TAH/BSO - My story - hope this helps calm some fears - Hystersisters Hysterectomy Article

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TAH/BSO - My story - hope this helps calm some fears

TAH/BSO - My story - hope this helps calm some fears

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Endometriosis
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HI all,
To start this story I must go back about 20 years. I am 31 now and started my period when I was 11. From the time that I started, I had problems. Very heavy bleeding, resulting in having to call my Mother to come get me from school in Junior High School as well as High School. I never knew when I was gonna start. At that point I was very regular. Bled every month for 5-6 days very heavy most of that time. I also had cramps so bad that I would go to bed and cry. My Mom said that she had bad cramps too so it must just be a family thing. I thought that I would have to live with this forever.
As the years went by, I adjusted to being in severe pain every month and resigned myself to having no pretty underwear. When I was 20, I got married and pregnant. During my pregnancy, I was so happy because of no period. I did however have to deal with back and hip pain. Sometimes my legs would just fold and I would almost fall. I thought this was normal. With my first child, I had an emergency C-section because I had pre-eclamsia with HELLP syndrome. At 21 I was the mother of a 3lb. 12oz. baby boy. 4 weeks after giving birth, even though I was breast feeding, I started my period. I then got pregnant again 10 months later and had a miscarriage. After the first birth my periods got better and I thought that things were going to be fine. After a few weeks, I started having major problems, heavy bleeding, severe tenderness, and pain with sex (worse than usual). The doctor did a lap and had a laser standing by because she thought I might have had endo. I had massive adhesions which she cleared out. Things did get better for awhile but then went right back to the heavy bleeding and pain. I got pregnant again and had another C-section a year later. 5 weeks after birth, I once again started my period. The first few were fine. Then I started having problems again.
I went to the doctor but they could not find anything wrong with me. I was just one of the "unlucky" ones who was going to suffer heavy bleeding and lots of pain. I got used to this and went on for years thinking this was normal. I would joke with my gyn every time I would go see her that anytime she wanted to do a hyst just let me know.
Skip forward 6 years. Late in 1999 I moved across the state. I didn't have a doctor yet and wasn't too worried about finding one. Then in Jan. 2000 I was standing at work when all of a sudden I gushed blood everywhere. I thought my period was over because I hadn't bled in over 24 hours so I was not prepared. I bled for several more days. I called friends and got a doctor's name. I called the clinic and made an appointment with the female in the group. I went to see her and told her what was going on. She did my yearly exam and I almost screamed it hurt so bad. She told me that everything I was experiencing was normal because of my age. I was thinking that if this was normal at 30 that I was going to hate life for the next 20 years or so. My pap came back abnormal so I had another one 1 month later. At that time I had had 3 periods in 6 weeks. I told her about this and she put me on the pill. I was upset because I had a tubal after my second son to avoid the pill. I reluctantly agreed to try them for 3 months. The pill did regulate me but the pain and bleeding were still there. I resigned myself to dealing with this stuff every month. After I stopped taking the pill I went back to having a period every 2 weeks. This time the bleeding was worse and the clots got bigger and bigger.
I decided to go to my family doctor and get a referral to see a surgeon because I had a knot in my incision line that had been there for several years. The surgeon thought it was a hernia, but surprise, when he opened me up it was a mass of endometrial tissue. He suggested I go to my gyn so I called and tried to talk to her nurse. She was not in that day so I talked to another doctor's nurse. This would turn out to be fate. Dr. Romine's nurse told me that I needed to come in and be checked. She would make an appointment with him because the other doctor could not do the surgery for endo if I needed it. ( I still don't know why she couldn't do it) I went in and he examined me and I almost did a back flip off of the table it hurt so bad. He said this was not normal and he thought I had endo. We scheduled surgery for July 21 (one month after the last surgery). When he got inside of me, he found that I was covered in endo and the lining in my uterus was abnormally thick so he did a D&C as well and a hysteroscopy. When I went in for the follow up he said he wished we had done a hyst but that maybe it would work out. The next month when I started my period I called and scheduled another appointment because the pain was worse than ever. He walked in and said now we just need to schedule a hyst. He thought that the lining of my uterus was growing into the wall. We scheduled a TAH/BSO for Oct. 30th. I started searching everywhere for information on endo and hysterectomies. I found this site and started reading. The word adneomyosis came up and I looked it up and every one of my symptoms matched. I started posting to this web site and got much support from all of the wonderful ladies here. About 2 weeks from my surgery date, I started having doubts. What if there was nothing wrong and I had this surgery and it didn't help with the back pain and the leg pain and what if we found out that I was just a big baby who didn't want to deal with my period. I almost cancelled and said let's wait. I didn't however and it turned out to be a blessing.
The day I went for surgery I was a nervous wreck. I had a ton of stuff to do and not much time to do it. I had to be at the hospital at 11:30. My parents had come up the night before so my Mom drove me to the hospital and my Dad stayed at home with the boys (wouldn't you know that they would be out of school that day

)I was so nervous that I thought I would die. They took me up to pre-op and the worst part was getting my I.V. started. As they wheeled me back to the surgery room, we were laughing and joking because at that time I was really loopy from the drugs. The Anesthesiologist (sp) was joking with me while he put me under. The next thing I remember was the ride to my room. I swear they hit every bump they could find getting me upstairs lol. I got into my room and had a fit when they tried to move me and told them to let me do it myself. I got into my bed and then promptly fell asleep. The only thing I remember is waking up to hit the pain pump.At about 9 or so I woke up. My Mom was sitting in a chair and I told her that I felt better than I had in a long time. I wanted to talk and to watch T.V. My mouth was also dry and I wanted ice chips. The nurse told me I was NPO but she was nice and brought me ice anyway. Later that night a mean nurse came and told me I couldn't have my ice and I started crying uncontrollably. I thought what has happened to me. It was the hormones. I kept my poor Mom up all night talking and the next morning when the doctor came in I told him I wanted the cath out and the I.V. and that I would walk and drink and do anything else he wanted me to do. At that point I would have done anything for some food and a drink. He agreed but said that he would have them start an I.V. again if I didn't do well. I promised him I would because I was in less pain than I had been for the last year. After they unhooked me, it was time to get up for the first time. It was heaven. I was in less pain then I had been every month with my period. I started on pain pills and after they made me sick I asked for 800mg Motrin. They were fine for controlling my pain and I didn't have the side effects of bowel problems. I walked and then they let me take a shower. I took my shower and brushed my hair and teeth. I felt GREAT!!! I got to eat and I walked the halls about 9 times that day (while my poor Mom slept lol) That night I started having gas pains. I agree with Linda in her post, releasing gas is not something that just happens, you have to work at it. I wound up having to ask for a supository. That was the most embarrising time for me in the hospital was having the nurse give it to me. After that I felt much better though. The next morning I was up about 6 and took off walking again. I happened to see the doctor that did the first surgery and told him thank you because you lead me down this road to a hyst. He said he was sorry and I told him I wasn't. He looked at me like I was crazy. I guess men just will never get it lol. I walked 3 times before the doctor got there at 8. He told me that I could go home that day, so less than 48 hours after surgery I was on my way home. I got home and went to bed on the couch. I started to get stiff so I begged to go outside and walk. Wouldn't you know it was raining. Well I needed to walk so I went to the garage and walked around the car lol. The next day we walked in my cul-de-sac around and around. We looked like fools lol. By that afternoon I was up to walking down the street and back. The pain was much better when I walked. I also took 2 hot showers a day and it helped a lot.
I went back to the doctor to get my staples out at the 1 week mark. I asked at that time if I could go back to work. He thought I was crazy but agreed to let me go back the next week for half days. I went back to work and worked half days for two weeks and then drove 3 hours to my parent's house for Thanksgiving. I drove everywhere, went shopping and out to eat and felt great at the 3 week mark. At the 4 week mark I started working full time again. I was still a little sore and would get tired but my co-workers were great and made sure I got to sit down when I needed to. I don't regret going back after two weeks because I think that the activity helped me heal faster. At 7 weeks he released me to do anything I wanted to do. We got my hormones straightened out and life is good. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think God for leading me down this road. I feel better than I have in probably 5-10 years.
I hope that all of you ladies out there who are facing this decision will find some comfort in my post. I had a wonderful experience and I hope all of you do as well. The best advice I can give to you is find a doctor who will listen to you and tell him everything. Also use this board and ask the questions because all of the ladies here are great. I found great comfort in knowing I was not alone or crazy because I wanted a hyst.
Sorry this post was so long but I needed to share my story with women who would understand. Thanks to all of you ladies who helped me get through the pre-op time and all of you who encouraged me after the surgery.
Anyone who would like to contact me is welcome at misshogfan@aol.com.

Melissa

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TAH/BSO - My Story

TAH/BSO - my story at last! (sorry-long and kind of detailed)

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Susan Carter, M.D. North Colorado Medical Center/ MCR 1800 15th Street, Suite 220 Greeley CO 80631 970 353 1335	Scott Dinesen, M.D. 599 W State Street Suite 301 Doylestown PA 18901 215 489-2066	Ellen Wilson, M.D. 5323 Harry Hines Blvd - Dept of OBGYN Dallas TX 75390 214-648-4747
Sean Kossari, M.D. 14901 Rinaldi Street Suite 320 Mission Hills CA 91345 818-365-1616	Ken Sinervo, M.D. 1140 Hammond Dr., Ste. F6220 Atlanta GA 30328 770-913-0001	Jon Nielsen, M.D. 9825 Hospital Dr. Suite 205 Maple Grove MN 55369 763-587-7050
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