How will the patient feel after hysterectomy?
The most frequent response to the question of how sex and orgasm are a year after hysterectomy is that there is no change in the way they feel orgasm. Some women report that they are able to enjoy sex more since they no longer have a problem that interferes with sex. Others report no change. A small number of women have less interest in sex. Other women say that orgasm is better and more intense now that they've had a hysterectomy (don't ask my why).
Strong painkillers are prescribed for the first few days following surgery. A woman is encouraged to be mobile within 24 hours of surgery and can expect to be eating and drinking during this time also. Most women stay in hospital for between three and five days following a routine hysterectomy.
It is advisable to plan four to six weeks of convalescence following a hysterectomy although the recovery time will vary from one woman to the next. The recovery time is often shorter if a vaginal hysterectomy or LAVH has been performed compared to an abdominal hysterectomy. The recovery time is longest following a radical hysterectomy.
The emotional response after a hysterectomy will vary widely from one woman to the next, often depending on the reason for the operation. Occasionally, there will be a feeling of relief that the monthly pain and inconvenience of periods is a thing of the past with the sensation that she can now get on with her life in a more positive manner. Women who have been diagnosed with cancer are frequently and very understandably anxious that the surgery will have been successful and may be concerned about the necessity of other forms of treatment aimed at preventing a recurrence.
For some women there is a sensation of loss, that the place where their children developed and were born from is now gone forever. Whatever the emotional response, it is advisable that the woman talks it over with someone in whom she can confide, whether it is a relative, her gynaecologist, nurse or a friend. |
