How to Prepare for Hysterectomy

My engineering exams were round the corner when we got the terrible news. My mom's gynecologist had suggested her to undergo an urgent hysterectomy as the fibroids in her uterus had grown beyond the 'acceptable' size. We were tensed, since we knew that hysterectomy is a major surgery and required at least a month's bed rest. It was a panic situation as none of us were capable to manage the whole house for an entire month. However, it was my mom who brought the whole situation under control and planned out the timetable for all of us, distributing the chores among us. Then she discussed the details of the surgery with her gynecologist and got some tips on how to prepare for hysterectomy. The surgery was done successfully and my mom recovered within a month, all credit to her systematic planning.

Hysterectomy is a major surgery performed on women to remove the uterus when some abnormality is detected in the uterus or in the whole reproductive system. In most cases the cause for a hysterectomy is uterine fibroids. However, there are other abnormalities like endometriosis i.e. growth of menstrual tissue outside of the uterine cavity, adenomyosis i.e. the growth of the uterine lining through the uterine wall, vaginal prolapse, heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and obstetrical hemorrhage, that make this surgery obligatory.

Nowadays, with women playing an important role in managing home and office, they have to make certain backup provisions on both fronts, so that a surgery like hysterectomy does not disrupt any schedules. Here are some aspects of life that you need to prepare for before hysterectomy.

Pre-Hysterectomy Medical Affairs
After it is decided that you have to undergo hysterectomy, discuss with your gynecologist about every doubt you have regarding the process. Most doctors follow the protocol of explaining the whole procedure using diagrams, so that you are aware of the actual plan of action; this helps you to be mentally prepared. Perform the necessary tests required for the surgery so that your gynaecologist knows if there are any complications that can occur. Once the date of surgery is fixed, request to meet the medical team performing your hysterectomy and get your doubts resolved. Ask your doctor about the post-hysterectomy precautions to be taken and what to expect after a hysterectomy. Also, discuss this situation with the insurance company that covers your medical insurance. When getting admitted to the hospital, list down and take all your sanitary items, comfortable and warm clothes without fail since a hysterectomy surgery requires you to stay in the hospital for more than a few days.

Pre-Hysterectomy Official Affairs
If you are a working woman, inform your office well in advance and give them an idea about the number of days you will be unavailable. It is better to have everything on paper to avoid any misunderstandings. Remember, if there is any exchange of documents in this whole affair, try to maintain two photocopies of every piece of paper, even if you possess the originals.

Pre-Hysterectomy Domestic Affairs
The most difficult of all is on the domestic front, since everyone is used to you taking care of everything in the house. Make proper arrangements for all household chores, specially food and cleaning. Store frozen food items in the refrigerator in sufficient amounts depending on the members in the family and make sure these are healthy. You can distribute the house chores among the family members or hire temporary helpers for the same. Any kind of major activity that can strain the operated part has to be avoided till complete recovery. So, arrange your stuff in such a way that they can be easily available for you when you come home after the operation.

Post-Hysterectomy Exercises
Few physical as well as mental changes are normal post-hysterectomy. Mental depression is the most common effect of hysterectomy. Yoga meditation like pranayam is beneficial for minimizing depression. However, if the extent of depression is acute and persists for more than a month, it is advisable to consult your doctor. After 2 - 3 days (as suggested by your doctor) of the operation, try to walk for a few minutes after specific time intervals to loosen up the muscles. After a week or so, you can try out a few light yoga exercises. Consult the doctor for advanced exercises; if possible do it under a responsible person's supervision.

Post-Hysterectomy Diet
The entire internal system, specially the stomach, has to get used to working in the absence of an important organ, the uterus. So it takes a few days for the body to adapt to such a major change. This is the reason why diet after hysterectomy should be healthy, at the same time it should be light, so that it can be easily digested. Drinking plenty of water and juices is recommended to facilitate easy bowel movements and avoid any strain on the stomach. Vegetables, fruits and cereals should be included in the diet. Too much protein and fatty foods should be avoided, since there are chances of weight gain after hysterectomy. Also, you need lots of calcium and iron to make up for the energy loss due to the surgery.

Hysterectomy recovery takes about 1 - 2 months depending on the level of complications post-hysterectomy. Most women can resume their daily routine after a fortnight. It is very easy to be mentally and physically prepared for the surgery once you know how to prepare for hysterectomy.