Uterine fibroids are quite common, and up to 80% of women develop these benign uterine growths. While many women don’t run into fibroid-related complications, a fair number do, and fibroids account for 29% of hospitalizations for gynecologic diseases in women ages 15-54. And up to 60% of hysterectomies are performed because of problematic fibroids.
Instead of a hysterectomy, you’ve opted for a minimally invasive myomectomy procedure, during which Dr. Fernando Otero and the team here at Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley remove your fibroids, keeping your uterus intact.
While our use of minimally invasive technology certainly helps to speed up recovery, there are still some things you should expect afterward, which we get into here.
In most cases, when we use minimally invasive techniques to remove fibroids, your hospital stay isn’t all that long— perhaps a night or two. In some cases, we might even send you home the same day, which is sometimes the case when we’re able to go in vaginally to remove your fibroids.
In all cases, we use general anesthesia, so you’ll be groggy afterward and, if you’re going home, you need someone to drive and accompany you.
It’s a good idea to shower before your myomectomy, as we ask that you avoid showering for 24-48 hours after the procedure, especially if we make small incisions in your lower abdomen.
You can expect some discomfort after your myomectomy, but in most cases, this discomfort only lasts a few days to a week. Over-the-counter medications are often enough to address the pain, though we can prescribe something stronger if you need it.
Another side effect that you should expect is vaginal discharge, so we recommend stocking up on pads before your procedure. Please note that you may not use tampons as we don’t want you putting anything in your vagina for about 6 weeks.
Long-term recovery from your minimally invasive fibroid removal surgery can take up to 6 weeks. During the first week, we suggest you use this time to rest. We want you to limit your activities and not do anything strenuous, especially lifting.
During week 2, listen to your body and slowly get back to your normal activities, though we still want you to avoid anything strenuous and lifting. You can likely drive and work, but only if these don’t strain your body too much.
When it comes to sexual activity, we refer to what we mentioned above about not putting tampons in your vagina for 6 weeks — well, this also includes intercourse.
As for activity levels, by week 3 you can probably get back into your usual routine. But if you’re doing anything strenuous, pay close attention to your body and stop if you’re feeling any discomfort.
In all, you should count on 6 weeks before you feel like yourself again, and at that point we give you the greenlight for all of your usual activities. Rest assured, we monitor you closely during this time, and we’re just a phone call away if you have any questions.
While most minimally invasive fibroid removal procedures go smoothly, we want you to be aware of potential complications, which include:
If you experience any of these issues, please call us immediately.
If you have any more questions about what to expect during your recovery after minimally invasive fibroid removal surgery, please contact one of our offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas.
