Hysterectomy is an invasive medical procedure that removes the partial or entire uterus (the woman’s reproductive organ where the baby grows). You can have a vaginal hysterectomy or an open abdominal surgery, in which the surgeon makes a cut in your lower belly to remove the uterus.
Your hysterectomy surgeon in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, might perform an oophorectomy (removal of one or both ovaries) and salpingectomy (removal of one or both fallopian tubes) during the hysterectomy. Let’s see what recovery from a hysterectomy looks like and the precautions you must take to speed up the recovery.
Physical Precautions
Your surgery type, health, and age are a few factors that determine your recovery journey after hysterectomy. Here are a few physical precautions to follow after the surgery:
- Take ample rest. Ask your friends and family to help you with your household chores and take at least 3 to 4 weeks off from work.
- Add lots of protein, green leafy vegetables, and other healthy nutrients to your diet
- Do not drive or perform any strenuous physical exercise after surgery
- You can start walking 24 hours after the procedure but try to limit your physical activity for the first few weeks.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Your estrogen and progesterone levels are significantly affected as you get your uterus and the ovaries removed. A sudden fluctuation in your reproductive hormones can cause hot flashes, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, and mood swings. Besides, a drop in your estrogen can make your bones weak, exposing you to a higher risk of osteoporosis. Hormone therapy is a good option if you want to restore your normal hormone levels and avoid the listed symptoms.
Emotional and Psychological Well-being
A woman cannot conceive after a hysterectomy. Usually, your emotional health after the surgery depends on how well you mentally prepare yourself. Sometimes, a hysterectomy is the only option to save your life from a serious medical illness.
The sudden drop in your hormone levels can cause mood swings and hot flashes in women. Coping with the mental health issues can be overwhelming. So, it’s best to seek medical support or sign up for counseling therapies to get emotional support from a professional.
Long-Term Health Monitoring
Hysterectomy can be a life-saving procedure for some women. However, it doesn’t guarantee protection against all kinds of reproductive health issues. That’s especially true if your ovaries, cervix, fallopian tubes, and other reproductive organs were left intact during the procedure.
Hysterectomy has become a fairly common surgery. Complications are rare, but certain side effects, such as a bloated and gassy tummy, bruising and swelling around the incision site, and emotional challenges, are normal. Your lifestyle and diet can help ease your post-surgical symptoms.
Schedule a routine checkup with your gynecologist and get a pap smear (if your cervix wasn’t removed) every 1-2 years.
Conclusion
Getting your uterus removed can be exhausting (both emotionally and physically). Follow your gynecologist’s instructions on how to prepare for the surgery. You can expect recovery within 6-8 weeks.