Opinions Please (female issues)
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive July 2008:
Opinions Please (female issues)
Since many of you are intelligent and may have been through something similar I value your opinions.
I've struggled with female issues for many many years (excessive bleeding and uterine fibroids) and have had several D & C's, hysteroscopes and ultra sounds and the time has come for a hysterectomy, bladder suspension and some other repair work down there. I have a prolapsed uterus and organs are literally falling out.
The doctor has left it up to me to decide if I want him to take my ovaries and this is where I need opinions. I just turned 50 a couple weeks ago so the change would be coming soon anyway but I'm just not sure what to do. I have had cysts on my ovaries in the past. I do not have a history of ovarian cancer in my family only uterine but I watched a friend pass in February from ovarian cancer and it wasn't pleasant. So what would you do?
I still have to see a urologist in a few weeks and then we'll schedule the surgery for sometime in September if my bladder checks out OK.
Thank you,
Mary
I've had similar issues in the past, and just had a hysterectomy this past April. Because I'm 44 and not close to menopause, I opted to keep my ovaries, but if I were older I would have seriously considered having those removed as well. I've had ovarian cysts in the past, but for me they are only a minor annoyance.
Have you visited HysterSisters.com ? If not, I highly recommend it. There is tons of helpful information and ladies who have BTDT.
Can they test you for your hormonal levels and let you know how close to menopause you are? I was told they can do that. I'm 46, had a baby at 43 and still on a 28 day cycle, so I don't think I am anywhere near menopause yet.
If I thought I would have active ovaries for another 15 years which is what was causing my misery, I, personally, would have them removed. But only after I did a huge amount of research on the results of having a total hysterectomy.
I have female issues (endometriosis) that also are related to my ovaries, and currently not so hot to have them removed as I was years ago. Before my kids my symptoms were much worse. Since 2 pregnancies, it is not nearly as bad.
I think it is a matter of weighing the pros and cons of two negative experiences and choose the one that offers the least amount of personal stress.
I had my ovaries removed when I had my hysteretomy 6 years ago. It wasn't an option for me. Getting my hormones level balanced took well over a year. It caused my thryoid to go out too.
Surgical menopause is very different from natural menopause. There is no gradual decline of estrogen. Even when you have gone into menopause, your ovaries still release small amounts of estrogen.
I have never ever doubted the need for my hysterectomy, but I do sometimes regret not being able to keep my ovaries.
I second hystersisters. They were a godsend for me.
I am having a hysterectomy in December or January after I have the baby and I plan on keeping my ovaries UNLESS he sees they are not in good shape. I'm only 32 though so menapause is a bit of a way for me.
My mom had a hyst a little over 6 years ago and choose to keep her ovaries, however her ovaries are so small that she'd been better of having them removed becuase she still deals with the hot flashes and hormone issues. Her doctor was surprised that she had three kids given the size of her ovaries and what they produced.
I think you just have to really look at the condition of your ovaries and weigh the pros and cons.
I didn't hear anything about you having a hysterectomy after the baby comes...why are you having to do that?
Unless there are very, very, very good reasons for taking your ovaries, I urge you to keep them. I had a hysterectomy at about age 32, for much the same reasons you are listing, but kept the one ovary I had (lost the other in removing cysts and benign tumor many years earlier). I know it made my experience with menopause much easier to have the hormones that one ovary produced and have menopause come on "normally" rather than suddenly.
I lost one ovary in 1993 due to a large tumor that was wrapped around the ovary and tube, and the other in 1994 when I had my hysterectomy. I was 39 at the time. No option to keep either of them for me either. Long history of endometriosis, adenomyosis, heavy, long periods, ovarian cysts and fibroids here.
I have been on HRT for almost 14 years, and have no problems. I will be 53 in September.
As for the bladder suspension - my best friend had one a couple of years after her hysterectomy, and another close friend had one that same year. Both of them are now experiencing other issues, in that neither of them can completely empty their bladders, are getting frequent bladder infections, and still experience some leakage. Different doctors, different hospitals, same results.
My OB/GYN wanted me to consider having a bladder suspension last year, when I mentioned I had noticed very minimal occurances of stress incontinence. His office kept pushing me to schedule a urodynamics test, etc. and ultimately schedule the surgery. I cancelled on them and they called me weekly for THREE months in an attempt to get me to do it. I finally told them to stop calling me. A couple months ago, at my regular appointment, he brought it up again. I told him I was not even considering bladder surgery because the problems I was having were so minimal, I didn't feel the risks were worth it.
So, you really need to do your own research on the surgeries. At 50, you are sort of on the fence regarding your ovaries. As for the bladder, I'd seriously think twice about having that done.
Thank you all for your input I appreciate it. I will definitely check out the website Trina. Karen sorry to hear the news about your friends bladder suspensions and I will check more into that. I'm not experiencing any leakage right now except for when coughing real hard which is not often but something is kinked and I can't empty my bladder as it is. These will be questions I'll ask the urologist. My gyn said that the membrane that holds the bladder is tore right down the middle and it will fall out if something isn't done soon and that's why he's sending me to the urologist. He said the hysterectomy is the easiest thing he'll be doing. On the positive side everything can be done from down below so I won't have to be cut, that's what I was really worried about.
Thanks again.
Mary
To keep the ovaries or not-that was a huge decision. It is an individual choice, but for myself, I had my ovaries removed. My Dr. gave me stats on the removal vs remaining of ovaries. He said that 85% of all ovaries remaining are removed in the two years following surgery due to continued or different problems. I checked with friends and on web, and found his stats were at least close to true. It turned out that four of my friends had to have ovaries removed after surgery.
I started HRT before surgery, and still took a few months to regulate.
Good luck, and I wish you well in your decision making.
Mary, *many* docs recommend a bladder suspension when having a hysterectomy - makes sense, being that there is no longer a uterus to help support the bladder. I am sure that many people have had good results with that particular surgery. I just don't happen to know any of them. LOL The GYN who did my hysterectomy never even mentioned it to me. So far, it's been a minor annoyance, at worst, so it's not something I am considering at this point, even though my hysterectomy was 14 years ago.
I would suggest that you research it fully before committing to it.
I had my hysterectomy in June, 2 years ago, I was one month shy of 35 years old. I had mine removed for all of the above reasons. My Uterine prolapse was grade 2, stage 2 advancing to stage 3, and I had adhesions to my spine causing further issues. My primary discovered the issue, had me in to see my OB two days later, and I had my surgery in less than two weeks.
When my GYN went in he wasn't sure what he would be able to save. I was worried about being thrown into menopause and had request he save my ovaries. However, I was only able to keep my left ovary, he wasn't sure the ovary was functioning, it didn't have the extensive damage the right one had and it was a bit smaller. Apparently it works because I have had no issues. It is his policy to try to preserve natural menopause if at all possible, and I am glad he did.
My hysterectomy was a Godsend, I am way past happy with my surgery, and very glad to be free of all the issues that came with it.
DITTO Bobbie! After dealing with female issues and ultimately ending up in the hospital because of them, my hysterectomy was a blessing! Now life is GOOD! 
LMAO, Trina... ^5, Life is GOOD!! Not having the mood swings every month, the bloating, the back pain, the cramping, the clots, oh the list goes on and on... After the recovery, beyond my fibro issues, I felt like a brand new woman. I can wear light colored pants, I can wear my GOOD underwear, any day I want to... It is a freedom you never realize you could have until you are on the other end of the surgery.
**happy dance** Uterus free is the way to be... LMAO!!
You can say that again! I didn't fully realize how much my female problems were effecting me until after surgery. It is wonderful to be able to buy and wear nice undies and not to worry about ruining them! Light colored clothes, bathing suits, ... NO worries!!  I walk past the feminine products in the store with a huge grin on my face these days. LOL!
I used to plan my life and activities around my period. That's a hard habit to break. I still find myself looking at the calendar and then laughing because I don't NEED to do that anymore. Woo hoo! My only regret is that I wish I had done it (hysterectomy) sooner.
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