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Total hysterectomy on Monday - so anxious

Third week yeetversary and thought I'd check in.

Last week was a weird week of feeling better then not better. Pain has been present but it's changed, and now my skin feels almost like it's on fire all over my abdomen at light touches... that's apparently a nerve thing that will hopefully resolve over time. I was also a lot more fatigued than the previous weeks, nodding off a lot during the day.

My blood sugars have also mostly been ok, though sometimes dad's meals aren't the best for that, like yesterday's evening meal for me was cereal and a lot of fruit (which was the same as breakfast )... Dad's shopping today so hopefully back to better meals soon.

I've been having trouble sleeping more recently since the night sweats and hot flashes have started back up. That is leaving me with higher than I would like morning glucose levels, over 6 a few days at the end of last week and once over 7 this weekend. Hoping that goes away soon.
 
It will get easier.It has only been 3 weeks since your op.Give it time.When you can,I would ask about HRT.x
 
Has anyone looked at your tummy to ensure there's nothing else going on there?

I kept my ovaries when I had my hysterectomy, so saved myself the surgical menopause. Is there any plan to consider HRT at all?
 
AndBreathe said:
Has anyone looked at your tummy to ensure there's nothing else going on there?

I kept my ovaries when I had my hysterectomy, so saved myself the surgical menopause. Is there any plan to consider HRT at all?
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They haven't checked for anything else. I've had no end of "IBS" and other diagnosis that have all pretty much been "we don't know what it is" over the years though.

Before surgery they said they would look at HRT afterwards so I guess it's one of the things we'll talk about when I have my six week post op appointment. I was suffering from a lot of menopausal symptoms prior to the op from being in perimenopause but I don't remember a time where I was having multiple hot flashes back to back for days on end like it's been happening since Saturday now. Seems likely it would be helpful for me.

The dogs managed to get themselves past the gate this morning when dad went out, they didn't bother the other times he went out but this time he took Max (the oldest dog who's sort of in charge of the dogs) and I guess they couldn't deal with being just the two of them downstairs. Had to fend them off the jumping or lying on my belly for an hour or so, I'm definitely feeling that now. Not really bad but definitely sore enough to be noticeable.

...dad's going out again in a bit, to do the shopping he didn't do this morning. He's added another thing in front of the gate to hopefully keep them downstairs, and Max will be left in the house too, much as I did love them being close and cuddly I'm not quite up to them being a full time presence around me yet.
 
Sorry, I meant has your tummy been checked, since your op? You mention discomfort, and explain it as a nerve thing. Who suggested that?

Personally, I'd be concerned about the "on fire" feeling
 
AndBreathe said:
Sorry, I meant has your tummy been checked, since your op? You mention discomfort, and explain it as a nerve thing. Who suggested that?

Personally, I'd be concerned about the "on fire" feeling
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Not looked at but I described it to the surgeon and they said it sounds like nerves starting to feel things again and that some people become very sensitive to anything/everything due to the trauma they also received.

I also spoke to them about twinges near my hips and they said "That could be referred pain, but it also could be because your bladder and intestines are all moving and settling into the new space that they didn't have before, especially since your uterus was enlarged and you had a 10cm cyst pressing on your bladder. The size of your uterus alone because of the fibroids was like being many months pregnant."

So I went and asked online in a few hysterectomy forums if anyone else had had the same symptoms and a number of people said they had, and that it took several more weeks, or months, for that to resolve.

It's weird that if I have something pressing a bit harder it stops but light touches are painful, so clothes touching the skin causes that painful sensation but me pressing a cushion to my abdomen does not.

Anyway the surgeon, and my dad, said, just don't touch it... so I guess they expect me to just roll around naked for the next few weeks
 
It's been a while, I had so many menopause symptoms they've put me on estrogennonly HRT, hopefully it will help soon.

Blood sugars have been insane, ranging from 3s to 11s fairly frequently...just managing to keep them more stable but it's stable at a higher level than it used to be, instead of being 4 or 5 raining the 6 or 7 post meals I'm at 6 or 7 raising to 8 or 9 post meals.

I'll take it for now and try and see if there is anything I can do to help bring everything lower with more strict diet...also have to hope the estrogen doesn't change it all over again since glucose resistance is listed as a known side effect (as is insomnia which is one of the things it was prescribed to help prevent, go figure).

Next check up with a diabetic specialist is in 3 months, same for the gynae, but I have a specialist ultrasound of my abdomen, specifically checking on my liver since I mentioned the NAFLD showing up on my CT scan, next week. They didn't seem worried since my liver function tests seem ok but they want a better picture of what's going on and also because they can use it as a baseline to see if it becomes worse or better over time.

They told me I was good to go back to normal activities and I returned to work l, they also said I could exercise normally just without lifting more than 10kg but earlier this week I ran to catch my bus and I can absolutely feel it where my drain was taken out and a lot of my interal areas hurt like they did a few weeks back so maybe that's still a little too soon after all.
 
You've been through the mill but slowly but surely you'll get there. No running for a wee while yet. One day at a time. So glad your on the mend. Take care x
 
I have been wondering how you were getting on @the-mental-one . Well done for getting back to your work routine. Looks as though you are doing well.

I am not sure if my own experience will be of use, as it was 35 years ago, and hopefully management of gynae surgery will have improved in the interim.

HRT did help alleviate the menopause symptoms, but it took a while to find the most suitable brand. Tablets made me sick. Oestrogen patches caused painful skin lesions, and in the end it was oestrogen gel that worked fine. Stayed on that for almost 30 years.

The discomfort from the abdominal incision took almost two years to settle. Though it was a gradual improvement. I did avoid lifting anything heavy, and strenuous exercise, because it was uncomfortable. I don’t do running, and would just catch the next bus if I missed one. Very cold weather also made the wound scar ache, for some strange reason. What did help ease discomfort was wearing underwear with support. Lycra.

For exercise, I am sure members who know me, will know what is coming next…. Swimming, or just moving in water.

Hope you continue to do well.
 
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