Get plenty of rest. Don't lift anything heavy for a full six weeks after the operation. Stay active after the surgery, but avoid strenuous physical activity for the first six weeks. Wait six weeks to resume sexual activity.
Avoid strenuous activities, such as biking, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, until your doctor says it is okay. Ask your doctor when you can drive again. You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor okays it.
It can take about 6 to 8 weeks to fully recover after having an abdominal hysterectomy. Recovery times are often shorter after a vaginal or laparoscopy hysterectomy. During this time, you should rest as much as possible and not lift anything heavy, such as bags of shopping.
You should not lift heavy objects such as full shopping bags or children, or do any strenuous housework such as vacuuming until three to four weeks after your operation as this may affect how you heal internally.
The average recovery time for a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy is 3 to 4 weeks. For an abdominal hysterectomy, recovery may take 5 to 6 weeks. It's important to look after yourself after your hysterectomy: Rest as much as possible for at least 2 weeks.
In general, patients should sleep on their backs in an elevated position. You can achieve this by propping yourself up with firm pillows or by sleeping in a recliner chair. Sleeping on your stomach or side is generally not recommended, as this places unnecessary pressure on your incisions.
Avoid heavy housework or other strenuous activities for at least six weeks. This includes; vacuuming, washing floors, hanging out laundry etc. After three weeks gently ease back into such activities • If you need to bend, squat at the knees rather than bending over.
You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor okays it. Pat the incision dry. Do not take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay.
Keep the incision clean and pat dry. Every day, wash your incision and personal area with warm water and mild soap. Be sure to rinse and pat dry thoroughly. Check the area of your incision every day for redness, swelling, drainage or wound opening.
It's normal to have bloody vaginal discharge for several days to weeks after a hysterectomy, so you'll need to wear sanitary pads.
The most common complications of hysterectomy can be categorized as infectious, venous thromboembolic, genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) tract injury, bleeding, nerve injury, and vaginal cuff dehiscence.
Hysterectomy has a rare long-term risk of pelvic prolapse, which is the stretching or dropping of pelvic organs into an abnormal position. Women with many prior abdominal surgeries or a history of pelvic prolapse or pelvic relaxation may be at higher risk for developing pelvic prolapse again.
Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. You may want to take a fibre supplement every day. If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, ask your doctor about taking a mild laxative.
Get plenty of rest. Don't lift anything heavy for a full six weeks after the operation. Stay active after the surgery, but avoid strenuous physical activity for the first six weeks. Wait six weeks to resume sexual activity.
Walking – Start walking on the day of your return home and increase your activity levels over the first few weeks. Many women should be able to walk for 30-60 minutes after 2-3 weeks. Swimming – Within 2-3 weeks provided any vaginal bleeding/discharge has stopped.
The best sleeping positions after a hysterectomy are on either your back or on your side, supported by a well-placed pillow. Finding the right sleeping position can help you sleep better by alleviating pain, discomfort and painful gas.
Cramping, constipation, and irregular bowel movement are all common for women to experience after their procedure. These bowel problems go away several days and weeks after your hysterectomy.
You may shower, but don't rub the incision. Avoid strenuous activity at home; you may wash dishes and do light cooking only. You may take 1-2 tablets of Tylenol every 4 hours for pain, or 600 mg of Motrin (ibuprofen) every 6 hours, or pain medication as prescribed by your physician.
During recovery at home, it's important to balance rest and exercise to promote healing and minimise possible side effects after hysterectomy (e.g. physical deterioration or lower back pain).
You can drive about two weeks after abdominal surgery or when you're no longer taking narcotics for pain. If you had a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy, you might begin driving within a few days. Resume your exercise routine in four to six weeks, depending on how you feel.
Light housekeeping such as laundry, dishes, changing sheets, and even feeding your pet.
Light housekeeping includes tasks such as dusting open surfaces; sweeping and mopping floors (damp mops – small areas and hard surface floors); vacuuming around furniture; wiping down counters; washing and putting dishes away; cleaning bathrooms and kitchens; taking out the trash; changing sheets and making the bed; ...
Urinary incontinence can happen after a hysterectomy because the procedure affects your pelvic muscles to a great degree. In fact, in an observational study, PubMed reports that 60% of women who undergo hysterectomies have an increased risk of experiencing incontinence.