Not quite to plan, wound infection after hysterectomy – Elizabeth ’ s story

I am 66 and underwent a laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (ovaries also removed) and extended vaginal cuff procedure due to VAIN and several dodgy smear results which colposcopy didn’t sort out. All did not quite go according to plan as I ended up with a wound infection and I hope my story will help anyone who feels unfit to leave hospital have the strength to argue their case better than I did. I feel that being discharged too early on 2 occasions caused my problems to be worse than they could have been and therefore made my recovery time longer. My hysterectomy was elective and I don’t at all regret that I chose to have it done as I am now freed from the nagging anxiety that I had cells which could become cancerous. I am also free from the prospect of repeated colposcopy sessions! I was sent home the day after the procedure (in spite of saying I did not feel well and the surgeon having said that there was a small possibility that my bowel had been perforated due to scar tissue from a previous appendix removal). I insisted that I did not feel well enough and asked if I should stay in hospital until I had opened my bowels. They gave me a bottle of laxative and a packet of paracetamol and discharged me. During that night at home I felt worse and, by morning I was in considerable discomfort so, after phoning 111 for advice, my husband drove me to my GP’s surgery as soon as it opened. My GP sent me straight back to the hospital with a letter saying...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Health hysterectomy stories laparoscopic hysterectomy vaginal hysterectomy Source Type: news