Hysterectomy postoperative period. How to spend the postoperative period after hysterectomy? Removal of the uterus: postoperative period

The postoperative period, as a rule, can take from three months to a year. Such an operation is no longer uncommon today, but still scares many. But, unfortunately, sometimes this is the only correct way to preserve the health and life of a woman.

For what indications is hysterectomy required?

What could be an indication for this operation? There are several main reasons, and all of them are quite serious and can be fatal to a woman. This is primarily ovarian and uterine cancer. Very often, this female organ is surgically excised for fibroids, fibrosis (benign tumor), and less often for endometritis. In rare cases, the uterus is removed after childbirth, for example, if there is severe bleeding caused by injury or infection.

Removal of the uterus: postoperative period

After the operation, the woman will spend two weeks in the hospital. About 5 to 8 days after your hysterectomy, your doctor will remove the staples from the incision. The healing process and its speed depend on the physiology of each patient. After the uterus has been removed, the postoperative period requires therapy aimed at restoring blood, water balance in the body and preventing inflammatory diseases. They also be sure to pay attention to the woman’s psychological mood, because any operation is stressful, not to mention gynecological surgery. A sick leave certificate is required for recovery after hysterectomy for up to 45 days.

Rehabilitation after hysterectomy

The attending physician will definitely tell the patient and her relatives what she needs to eat and what foods will contribute to a quick recovery. The diet of a woman who has undergone hysterectomy is strictly outlined during the postoperative period. Strong tea, chocolate, coffee, cottage cheese, and white bread should be excluded from it. In order for the intestines to work again after surgery, a woman needs to eat fractionally, up to 7 times a day. Water consumption should be increased to 4 liters per day. It is also necessary to include in the menu dishes that help weaken the intestines (meat broth, porridge, fermented milk products). The main rule: follow the diet prescribed by your doctor.

Recovery after hysterectomy should eliminate or minimize stress - you should not lift objects weighing more than 5 kg. You can return to your normal lifestyle only after the stitches have completely healed. By the way, most experienced doctors advise women to get up the very next day after a hysterectomy. Such physical activity will not allow the blood to stagnate, and therefore the healing process will occur faster.

Complications that may result from hysterectomy

The postoperative period, which takes different lengths for women, may be accompanied by some complications. Pain of varying intensity may occur due to bleeding or adhesions. Such symptoms are characteristic, as a rule, only for the first days after surgery. More serious consequences of the procedure can be thrombosis of the deep veins of the legs, suppuration of the suture, disturbances in urination and bowel movements, and hematomas. Often after such operations, a woman may experience all the symptoms of menopause: decreased libido, vaginal dryness, sudden changes in mood. But such complications are quite rare, they are not the rule. Patients may also develop atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.

In what cases should you urgently visit a gynecologist?

After a hysterectomy, there may be some slight bloody discharge. If the following factors are present, you should urgently visit an antenatal clinic:

Vaginal discharge has an unpleasant odor.
They have the color of rot mixed with blood.
Nausea.
Urinary incontinence.
Large clots of blood are discharged from the vagina.
It becomes necessary to change gaskets many times within an hour.
Bright red vaginal discharge.

Any operation in which an organ of the body is removed entails a change in the previously habitual life. Amputation of the uterus in women deprives them, one might say, of their gender characteristics, so the period after surgery to remove the uterus has many of its own characteristics and difficulties. It’s not for nothing that doctors recommend surgical intervention in such cases, when the situation is completely hopeless and the problem cannot be solved in other ways.

Recovery period after hysterectomy surgery

The recovery stage is conventionally divided into two types: recovery in a hospital and at home.

Hospital recovery stage

The time spent within the walls of the medical institution depends on the method used for the operation, but on average the stage does not last more than 10 days. It is most important to follow the following recommendations in the first 2-3 days after the intervention:

to avoid blood stagnation, you should get out of bed, but only after the approval of a doctor who knows the patient’s condition;
the diet these days consists of broths and pureed vegetables, and weak tea as a drink;
pain, which, unfortunately, is inevitable, is relieved with medications prescribed by the doctor;
have a positive attitude, because discharge is coming soon, and don’t be discouraged.

Recovering at home after hysterectomy surgery

Rehabilitation at home during open surgery may take 2 months, but following all the rules during this period will help you return to normal life in the future. So, follow these guidelines:

wear a bandage to provide support for the muscles in the lower abdomen; it is especially important to use a corset for mothers with many children;
do not carry heavy loads, the acceptable weight of the load during this period is up to 3 kilograms, and this has its advantages, let your man accompany you in the store and help you carry your purchases;
delay sex for 6 weeks after surgery;
For one and a half months, forget about sunbathing, saunas, baths and swimming in ponds.

Psychological state after hysterectomy surgery

There is no escape from the feeling of inferiority at first, but the main thing is to accept the support of your family and not shut yourself down in your problems. Life is not over - it continues, but it is psychologically difficult to tune in to the positive. The fact is that during the first 2 months the body also adapts to the loss of such an important organ, and it is not strange that during this period women experience conditions such as nightmares, insomnia, and depression.

It is easier for patients to undergo surgery in old age, because childbearing functions are often already completed. Young girls feel inferior, therefore, to improve their psycho-emotional state, the support of the stronger sex is important.

Hysterectomy is not only a complex surgical procedure, but also a procedure that changes the patient’s life. In order to live fully further, it is important to behave correctly during the rehabilitation period - not to carry heavy objects, wear a corset, prevent negative psychological attitudes, etc.

Intimate life after hysterectomy surgery

2 months after the hysterectomy procedure, if there are no complications, you can return to sexual activity. Women's fears that sexual desire has gone along with the uterus have no basis. After all, the most sensitive cells are located at the entrance to the genital organ, so the operation does not affect sensations during sex.

Some patients share that their sex life has become even brighter for them and for their partners, because there is no need to use protection. Doctors do not rule out some painful sensations at first, since sometimes a scar forms on the vagina.

Sports after hysterectomy surgery

Another misconception is that a woman should not be active if she has had her uterus removed. Yes, heavy sports will be closed to her, but modern fitness clubs offer a huge number of light activities for women of different ages.

Doctors advise starting sports 3 months after the procedure. The most common types of exercises are Pilates and bodyflex; the benefits of yoga in this case are also great. Don’t forget that during classes you not only strengthen your body, but also get positive emotions, which is no less important. If you don’t want to go to the gym, then buy a fitball for yourself; you can use it to do various exercises.

Complications after hysterectomy surgery

If the recovery period was carried out in compliance with all the rules and recommendations of doctors, then complications can be avoided. But sometimes neglecting the advice of doctors and one’s health leads to the following complications:

constipation;
formation of adhesions;
haemorrhoids;
blood clot formation;
urinary incontinence.

There is a set of special Kegel exercises, the purpose of which is to eliminate complications and strengthen the vaginal muscles. To perform them, no special training or special equipment is required, the main thing is your time and desire to perform the exercises. Find out how massage of acupuncture points on the body overcomes diseases, read useful information on this topic.

After the procedure, there is no need to give up on yourself; a woman can have a full sex life, play sports, be active and carefree. A positive attitude and following doctors’ recommendations will protect you from unpleasant complications of the operation.

If your doctor has prescribed uterine amputation for you, then it is too early to despair and be angry with the whole world, because every day hundreds of women all over the world undergo similar procedures, and their lives do not end there. Life after hysterectomy surgery has its own characteristics, you can’t argue with that, but they are not so significant and noticeable. The main thing is to go through the rehabilitation period correctly, and over time you can return to your favorite daily activities. Play sports, go for walks, surround your loved ones with care, and they will appreciate it, because being a woman is God’s gift, not gender differences.

Content

The anxiety of a woman who is about to undergo a hysterectomy procedure is well founded. The operation itself requires both psychological and physiological preparation. But no less important is the period after removal of the uterus, during which all body functions are restored.

The question of recovery after surgery becomes especially relevant if we take into account all the possible complications both immediately after surgery to remove the uterus and in the future. That is why many specialists have recently been trying to pay as much attention as possible to the rehabilitation period and to prevent any violations.

Posthysterectomy syndrome

Complications resulting from surgery to remove the uterus are called post-hysterectomy syndrome in the medical community.

Problems can be caused by changes in hormonal levels, infection, wound bleeding, damage to the urinary tract, etc. Timely rehabilitation, with careful monitoring of the patient’s condition by a specialist, will help the woman avoid unpleasant consequences and quickly return to a full rhythm of life.

Rehabilitation after various types of hysterectomy

Undoubtedly, the rehabilitation period largely depends on the method of performing the operation to remove the uterus and on the reasons for which it was prescribed. For example, rehabilitation after an open hysterectomy, prescribed due to the growth of a cancerous tumor, will take much longer than when removed laparoscopically due to bleeding.

Which removal method will be required?– is decided in each case individually, depending on the disease of the uterus, general health, age of the patient and many other factors.

Laparoscopy

This method of hysterectomy surgery is considered the most gentle. Accordingly, the period of rehabilitation of the body after it is quite fast, rarely leading to serious complications. The standard hospital stay after this type of removal is 2-4 days. Full recovery at home usually takes no more than 2–3 weeks. For some time, it is recommended to refrain from excessive physical activity and activities that require concentration, such as driving a car.

Radical hysterectomy

After this operation, you need to stay in the hospital under the supervision of doctors for a little longer - 6-7 days. The total rehabilitation period can last from one to two months. The most common complications after radical removal of the uterus include: bleeding, poorly healing wounds, and infections. As a preventive measure, daily water procedures (showers), taking the necessary medications, and lack of physical stress are recommended.

Complications in the postoperative period

The main problems that a woman may face during the rehabilitation period:

bleeding (both vaginal and wound);
the appearance of hematomas in the incision area;
peritonitis - suppuration of the sutures and their infection;
the appearance of allergic reactions to medications;
cardiac arrest as a result of strong effects of anesthesia;
problems with the urinary functions of the body;
thrombophlebitis and phlebitis;
injury to nerve endings and blood vessels of nearby organs.

In addition to physiological problems, up to 80% of women experience severe psychological and menopausal syndrome, which is associated with the absence of the uterus. Such manifestations are expressed by the following series of problems:

tearfulness, nervousness, apathy, sleep disturbances;
frequent mood changes;
hot flashes (feeling hot);
phantom headaches and tingling in the heart area;
redness of the skin of the face;
sudden feeling of fear;
feeling of lack of air;
tachycardia;
dizziness.

Neurometabolic disorders include poor glucose tolerance and fluid retention; this is due to disruption of hormonal and endocrine levels in the body after removal of the uterus. In addition, complications may appear after a certain period of time. Due to the lack of the female hormone estrogen, the risk of diseases such as:

diabetes;
ischemia;
atherosclerotic vascular disorders;
cardiomyopathy;
cholelithiasis;
arterial hypertension;
cholecystitis.

In the postoperative period, patients often experience chronic pelvic pain that persists for six months. Constant pain leads to the development of nervous exhaustion, characterized by depression, melancholy, and nervous breakdowns.

Taking into account all possible complications, it is extremely important during the rehabilitation period to pay maximum attention to the restoration of the body and not let everything take its course.

Methods of restoring the body

Immediately after the operation, the attending physician prescribes a number of medications, including antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. This allows you to avoid a number of complications in the postoperative period, including the formation of adhesions. In case of severe pain, painkillers are prescribed. In the future, it is recommended to take hormonal drugs and tranquilizers.

For a faster recovery, most doctors recommend reducing the time of complete bed rest as much as possible and starting to move as early as possible. You should start with a warm-up in a lying position and breathing exercises. This will help increase blood flow and speed up the healing process. To prevent the formation of blood clots, special medications are prescribed.

Rehabilitation physiotherapy

In addition to mandatory drug treatment, various physiotherapeutic measures are recommended during the rehabilitation period, these include:

electrotherapy;
galvanization;
therapeutic massage;
acupuncture;
physiotherapy;
sanitary-resort therapy, includes radon baths, hydrotherapy, balneotherapy;
proper nutrition with a sufficient amount of useful microelements and vitamins, exclusion of harmful foods.

In addition to therapeutic procedures, a number of contraindications should be followed during the rehabilitation period. For 6 weeks after surgery to remove the uterus, it is prohibited:

swim in ponds, visit the pool, take a bath (this should be replaced with a daily shower);
lift heavy objects weighing more than 4.5 kg;
supercool;
be sexually active;
use tampons.

Indications

It is recommended for all women without exception to engage in recovery after the uterus has been removed, but it becomes especially necessary when the following symptoms are identified:

tissue fibrosis;
swelling in the limbs;
posthysterectomy syndrome;
atony or hypotension of the urinary tract.

Electrosleep can be used to alleviate conditions. The procedure makes it much easier to adapt to the new condition and reduce the likelihood of neuropsychiatric disorders. For problems with urination, the method of neuromuscular stimulation with modulated currents is used.

Timely rehabilitation methods will undoubtedly help prevent and promptly eliminate various disorders and diseases, and will also allow the woman to establish her usual lifestyle and minimize.

Hysterectomy or is a fairly common operation. Most often, it is performed if there are tumors in this organ or if metastases occur after cancer treatment in other tissues of the body.

In extremely rare cases, such an operation is carried out at the request of a woman for contraceptive purposes. Also, the uterus can be removed in some pathologies of pregnancy, when surgery is the only way to save the life of the mother and child.

The most common reasons for hysterectomy:

Fibrosis or;
Birth infection;
Heavy bleeding during or outside of pregnancy;
Uterine prolapse.

Removal of the uterus is usually performed only in cases where less traumatic treatment options do not exist. However, women are afraid of the consequences of this operation and wonder whether they will be able to live a full life after a hysterectomy.

Removal of the uterus (hysterectomy): what happens after the operation?

This is a fairly serious operation, after which the woman will have a long recovery period. If it is performed under general anesthesia, then the first hours after waking up the woman may be bothered by nausea. After about 1-2 hours it should feel better and the patient will be able to drink water, and after 3-4 hours eat. But in some cases, the unpleasant sensations drag on.

At first, severe pain and low-grade fever are considered normal. Doctors may also leave a catheter in the bladder to drain urine for 1-2 days.

When will it be possible to get out of bed?

Movement is one of the conditions for rapid recovery after surgery. It allows you to avoid stagnation of blood in the pelvic area, as well as disturbances in intestinal function. After laparoscopy, you can get up after a few hours, and if a full-scale abdominal operation was performed, on the second day.

Pain after surgery

You need to be prepared for the fact that after the anesthesia wears off there will be real pain, both in the area of the sutures and in the abdomen. Pain may also occur during urination due to damage to the urethral mucosa. Therefore, women in the postoperative period, for about 5 days, must be prescribed strong analgesics.

It has been proven that severe pain significantly slows down the healing process, so taking painkillers is mandatory.

Gradually, the wounds will heal and the discomfort will decrease. But slight tingling and pulling sensations may persist for several months. This is due to damage to the nerve endings and will gradually pass.

When will they be discharged from the hospital?

The length of your hospital stay depends on several factors:

How extensive was the surgery?
Reasons for which the operation was performed.
The patient's well-being.
Absence or presence of complications.

In each individual case, based on the available data, the doctor decides when to drink the patient. But even after discharge, the woman must continue treatment; sick leave lasts on average 30-45 days.

How long does it take to recover after hysterectomy?

The duration of the recovery period usually depends on the characteristics of the operation and the presence of complications. Quite quickly, in just 2-4 weeks, your health improves if the uterus is removed laparoscopically - through small incisions on the abdomen. If the organ is removed through the vagina, the recovery period may take 3-4 weeks. After an abdominal hysterectomy, recovery takes at least 4-6 weeks.

Until the end of the recovery period, it is necessary to limit activity; travel and air travel are also prohibited. You can travel no earlier than 4 weeks after laparoscopy and 6 weeks after major surgery.

How long should you not lift weights after hysterectomy?

For the first time after surgery, it is strictly forbidden to load the muscles of the abdominal wall, as well as the pelvic floor, therefore physical exercise and heavy lifting are prohibited. For approximately 4-6 weeks, you must completely stop lifting objects heavier than 1-2 kg. If after this period the woman feels well, you can increase the weight slightly. But if any discomfort arises, you should immediately lower the object.

Many women cannot lift more than 2 kg for a whole year after surgery and more than 5 kg for the rest of their lives.

Under no circumstances should you test your strength by trying to lift weights; this can lead to abdominal pain, bleeding, and even the formation of a hernia, which will subsequently have to be removed surgically.

How long can you not have sex after a hysterectomy?

Sexual activity after hysterectomy is permitted after 4-6 weeks, depending on the complexity of the operation and the speed of recovery of the patient’s body. Sometimes you have to limit your sex life for six months or even a year.

It should also be taken into account that with the simultaneous removal of the ovaries, the woman’s hormonal levels are disrupted, so sexual desire may decrease. It is normalized after the administration of appropriate hormonal drugs.

How long can you not swim after a hysterectomy?

For the first time after the operation, it is forbidden to swim in the pool and especially in open reservoirs due to the questionable quality of the water in them. You can return to your favorite activity no earlier than 6-8 weeks after the hysterectomy.

Diet after surgery to remove the uterus and appendages

Immediately after surgery it is very important to avoid dehydration, so it is necessary to maintain the correct drinking regime, i.e. drink at least one and a half liters of water per day. As for nutrition, you need to start eating with small amounts of liquid and semi-liquid dishes, gradually expanding your diet. All food should contain a minimum of salt to prevent fluid retention and swelling.

You need to eat small portions 6-7 times a day. Food should contain fiber to restore normal bowel function and prevent constipation. Calorie intake is increased gradually, introducing new foods with caution. In this case, the food should not be too fatty or spicy.

In the early postoperative period, the consumption of foods that promote development, such as chocolate, pastries, strong coffee and tea, is prohibited. Bloating can cause the stitches to come apart.

After a hysterectomy, patients are often diagnosed with a decrease in hemoglobin levels in the blood. Eating dried apricots, buckwheat, pomegranate juice and lean meat will help prevent it.

It is important to adhere to a gentle diet for the first 2-4 months after surgery, then you can return to your usual diet. But we must remember that after removal of the uterus, many women gain excess weight, so it is important to control the caloric intake and level of physical activity.

Suture after hysterectomy

The postoperative suture can be either very small after laparoscopy or quite large after abdominal hysterectomy. In any case, it requires careful care until it heals completely.

If the suture is made using absorbable material, then after about 6 weeks it will disappear on its own. In other cases, the surgeon warns you when to return to the hospital to remove the stitches.

The first time after surgery, the suture must be treated with special means to avoid infection. You can take a shower without fear, but taking a bath is prohibited. The seam is carefully washed with liquid soap and washed off with water.

Gradually, a scar will form at the incision site. Sometimes the skin itches a little, it can be lubricated with a softening cream or lotion. A slight burning sensation or numbness in the scar area is normal and usually goes away after a couple of months.

Brown vaginal discharge after hysterectomy

After a hysterectomy, bloody vaginal discharge is normal. Their hue can be brown, reddish or pink, but the intensity always decreases. After about 4-6 weeks, the discharge stops. Typically, women note that their number increases with active movement.

If there is bleeding after removal of the uterus, it is forbidden to use tampons, only sanitary pads, preferably made of breathable material.

The nature of discharge in different patients can vary greatly, but there are clear boundaries of the norm. The reason for immediately contacting a doctor is:

An increase in the amount of discharge over time;
The appearance of copious bright red discharge (if the pads have to be changed more often than once every hour and a half);
The presence of too large clots may indicate large-scale internal bleeding;
The appearance of pus in the discharge and an unpleasant odor.

Temperature after hysterectomy

A slight increase in temperature in the first days after surgery is normal. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. After discharge, the temperature may also remain elevated, but not more than 37.5 °C. If it exceeds this mark, you should consult a doctor.

Removal of the uterus and menopause

Many women are afraid of a hysterectomy, believing that menopause will occur immediately after it. But if during the operation only the uterus was removed, but the tubes and ovaries were preserved, then practically no changes in the woman’s hormonal background will occur, the state of health will not change, only menstruation will disappear.

In this case, menopause occurs naturally when the supply of eggs in the body runs out.

There is an opinion that removing the uterus can slightly speed up the onset of menopause, by about 5 years. This is due to a violation of the blood supply to the ovaries, which mostly occurs due to the uterine arteries.

If during hysterectomy the appendages were also removed, surgical menopause begins. Usually it is a little more difficult to tolerate than natural, since during normal menopause the production of sex hormones stops gradually and the body has time to adapt to this, but after surgery it happens suddenly. It is most difficult for women of childbearing age.

Approximately 2-3 weeks after surgery, symptoms of menopause appear, which differ little from the signs of natural menopause - hot flashes, sweating, emotional instability, dry skin and hair, urinary incontinence when coughing and laughing, and vaginal dryness. Timely administration of hormone replacement therapy helps to avoid these problems.

Properly selected medications not only relieve unpleasant symptoms, but also help avoid osteoporosis and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer's disease.

Hormone replacement therapy may not be available in all cases. Contraindications to it are:

Oncological diseases;
Kidney and liver diseases;
Meningioma;
Pathologies of the leg veins (thromboembolism, thrombophlebitis).

It should also be remembered that there is no immediate improvement after starting treatment, and you will have to take medications for years until the time of natural menopause comes.

What complications are possible after removal of the uterus?

Although hysterectomy is a complex abdominal operation, complications after it are quite rare. But you need to know them in order to notice them in time and consult a doctor. Complications can occur both immediately after surgery and for several years after it.

In the first weeks or months after a hysterectomy, the patient faces:

Wound inflammation. It manifests itself in the form of swelling, redness, severe pain and pulsation of the skin in the wound area. The temperature can rise to 38 °C or more. Deterioration in health, headaches and nausea are also often recorded.
Bleeding. The opening of some vessels after surgery can lead to heavy bleeding from the vagina. The blood is usually red and there may be clots.
Inflammation of the bladder and/or urethra. It occurs due to mechanical damage to the mucous membranes during catheter insertion. After its removal, pain remains, which usually disappears after 4-5 days. If the pain does not go away or gets worse, you should consult a doctor.
Blockage of blood vessels by blood clots or thromboembolism. This complication most often occurs in patients who move little, so doctors recommend trying to get up and walk as early as possible.

There are a number of complications that arise some time after surgery, perhaps even years later:

Post-variectomy symptoms or premature menopause occur after a hysterectomy with removal of the ovaries. They are characterized by all the symptoms of menopause. Physiotherapy, exercise and hormonal medications are recommended for treatment.
Prolapse of the vaginal walls is one of the most common complications. Wearing a vaginal ring and Kegel exercises can partly prevent it. In the most difficult situations, surgery is required.
Urinary incontinence has two main causes - weakening of the ligamentous apparatus and a decrease in the level of estrogen in the blood in case of removal of the ovaries. It is eliminated with the help of special exercises and hormonal drugs. No re-operation is required.
Pain due to the development of adhesions requires the use of enzyme preparations. A thorough diagnosis is also necessary, since pain may occur due to incompetent sutures.
The formation of a fistula sometimes occurs when the sutures fail and an infection occurs. The problem can be solved with the help of an additional operation for sanitation and suturing of the tract.

Very often women experience depression, and after surgery they begin to consider themselves inferior. Therefore, doctors try to leave at least one ovary and part of the uterus to maintain a normal menstrual cycle. This allows you to avoid depressive moods and maintain normal hormonal levels.

To avoid many problems, it is very important to talk with the patient before the operation, explain to her that the uterus is an organ intended exclusively for bearing offspring and the rest of the time there is no great need for it. After a hysterectomy, her body will not change, the disease, the risk to life and the need for contraception will simply disappear.

After removal of a woman’s uterus, several rehabilitation periods can be distinguished. During the first days after surgery, therapy is aimed at preventing bleeding, blood clots and bacterial complications. Then, for one or two months, physical activity is limited, a special diet aimed at restoring the body, and physical therapy are prescribed. If a radical operation was performed to remove the appendages, replacement treatment with hormones is prescribed. The drugs are continued to be taken even a year after surgery, and in most cases they are taken for 5-10 years.

Early rehabilitation after uterine amputation

Removal of the uterus takes place in a hospital setting using general anesthesia. From the operating room the patient is admitted to intensive care for some time, then transferred to a ward. Treatment after surgery is aimed at relieving pain, preventing bleeding and thrombosis, and infectious complications. Infusion therapy is also carried out, which helps relieve intoxication after anesthesia and replenish the volume of lost blood. Immediately after the intervention, it is advised to drink only water, then liquid broths, yogurt, and kefir are allowed. In the future, they switch to fractional meals 5-6 times a day, in small portions. Products should not cause bloating, while providing all the body's nutritional needs.

Recovery after early hysterectomy is fairly quick. If the intervention was performed by laparoscopy, the patient is discharged home on the second or third day. After laparotomy, patients stay in the hospital for 5-10 days. Complications after amputation of the uterus in the first days may be as follows:

Bleeding
Inflammation and suppuration of sutures
Peritonitis
Pulmonary embolism
Vein thrombosis in the legs
Urinary disorders

To avoid these complications, adequate therapy must be used. To prevent bleeding and thrombosis, drugs that regulate blood clotting are prescribed. Infectious complications are prevented by prescribing antibiotics. To ensure that the consequences of removing the uterus and ovaries are not too pronounced, and rehabilitation is faster, it is advised to get out of bed early. After laparoscopic intervention - after 4-5 hours, after conventional surgery - after one day.

Removal of the uterus and recovery in the first months

The consequences of removal of the uterus and ovaries in the first months require adherence to a certain regimen and diet. The rehabilitation period lasts about four weeks after laparoscopy, and six weeks after laparotomy. During this time, the following complications may occur in a woman:

Pain in the lower abdomen
Prolapse of the vaginal walls
Urinary incontinence
Discharge after removal of the uterus from the vagina
Thrombophlebitis
Neurotic disorders

The consequences of removal of the uterus and ovaries in the first months often depend on the age of the patient, the presence of concomitant pathologies, the extent of the operation, and complications in the first days or weeks after the intervention. All patients are advised not to lift heavy objects (more than 3 kg) during this time and to limit physical activity. During the first four or six weeks, sex is prohibited after removal of the uterus; it is also not recommended to go to the pool or bathe for two months.

How to reduce negative consequences after surgery? What can be done besides following the above recommendations? Patients need to eat properly after surgery. To avoid anemia, you should eat red meats, apples, pomegranates, and take iron supplements. Food should be rich in vitamins and microelements. The menu must include all the substances the body needs, proteins, fats, complex and simple carbohydrates. To prevent consequences such as constipation after removal of the uterus and ovaries, you should eat foods that contain fiber. It is advisable to exclude smoked products, baked goods, and sweets in the first weeks. You cannot drink alcohol or carbonated drinks.

How to care for the suture after surgery? When the uterus is removed, the suture may be large or small, depending on the surgical technique. If absorbable material was used to close the wound, the threads will fall off on their own after 6 weeks. Otherwise, the surgeon removes them in a hospital setting. In the first days, the postoperative wound should be treated with special antiseptics to avoid infection. Wash the seam carefully in the shower using regular soap. When the sutures are removed, the scar can be treated with a cream or gel that speeds up its resorption.

To prevent thrombophlebitis, you need to wear compression stockings. Physiotherapy is recommended during the rehabilitation period. Physical therapy will help prevent the formation of adhesions. To avoid such consequences of removal of the uterus and ovaries as urinary incontinence, you need to do a set of Kegel exercises. They are aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor muscles.

Long-term consequences after removal of the uterus and ovaries

Life after surgery for many women remains almost unchanged. But there are consequences and complications that appear in the long term. First of all, this is post-hysterectomy and post-variectomy syndrome. Both are associated with hormonal imbalances. The identification of hysterectomy as an operation with a risk of endocrine disruption occurred relatively recently. Previously, it was believed that preserved ovaries could function normally and would not lead to disruption of hormone synthesis. In fact, after removal of the uterus, the blood supply to the gonads is disrupted, which leads to their ischemia and partial necrosis. As a result, women experience hormonal imbalances.

Posthysterectomy syndrome may occur a year after surgery or a little earlier. Manifested by mood swings, hot flashes, tachycardia, arrhythmia. Some women experience chronic pelvic pain that is difficult to relieve with painkillers. Ultimately, this leads to asthenia and neurotic disorders. Treatment for these symptoms during hysterectomy should be comprehensive; we’ll talk about it below.

After removal of the uterine appendages, post-variectomy syndrome appears. It is associated primarily with the shutdown of the endocrine function of the ovaries. It always occurs, and much faster than post-hysterectomy. More pronounced after removal of both uterus and ovaries, along with the cervix. It is characterized by three groups of symptoms:

Neurovegetative. They develop after removal of the uterus and ovaries during the first two years. Manifested by dizziness, weakness, headache.
Psycho-emotional (irritability, nervousness, mood swings).
Metabolic disorders (decreased body tolerance to glucose, fluid retention in the body).

Removal of the uterus causes consequences for the body in the form of a number of diseases. Women may develop atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and cardiomyopathies. Often, after a couple of years, patients are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, cholelithiasis, and osteoporosis. Removal of the uterus involves significant trauma to surrounding tissues. This leads to frequent formation of adhesions. Symptoms of adhesive disease are pain, flatulence, defecation and urination disorders.

Hormonal therapy after uterine amputation

After removal of the uterus, restoration is carried out with the help of hormones in cases where a woman has severe post-hysterectomy syndrome. After removal of the uterine appendages, it is indicated for all women of productive or premenopausal age. Hormone replacement therapy is carried out using estrogens and progestins. Natural estrogens are obtained from the urine of women carrying a child; they are included in drugs such as Premarin and Hormoplex. Synthetic hormones are analogues of estradiol and estriol. Partially modified estradiol esters are also used for HRT. Gestagens or progestins are used in combination with estrogens. They reduce the number of hormone-dependent estrogen receptors, which makes it possible to relieve the symptoms of early postoperative menopause and reduce the dose of estrogen.

Treatment for hysterectomy with hormones is short-term, medium-term and long-term. In the first case, hormones are prescribed for 2-3 years. This therapy is used mainly in older patients. If symptoms persist and there is a high risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease, medications are continued for 3-8 years. Long-term treatment for removal of the uterus and appendages is indicated for young women. Its duration is about ten years.

Hormone replacement treatment after removal of the uterus and ovaries is contraindicated in cases of severe liver disease, porphyria, and a tendency to increased thrombosis. It is also not performed for estrogen-dependent tumors of the uterus and mammary glands, both in the patient herself and in her closest relatives. Hormones should not be prescribed for melanoma or malignant kidney tumors. Relative contraindications to HRT are pancreatitis, cholecystitis, hypertension, edema syndrome, allergies, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and cerebral vascular pathology. Since removal of the uterus has serious consequences for the body, the decision about surgery is made individually, if it is impossible to carry out conservative therapy.

Start your path to happiness - right now!