Hiya all so monday 13th February i had a radical hysterectomy for stage 1b1 cervical cancer, i decided to have my ovaries removed. My cut was made vertically down from just above my belly button, and has steri strips across and i have a plaster over where the drain was removed.
My question is anyone had similar and how did your recovery go?
The hospital didnt tell me much before discharge about cleaning myself and when i can shower and when i can take my sexy stockings off lol.
Any advice helpdul please. Xxx
Hi tubsar
I had a vertical incision with mine
If i remember I showered after the dressing came off though i didnt have a drain put in so unsure when that would come off possibly similar time to the wound dressing. I had the dressing removed at hospital about a week after surgery, when i first had to go in to remove the catheter. Up to that point i would give myself a bit of a ‘bed bath’ with a flannel and basin of water. I was told not to have a bath for 6 weeks.
The sexy stockings i kept wearing for a few of weeks though i got conflicting messages about when those should have come off, one nurse said a week another said 28 days so i just kind of went in the middle and didnt have any issues, i did wash them in between mind ha.
If you had lymph nodes removed i would get some nice moisturiser and start to massage legs and tummy just to help the lymphatic fluid flow, ive been told to do that daily. I am rubbish at moisturing before this surgery but i got thay sanctury ‘in shower moisturiser’ and tend to do it in the shower now, saves a bit of time.
My recovery went alright to he honest, ive had two c sections so treated it similar to that. Tried to avoid heavy lifting etc and still havent gone back to the gym though im having adjuvant chemo so at the minute im just not up to my old gym routine ha.
The wound is still tender sometimes but not always and the wound has healed nicely.
My biggest problem post surgery was the catheter, i just couldnt get my bladder to behave so had to self catheterise in the end. I put that down to nervous bladder and too much pressure at the hospital. I hope you dont have any issues with it but if you do id ask if you could be taught to self catheterise, i say this because after the first failed attempt a week later, my hospital sent me home with a fitted catheter and bags which was fine but when i went in 4 days later my bladder still wouldnt behave. I then had a flip flow valve fitted onto the end of the catheter which allows you to trick your bladder into going but again didnt behave. Last attempt about 2 weeks after surgery was to self catheterise which allowed me to try to go naturally aswell as use the self catheter if needed. Within a day or two my bladder started behaving properly. I was given the choice of flip flow or self catherising and opted for the wrong one first ha but got there in the end.
Glad youve had the op and it went well and hope youre recovering ok. Please feel free to ask any other questions xx
Hiya thankyou.
My dressing was removed the day i was discharged, i still have steri strips and a big plaster over the drain hole which they did say can come off after a week.
I too had a c section 7 years ago so have been trying to do same as i did then.
I had a shower last night but tried not to let my stomach get too wet just a bit and i took stockings off.
I was never told about massages for legs only excercises for pelvic floor etc.
I was lucky and my bladder only took a couple of hours to become un shy, i dont always feel the urge but just try to go frequently and drink plenty but i remember it being same after cection too.
Xxxx
Oh great tubsar, sounds like youve done brilliantly there! Ive always had a shy bladder, can never perform on ceremony ha ha. I think to be honest i could have taken the dressing off before i did but im a bit squeamish. I bet that shower felt wonderful last night! I wasnt told about massaging my tummy till my follow up at about 6 weeks when they saw that it was a little swollen but they mentioned the legs when i got discharged. I just do it in the shower now saves a bit of time.
Glad youre doing ok xx
How do i do the leg massges? Is there a site i can find that shows me. Xxx
To be honest ive just been massaging circles with a bit of pressure on the legs and tummy but theres the below article that should also help though you have to have a bit of time to do it. To be honest i really should be making the time to do this more often but with two young kids its hard. I havent yet had any swelling but i probably should start doing them a bit more properly. Ive also searched on you tube and theres a fair few videos on there also xx
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-perform-lymphatic-drainage-massage#-What-is-lymphatic-drainage?
Brilliant thankyou. Xxx
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