn right away.
The Road to Hysterectomy Recovery
We’ve come a long way in improving the experience for patients undergoing hysterectomy and other surgeries. You’ll feel better and get to go home sooner than older generations did—but healing is still hard work. Talk with your health care team about what to expect before, during, and after your hysterectomy. We all share the same goal: To help you feel like yourself again, as soon as possible.
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