How do you feel - 2 weeks after surgery?

[dmk]

I had a complete hysterectomy (ovaries & lymph nodes) 2 weeks ago today, because of uterine cancer. I still feel weak - is this normal? I haven't taken any Tylenol 3's for over a week now, but every now and then I will take a couple of extra strengh Tylenol, usually when I go to bed at night so that I will have a good sleep, and maybe once during the day. Is this normal? Also this morning when I got up, I felt like I was going to faint after having been up for 5 minutes. I don't know what that was about. It is so hard to see a doctor where I live - it is usually a 6 week wait to see our family doctor. I find this forum very informative and helpful. I live in Canada where our medical is free, so I really feel for some of the people who write to this forum who also have to deal with financial issues. I would like to hear from some people who have been thru the surgery, and at what point they started feeling normal again. I didn't expect the surgery to be this difficult to recover from. I do not know the results yet of the pathology report so don't know if they got all the cancer. I have to wait another couple of weeks for that.

[sunnybnny]

Hi there...

Abdominal hysterectomy recovery is rougly is 6-8 weeks. I'm in my sixth week and getting around pretty good, but it took me a good 3 1/2 weeks before I could get up and down out of a chair or the bed without feeling plenty of tenderness. I had a minor infection too so that didn't help. I think you're probably on track if you're surgery was abdominal. There's alot to recover from when they cut the muscles. My doctor said to expect fatigue for weeks, so being weak after 2 weeks sounds normal as long as the weakness isn't so bad that you can't get up. That would be abnormal I think. You should talk to your doctor and see what they recommend. Are you going in for a two-week follow-up visit?

[PamelaD]

I had a total hysterectomy a week and a half ago, only been home for 4 days after 6 days in the hospital. It's still pretty rough and painful but maybe more than normal because my bowel and bladder were fused with infection too. There are times when one place or another really hurts for awhile but then goes away. I suppose it's part of the healing process. I still have a suprapupic catheter that won't be removed for another 2 weeks.

I'm starting to be able to walk upstairs without putting both feet on one step at a time. Last night I slept for 6 hours straight which is the most I have slept at a time in awhile. I can tell that each day it gets a little better overall though at times it is worse than others. I'm taking Vicodin or strong Ibuprofen about every 4 hours.

I have the bandages and staples removed tomorrow, the incision goes all the way from my belly button to half-way into the pubic mound. I don't think I'll start feeling really on the mend until the catheter is taken out. That's one spot that gives me pretty consistent twinges of pain all day long.

Pamela

[Robinflamingo]

I had a complete hysterectomy, both ovaries, the omentum, and my incision goes from six inches above my naval to the pubic mound. I had 48 staples removed last Wednesday - he left them in for 18 days because of the length of the incision. I'm getting around fairly well, went to church yesterday, went shopping in a go cart a couple of times...and I'm returning to my classroom next Monday after 4 weeks off. I'm still taking Vicodin. Tylenol 3 didn't come close to cutting it for me. So I would say you are doing well. Just don't push it.