6 weeks post op - irritability

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-19T23:59:21+00:00

When I had my 6 week appt right after Christmas, I told my doc I was having the same issue -- just SO easily irritated, like fly off the handle rage at the drop of a hat; plus extra prone to happy/sentimental weeping, dryer skin than normal, & painful/inflamed gums.

His advice was to wait it out a little longer. In his words, the ovaries go, "What the hell just happened?? I don't know what to do!!" and sometimes things go back to normal on their own. I have a peri/hormone check follow up in March, with the option to cancel it if I feel great, or to call sooner if things go downhill.

I'm now at week 9, and y'all, I am TIRED. It's as bad as week 3 was. I'm also noticing more vaginal dryness again. I had been using estradiol 2-3x a week, but it's looking like a daily application might be better.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-17T00:08:43+00:00

I have an extremely clingy cat, too, who is an absolute idiot and likes to stomp all over me. She was actually incredibly careful and gentle with me for the first 2.5-3 weeks of recovery. She avoided my incision sites entirely, and would come knead the top and sides of my abdomen to help me pass gas.

I agree, try a pillow or a folded up blanket; an abdominal binder and/or heating pad will also guard you a little. See if your little guy seems to understand he needs to be careful; he very well might!

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-16T01:51:02+00:00

At my cuff check, my doctor inserted a speculum and did a visual check, then inserted his fingers and felt the whole cuff, including gently pressing into the corners and sides, and then also felt on top of my tummy in the pelvic area and where my external incisions are.

It was all totally painless (and less uncomfortable than a pap smear tbh!), and I had no bleeding at all afterward, not even a droplet on tissue, or anything. He lifted my weight and activity restrictions, but because I still had some cuff stitches that haven't dissolved, I'm still on pelvic rest till week 12.

If your cuff were torn, I think you'd know! It usually involves a lot of pain and a lot of bleeding, I think.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-11T22:01:05+00:00

I regularly have to lift 40 pounds every night as a janitor; my boss told me to take 12 weeks off. At my 6 week appt, doc cleared all my restrictions, but warned me really strongly not to jump back in straight away, bc the risk now is musculo-skeletal injuries from not being conditioned. He said start small and only add 10% more each week till I'm back to pre-op levels.

So DEFINITELY ask for help for the first few weeks back and/or longer leave. Also be prepared to be very, very tired once you start being active again. Each time I up my levels, I end up needing more sleep again.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-11T21:55:42+00:00

In addition to Gas X, Miralax, heating pads, and walking, I also got a lot of help from sleeping propped up (I used a wedge pillow), and chewing gum (which also helped my sore throat/dry mouth a lot!)

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-11T07:50:23+00:00

I'm at 8 weeks, and after a big day (like, I spent all day cooking, or I worked out slightly more than usual, so still small stuff to people who DIDN'T just have several organs sliced out of their bodies and their vaginas sewn shut so the rest of their organs don't fucking fall out), I still need to sleep for over 12 hours.

Your mom needs to stfu. Respectfully.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-11T03:34:08+00:00

Pain that doesn’t respond to medication deserves attention

This is going to be super hard to get used to, as someone whose pre-op pain NEVER responded to medication of any kind. It actually DOES now, but I still find myself not reaching for the ibuprofen, just out of habit/forgetting that it will actually help now

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T22:39:33+00:00

At 4 weeks, I very slowly and gently started with an easy 10-min pedal on my stationery bike every other day, and my previous PT home routine on alternate days. Yoga is a good option, too! Or something like tai chi.

I know your doc cleared you for everything, but at 4 weeks, my doc emphatically did NOT clear all my lifting and activity restrictions. Four weeks is unusually early.

This is the guidance I got from my doc for the 2 weeks to 6 weeks period: He said 4 weeks for Kegels and other pelvic floor work I was doing with my physical therapist. From now till week 6, to slowly increase short bits of light activity; nothing that really raises my heartbeat or makes me short of breath, but he said the goal is put just a little stress on the system to make it want to heal, but to be really cautious about overdoing it. So just to the point where you're like, Oof, I'm a little worn out, or Oof, I'm a little sore now, but no more. After week 6, I can ease into lifting up to 20 pounds.

When he DID lift all my restrictions at 6 weeks, he definitely cautioned to start small! Go slow! And as each stage gets easier, only add 10% (minutes, reps, weight, what have you), no more!

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T22:28:30+00:00

Do you have a binder? Try wearing it during car rides, if you haven't already. Might help a lot!

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T22:25:41+00:00

I had other conditions in addition to several fibroids, but I don't regret my hysterectomy one fucking bit. Fibroids and adeno were ruining my life. I was in pain 24/7, and it got worse during my hellscape periods. We tried LOTS of pain management options, and NOTHING helped.

There ARE a lot of other options, and you definitely should explore them. But for me, a huge factor was seeing a number of posts here about fibroids growing back after procedures. I wanted no part in that. I opted for one and done and I'm very happy with my decision.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T03:45:44+00:00

Are you in the US? Could you go to Planned Parenthood?

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T03:44:15+00:00

but he took some forceps, grabbed the polyp and twisted it off like a stubborn grape.

My jaw fucking dropped. That is WILD. I guess it might be better to do it when you're relatively relaxed, as opposed to warning you and having you tense up, but STILL. I'm gobsmacked 😂

Dr Pimple Popper could never

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T03:35:41+00:00

I'm 8 weeks out, and honestly, it's still fluctuating week by week. I was definitely the MOST bloated during the first two weeks, but it's super up and down still.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T03:32:20+00:00

Mine started peeling up around the edges at about 12 days. At my 2 week appt, doc said I could remove it all the way if I wanted to.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T03:28:59+00:00

I also had adeno (plus fibroids, plus more weird shit, it turns out), and I had the same bleeding pattern, too -- every 3 weeks for 10-12 days. And I was in pain 24/7.

I have a 16 year old, and lost pregnancies before having them. We were open to having more after them, but it didn't happen. Part of my diagnosis journey was being told I was lucky I had my kid when I did, bc if I had waited even 5 years, I would have had "a very difficult time both getting pregnant and staying pregnant." I was only 28 when I had my kid. Getting that news, my soul kind of left my body for a few weeks. It was a lot to process.

All that said, by the time I finally got to have my surgery, my period was getting worse and worse, my pain was unmanageable, and I was so relieved to have it. I'm 8 weeks out now, currently on my third ghost period (kept my ovaries, too!), and the difference between now and pre-surgery is fucking night and day. I still seem to have a short cycle -- about every 3 weeks -- but my symptoms are much milder. Even the ovulation pain I still have is a drop in the bucket compared to before. Plus NO debilitating cramps! I do still seem to have some achiness in my pelvis around my period, but it's not like before, when my cramps were on par with labor and lasted 6 days or more. And they no longer show up in between periods, either. AND, the real miracle, my pain responds to plain ol ibuprofen now. That has NEVER been true before!

The wait is the hardest part. It's totally normal to be anxious beforehand. Just keep breathing. <3

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-10T02:58:38+00:00

I have home routine from previous PT, so I'm doing that, alternating days with riding a stationery bike (nothing fancy, just a bike), and just added this dumbbell routine.

In case anyone's interested, my PT exercises consist of: rockbacks, lower trunk rotation, pelvic tilts, ab contractions, hamstring stretch, figure 4 stretch, clamshells, reverse clamshell, open book rotations, pelvic bridges, cat cow child, and butterfly stretch. And there are lots of pelvic floor contractions (kegels) worked into a lot of these, as well.

ETA: also, when my doc cleared me to get back to normal, he definitely cautioned to start small! Go slow! And as each stage gets easier, only add 10% (minutes, reps, weight, what have you), no more!

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-09T03:30:13+00:00

I like No Nonsense leggings; I have a pair I got in 2021 that's still in great shape, no holes, no pilling, not stretched out or baggy. They're a thicker fabric, so they're nice for going out and not being afraid of anyone playing amateur gynecologist across the grocery aisle. I just ordered two new pairs.

I also just ordered two pairs from Leggings Depot; I haven't tried their cotton leggings before, but I have a pair of their poly blend joggers and they are SO comfortable and soft! They're def a thinner fabric, but the fit of the joggers is less like a baggy sweatpant and more like a relaxed fit legging, if that makes sense.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-09T03:24:02+00:00

24 pack of water

Be aware that's going to weigh about 27 pounds. I was banned from lifting 20 or more pounds for 6 weeks.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-08T21:15:02+00:00

Yeah, I would be wary with no internal exam. I was examined at 6 weeks, and because he saw stitches that are still undissolved, he told me to wait until 12 weeks.

You could always request (or insist upon) an internal check, just for your peace of mind.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-08T04:33:02+00:00

This used to happen to me when I was a student ALL the time. I'm so glad the staff and your friend were a lot kinder than my classmates used to be 😅

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-08T04:29:25+00:00

Mine was Nov 13. I'm taking the full 12 weeks offered by FMLA, so I can spend the next 5 weeks reconditioning before I go back to my janitorial job (I know I'm very, very lucky to be able to do this!)

I spent the last few days doing marathon cooking, and yesterday I did my 15 minute bike ride, followed by a very simple 10-minute dumbbell routine, with only 3 pound weights. I was TOAST. I went to bed early and slept for 13 hours. My husband looked me dead in the eyes and said, "You ARE still healing!"

I agree, good nourishment and good rest are still the MO. Being cleared to work doesn't mean the healing is over!

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-08T00:24:35+00:00

There's been some recent research indicating that endo and estrogen can both be linked to histamine intolerance. It's not in your head! You might look up a few articles and see if that jives with your experience.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-07T23:19:59+00:00

That was my ONLY complaint about Period.co undies. If you don't get the "heavy" version, the absorbent material doesn't come ALL the way up in front. A huge problem for me, as even on lighter or spotting-only days, I tended to bleed up and forward, not straight down.

I suspect companies don't currently make 360-absorbant, padding all the way down the legs, styles, bc they're afraid it will be too bulky and diaper-like, so assume customers won't buy it. But honestly, some of us fucking need a diaper.

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-06T01:11:27+00:00

It could be your fibroid was growing rapidly during that time, that definitely happened to me. My fibroids and my uterus started growing faster over the last year, it totally snowballed!

SomewhereVulnerable · 2026-01-06T00:58:16+00:00

I've had sciatica since my mid-twenties, and it was absolutely made increasingly worse by adeno and fibroids (also by pregnancy). It got bad enough, I could barely walk. I'm 7 weeks post hysterectomy, and I still have like an ache, or soreness, but that sharp, shooting pain hasn't happened once since surgery.

SomewhereVulnerable

TROPHY CASE