How soon after a hysterectomy did you snow ski?

[Tvan]

IceHeeler - great idea. DH will be in PT for his ankle at about the same time that I'll be cleared to exercise so we'll have peer support for doing our exercises.

It's day 3 post-surgery and I'm doing ok. Was able to manage the stairs multiple times yesterday, and sat up through dinner without any issues. I'm getting tired fast, but I expect that is due to the drugs as well as the exertion.

All in all - so far, this has been much better than I anticipated.

 

[Christy]

I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. I never had actual pain, it sounds like you won't either! As for exercise, I eased in to my regular workout routine at 6 weeks and it was fine. I also took a 5 day ski trip on week 7. I could tell I was somewhat out of shape but I didn't have any issues.

 

[Tvan]

It's day +9 from surgery and i'm feeling pretty good. I'm 2 pounds away from my all-time lowest adult weight (is having body parts removed an approved weight loss strategy), and able to walk up the driveway to the mailbox, drive to the local grocery (about 2 miles away), and carry light loads of laundry up and down the spiral stairs. I'm still tiring easily, and need to get up and move every few hours. My biggest issue right now seems to be digestive disruption...(sorry to be crass, but)...oy vey, gas pains! Walking helps.

I'm due to start working from home again on Monday - we'll see how that goes.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Keep moving, keep walking! You mean they didn't tell you about the....problem? It's residual - from how (excuse explicit here) one's internal organs are suspended for the surgery. It's evacuated afterward, but some remains. As you're finding out. The more you move, the faster and more completely it dissipates. Hang tough!

 

[canadianjem]

sooooo…i guess i am going to hijack this thread somewhat.

December 5th i am scheduled for Laparoscopic surgery.
Having an ovary removed and "possibly" a full hysterectomy ( The doctor won't know for sure until he "gets in there").
He thinks i have endometriosis bad enough that i may need the full monty but the cyst and its buddy the ovary are out 'a here for sure!! Kinda scary at 31!!

However, my problem is…i have 7 whole days to ski before i go under the knife. My side aches constantly and have been basically walking the dog and thats it. I REALLY REALLY want to ski (i have a seasons pass). should i go and just toddle the green runs and take it easy or just stay home all together????

I am almost filling up with tears at the thought of a hysterectomy because my while season will potentially out the window….as you can see…I'm not concerned with loosing the lady bits…..its the skiing I'm devastated over. HA

Any thought, tips, advice?

 

[Tvan]

sooooo…i guess i am going to hijack this thread somewhat.

December 5th i am scheduled for Laparoscopic surgery.
Having an ovary removed and "possibly" a full hysterectomy ( The doctor won't know for sure until he "gets in there").
He thinks i have endometriosis bad enough that i may need the full monty but the cyst and its buddy the ovary are out 'a here for sure!! Kinda scary at 31!!

However, my problem is…i have 7 whole days to ski before i go under the knife. My side aches constantly and have been basically walking the dog and thats it. I REALLY REALLY want to ski (i have a seasons pass). should i go and just toddle the green runs and take it easy or just stay home all together????

I am almost filling up with tears at the thought of a hysterectomy because my while season will potentially out the window….as you can see…I'm not concerned with loosing the lady bits…..its the skiing I'm devastated over. HA

Any thought, tips, advice?

I'm sorry to hear that you're facing surgery and recovery. I was there last March. I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy (one ovary remains) and the pathology report confirmed endometriosis as well as uterine (benign) cysts. We had no idea about endo until after the fact.

I can honestly say that if I knew ahead of time that I could live pain-free, and that the surgery would and recovery would be as easy as it was, I would have done it much, much sooner.

I don't know your specific circumstances, but if your recovery is anything like mine, you *might* feel well enough to ski by late February, early March.

My advice...get up and walk as soon as they tell you you are allowed. Walk some more. You will feel much better if you walk.

I also recommend a good stash of books, a TV series to binge on ("Chopped" was my go-to entertainment), and a driver for the first two weeks.

Let us know how you're doing!

 

[Blondeinabmw]

Just listen to your body. If you feel up to it, get out there now and tear it up! Take a break when you need to, then take it easy for a bit.

You should be able to get out there again before the end of the season. I received a green light within six weeks of the surgery to resume "normal" activity. We went to Disney World for four days at 9 weeks and I did just fine. That said, I was pretty exhausted for several days after that trip. I skied about 15 weeks post-op and was incredibly winded with little stamina, which I attribute equally to altitude and recovery. If you're in good shape and listen to what the doctor tells you, you should be just fine.

Based on your comments, you feel pretty lousy. I can tell you with 100% confidence that though the surgery recovery was a little longer than I anticipated (I thought I would bounce back immediately), I don't regret it for a second. It did take me about 6 months to start feeling like myself and after a year, I think I am far better than ever before. My doctor told me beforehand that "you won't know how bad you feel now until you don't feel that way anymore". Its true. I lived with significant pain and discomfort for a long time. Now I have none! I have tons of energy. And I never need to pack a dozen super plus tampons in my ski jacket again.

Message me privately if you have any additional questions or concerns...I'm happy to lend support.

 

[Blondeinabmw]

Tvan is absolutely right. WALK. WALK. WALK. Get up the day after and walk around the hall every other hour. When you come home, walk to the mailbox a couple times a day. Then go to the end of the block, then back. That's the best thing you can do, but don't overdo it. Take a nap when you need it. Its major surgery, which people sometimes forget when they don't have big incisions.

And take the pain killers. They don't give awards for coming off the percocet on day three. Trust me.

 

[Inoffensive Nickname]

If you figure 6 full weeks to heal after surgery, you will still have half of January and all of February left. I realize this doesn't help much, but it might give a little hope. Also, healing time often depends on how healthy and in shape you are before surgery. As blonde and Tvan have both said, if you're already living with a lot of pain, you may be surprised at how quickly you are feeling back up to par. I had mine in 2007 due to severe pain (had a 12cm fibroid) and actually felt better the day I left the hospital than I had in months. I wish you all the best, along with some peace and comfort.

 

[Christy]

Ditto. Plus March and April! You'll have plenty of ski season left. I had mine last year in October and my very first exercise (besides walking) 7 weeks later was our Thanksgiving trip to Whistler. (I was cleared for exercise at 6 weeks, but I don't remember actually going to the gym). Then I had a totally normal ski season--I felt absolutely back to normal very quickly. Everyone is different of course and even if recovery is longer, it sounds like this will improve your quality of life and be very worth it. Good luck and let us know how things go.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Presumably, you’ve been through diagnostic surgical scope and pics (contrast CT) and the full range of available treatment meds? Things would have to be seriously past stage 4 for the hyster at your age.
I don’t think it’s likely they will do more than assess, after what is already slated. Not at your age.
I have been there, although at stage 3/age 19, I responded to medical treatment and was able to hold off the inevitable. You should not lose your entire season in any event. This is the standard 6 week post-surgical recovery, no matter what’s involved.
If you have some prescribed or recommended anti-inflammatory relief, I’d say give skiing a try. It might be sufficiently distracting.
Real feel for ya - tough ailment. Been there. Was glad to be done with it, and I was lucky that surgery (at age 43) was The Final Solution.

 

[SnowHot]

sooooo…i guess i am going to hijack this thread somewhat.

December 5th i am scheduled for Laparoscopic surgery.
Having an ovary removed and "possibly" a full hysterectomy ( The doctor won't know for sure until he "gets in there").
He thinks i have endometriosis bad enough that i may need the full monty but the cyst and its buddy the ovary are out 'a here for sure!! Kinda scary at 31!!

However, my problem is…i have 7 whole days to ski before i go under the knife. My side aches constantly and have been basically walking the dog and thats it. I REALLY REALLY want to ski (i have a seasons pass). should i go and just toddle the green runs and take it easy or just stay home all together????

I am almost filling up with tears at the thought of a hysterectomy because my while season will potentially out the window….as you can see…I'm not concerned with loosing the lady bits…..its the skiing I'm devastated over. HA

Any thought, tips, advice?

I was 36 when I had my hysterectomy.
I was on the snow 4 weeks after surgery, taking it easy, and full throttle at 6 weeks.
There is always a little anxiety when you go through something like this but I gotta say, its awesome not having the "monthly visitor" and you'll feel like a new woman after the surgery.

From my experience, I didn't know how sick I was with the tumors until they, and the parts they were attached to, were gone. I felt so much better that the recovery seemed like a breeze.

You have the whole season ahead of you and you'll feel so much better that you'll wonder why you were thinking so much about it.

 

[just jane]

*bump*

Of course there's already a hysterectomy thread here! So I'm scheduled to evict the monster (currently nicknamed Bloody Mary) on Oct. 4, which I chose to maximize the rest of my summer activities (after breaking an ankle on Memorial Day weekend but that's another story), and allow minimal disruption of ski season. Hopefully everything will work out. I'm a little nervous - I've never had major surgery or even kids - but the thread here is reassuring.

 

[Blondeinabmw]

*bump*

Of course there's already a hysterectomy thread here! So I'm scheduled to evict the monster (currently nicknamed Bloody Mary) on Oct. 4, which I chose to maximize the rest of my summer activities (after breaking an ankle on Memorial Day weekend but that's another story), and allow minimal disruption of ski season. Hopefully everything will work out. I'm a little nervous - I've never had major surgery or even kids - but the thread here is reassuring.

Just Jane, PM me if you have any questions. Happy to share some advice and answer questions.

 

[Tvan]

@just jane - ditto what @Blondeinabmw said. I've been there - happy to share.

 

[just jane]

Thanks! Right now I'm wondering, based on what I'm reading here, if it's worth doing some focused core work between now and October. Does it really help recovery?

 

[Tvan]

I think core work is probably a good idea, in general. I didn't do any core preparation, and my recovery was very smooth.

 

[just jane]

Good to know! I always have good intentions, but the reality is, I'm a hedonist when it comes to exercise. I have no problems doing lots of the stuff I like, and I'm terrible at maintaining anything I find boring.

 

[SallyCat]

@just jane I had an abdominal hysto a year and a half ago. I ramped up my running routine in the months prior so as to go into the surgery with good cardio-vascular health. I didn't do any ab work, though the surgeon told me that they had a really hard time getting the fibroid out because my ab muscles were so strong. (!)

The whole experience was absolutely painless; at eight weeks I was released into the wild with no restrictions. The one physical thing I was allowed to do during recovery was walk, and I wish I had done more of that, because I flat out lost almost all of my physical fitness in those eight weeks. Other than the long slog back to fitness, the whole thing was easy-peasy.

Best wishes for a quick recovery. Don't hesitate to PM if you have any questions.

 

[Blondeinabmw]

With anything surgical/medical, those who have better overall physical fitness going in tend to do better coming out.

Because my TVH was not with an abdominal incision, I can't say that targeted core work beforehand would've directly impacted my recovery much. I do recall being unable to lie on my side for a few weeks without some real pain just because of the "cuff" (internal suturing where the cervix used to be). I don't know what it was rolling around in there on top of that incision, but man, it was not fun those few times in my percocet haze that I rolled over onto my side. Maybe if my abs were tighter before that would've helped, but I doubt it.