Doctor Rich:
Some people are afraid of having any surgery, but specifically hysterectomy. Maybe a family member had an open surgery and they were told that they were in bed for two months — or certainly not at work for a couple of months! What was your experience?
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Michelle:
Well, I will tell you that my mother had an open hysterectomy and WAS in bed for two months — and she actually had some complications with that. So it definitely did play into my decision to go this route. But my recovery was probably one of the most simple that I’ve ever been through. And I’ve had several surgeries…I’d had three babies…so we all know how that goes.
But this was a very simple surgery. I don’t even think I felt enough pain not to be able to walk. I mean, I walked out of the hospital! I had to keep reminding myself that there was a lot being done on the inside of my body — because the outside of my body was feeling great! So it’s definitely an easy recovery. I was up and walking in two or three days. I don’t know if I’m supposed to say that in front of my doctor, but…
Doctor Rich:
[Laughing] We’ll let it go.
Michelle:
It was a really easy recovery.
Doctor Rich:
And I think that robotic technology is (in my opinion) the best option. I think a lot of people end up — in our practice and in many practices — going home the same day. There’s often a quick return to normal activities: driving, going back to work… What was your experience?
Michelle:
It was a very quick turnaround time for myself. I DID walk out of the hospital — I was out the same day. I was driving about maybe day five (which I’m probably not supposed to do either) but I was driving, and I was back to work in less than two weeks. I mean, I felt perfectly fine. Like I said, I really just had to remind myself that I actually had some major surgery that happened. But with the robotics…it’s definitely just a game changer for people who are active and they need to get back to their lives quickly with no complications. So definitely. A hundred percent.
Doctor Rich:
And you said you had to remind yourself. Is that because there wasn’t a lot of pain or anything?
Michelle:
Right! I think I maybe took Tylenol for a couple of days — but that was it! There was no discomfort. I think the biggest discomfort I had (honestly) was maybe sitting up in the morning — just kind of getting your bearings. You know, maybe a little sore — like a hard ab exercise, an ab workout, or something like that. But other than that, I mean, I felt fine. It was really no pain.
Doctor Rich (02:30):
That’s amazing!
So, we normally send people home with Motrin and Tylenol with codeine. You’re a super healer…
Michelle:
Yeah, I think! I don’t know!
Doctor Rich:
You’re like above and beyond. So, you know, individual results may vary — but that is a fairly good description of an average recovery. Usually, I think people go home the same day, they’re driving (probably after five days), and back at work in two days. There are a few things that take longer — there’s no sexual activity for two months, and you know, we had to lay off the hard ab workouts for probably a few months. But other than that, I think what you’re saying is what we hear from a lot of patients. And that’s why we see this value in robotics and why we’ve been so adamant about championing women to ask! To do the research, and to find a provider that can give them the best possible outcome and the least invasive surgery.
Michelle:
I feel amazing now. And I wish that I had done it sooner, but I know that as a mom — and I’m sure there’s a lot of moms out there that battle the same thing — that I can’t take this much time. And it’s really not that much time. Like, you’re okay. You’re okay very quickly afterwards.
Doctor Rich:
So a lot of people are going to ask, what is the scarring like? What are the incisions? Can you see them? Was there a lot of scarring? Do you notice it?
Michelle:
Um, no. So as for scarring — mine are gone. You can’t see them anymore at all. I had one in my belly button (which I never saw in the first place!), and then three others. And they’re completely gone! So if you look at me — like at my abdomen — there’s no scarring whatsoever.
Doctor Rich:
So that was a portion of my conversation with Michelle that I really wanted to highlight, because I don’t think that we talk often enough about fears that people have around surgery and robotic hysterectomy. If you want to see more, please click on the full conversation video here. And if you have questions, please leave them in the comments section of the video for myself or for Michelle.
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