1 DPO: Expected Easy Recovery, Got a Wake-Up Call

Part 1: My Recovery Experience

I read many stories here about women having nearly pain free recoveries, or pain similar to a bad period. I am 47 and in good health. I work in the fitness industry, stay very fit, and follow a clean diet.

Three close friends recently had hysterectomies. All three said their recovery was easier than expected with minimal pain. They told me being fit would help me recover even better. Before surgery, I felt no worry about pain. I worried more about the timeline and not working out when I felt ready.

Now I am in quite a bit of pain. Yesterday in the hospital, they wanted me to pee. The walk there caused such intense pain that my blood pressure dropped and I passed out buck naked on the bathroom floor. Now that I think about it I’m am not sure why I was naked. I think they put my robe on the ground when I told them I felt dizzy. Regardless it was one of the less glamorous moments of my life.

My point is that I expected an easy recovery, but it has not been that way. I wish I had prepared more for the pain and limited mobility.

Part 2: I Am Not a Wimp!

I am so glad I went ahead with the surgery and advocated for myself. My OBGYN nearly talked me out of it. She said many women live with fibroids and feel fine, and symptoms improve after menopause. She recommended the pill as the best option. I tried that, thinking I was just being a wimp.

After a full month of severe constipation and period pain, I had enough. I met with my doctor again and pushed for the surgery.

The surgery showed I was right to push. Afterward, the doctor kept repeating over and over how much better I was going to feel. She said I was an optimal candidate for the surgery. She said I had one of the largest uteruses she had seen and it had an abnormal shape. There were 10 fibroids, each golf ball sized or larger. Endometriosis covered everything. She removed one ovary because it was covered in cysts and thick endometriosis which made it unsalvageable. I guess my cervix was tilted too.

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My point in sharing is that advocating for myself led to this needed surgery. I feel relief knowing the extent of the issues. Still, I wish I had prepared more for the pain levels during recovery. Don’t let the “it was a breeze” posts lead you to assume it’ll be a breeze for you. We are all different.

Good luck in your journey and thank you to everyone that shared theirs.