mjd2491 - Hystersisters Hysterectomy Article

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mjd2491

mjd2491

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Options to Hysterectomy
Pre-Op Hysterectomy
Post-Op Hysterectomy
Hormone and Menopause
Intimacy after Hysterectomy
Pelvic Floor
Fitness after Hysterectomy
GYN Cancer
Grief and Loss
Endometriosis
Uterine Fibroids
Hysterectomy Stories
Ask A Doctor

I'm MJ and I'm from a small town in southern Minnesota -- about an hour from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul. I was born in March of 1960, and I have a dd born in 1988 from my first marriage, and a ds born in 2000 from my second (and current!) marriage. My dh and I have been married since 1993.

The issues leading up to my hysterectomy have been with me, in some form or another, since my 20's. I have always had very heavy periods, like my mom and two older sisters before me. In 1970, my mom had a hysterectomy -- she had one large fibroid and a bunch of smaller ones.

When my dd was born in 1988, my doc rather off-handedly remarked that I had fibroids, but they weren't necessarily anything to be worried about. He said the biggest one was about the size of a golf ball. I really let it slip from my mind at that time!

When I was pregnant again in 2000, I had to have amniocentesis, and the doctor doing it had trouble even doing the test because he couldn't get through my uterine wall. He said, "There are fibroids EVERYWHERE!" Later in my pregnancy, I noticed that I wasn't feeling any kicks on one side of my belly, and when I expressed my concern, my doc simply said, "That's because you've got one fibroid the size of a grapefruit on the right side of your uterus." This was also causing the baby to lying diagonally in the uterus, forcing a second c-section.

After my second pregnancy, I noticed that my tummy never really got flat again. Now, I'm not exactly a size 2 anyway, so I figured I was just getting older and fatter. But I also couldn't "suck it in" anymore, and it was extremely easy for me to get out of breath. I also noticed as the months went by that I was losing my singing range, which has happened with pregnancy from the uterus pushing on all the organs, taking up more space than usual.

Finally, in the early summer of 2004, I got tired of feeling this way. After all of the testing, the gynecologist sat me down and explained every course of action from "watchful waiting" to a total hysterectomy and the removal of my ovaires. Then he looked at me and asked, "What do you want to do?" I said, "Well (I had read a bit on this website already), I really want this to be over in one shot -- but I'd like to keep my ovaries if I can." He looked relieved, and he said, "I'm so glad you said that. Here's why you aren't a good candidate for any of the other procedures...." and it made me feel much better. He would have been willing to try something less drastic if I wanted to, but with the large size of my uterus he figured I either had one really big fibroid or lots of smaller ones, and he felt that they would probably just end up doing a hysterectomy anyway. They were very willing to preserve my ovaries if it was possible.

About 3 months after my initial talk with my gynecologist, I had a total abdominal hysterectomy and a panniculectomy to remove part of the apron of fat on my lower abdomen. (I wish I could say that it was like a tummy tuck, but this did NOT make me skinny! It was done purely to make the abdomen more accessible and to promote healing.) I was able to keep my ovaries.

In retrospect, my recovery has been fairly smooth, although I've certainly suffered my setbacks, too. There are few women who can say they've never overdone it, or who haven't had some sort of recovery issue. But mine have been fairly routine.

I am grateful to the Hyster Sisters, and I welcome the chance to give a helping hand to anyone who needs it!

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Recommended for Hysterectomy Recovery

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Post-Op Panty - These great panties speed recovery, and reduces scarring. They contain a medical-grade silicone panel over incision to reduce scar's apperance while they provide support to weakened muscles and tissues from surgery. Excellent!
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Marestail

Molly50 - Rona

Find A Doctor Near You

Megan Daw, M.D. Western Carolina Women's Specialty Center 2100 Ridgefield Blvd Asheville NC 28806 828-670-5665	Devin Garza, M.D. 12201 Renfert Way, STE# 215 Austin TX 78758 512 425-3830	Brad Cohen, M.D. 2477 Route 516 Suite 103 Old Bridge NJ 08857 732-679-6900
Bret Lewis, M.D. 5780 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Ste 295 (#2 Location) 11975 Morris Rd., Ste. 310 , Alpharetta, GA 30004 Atlanta GA 30342 404-255-3633	Melanie Bone, M.D. 5301 S. Congress Ave. Atlantis FL 33462 561-548-8600	Amie Napier, M.D. Medical City Hospital 7777 Forest Lane Suite A331 Dallas TX 75230 9725667760
John Lenihan, M.D. 314 ML King Jr. Way Suite 104 Tacoma WA 98465 253-403-5432	David Newman, M.D. 10030 Edison Square Drive, Suite 100A Concord NC 28027 704-403-7670	Susan Carter, M.D. North Colorado Medical Center/ MCR 1800 15th Street, Suite 220 Greeley CO 80631 970 353 1335

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