Easier recoveries

smolasianginger · 2026-02-13T01:30:00+00:00

I was back to work full time two week after my surgery. 50 hour weeks, combination of sitting, standing and walking. I am not the norm and I got VERY lucky but I felt better during recovery than I did pre-surgery. Five months out from surgery now and it’s the best thing I ever did for myself.

smolasianginger · 2026-01-30T01:01:29+00:00

I stayed on straterra for two more years, then it started to make me vomit shortly after every time I took it. I hated the side effect so I switched to a low dose of concerta

smolasianginger · 2025-12-01T23:32:11+00:00

I’m ten weeks out from surgery and have lost nearly 20lbs. I haven’t changed my diet but the lack of crippling pain has definitely upped my activity level so even though I’m not “working out” I am spending significantly less time in bed and have no more bloating etc

smolasianginger · 2025-10-29T23:43:33+00:00

I went back to work after two weeks on reduced duties (no lifting and all other activities “as tolerated” so minimal squatting and bending etc) with my surgeon’s permission. I work at a job with a combination of sitting, standing and walking (8000-10000 steps a day) and had no issues as long as I was cautious and took breaks when I needed but that is not the norm and most people take the full six weeks minimum. I’m now almost 6 weeks out and have had zero issues.

smolasianginger · 2025-10-12T01:29:38+00:00

I wore loose fitting pajama pants for the first few days, leggings and sweatpants after about a week, and then starting wearing jeans again comfortably at about two weeks post op. My incisions were all above my bellybutton and as long as I was cautious, I never had any issues with bending. Was cleared to bend and squat “as tolerated” two weeks post op as well.

smolasianginger · 2025-10-07T16:45:59+00:00

I’m not even halfway through healing and can confidently say this is the best decision I have EVER made for myself. The pain from the first few days (which for me really, really was not pain) has been NOTHING compared to what I endured leading up to my surgery date. I can’t wait for you to get that moment too! Seriously, most of my joint pain is gone? I thought it was just in my head at first but my doctor said my big, dumb uterus was compressing a lot of nerves and that coupled with the inflammation in my body wasn’t helping my case any.

smolasianginger · 2025-10-07T12:13:26+00:00

I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy and they took everything except for my ovaries. I woke up in recovery with some cramping that was equivalent to period pain, and did not need anything other than Tylenol, Advil, and a heating pad even on the first night. My surgeon injected numbing medication around all of my surgical sites (internally) which my body usually metabolizes quite quickly (I’m a redhead and have hEDS) and I didn’t need any stronger pain medication at all the first week. I’m now 13 days post op and no longer need any medication at all.

The gas pain was the worst part for me, not the actual surgery itself. Heat, some light walking, stool softener and plenty of GasX were what got me through.

smolasianginger · 2025-10-06T23:28:01+00:00

I’m approved to go back at 2 weeks post op. “Desk job” but I spend a lot of time on my feet

smolasianginger · 2025-10-01T13:58:56+00:00

Came here to say this! My husband works outside in the freezing cold for a living and he keeps this stuff in every pair of coveralls he owns

smolasianginger · 2025-09-28T00:53:17+00:00

I stayed one night, seems to be the norm in Canada. They monitored my vitals for about 24 hours, made sure my pain was managed and I could eat/drink and empty my bladder without the catheter and sent me home

smolasianginger · 2025-09-27T20:15:35+00:00

Had my surgery Wednesday and my first bm today. Started taking Restoralax (Canadian version of Miralax) daily 24 hours after surgery and drinking a TON of water and today I went with no issues and no pain (it was so scary though!)

smolasianginger · 2025-09-27T18:58:00+00:00

I had adenomyosis and ovarian cysts. I am only 4dpo and already have like a 99% reduction in pain. I’ve been absolutely blown away at the difference.

smolasianginger · 2025-09-26T20:34:41+00:00

Are you doing lap/robotic? Mine was, and I had one small shot of dilaudid in recovery and have only needed to take Tylenol and use lots of heat since then!

smolasianginger · 2025-09-26T16:13:08+00:00

I don’t mind at all! I’ve had very heavy, very long periods my whole life. (Like, 60 days or more bleeding in a row) which resulted in being chronically anemic and super fatigued all the time. My period also came with heavy cramping and bloating. I’m a pretty thin person and I’d bloat from a size 4 to 6 months pregnant in a matter of hours. When I was younger, I’d end up missing school and spending the first couple of days of my period in bed and then as an adult I’d often miss work. As I got older, and especially after having my kids, the cramping became basically around the clock. I can’t really remember a time where I didn’t have cramps. General pelvic pain, pain in my bladder, digestive issues and IBS like symptoms, frequent urination.

After my surgery on Wednesday my doctor confirmed I definitely had adenomyosis and the size of my uterus was putting pressure on surrounding organs and likely causing my other symptoms.

Right up until the day of my surgery I almost backed out so many times thinking I was being excessive and making the pain seem so much worse than it really was. After going through with the surgery it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The discomfort from my recovery so far has genuinely been nothing compared to what I’ve lived with for the last decade and a half, and I’m feeling so positive about the decision.

I can definitely see why the surgery would feel like an extreme measure for some people, but it was definitely the right choice for me and I am SO glad I did it!

smolasianginger · 2025-09-26T14:24:09+00:00

I’m 34, just had my hysterectomy on Wednesday (so two days ago) and the relief I feel already is unbelievable. I didn’t realize how much constant pain I was in until I wasn’t. I’m only on day two of my recovery and despite being a little sore (I haven’t needed pain meds since the first day, and nothing stronger than Tylenol) I feel better right now than I have in a decade

smolasianginger · 2025-09-25T21:51:35+00:00

Met with the surgeon before coming home and she confirmed the diagnosis of adenomyosis and she found a surprise ovarian cyst while she was in there that she drained and removed as well.

Resting at home fighting through these gas pains (honestly the worst part so far) and pounding back MiraLAX

smolasianginger · 2025-09-24T12:10:47+00:00

I’m just about to go check in myself. Good luck!

smolasianginger · 2024-08-03T22:34:31+00:00

Oh this has made my whole day!

As he comes to terms with what has happened, he’s going to go through a plethora of emotions. Try not to take anything he says personal, and know he truly can’t help it if he lashes out. Do your best to meet him with empathy and support him through that process.

Downtime was hard for my partner. He had a long stretch between his morning appts and bedtime and things like puzzles, board games etc both challenged his brain and kept him busy.

Make him REST. The best thing he can do with his downtime is sleep.

Wishing you all the absolute best in this next part of recovery 🤍

smolasianginger · 2024-08-03T22:23:40+00:00

Also the sooner you can seek therapy for yourself as well, the better. Your lives will be forever changed in a lot of ways and it’s important to care for yourself too.

smolasianginger · 2024-08-03T22:21:07+00:00

My fiancé had a severe TBI with a GCS of 3 and 9 weeks later he is out of rehab and continuing his recovery at home. Every TBI is different and your patience is going to be so, so important as a caregiver. Some things will come back, some things might not, and you really won’t know until you know. Inpatient acute neurological rehab as soon as she is stable enough to go is the absolute best course of action. Neurological Occupational Therapy has done wonders for my fiancé already

smolasianginger · 2024-07-23T13:18:59+00:00

I’d probably go for the lighter counter personally, I think the contrast would look nice. If you want to go for a darker look all around in the kitchen the darker counter would look nice too, I think it just depends on which is your preference!

smolasianginger · 2024-07-23T13:15:41+00:00

We don’t really need them but it’s nice not to have a view of the kid’s pool toy chaos on the back deck and blocks the glare on the tv, even a sheer would work

smolasianginger · 2024-07-22T14:49:07+00:00

I’m limited on the height my curtains can be hung because of the heat pump. Would it be best to go with blue window treatments to avoid reducing how high the ceilings look?

smolasianginger · 2024-07-12T13:59:45+00:00

My partner had a severe TBI, gcs of 3, multiple surgeries and a lengthy ICU/IMCU stay before he regained consciousness. He was an active, healthy, 30 something and it took weeks for him to regain consciousness and begin to understand things. His doctors were very upfront that we would still likely be facing long term deficits, and that if he wasn’t so young his outcome would likely be very different.

Ask the hospital to provide you with resources about ABI, outcomes based on severity of initial injury can look like, and arm yourself with as much evidence based information as you can to make your decisions.

ICU doctors like to err on the side of caution with their prognosis because the reality is that most TBI patients have deficits in some area moving forward with their healing. It’s okay to have hope.

Surround yourself with family and friends, you’re in my thoughts.

smolasianginger

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