Am considering a hyst....

Hi Ladies- I've belonged to this board for almost a year. I was diagnosed w/ endo at 16 or 17 (can't remember now). I was diagnosed w/ adeno at 21. I've lived through YEARS of pain and I can see many of you have too. I have done everything to control and stop these diseases and I just can't do it anymore. No more surgeries, no more BC, no more Lupron, no more narcotics for pain or methergine for constant bleeding. I am in the process of getting hysterectomy consultations from all my doctors. So far I have 1 doc who says I should. I see another one in the morning. Depending what he says I may see my third doc in a few weeks. I am so paranoid about making the wrong decision. How did you ladies who have made the decision to get a hyst. know that it was "time"? Any light you can shed on your decision process would be great. I have been reading all your posts and will give advice if I feel I have any insight to share.
Sarah

I decided on my surgery based on the decrease in my quality of life. My period and back pain were starting to interfer with my life, my families lives and I had a cancer scare. I also had a couple of totally embarassing moments as work. Then finally, my DH asked me to do it because he was so worried about me. I decided that I wanted to spend my time with my family and not in the bathroom or worrying about cancer. Each person has to decide for themselves. I hope you find comfort in your decision, what ever it may be.

Sarah,

I'm so sorry to hear you dealing with so much.

You have tried alot of treatments and you are getting a second opinion and maybe even a third that says alot.

Have a hysterectomy is a very hard decision. You need to be 100% it can't be reversed.

It took me a long time to have mine. I was diagnosed at 20 with endo. I was sick for about 8 years prior. Then I had my hysterectomy at 36.

I had gotten tired of medicines, painkillers, and surgeries.

What pushed me to have my hysterectomy was that I was in constant pain, bleeding all the time, couldn't do anything, and my quality of life was horrible.

For me my quality of life is 100% better than it was prior to my surgery.

I hope you can make the best decision for you.

I had been bleeding almost every day for two years when I had my lap, hysteroscopy, and D&C to see what in the world was going on. Endo turned out to be the culprit! My uterus was so covered in endo I had no other choice but to remove it. And the D&C had not stopped my bleeding.

Unfortunately, neither a hyst or a BSO is a cure for endo. There are a group of us on the site who continue to have problems post hyst and we have an Endo Support forum where we are starting to gather. But a hyst does stop the bleeding and removes the beginning source of endo! The more skilled your sugeron, the better your chances are that as much endo as possible will be removed, thus increasing your chances of a pain free future.

Have you ever visited with an endometriosis specialist? They tend to know the latest and most effective treatment options, but generally are also very skilled at removing as much endo as possible from your body.

A hyst should be a last resort and I have found a resource to help you make the decision when endo is involved!
http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/lin...=jump&lid=1949
Towards the bottom there is a "Decision Point" link to help walk you through some of the things to consider when trying to decide if a hyst is right for you or not.

You are wise to be seeking more than one medical opinion and to be asking questions before scheduling surgery! I am sure you are tired of the pain and the surgeries and the whole ordeal endo can be.

I wish you the very best as you work with your medical team to decide what your next step should be! We do have many Endometriosis Resources you might want to read through to learn as much as you can about endo to help you with your decision.

Know that the ladies here on the site are here 24/7 to lend our support and help you as much as we can! s