I had mine done in December of '97. I was in what the doctor said was "early stages of pre-cancer" - I had no problems whatsoever with my monthly cycle, just abnormal paps!! My uterus was also tilted, as I like to say, in the "back 40" somewhere!! Mine was done vaginally, left my ovaries - nothing wrong with them so he left them in and I'm glad he did - no hormone pills/shots for me, yet! I was back at work 2 weeks after having mine but....I was manager for an OB/GYN clinic here in town (not one of the docs who did my surgery) so my doctor let me go back to work knowing I was in good hands with physicians near all day if anything should happen - they sent me home each day for the first 2 weeks back at noon but paid me for the whole day - they were GREAT during that time
Only problem I had was 6 weeks post-op, a cyst developed on one of my ovaries and ruptured - severe pain!!! Spent the week-end on the couch or in the bed but otherwise, have been fine ever since - and feel great! And don't let that myth about gaining weight after a hysterectomy bother you - I LOST weight after mine, actually lost too much and doc said if I hadn't stopped losing or at least gained a pound or 2 by 6 month check up, he'd have to run tests on me. I went from 132 pounds down to 117 in 2 months - I'm now at 125 and am staying in that general vacinity.
You'll do fine, I know you will
And you'll feel so much better after you've had a chance to recover from the surgery! I'm here for you if you want to talk - just pm me and I'll get you my email address.