An 80s TV star has shared a series of photos after undergoing surgery to remove her uterus.
Jenny Powell is best known for appearing on the series No Limits, which ran from 1985 until 1987.
She then went on to present on programmes including Wheel of Fortune, UP2U, Gimme 5, Live Talk, Wordplay and Daybreak.
However, the 56-year-old has recently been battling a series of health issues, which led her to have a hysterectomy.
Prior to the procedure, Jenny had been dealing with the symptoms of severe menopause, which saw her living with an enlarged uterus, fibroids (non-cancerous growths) and adenomyosis which caused heavy bleeding, constipation and a constant need to urinate.
This week she went on to share photos of her body following the surgery.
First updating her followers, Jenny had earlier shared videos in her hospital bed.
‘This is literally 36 hours after my robotic hysterectomy. I haven’t had any pain killers yet and my itchiness of healing, that’s coming on now across my tummy,’ she explained.
A few days later she offered this update: ‘So, it’s been five days since my hysterectomy with the robot and things are coming along nicely with my scaring.
‘I’ve had a few showers and I’m still a bit swollen but that will soon die down, it’s not too bad.
‘Now for aftercare, it’s about not doing too much but also keeping moving and not doing anything too little so I’m going to start to do a few little exercises, I had a good walk yesterday.’
The TV star then spoke about how the response to her posts had been ‘overwhelming’.
‘Thousands of of you sharing with me your own experiences, fears and hopes for a better quality of life post op. The key is getting the right advice and support, knowing when your quality of life is truly being affected and seeking help to improve it,’ she posted on Instagram alongside a photo showing her stomach while still in hospital.
‘If you are booked in for the op, work on your mindset, eat well, be as fit and healthy as you can and share your concerns and apprehensions with others. You are not alone.’
What is a Hysterectomy?
They are carried out to treat problems that affect the female reproductive system including heavy periods, long-term pelvic pain, non-cancerous tumours (fibroids) and cancers like ovarian, womb and cervical.
There are various types of hysterectomy. The type you have depends on why you need the operation and how much of your womb and surrounding reproductive system can safely be left in place.
It’s more common for women aged 40 to 50, with recovery time between six to eight weeks.
Soon after undergoing the operation last week, Jenny explained how she’s ‘suffered for so long with all sorts of symptoms’.
‘Because I’m menopausal of course things are different it’s not like this has been brought on early. But I’m just wondering if they’ll be any connection between it and my emotions. So, it will be interesting. I’m just about to put my fancy gown on so come back later.’
Jenny previously said she’d been forced into hospital after severe menopause symptoms left her struggling to ‘get out of bed every day’.
The presenter said she was forced to undergo an iron infusion after suffering from anaemia due to severe blood loss.
‘The menopause affected me mentally and I didn’t feel like me. My periods were awful, I’d have to change about five times a day and I lost that much blood that I became anaemic. I was really tired and depressed,’ she told Closer magazine.
‘I’d struggle to get out of bed, and I couldn’t wait to go back to bed at night.’
After delaying addressing the symptoms of perimenopause, Jenny said her condition became worse because she’d left it so long.
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In recent years Jenny has appeared as a panellist on Loose Women and a contestant on Come Dine with Me, Celebrity MasterChef and Celebrity Catchphrase.