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A.
Usual length of stay in hospital: In most instances, you will be admitted to hospital on the day of your operation.
Most women are able to go home between two and four days after their operation.
After-effects of general anaesthesia: Most modern anaesthetics are short lasting. You should not have, or suffer from, any after- effects for more than a day after your operation.
During the first 24 hours you may feel more sleepy than usual and your judgement may be impaired. You are likely to be in hospital during the first 24 hours but, if not, you should have an adult with you during this time and you should not drive or make any important decisions.
Catheter: You may have a catheter (tube) in your bladder to allow drainage of your urine.
This is usually for up to 24 hours after your operation until you are easily able to walk to the toilet to empty your bladder. If you have problems passing urine, you may need to have a catheter for a few days.
Starting to eat and drink: After your operation, you may have a drip in your arm to provide you with fluids. When you are able to drink again, the drip will be removed.
You will be offered a drink of water or cup of tea and something light to eat. If you are not hungry initially, you should drink fluid. Try eating something later on.
A. you will need to take care of the following after discharge:
Vaginal bleeding: You can expect to have some vaginal bleeding for one to two weeks after your operation. This is like a light period and is red or brown in colour. Some women have little or no bleeding initially, and then have a sudden gush of old blood or fluid about 10 days later. This usually stops quickly.
You should use sanitary towels rather than tampons as using tampons could increase the risk of infection.
Pain and discomfort: You can expect pain and discomfort in your lower abdomen for at least the first few days after your operation.
When leaving hospital, you should be provided with painkillers for the pain you are experiencing.
Taking painkillers as prescribed to reduce your pain will enable you to get out of bed sooner, stand up straight and move around – all of which will speed up your recovery and help to prevent the formation of blood clots in your legs or your lungs.
Washing and showering: You should be able to have a shower or bath the day after your operation.
A. The following may help you recover faster:
Rest: Rest as much as you can for the first few days after you get home. It is important to relax, but avoid crossing your legs for too long when you are lying down.
Rest does not mean doing nothing at all throughout the day, as it is important to start exercising and doing light activities around the house within the first few days.
A daily routine: Establish a daily routine and keep it up.
Eat a healthy balanced diet: Ensure that your body has all the nutrients it needs by eating a healthy balanced diet.
A healthy diet is a high fibre diet (fruit, vegetables, wholegrain bread and cereal) with up to two litres per day of fluid intake, mainly water.
Remember to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day!
As long as you are exercising enough and don’t eat more than you need to, you don’t need to worry about gaining weight.
Keep your bowels working: Your bowels may take time to return to normal after your operation. Your motions should be soft and easy to pass.
You may initially need to take laxatives to avoid straining and constipation.
You may find it more comfortable to hold your abdomen (provide support) the first one or two times your bowels move.
If you do have problems opening your bowels, it may help to place a small footstool under your feet when you are sitting on the toilet so that your knees are higher than your hips. If possible, lean forward and rest your arms on top of your legs to avoid straining.
Stop smoking: Stopping smoking will benefit your health in all sorts of ways, such as lessening the risk of a wound infection or chest problems after your anaesthetic.
Support from your family and friends
A positive outlook
A. It can take longer to recover from a hysterectomy if:
A. While most women recover well after an endometrial ablation, complications can occur – as with any operation.
You should seek medical advice if you experience:
Treatment is usually with a course of antibiotics. Occasionally, you may need to be admitted to hospital for the antibiotics to be administered intravenously (into a vein). Rarely, this blood may need to be drained.
If you have these symptoms, you should seek medical help immediately.
A. You may experience more tiredness than normal after any operation, so your return to work should be like your return to physical activity, with a gradual increase in the hours and activities at work.
Exercise and activity including lifting and standing the day after your procedure will not cause any harm, and you should go for at least a couple of gentle walks for 15-20 minutes on the first day.
Most women need between two and five days before they feel able to return to work, although this will depend on the type of job you do.
If your work is physically demanding, it is advisable to return gradually, doing less physical work or fewer hours for the first couple of days.
Returning to work can help your recovery by getting you back into your normal routine again.
Everyone recovers at a different rate, so when you are ready to return to work will depend on the type of work you do, the number of hours and how you get to and from work.
A. It is advisable to wait until your vaginal bleeding or discharge has stopped, and you feel ready.