IM GETTING A HYSTERECTOMY FINNALLY!!!!

Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive November 2004: IM GETTING A HYSTERECTOMY FINNALLY!!!!

I saw the specialist today and finally I found someone who is gonna help me. He said with the severity of my problems and nine years of haveing to deal with this he thinks I deserve to have this done. And the whole "your too young" bull I have been hearing is crap. My tubes are tied, my uterus isn't being used so why keep it if it keeps causeing me problems. So, he decided he is gonna give me a complete abdominal hysterectomy and get all the parts that keep giveing me problems out of me. And he is gonna schedule it for sometime shortly after Thanksgiveing!! I will have to be on hormones but its a small price to pay to not ever have this pain again. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Keep them comeing I will need them. Well I have to close this cuz I am cryiing soo hard that I canr see the screen.

By Palmbchprincess on Monday, November 22, 2004 - 11:51 pm:

Best of luck Kristie!!! Let us know how it goes!

By Kernkate on Monday, November 22, 2004 - 11:58 pm:

{{{Kristie}}} Best of luck to you. Thoughts and prayers are with you.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 12:13 am:

Will keep you in my prayers.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 06:12 am:

Kristie, I had a hysterectomy when I was about 33, and while the surgery and recovery was no fun, I was glad to have it done. I had terrible fibroids, already had 3 children and certainly didn't want more. Your problems are much more serious and I am really happy for you that they are being dealt with.

Good luck to you, dear, and lots of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}.

Now please, after the surgery, do follow the advice given to you and don't, DON'T, try to do too much too soon. This is definitely a case of "if it hurts, don't do it". You want to give yourself the best chance for quick and full recovery and overdoing will only set you back and be harder on you and your family.

(Oh, and believe me, you won't miss your monthly friend! I sure didn't.)

By Kim on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 06:29 am:

Kristie, why are they not leaving your ovaries in? Mine were left in and I don't have to deal with hormones at all and I am so thankful! Just curious!

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 07:39 am:

Good question, Kim. That's worth looking into.

I had a hysterectomy 10 years ago, after suffering for years with endometriosis and fibroids and adenomyosis. I lost one ovary and tube the previous year to a large tumor, so there was only one left, and it wasn't possible to keep it.

I had problems for about 6 months following my hysterectomy, mainly due to endometriosis my *wonderful* (NOT!) surgeon left behind, but once that was dealt with and my hormones were regulated, I've felt great and had NO problems.

However, don't think that just because you have a hysterectomy you get off lightly! You STILL will go through menopause - it's hit me like a ton of bricks! LOL

By Vicki on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 08:58 am:

Also, please do your research on the hormones. In recent years, many studies have come out about them. After doing research and talking with her Dr., my MIL went off of the hormones. She went through many unpleasant things while her body adjusted to it, but after she did adjust, she is hormone free and symptom free. I am not saying that is the right choice for everyone, but it was for her.

By Boxzgrl on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 09:20 am:

That's awesome Kristie, I know how long you have been wanting this. Good luck for the surgery and post op. I hope everything turns out great!

By Rayanne on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 09:46 am:

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 11:23 am:

I checked earlier posts because I was wondering the same thing about the ovaries, and one of Kristies problems is a very large ovarian cyst involving the ovary. As to why the other, she should certainly ask but I would not be surprised if the doctor has already gone into that. But, I had one ovary left after my hysterectomy and as far as I could tell, it kept chugging along until I got into my late 40s and mid 50s.

By Cat on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 12:36 pm:

Good luck, Kristie. My mom had a complete hysterectomy when she was about 46. She had terrible fibroid tumors and the doctor said after the surgery he should have never let her go as long as she did. It wasn't his fault, my mom resisted the surgery until she couldn't take it any longer. Hope things go smoothly for you! Oh, and take Ginny and Karen's advise. It's always good.

By Tunnia on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 03:38 pm:

Good luck!

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 03:42 pm:

Despite the bad press about the hormones, I'll continue to take them. I am miserable and unbearable without them.

By Vicki on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 04:30 pm:

LOL Karen! My MIL said it was the worst month of her life. LOL But it only took about 4 to 6 weeks for her body to regulate itself and now she feels just fine and normal without the use of the hormones. I forget just what exactly her research turned up that made her so against taking them, but she found something that really bothered her about them. I know it isn't for everyone though.

By Wandilu on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 07:56 pm:

Good for you !!I had mine done 17 yrs ago,and I love it.In my case,they left my ovaries.I'm 51 now,and I asked my Dr.a few months ago if I was still going to go through meno. because I don't have the usual symptoms that I've heard goes with it.She did a blood test,and said I've been going through meno.for about 6 yrs now !!!! You see,I have fibromyalgia,which comes with a whole slew of aches,pains,and craziness.So,I just chalked everything up to the fibro.Anyway,you'll get to feeling sooooo much better.So,like the others have said.Please take things sloooowwwwly,and get plenty rest.

By Jelygu on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 08:39 pm:

Good luck!

By Kristie on Thursday, November 25, 2004 - 08:00 pm:

Ginny is right, I have to have the ovariess removed because we just found out monday that that complex cyst on my right ovary is now bigger than the ovary itself and I have developed another one on my left ovary that is half the size of my ovary where there wasn't one just a month ago. All this in spite of the fact they have had me on B.C. pills to suppress my period wich is suppose to shrink or slow down cyst growth. He said he could leave my ovaries but he is 99% sure he would have to go back in for them in a couple of years anyway, so I said take them. I'm worried about all the bad press about hormones too but I am at high risk for osteoperosis(sp) and I will need the estrogen. My Grandma swears that her hormones are what caused her to have brest cancer. My friend that is around 40 said she would not be able to exsist with out hers. I guess I will just see how they react with me.
This may seem personal but I have to ask, was sex good after a hysterectomy for those of you who have had one. I have heard that you have a hard time with dryness and lack of wanting too and will is still be able to have an orgasim like I use to?? I have heard so many old wives tales that I have been on every web sight I can find and I would just like to hear a responce from people that I "know" like you guys.
thanks for all the prayers and well wishes your sending my way.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 02:56 am:

Kristie - I had dryness for a while and used a lubricant. Because I had a vaginal hysterectomy and repair to the vaginal wall, I also had tightness. There was no lack of wanting to, and no problems with orgasms. I would anticipate some soreness and tenderness, especially as I recall you had some cervical symptoms and may have vaginal surgery also (though maybe not - talk to your doctor).

As for hormones, yes, they have had a mixed press. Personally, my menopause symptoms (I kept one ovary) were very mild, and I didn't need hormones for that. When my doctor proposed hormones because I am at risk for osteoperosis, this was before the bad press but I still didn't like the idea. He prescribed Evista, which is not a hormone but a sort of hormone stimulant for your body, as an alternative. And I take Fosamax weekly. Everything I have read says that exercise is the best preventative for osteoperosis, along with calcium, of course.

You have to realize that when the report is that taking hormones doubles or triples (I don't remember) your risk of heart attack or stroke Unhappily, my very cursory research says that stroke is a major cause of death in women, claiming twice as many lives as breast cancer. I don't have any answers for you, but I would say do your research. Certainly, from my minimal research, you can take estrogen alone after having your uterus removed. But do talk to your doctor and see if there is a chapter of the American Heart Association you can get in touch with.

By Kim on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 01:55 pm:

Kristie, I wish I could answer this question, but unfortunately I am still single and don't know the answer to the question! My sex drive is still there, but that is all I can say.

;o)

By Kristie on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 06:57 pm:

My Dr. has to do the sergery abdominaly because when I had a cone biopsy 2 yrs ago that dr took so much of my cervix that there isn't any thing to "get ahold of" to do any thing vaginaly. As far as we know as of now. This dr is the best in town I found out from my BF who is a pharmasyst. She says she has heard only awsome stuff about this guy and he is known best for keeping the patient informed with normal words not dr words. And he has a very good "bed side manner" and I found that out when I saw him. I think I am gonna do the hormones, I'm too young to just not take anything. My mom went through menopause and she hasn't taken anything but she went through menopause naturally, not surgically and I think it would be the best idea for me. If I don't like the effects then I'll talk to my dr about other options.