Nick Knowles' wife Katie, 35, shares candid update about her recovery after undergoing a hysterectomy - just weeks after tying the knot
The lingerie business owner, 35 - who is newly married to television presenter Nick, 62, revealed last week that she had a hysterectomy after 'surviving' years of 'pain'.
She has been at home recovering since the major operation and took to Instagram on Friday to share an update with fans.
Katie revealed she had been experiencing menopause symptoms including hot flushes, so felt a self care day was in order to feel better before trying to wear 'normal people clothes' - however due to discomfort had to change back into a baggy t-shirt.
She also displayed her abdomen bloating from the surgery in one clip, as well as showing where her scar was in the candid video.
Katie went on to share in the caption that she had also been suffering from brain fog so 'can't string a sentence together', and revealing she is getting breathless if she does too much.
In a voiceover on the clip, Katie said: 'So today I decided to have a shower. Umm... obviously not the first time I've done this but because I was just a pile of sweat.
'And it's kind of due in part to menopausal symptoms with hot flushes and sweaty ti****s, sweaty upper lips, sweaty back, just sweaty everything. Um and I also have an infection from a fever that I have developed now. Er yeah I have been disgusting.
'So I thought I would push the boat out wash my hair and then it was curly and my daughter brushed the curls out so it was a bit Hermione Granger. So I treated myself to straightening it which wasn't the most comfortable thing to do in all reality because of the stretching but felt so much better knowing that I can leave it a few days now - and theoretically it should be fine.'
She added: 'I did try to put normal people clothes on today but as it turns out it wasn't happening because the bloating's still kind of there. We're still there and also putting clothes on that end up going too close to my scars.'
In the caption of the video, Katie continued: 'A little day-in-the-life post-hysterectomy. Tried to wear leggings today to feel like a person… lasted 7 minutes before getting back into Nick's boxers and a T-shirt.
'Still bloated, still sore, still spending 90% of the day horizontal. BUT, I got to take off those god-awful surgical stockings!!! Another fun addition to my sans uterus era: brain fog. I can barely string a sentence together or type properly, which is great when you rely on typing for work.
'They didn't remove my ovaries, but they did warn me that with the effects of hormones and even some just post surgery malarkey, that I could experience symptoms. Also now walking with a slight elderly lean and getting breathless after literally anything. I'm such a catch it's lucky that I married him before choosing to do this.
'I've been working from bed, trying to distract myself from the absolute boredom (and the emotional ambush when babies appear on TV). I miss doing things for myself. I miss feeling like me. And the body stuff is rough. I've got another four scars on my stomach, and I just don't really want to look at myself at the moment.
'But today I did my hair and a bit of makeup, just to feel a little more human. And I honestly think it did a lot for my self-confidence, even if it was just for being in the house. I just keep looking to a pain-free future to try and pull myself out of it.
'The love I've had on here has blown me away. Women supporting women. Sharing stories. Saying thank you.
'It's a double edge sword, because on the one hand it's awful to see so many women with such sad and painful stories, but on the other, it has been so wonderful to make what I have gone through and I'm going through feel more normal and understood.'
Katie shared the news about hysterectomy in an Instagram caption last week as she posted snaps in her hospital gown.
The candid post saw the mother-of-two open up about living through almost unbearable pain which left her 'vomiting, curled up in bed and missing out on life'.
A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure which removes a woman's womb and may also involve the removal of other organs, such as the ovaries.
Katie's caption read: 'I'm 35 and I've just had a hysterectomy.
'I've lived with pcos, endometriosis and adenomyosis since Moses wore short pants And no, it wasn't "just a bad period"
In the caption of the video, Katie continued: ' A little day-in-the-life post-hysterectomy. Tried to wear leggings today to feel like a person…'
'It was constant hospital trips. Multiple laparoscopies. Bleeding through clothes. Vomiting from the pain. Being curled up in bed, missing out on life.
'It was extreme bloating that made me look pregnant. It was migraines, stabbing pains in my legs, butt and stomach. It was chronic fatigue. It was hiding in loos, crying over another ruined day. It was my daughters terrified of getting their periods in case they end up like mummy.
'Years of misdiagnosis & being fobbed off. Told to take painkillers. That it was 'normal.' It wasn't. I've cried on bathroom floors. I've bled through clothes in public. I've had 3 surgeries. I've tried every pill, every patch, every hormone tweak. I've been put on a medical menopause just to get through uni.
'And still… the pain came.'
Katie - who tied the knot with DIY SOS presenter Nick just last month - also spoke about not being able to recognise herself due to the pain her diagnoses brought her.
Post-operation, the 35-year-old candidly admitted she feels 'less like a woman', but said she took the decision to undergo the surgery in order to 'take her life back'.
Katie wrote: 'It feels like something in me has changed, apart form being sans uterus. Right now, I'm in lots of pain. I'm bloated. I'm exhausted. I'm hot. I'm forgetful. I'm hot (see how that works on multiple levels.
WHAT IS A HYSTERECTOMY?
A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a woman's uterus.
There are three kinds:
The operation is most commonly performed on women between the ages of 40 and 49.
More than 20 million American women have had a hysterectomy, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As women approach menopause, the odds that they will develop one of several serious uterine health conditions increases. Doctors may recommend a hysterectomy as a treatment for:
fibroids
endometriosis
uterine (endometrial) cancer
chronic uterine pain or bleeding
collapsed uterus
In some cases, doctors may suggest a hysterectomy as a preventative measure if a woman has significant warning or early signs of developing one or more of these conditions.
When necessary, surgeons may also remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes, if these have also been damaged or are at serious risk of damage.
The removal of reproductive organs sends a woman's body into menopause, no matter how old she is.
This comes with unpleasant side effects like hot flashes, and many women have to start hormone therapy, taking estrogen to balance out their own hormones.
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