Riding after hysterectomy?

catembi

catembi

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I am due to have a total abdominal hysterectomy on August 4th & wondered if anyone can tell me what to expect riding-wise? I currently have an ISH who lives at home with my old mare, I ride every day & I compete BD or BSJA most weekends.

-how long til you were riding again?
-did you get back to normal in the saddle eventually?
-approx timescales for the above?
-any lingering issues, for example, jumping over a certain height, riding hard pullers, sitting trot?

I get very fretful if I can't ride & it would be extremely helpful to have some idea of what to expect.

In particular, how soon would be too soon for a sit on? Adrian is the world's steadiest ISH & has never made a sudden move in the 2 1/2 years I've had him. I was thinking, get on from mounting block & plod round my school in walk for 5 or 10 mins rather than proper 'riding' in any sense of the word...

Any words of wisdom very much appreciated.
 
I had just ovaries out, just after a bout of flu admittedly, but I couldn't ride for two weeks. Physically couldn't straighten up, but did sneak on from a mounting block for a walk round. It was on Dizzy (before I got her) and luckily she just plodded round the school as I don't think I could have coped with much bouncing about!

I believe it is as with a ceasarean section, i.e. six weeks before you can ride again (just like driving, or rather not
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). You might want to check with your insurers. For example, when I cracked my arm, the car insurance company said I could drive, but the consultant said No!
 
I can only go off my sister's experience but she wasn't a rider.

I do recall her saying that she felt very weak in her core. She had an 'on her feet' job at the time and had a total of 14 weeks off.
I know in the first month, she felt quite unwell in herself.

I would expect to be having at least a month off I think.
 
A relative of mine had a total clear out of that area near 4months ago, she was told by her Dr riding was a no go til near the end of the year. Its now doing her head in, but lucky me.. i get another ride
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As you are having an abdominal hysterectomy your recovery time will be longer. They will probably say between 6-8 weeks before you can drive so would imagine it will be similar for riding. It is a major op you are having - as others have said best to check with doctors and insurers - and try not to rush it as you don't want to impair the healing process and out yourself out of action for longer.

If it is in any help a lady near me had one a couple of years ago - her horses came here on holiday for a couple of months to be looked after whike she recovered. She rides 'normally' again - does dressage at advanced level and currently bringing on a lively youngster!!
 
I had a fibroid taken out by abdominal surgery a few years ago,i had op in the November,back at work early february and think i rode in the february has have no facilities i didnt do much and mainly hacked etc.
 
I had the whole lot removed in 1996 was opened up (not keyhole) so had the stomach muscles cut through.

The first 24 hours are dire and it will take 2 weeks before you really feel you can walk upright. You are not allowed to drive for 4 - 6 weeks, I did after 4. They have cut through your stomach muscles and it is suprising how much you use these to ride and drive.

Was told not to ride for 3 months but I tried riding after 6 weeks on a very quiet comfortable mare, managed it but not great, however I competed at Hickstead International (Dressage) 12 weeks after op, the horse had been kept going for me by my trainer and I picked him up two weeks before competition.

If you want to know anymore feel free to pm me.
 
I had a total hysterectomy and rode the day of my 6 week checkup.... looking back I think I did a lot of things much too early, partially under pressure to put family life back on track as fast as possible... I did a Mary Wanless Demo 3 months after my op.. stupid really in hind sight..
 
H'mm, that doesn't sound good.

Was hoping for a sit on & a v short plod fairly early. Just getting bum in saddle would be enough to raise my spirits tbh. I can't see it being a good idea for me to lift my WOW tho cos it weighs a ton.
 
I agree with Hils if I had the time again I would not have competed as had no stomach muscles and my horse is quiet strong so had no way of really balancing him which was not fair on him
 
I would also add the having a hysterectomy was the best thing I did and I wished I had done it years before.

Dont worry about being desperate to get back on you will feel like s**t for the first two weeks and wont want to do much.

ALso you must not lift anything for first 6 weeks not even a kettle so sorry saddles are def a no go.
 
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H'mm, that doesn't sound good.

Was hoping for a sit on & a v short plod fairly early. Just getting bum in saddle would be enough to raise my spirits tbh. I can't see it being a good idea for me to lift my WOW tho cos it weighs a ton.

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At the time I thought the same and couldnt wait to get back in the saddle..... but its never just a quiet plod is it!, I felt fine and its 12 yrs ago so I was very fit. I just wonder now if my back probs are due to me doing far too much far too early.
 
Some of it i think is how fit you are,and if you heal quick,i must admit, I did lunge and long rain round the field has my mare was before my op a nappy cow and i wanted her to keep her half fit,oh and i was driving by christmas has i got fed up on waiting for lifts.
 
Thats interesting Hils as I also have back problems which started in earnest 2000 4 years after op, can only keep going now with twice yearly visits to chiro.
 
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Thats interesting Hils as I also have back problems which started in earnest 2000 4 years after op, can only keep going now with twice yearly visits to chiro.

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I do think we as horsey women and mothers, push ourselves too much. Im so much slower now than I was, and many a day really cant do much at all due to back, feet and leg probs....
 
Att BUFFY2
Just wondered re your fibroid, what type was it? If you don't mind me asking.
Got to go and have one of mine out in Sept so this thread very interesting. PM if you pref.
L
 
My fibroid is a sub mucosal one, buried in the wall at the top. I've been having unbelievably heavy bleeding. clots, flooding etc... but apparently 2/3 of that is prob the endo & not the fibroid.
 
It's a shame you can't have a vaginal hysterectomy as recovery time is quicker. Having seen ladies have c-sections it's not surprising that it's a long recovery due to them having to cut through the muscle layers. Try and take it easy, get help at home, take your painkillers regularly and no heavy lifting! Doing too much too soon may set you back long term. We will all be sending you healing vibes.
 
I don't mind sitting around in the house & letting it turn into a squat, not cooking, not vacuuming, not driving, not shopping & can even live with not going in my gym. The only thing I want to do is sit on my horse!

I rode him once the day after I'd had a throwing-up bug & def shouldn't have. I was just hanging onto the pommel in the foetal position & really wasn't all there. He was his usual easygoing self. Maybe I'll have learnt my lesson from that? I get really down tho from not riding.

I would be quite happy to lie on the sofa all day if I could sit on my horse for a minute, but it doesn't sound as if I'll be able to.
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Can't have vaginal surgery cos of the fibroid making the womb too big & cos it's all too tight from no kids. Apparently if they start tinkering 'down there', they could damage the pelvic floor, & I can't imagine that incontinence would help with my riding...
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I think it'll be apparent fairly quickly what you can/can't do. FWIW, it's the same incision as a Caesarean and I know a few pro riders who were back on the horse 3 weeks after theirs. However, you do have to be quite careful not to reopen the wound so I would be erring very much on the side of caution. Repairing burst stitches is a big job and these things heal much better first time round...
 
No you wouldn't want pelvic floor problems as well, poor you has enough going on down their. I understand what you mean about missing riding though but you need to let yourself heal first. tbh no-one knows how they will really feel until afterwards and everyone heals differently. Eat a healthy balanced diet as that will help you heal quicker and maybe take arnica tablets to help with the bruising afterwards [check with doc though but our c-section ladies use it a lot].
 
Thankies Lavender - I went on the hyst support forum & downloaded their e-book, then got all the natural remedies suggested, including arnica!

I always thought the arnica thing was rubbish, until I banged my knee incredibly hard. It was really bruised & stiff, & I only tried the arnica cos I happened to have some in the tackroom. I couldn't believe how much better it was the next day cos I'd really given it quite a whack & was expecting it to be sore for days.

I've also ordered my hospital knickers, which are as delightful as they sound, & abdominal support band, I've got my peppermint tea & capsules for the wind
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, calendula & vit E cream for when the scar's healing, cat's claw altho I can't rem what it's for, 2 new nightshirts as mine aren't fit to be seen & I'm stockpiling magazines!!
 
you will not be able to lift anything heavy or ride for at least 12 weeks. as it is a major operation they need to cut through all the layers of fat and muscle to get to the abdoman and it takes quite soom time for it to health propperly and you will do yourself a lot of damage if you rush things
 
Abdominal support band is a good idea that will hold everything together to help healing and support. You might get given some hospital knickers to wear at first, think stretchy mesh hot pant style, not the most attractive but disposable and saves wrecking your own underwear. Take some books as well and they should have a TV by your bed that you buy vouchers for at the hospital so you can watch it.
 
I had emerceny c-section, where they had to make a very large, very quick cut to save baby & me. It was a full 6 weeks before ic ould drive & it was painful even then. Much as i would have loved to have ridden there was no way i could have done. you mention lifting the saddle, i think that would be a real issue. I had my c-section end October & in the March i took a friend to a hunter trail. Lifting up my lorry ramp nearly flattened me - it is not that heavy & is well sprung & although i felt pretty well in my self it was jobs like that which brought back to me the fact it is MAJOR surgery. please take care & give your self lots of time to heal. It will be worth it in the long term.
You have my sympathy, as i am suffering a similar problem, but no cysts or fibroids & no idea what is causing the prob. Very tempted to just go & have the whole lot out.
 
Hi

I had a total abdominal hysterectomy 12 months ago. I didn't know how I would survive not riding either!

However you will feel pretty poorly for the first couple of weeks! It is a major op so at first doing anything is exhausting.

Slowly you realise that you are feeling better each day, I think I got on after 8 weeks but TBH that was too early and only because my welsh cob is a superstar who looks after me when i'm not feeling right.

There is no way I could have lifted my Wow saddle at that stage!! You really shouldn't be even trying to lift anything that heavy over your head until 12 weeks.

Try to be patient, I know how hard it is but overdoing it can make things worse.

Everyone recovers at a different rate and you really will be able to judge how much you can do.

I think by 12 weeks I think I was riding reasonably normally, hacking and dressage anyway. It's difficult to remember when I felt really confident jumping, probably about 12 weeks I think.

A year on and I feel great.

Feel free to pm me if you want any more info.

Good luck with the op and look after yourself.

xx
 
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