Hi Ladies,
I had a radical hysterectomy there in April and was just wondering any other ladies out there that's been through the same what kind of light exercises do you do to build up your strength again? Am back to work 2 weeks ago but very tired when i get home. Standing or sitting for periods of time is unomfortable and at weekends am fit for nothing (not fair on my daughter). The belly is down in the mornings but doesn't take much for it to go up again lol stomach muscles tighting up and adjusting to what is left inside (not alot) lol. Its took this long to feel half way human again but i have took a let's say large spot on my chin & am guessing it could be am either run down as i had a sore mouth ulcer few weeks as well. Joining a gym is very expensive and it would only bore me after awhile. I don't want to over do things and set myself back after coming so far. Any advice would be gratefully apprecaited.
Thanks Adele.
Hey Adele,
I had mine in March and am just back at work on 12 hours this week. I am totally exhausted too! I can't even manage a trip to the shops and a cafe yet. Long recovery is long.
Exercise wise I have only been swimming but I have no strength to swim fast and raise my heart rate, it's more for supported movement in the water. It's really helped me to be able to walk and I could swim further than I could walk for a long time. So I'd recommend giving that a go, even if it's just trying to do 5 lengths and get out. I go once a week, Friday nights, as the pool is empty!
I do want to try some tai chi as my partner does it but like you I don't want to over do it as 5 months post op I'm still weak, swollen and exhausted.
Well done for getting this far and going back to work xx
Also wanted to say that my skin is a complete mess since the surgery. It's mega oily and spotty. I think it must be hormones as I kept my ovaries but it's annoying enough feeling crap without your skin playing up too. I did get some humungous cold sores after surgery as well, guess it was my body being in shock and run down. x
Hi Jo,
thank you for replying back :) me & my daughter go food shopping & luch on a saturday and when i get home am fit for nothing. Its not fair on her & she doesn't understand how tired i get,so i try to go on for her sake. With the swimming thing,i wish i could swim but i was threw into the deep end when i was younger and it has just frightneded the life out of me,even in school i didn't trust the instructor to teach me lol. I would still go and walk in the water & stay by the edge kicking my legs if it would help!
Thank godness am not the only one that has problems with there skin,its not even all over it seems to be my chin that it attacks and its so noticeable. There pretty big spots to :(
As for my recovery is going as good as i think lol. Although after my surgery i had bladder issues which my surgeon told me might happen. I had no sensation to pee & ended up taking a urine infection in the hosptial which kept me in a week & made me feel very unwell with a high pulse for 2 days,i thought they were never gonna stop taking blood from me but the hospital i was in couldn't do enough for me they were lovely. The only 2 things i hated about the op was the trapped wind & having to inject my tummy for 28days. I still don't have a strong sensation to pee but am going by myself and stopped using the catherers on my first check there in May were i got the all clear :) like you i still have my ovaries (thank god) Our bodies are still adjusting to what's left now and over time that will come rite. Am due to go for my first smear this month which am alittle nervous about but am not going to let it take over my life this time waiting for the results as they have gave me a 90% chance of it ever returning again.
Glad to hear your doing so well to :) and the tai chi sounds like a good idea,clear the mind as well. How did your partner cope with all you've been through if you don't mind me asking? Am by myself and to be honest i don't think i could have cope having a man round me through it all,that my sound selfish but sometimes i just wanted to be by myself. I have a great family who supported me and help me get through it.
I actually rang my doctors this morning to see if they can recomend something to take to give me alittle more energy or something,just waiting on them ringing me back.
Does your legs feel heavy at times? Am still wearing the big pants lol as i still find my normal size ones uncomfortable,my daughter laughs at me buying them lol. Its for comfort.
Well done for coming this far & getting back to work. Take it easy,baby steps i keep telling myself.
Adele x
Hi Adele,
Ah that's a shame re the swimming. At first all I did was walk up and down the pool (it's the same depth throughout) which helped me with standing/walking. Seems like you're doing ok with that now though?
Walking is pretty much all I'm doing and after my 12 hour week at work I can't do that as well as I could! One step forward two steps back at the moment.
My partner's been amazing, probably the best source of emotional support out of everyone. I don't live close to my family and they've not been a great deal of help tbh! At times we've had arguments but it's brought us much closer together overall. He's been at work through most of it so I've had the daytimes to myself and for a long time I was sleeping in the spare room as the bed was much comfier after surgery. Sex wise - not even got there yet so who knows what that will be like! I'm still in lots of discomfort/pain so can't imagine it yet.
Let me know what you GP says re getting energy back. I am good for 1 hr a day it seems but doing more doesn't help more. It's so frustrating. I never, ever imagined that the surgery would have this affect on me. I was really active before and now I can do 2 things a day. E.g. go to the shops and maybe a swim later on, which is an improvement but it's taken 5 months. Even then I feel really crappy doing my 2 things.
If I've walked a lot I get heavy legs but it's mainly my belly and groin area that hurt and swell up the most. I'm still in massive pants too, I've not even looked at my 'fancy' pants drawer since January :(
It's such a slow process, well it has been for me, I honestly never thought it would be this way. I realise I'm taking longer than average though but I don't want to suger coat it...I am a long, long way off being able to do the things I did before.
Ah well, onwards and upwards!
xx
Hi Jo,
Hope you had a nice weekend? Me & my daughter went for a nice walk down to the lough shore & had ice-cream. We just took out time and enjoyed the day but that night i was pooped lol. I treated myself and got my nails done which i do nearly every month..little pick me up :)
Sounds like you have one in a million guy there. I would love to meet someone oneday when am ready again but the thing that stops me is telling someone i've had cancer & can't have anymore children.
Mine is the same when i walk alot or on my feet for long periods of time,the first time my groin area swoll alittle it kind of freaked me out but when i rested it went down again so i knew it wasn't anything to be worried about (just muscle strain). Am the same with my skinny jeans they start to feel alittle uncomfortable after a few hrs on,especially down round the groin area were the 2 lower cuts are.
You seem to being down really well with your recovery to,just do what your doing and you'll get there in time. Did you have any problems with your bladder after surgery? I would like to go to one of the support group meetings but its in Belfast and am in Antrim & don't drive. Have you been to any of them?
Honestly i don't think we will ever go back to the way we were before this happened but its makes you appreicate life alot more and the people around you.
Adele xx
Hi Adele - I managed to find a physiotherapist led Pilates class aimed at women recovering from illness or surgery. It was gentle and included a lot of focus on core strength, pelvic floor and general flexibility and the teacher was always checking in with me to make sure I didn't overdo things. Your CSN might have some contacts. I think a well qualified instructor is worth seeking out, especially at the start.
after a few weeks i was promoted to beginners which involved less individual attention but as I am now stronger and more confident in what my body can do, I don't need that so much now.
if you are on a restricted income you could apply to Macmillan for a grant to help with rehab costs. I have read of other ladies on here who have done that successfully.
Best of luck x
