Debulking Surgery

[NewtonEmma1900]

Can anyone tell me what are the best briefs following debulking surgery?

I know with a c section you need ‘big pants’ but what is best for a vertical incision?

Thank you in advance.

[meaty]

great question as I am also having the surgery very soon . and could have a stoma. so interested. I wish you well with your surgery. x

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to meaty]

Sending my very best wishes to you too.🙏

[meaty in reply to NewtonEmma1900]

thankyou x

[Lyndy]

Hello Emma I would say low cut across the hip because they are constantly checking the wound for the first few days. I think I had to wear hospital pants for the actual op and then I had a catheter in for 24 hours because I had an epidural. I had staples not stitches and the wound wasn’t sore. Best of luck with it xx

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to Lyndy]

Many thanks Lyndy.

[Tezzaa66]

I just used my normal high leg briefs had no problems xx

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to Tezzaa66]

Thank you Tezza.

[mrstadpole in reply to Tezzaa66]

Yes I did too.From what I can remember (4 years ago now)the dressing covered all the scar so I didn't really feel anything.Good luck with the surgery.x

[Yorkiepudd]

I just wore a slightly larger big knicker (not big enough to fall down of course!) so they didn’t dig in anywhere. I also had staples, no dressing on the wound but had no issues. I didn’t wear any for the first 24 hours as was catheterised but after that showered and got dressed no problem. Good luck x

[Mommoo65]

I generally am a 'Commando' person so I wore granny panties for as little amt of time I could get away with it. Lol

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to Mommoo65]

Thank you.

[TMiPP]

I just used my normal knickers - I had full on hysterectomy with appendix gall bladder etc removed but did not have any issues. Good luck with your surgery. My tip for that would be do those exercises - I am so glad I did - I was on the table for 10 hours and I believe my recovery from the op was helped by the excersises. x

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to TMiPP]

Thank you, I am generally a really fit person , although after 4 rounds of chemo slightly less so. I have been out walking and trying to build my strength back up. I will follow your advice and do those excersises. I am not going down without a fight!

[Rosado22 in reply to NewtonEmma1900]

Hope it goes well.

[organicinna in reply to NewtonEmma1900]

Be very very careful with your ambitions though. "Slower you go further you be come " ))

[Loorunner in reply to NewtonEmma1900]

I'm 4 and a half weeks post debulking surgery. I have to say I didnt wear knickers until going home day. And then I wore big knickers which I have worn since. Just now transferring into high waist sloggis which feel they are keeping everything in place! My incision was below my belly button dow to the pubic bone. I'm now walking about 2.5 miles a day. Today I'm restarting chemo!!

[Rosado22 in reply to Loorunner]

Gosh, chemo starts quite soon after the op then.

[Loorunner in reply to Rosado22]

My oncologist was very keen to start asap- she would have had me in last week if she had had her way! But I wanted to wait til 4 had passed. It's all been fine so far today- I'm being infused as I type!

[Loorunner in reply to Rosado22]

I also did the exercises. And should also say, my 2.5 miles a day has been across 2 walks a day. And my surgery only took a couple of hours as the chemo has been doing a great job, so they just removed everything and there were no additional visible cancer bits to scrape off. They didnt take lymph nodes ( although I do have cancer in there).

[Rosado22 in reply to Loorunner]

Mine is remove as much as possible first, then chemo if c. Ca125 was so high, they suspect c. They assured me they will control the pain 😊 it’s the waiting that has been difficult, there are a lot of people needing surgery in my area and def harder now I live in a rural area rather than being the city girl I grew up as.

[Loorunner in reply to Rosado22]

Waiting is horrendous- hope it all gets done and dusted very soon xx

[Rosado22 in reply to Loorunner]

I bought high waist sloggis too, to wear at some point post op.

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to TMiPP]

10 hours. It’s got to be worth it!

[TMiPP in reply to NewtonEmma1900]

I hope so! Let us know how you get on. X Terri

[Rosado22 in reply to TMiPP]

Ten hours? I hope mine is quicker, it is tomorrow, he said three to four hours

[Rosado22 in reply to TMiPP]

Which exercises did you do,?

[TMiPP in reply to Rosado22]

Hi Rosado I was given them by the hospital physiotherapy dept. in association with Macmillan I tried to send a picture but it wasnt allowing it. I am happy to email you if you want it - it may be too easy for you though [e-mail].I was also given this link but I didnt do this youtu.be/291XAw8sVq8(Not working as expected?) Home exercise class

x Terri

[Rosado22 in reply to TMiPP]

Thanks, it looks v much like easy Pilates. I found some exercises online and they were quite similar to the ones a physio gave me for my pain, that I’ve been doing for six months until the scans. Ironically, the more stretches and pelvic floor exercises I did, the stronger I got and the more it marked my seemingly untypical symptoms ….. I’ll see what the hospital physio says when they visit me on the ward.

[NewtonEmma1900]

😂😂😂

[TMiPP]

Good for you! That is the spirit. Best of luck x

[Manchesterlady]

Big knickers definitely, I had a catheter for two days .Good luck with your surgery xx

[Manchesterlady]

Big knickers definitely.Good luck with your surgery xx

[Saintgermain]

I had debulking with vertical also I bought high waist cotton briefs a couple sizes larger probably similar to what one would wear during maternity another suggestion because most hospitals at least in the US don’t give you a Velcro abdominal binder Godsend you can get them on Amazon most days if I wasn’t going out during recovery I would wear pajamas and my binder i wish you the best of luck the hysterectomy actually wasn’t that bad

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to Saintgermain]

Thank you

[Rosado22 in reply to Saintgermain]

I’d not heard of a binder. It’s not been mentioned to me in the uk up yet.

[Danteandsam in reply to Saintgermain]

Binders aren’t recommended in the UK as they feel they interfere with healing so best ask first if you’re here

[Rosado22 in reply to Danteandsam]

Ah, okay

[Fluffyjumper]

I wore high waisted cotton granny knickers a size or two bigger than normal once my catheter was removed. I also bought stretch waistband yoga pants to wear after the op.

[NewtonEmma1900 in reply to Fluffyjumper]

Thank you. Have got soft tracksuit bottoms to wear for comfort.

[Jayniiee]

Hi Emma, I'm a big pants kinda gal 😊but I don't think it would matter what you wear. I wore lose ones to be comfortable. They told me to take mine off just outside theatre. I forgot to ask on the ward if on or off. I had metal staples and the dressing was just on for a couple of days and while you look like frankenstein they don't hurt. I thought it would hurt when the nurse took them out two weeks later but it didn't. My op was for 5 hours. Remember to take in some orange squash, if you don't like plain water. I forgot mine and the nurse kindly gave me a bottle. I was determined to drink loads and move around to get pooing again. They want you to do a wee and poo before they will discharge you. It is amazing how quickly you go from feeling you can't move to walking around and feeling strong again. My surgery was 5 hours long and I was in for four nights. You've got this! 😊 Good luck with it all x sending you big hugs x

[Morini]

I gathered together my oldest pants and cut them down the middle so they held up but didn't touch my scar/clips. So elegant!! Best wishes xx

[Trickysite]

Pregnancy tights are good. Can anyone tell me if or when my big tummy may go down? It is 4 months since my 10 hour op and my tummy is still huge, my waist 4 cms/2inches bigger than normal, and ditto my ribcage. Is this my permanent new normal? Previous size 10.

[Rhonddalady]

Hi, I used the net pants they use in hospitals. Bought them on amazon. They were so comfortable with no pressure on my wound. They are also washable. Wishing you well with your operation . Jan xx

[organicinna]

LOL...... I noticed that with my vertical debulk, my full briefs rubbing against my belly button scar and irritates healing. So i got shorts cotton briefs that below belly button. And because i lost more than a stone after op I bought 2 size smaller. Then I started to put weigh back on and got back to my usual size 16UK and shorts become uncomfortable after about 4- 5 month. Full scar healing was like after 6 month or so, but still prefer full briefs obviously ))

[bamboo89]

I'm a bit confused by someone saying they had a cut from their belly button down to the pubis; I had a full debulking surgery and my incision was from the breastbone right down to the pubis, 12 inches long from top to bottom, and no knickers were comfortable while the staples were in place. Dressings were only on for just under two days, and then nothing over the top, staples fully exposed till two or three weeks later when they were removed, so I never wore any knickers for the nine days in hospital,, and I thanked the lord I'd had the foresight to bring a loose dress to wear for the journey home, anything that fitted properly round the waist would have been intolerable, so no tights either. I had bought cheap 'big knickers', 100% cotton and a size or two bigger than I'd normally wear so they were not tight, and I wore those to go home in and for the following 2 or 3 months, then went back to normal knickers.

Two other things - I took my own nighties to wear, never wore one, just used hospital gowns - they were longer than my nighties, which was good, and they'd get mucky, what with a drain and catheter, and second, I wished I'd taken a pot of vaseline to use on my lips and teeth while I was on the morphine to stop my lips sticking to my teeth...

Miriam

[Kaitlinsmum]

HiOn Amazon I bought a multipack of cotton full briefs in my normal size. They have a soft elastic top of about an inch. Very comfy and wash really well. I couldnt find them when i just tried to search my old orders. I have seen similar on market stalls. They are not glamerous and remind me of my mother in law but Im past caring! Good luck with your surgery x

[bananayo]

I also had an incision from just under breastbone to pubis with staples, I spent 6 nights in hospital so didn’t wear any knickers at all, (I’d bought big ones a size bigger) nor worn any of the new nightie’s I’d bought as the hospital gowns were comfy. I had a catheter in for 2 weeks so I only wore a pair of knickers to travel home in the car. I found smaller bikini style ones easier to wear they were more comfortable on my scar than the big briefs ! Good luck with your surgery xx

[Supermary]

I ended up with a temporary stoma

High leg / high waist briefs with some Lycra is good to wear to keep the stoma bag in place

I didn’t use a belt

I had the stoma for one month

In the hospital I wore hospital provided briefs

Good luck with the surgery

Margaret

[Lookingahead]

I bought ‘minis ‘ from M&S — they sit below the scar ! I also bought loose dresses and loose nighties . Hope that helps . Good luck . When is your surgery ? I had an ileostomy as well . It was all a bit daunting but it is easy to adjust your diet for the stoma . I also had loose clothes for the stoma . After about 8 months you can go back to more fitted clothes. You will be able to get supports on prescription from eg Comfizz . I did my exercises religiously and didn’t lift anything g for weeks and had no problem with a hernia . ❤️

[SopSinger]

Basically nothing that presses on the incision. High waist. In hospital they'll provide you with loose (probably paper) knickers that enable access for wound checks.

[rosebine in reply to SopSinger]

Wouldnt rely on the paper knickers, the ones they gave me were so small they barely covered the bottom of my bum ! (I am not small in the bum department though)

[SopSinger in reply to rosebine]

whoops! I'm sometimes given massive ones when I go for a colonoscopy. Makes me wonder if anyone really has a bum that big!

😀