FAQ Hysterectomy

If you have a sedentary/desk job you may go back to work as early as two weeks after your surgery. If your job involves a lot of walking, lifting or moving about you should allow about four weeks off to completely heal. Please note that every patient is different, and the times stated above can vary from patient to patient.

You may drive when you are no longer taking prescription pain medication and your level of discomfort will allow you to safely operate a motor vehicle.

Do not lift anything greater than 10 pounds (or a gallon of milk) for four to six weeks.

Walking – Immediately as tolerated.
Running – Start slowly at a light place after the first one to two weeks.
Light weights – May lift under 10 pounds immediately; heavier weights may be used after four to six weeks. Listen to your body and progress slowly. If an exercise causes pain, decrease weight or wait longer to perform exercise.
Abdominal Exercises – Wait 2-4 weeks. Once again, listen to your body and don’t perform any exercises that cause pain.
Yoga – May resume after one to two weeks as tolerated.

You will need to wait for 12 weeks prior to resuming intercourse. You may not place anything (i.e. tampons, douching, sexual intercourse) in the vagina during this time. If you had a supracervical hysterectomy, i.e. the cervix was not removed, you may have intercourse after your postoperative visit (generally 4-6 weeks after surgery).

Physical – After hysterectomy, you will no longer have periods. If the ovaries are left in place, they continue to produce hormones and you will not enter menopause. Although the ovaries still function, a woman can no longer get pregnant. If the ovaries are removed before menopause, hormone-related effects will occur. Your body may seem to go through menopause all at once, rather than over a few years as is typical. If you are younger than 45 years and your ovaries were removed, you may be at risk of early osteoporosis. Your doctor can suggest ways to handle menopausal symptoms and prevent osteoporosis. If you are having a supracervical hysterectomy you will still need to follow routine Pap smear guidelines. Please speak with your gynecologist regarding your particular screening schedule.

Emotional – Many women have an emotional response to the loss of their uterus. This response depends on a number of factors and differs for each woman. Some women feel depressed because they can no longer have children. Other women may feel relieved because the symptoms they were having have now stopped.

Sexual – If the ovaries have been removed at the time of surgery, you may notice vaginal dryness during intercourse. Vaginal lubricants can help to relieve this dryness.