Anyone had a hysterectomy recently and if so....

Spyda

Spyda

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 October 2005
Messages
5,148
Location
U.K.
Visit site
How long were you off riding?

I'm off to the hospital on Monday to see the gynae and inevitably a complete hysterectomy will be on the cards. Just got back into riding regularly and getting my youngster fit, so wondered how long I'm likely to be out of action?
 
I had one in August, Will admit I don't ride anymore but I reckon 5 to 6 weeks. I somewhat underestimated how big an op it is, and even now, 14 wks on I still get tired if I do to much although I am back to work which is part time and working on the farm ( carrying 20kg bags of feed and sheep wrestling)
http://www.hysterectomy-association.org.uk/ I found this really helpful.
 
Spyda said:
How long were you off riding?

I'm off to the hospital on Monday to see the gynae and inevitably a complete hysterectomy will be on the cards. Just got back into riding regularly and getting my youngster fit, so wondered how long I'm likely to be out of action?
Click to expand...
Its down to the individual and the aftercare. i ha d mine some 20+ years ago. but I remember it well! Heavy snow 3 days after had to sign myself out for the sake of my animals /partner etc. Not to be recommended! I just went carefully and did what i could without lifting. I just helped maintain the animals for 6 weeks and then sensibly started extending what I did. There is no way that I would recommend anything remotely strenous or active for many weeks and I truly wish that I could have just been a couch p0otatoe for a while. 20 years on still riding!
 
Mine was in 1995 - best thing I ever did actually! I was back in the saddle in 6 weeks but I was pretty fit when I went into hospital.

Take your time and have a good rest, you'll be creeping around again in no time :)
 
Every one is an individual. - listen to the advice you are given and listen to your body. When i had mine done a few years ago my surgeon was very supportive of me riding whenever i felt ready, he said to allow 2 weeks for things to heal inside then to go with whatever felt comfortable. I had my first "sit on" at around 4 weeks and tried a short walk trot and canter all with no ill effects. At 5 weeks i took back full care of my horse, turned out in the day, in at night. I reorganised everything i did to minimise the heavy work - deep litter bed, carrying buckets just 1/3 full, feeding hay from haybar so no heavy nets, if i did ride someone else put the saddle on for me etc. I recovered very well and had no complications but i know people who were not so fortunate so my best advice is to take it a step at a time and dont push yourself, get plenty of rest, and you will enjoy skipping past the tampax in the supermarket in no time!
 
Had mine in July total abdominal hysterectomy. Started riding after 3 months. Listen to your body it will tell you when the time is right. Even then getting off was an issue as tummy still sore and feeling weird where the nerves were cut. Now it's fine just working on getting my core strength back. Do not underestimate how major this is- you need to take time to heal as you don't want to prolapse by doing too much too soon. Now I feel it's the best thing I ever did! Feel so well without the inconveniences that used to stop me riding 10 days each month! Good luck pm me if you want xx
 
Had mine 5 years ago. Didnt ride for about 4 months. Mostly cos I had a huge scar which was,and still is,painful. They had to make a larger,deeper cut as when they opened me up, as they found a tumour on my appendix and had to call in a differen consultant to remove that at same time.
However, do not lift ever again if possible!!!
Impossible I realise with horses, but I am now paying for throwing the feed sacks and hay around- I have a double prolapse (bladder and bowel) and being a typical horse person,ignored it until I had no choice not to,and am now facing a major op as the bowel is so bad that it will have to be partially removed as too severe to be pinned back in place. :(
Was warned about prolapse risk with lifting,because there are no muscles from the womb, holding things in their rightful place. But unless you have a gofer,impossible to not lift with horses.
Good luck,the op itself is ok,but you must listen to the advise given to you about recovery-and don't lift until you are recovered,and preferably not then if you can avoid it.
 
Thanks everyone. Sounds like it's going to be a longer recovery time than I'd hoped. I was hoping with all the new arthroscopy techniques available now I'd get away with 2 or 3 weeks max. I've had 3 caesareans and was always back on my feet really quickly. Was hoping the hysterectomy would be even quicker if they didn't have to cut me right open.

Maybe I can put them off booking me in until after May when the horse can be turned out 24/7 again. I really cant afford an additional £8 per weekday and £10 per weekend-day to have her mucked out and turned in and out for me if it's going to be weeks of recovery time needed. But I'll have to see what they say on Monday because I know the medication they have me on shouldn't be taken for too long and I've already been on it longer than they like. :(

There's never going to be a good time to have it done, is there. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Spottyappy said:
Had mine 5 years ago. Didnt ride for about 4 months. Mostly cos I had a huge scar which was,and still is,painful. They had to make a larger,deeper cut as when they opened me up, as they found a tumour on my appendix and had to call in a differen consultant to remove that at same time.
However, do not lift ever again if possible!!!
Impossible I realise with horses, but I am now paying for throwing the feed sacks and hay around- I have a double prolapse (bladder and bowel) and being a typical horse person,ignored it until I had no choice not to,and am now facing a major op as the bowel is so bad that it will have to be partially removed as too severe to be pinned back in place. :(
Was warned about prolapse risk with lifting,because there are no muscles from the womb, holding things in their rightful place. But unless you have a gofer,impossible to not lift with horses.
Good luck,the op itself is ok,but you must listen to the advise given to you about recovery-and don't lift until you are recovered,and preferably not then if you can avoid it.
Click to expand...

EEEEEEEEK :eek:

Sounds bl@@dy awful. Jeeze, really wish I didn't have to go through this right now. I've also got 4 children to look after, the two youngest of which I have to drive to and from school. It's going to be a nightmare.
 
I had a total hysterectomy Nov 5 2007 due to womb cancer. Went into hot flushes in 2 days bed dripping in hospital not nice

could not have hormone replacements because of the cancer Was told i could not ride until end of jan beginning of feb

Had it keyhole could not lift anything for weeks after,not lift anything

only 3 little scars one in belly button so dont show
 
Last edited:
I had a full hysterectomy with the big cut from belly button down so they could remove the tumours :-( They also took bits from various other parts of me in case it had spread. It is a big op and if you don't do as you are told, and do your pelvic floor exercises you will pay for it later. Once my chemo finished I rode and it was the best tonic ever. I then got a DVT so no riding again.....in case I fell off and bled...be a bugger to survive the cancer and then bleed to death because of the warfarin.

However, long you have to wait it is no big deal in the great scheme of things. I took went from normal to hot flushes overnight. Still I would rather be hot and alive.
 
Spyda said:
EEEEEEEEK :eek:

Sounds bl@@dy awful. Jeeze, really wish I didn't have to go through this right now. I've also got 4 children to look after, the two youngest of which I have to drive to and from school. It's going to be a nightmare.
Click to expand...

The hysterectomy was ok,apart from being unable to drive etc. I didn't suffer the hot sweats straight away,but did feel instantly better the minute I woke up from the op. So,in that sense was well worth it,as gave me my life back. Am,like you,stressing big time about the impact on my life with another big op looming for the prolapse and having horses to do in winter. Can't afford to pay someone day in and day out,either. Equally,wishing was on the other side so can start o recover- and try to avoid lifting,like I will have to again.
One thing I did purchase for the hysterectomy was a Travel kettle,so I could make myself a cup of tea- a normal kettle even with only one cup of water is too heavy to lift after the op.
 
Spyda said:
Thanks everyone. Sounds like it's going to be a longer recovery time than I'd hoped. I was hoping with all the new arthroscopy techniques available now I'd get away with 2 or 3 weeks max. I've had 3 caesareans and was always back on my feet really quickly. Was hoping the hysterectomy would be even quicker if they didn't have to cut me right open.

Maybe I can put them off booking me in until after May when the horse can be turned out 24/7 again. I really cant afford an additional £8 per weekday and £10 per weekend-day to have her mucked out and turned in and out for me if it's going to be weeks of recovery time needed. But I'll have to see what they say on Monday because I know the medication they have me on shouldn't be taken for too long and I've already been on it longer than they like. :(

There's never going to be a good time to have it done, is there. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


I had a caeserean too, and was up and about within days. So when i went for my hysterectomy ( 2 years ago) thought it would be the same.

Its not.

Dont know why, it just takes longer to recover.

Be assured, its the best Op ive ever had, turned my life around.:D

I was back at the yard as soon as i was out of hospital, just to look at the horses, took me a week to walk the dog. That was just to the end of the road.

Its not that is painful, you just get tired, and feel 'tugging' from the cut.

I didnt get back on board for a while, think it was about 3 months, and i still felf the tugging. Everyone is different, so just do as your body tells you.

Dont be in any rush to do anymore than you can. Enjoy the rest and the family look after you for a change

Hope all goes well, wishing you a speedy recovery

Jill x
 
I imagine a lot would depend on the incision. Laparoscopic surgery will inevitably have a quicker healing time than to be traditionally opened up.

I have no personal experiences but wanted to wish you good luck for Monday, OP :)
 
Are you having yours keyhole? I had mine using da Vinci robot in 2010. If you are not squeamish YouTube it, it's v impressive! I stopped taking painkillers after 3 days, felt fine after 2 weeks and was riding after 3. Best thing I ever did.
 
Mine was some 30 years ago. I was very fit before I went in for it and was back breaking in National Hunt horses five weeks later.
Listen to your body, it will tell you what you can and cannot do.
 
Thanks for the best wishes everyone. I wont know until after tomorrow's appointment what sort of procedure they have in mind for me or what the chances of postponing the op until spring will be. I must admit I am far from fit at the mo which doesnt bode well for the quickest of recoveries, but frankly I've not really felt up to much this year. Half of me wants to just get it all over and done with as soon as poss, whilst the other half is worried sick about getting the animals looked after and the kids ferried about whilst I'm out of action. Guess there's never going to be an ideal 'time'. I'll just have to wait and see what they say tomorrow and go with the flow. Die if you worry and die if you dont, so I might as well chill.
 
Spyda said:
How long were you off riding?

I'm off to the hospital on Monday to see the gynae and inevitably a complete hysterectomy will be on the cards. Just got back into riding regularly and getting my youngster fit, so wondered how long I'm likely to be out of action?
Click to expand...
A nurse at the yard tells me that it depends on the type of operation. There are a couple of "styles" and recovery time seems to be dependent on which one they elect to do. Best thing is to aks the specialist. Do stress that riding is quite strenuous as people who don't ride often think it's just a nice sit down
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top