Myomectomy - My Experience

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone. I am now 6 days post-myo and feel pretty good. Here is

my experience:

My surgery was scheduled for 7:30 in the morning on Thursday, April

8. I got to the hospital around 6:15am where I was shown where my

cubicle was. I changed into a hospital gown (open in the back-yuck)

and put on the surgical cap. I did get to keep my socks on to keep

my feet warm (yay!).

The nurse started the IV drip and the anesthesiologist and his

assistant came to ask me questions and to tell me what they were

going to do. I told both of them that I was terrified of being put

under and they reassured me that everything would be alright.

My GYN came in to see me briefly then it was time for the 'happy'

drugs to be administered. My father was with me the entire time up

to where they took me to surgery. I started to feel 'happy' then

they wheeled me into the operating room. To be honest, they didn't

even give me all that much time to feel happy before the put the

mask over my mouth and told me to inhale deeply. I remember

inhaling 3 times.

I woke up in recovery chatting away. One of the recovery nurses

lost her mother recently and I told her that I was so sorry to hear

that. Then I would hear this loud beep. " , please breathe

deeply " . Seems that I am a shallow breather and the machine didn't

like for me to do that. I did catch on that if I talked it wouldn't

make a noise so I talked a lot. LOL

There were 5 fibroids removed: 2 outside the uterus and 3 inside

the uterine wall. The two growing outside were on the back and on

the left. The left one was calcified and the one growing on the

back was causing my backache. The largest was about 5 cm, the next

was a little smaller and the other 3 much smaller. There was a

sixth fibroid which he did not remove because it was growing on the

uterine artery. My doctor said in order to remove it would mean to

remove the uterus so he kept it in. He said that it was about 7mm.

I am totally okay with this.

I went to my room an hour or so later and was pretty knocked out

much of the day. I remember trying to eat the liquid lunch they

served but felt very nauseous. I didn't eat the rest of the day.

The next day (April 9) I felt really well, was awake for most of the

day and ate just about everything. I still had the catheter in me

so I didn't have to worry about getting up to pee.

The catheter and IV both were disconnected by day 1 1/2. Going to

the bathroom (pee) the first time was not fun but was manageable. I

did walk for a bit with the help of a nurse the day after surgery--

slow but I did it.

Day 2 (April 10) after surgery I was a complete mess. I was not

feeling well and slept just about the entire day away. I did manage

a shower and got to put on my own pretty nightgown. That does make

a slight differenc.e My GYN suggested staying one more night (this

was Saturday) and if I felt better I could leave the next day. My

father left on Saturday morning to go home, he really didn't want to

since I wasn't doing well, but he knew I was in very good care.

Day 3 (April 11-Happy Easter) after surgery-I felt so much better.

The doctor came in and remarked how well I looked. He did not want

me to rush going home because my well-being was what was important--

not how fast I could go home. He released me and then I took a

shower (what a difference how a shower will make you feel), got

dressed into loose fitting sweats and a t-shirt and waited on my

brother to take me home.

My home experience has not been bad at all. I can do most

everything except lift anything heavy. I can bend (very, very

slowly), take showers, let the dogs out (one on a cable runner, the

other 2 can roam by themselves), sit up (not for many hours), and

stay awake for more hours than being asleep. Today has been a

tiring day even though I haven't done much so I rest in bed. Oh, I

was taking stool softeners for a couple of days after I got home but

not any more. I do recommend taking them if you are constipated

after surgery. They are natural and won't make it hurt when you do

have to go.

I get my staples removed tomorrow and I am hoping the doctor will

say okay for me to start back to work part-time late next week.

It's boring watching so much TV or reading books or even being on

the computer. Plus, I miss work. LOL Weird, huh?

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about

myomectomies. My experience has been a truly wonderful one. One

more thing: NO MORE BACKACHE!!! I really do feel like a new woman,

despite the pain.