TVH: Ready but scared

Hello everyone! I go in this Friday for a TVH, I put this surgery off for a whole year, no good reason other than I was scared and kept thinking of all the old myths I had heard growing up! Things have only gotten worse so I'm going for it! Enlarged uterus and fibroids. 2-3 yrs I've felt like my bottom was falling out and when I would complain I was told my cycles were just getting bad cause of my age! Finally I sought a second opinion, we tried other options but as I said things have only gotten worse.

I was in the same situation as you. My fibriods were very large, they stretched my uterus to over 2x normal size so there was no point removing the fibroids alone for me. I had my surgery done 6/6 and I feel great-I wish I would have done it years ago but was so scared I put it off. The waiting is the worst part. Once the surgery is over you will feel so relieved. I am sending good thoughts and prayers your way for a smooth surgery and easy recovery.

Stillsuperwoman, I am right there with you. Surgery is tomorrow, I'm scared but so ready to get this done so I can be on the healing side and start getting my energy back. Wishing you the very best hun.

I'm just past the two week post-op mark and that pressure being gone is a great feeling! I had no problems other than a protruding bladder chased by a droopy uterus, but it was to the point where I couldn't walk without feeling like I had a ball between my legs!

I hope you've been reading some of the hysterectomy threads according to your procedure to see what your experience might be like. I just posted mine the other day and although surgery is surgery, overall things went smoothly. I'm actually back at work today! Still taking care of myself, though, because I am still very much in recovery mode.

Hugs and prayers for a successful surgery and healing on the other side!

I'm pretty much relaxing today, trying to stay positive! I must say this site has helped me a lot. I had a couple loads of laundry that took up some of my time and now I'm trying to watch movies but I can't stay focused. My BF cleaned the house from top to bottom before leaving for a 45 days stay in London, I so wish he could be here. He kept telling me to schedule the surgery while he had some down time but I was so afraid I put it off until I had no other choice! I'm paying for that decision cause now I will be alone, well not totally alone. My daughter will come in the am to tend to me and my fur babies til my Mom gets off work at 4 who will stay til 6-7pm. So I'll have some help. I'm nervous right now cause my bowel prep isn't working, I started last night with 2 Colace tablets and a Ducolax suppository this morning. Gas is all I've experienced for the most part. Although I wasn't given a diet restriction I've decided to only do liquids today to try and help out the BP. Any suggestions on how I can get things moving? I don't take the next tablets til 8 tonight with another suppository in the early am before going to the castle.

I was told by my doc that I could wait for Menopause. This was not true. My fibroids got larger. My uterus got larger. My bladder and uterus dropped. You could see the vagina drooping out. My bladder shut down, my bowels nearly shut down. I was in agony! The surgery was more complicated because of the size of everything. I bled a lot. I am not trying to scare anyone just make sure you know your status internally and act accordingly. I put too much power and faith in my doctor. You have to advocate for yourself and your own needs.

Lovelyladylumps, it's ironic you should say you put to much faith in your Doctor because I too did the same thing. When my doctor first suggested the surgery 2 yrs ago I refused, I wanted to try other options and so I did, but I also got a second opinion, well this second Dr flat out said you don't need to do the surgery I think you should try such and such, well I pretty much listened to her cause she was saying what I wanted to hear NOT what I needed to hear. I trusted her opinion more so because she was a woman! Long story short a year ago I complained that the things we were trying weren't working and I felt worse, I started to rethink my decision about the TVH again she talked me out of it. Last month I went in and her first words were "Why haven't you had a hysterectomy" It threw me for a loop to say the least. Over the last year there were times I was afraid to stand for fear that something was going to fall out, during my last visit in June she tells me that's your bowel you've been feeling. I wanted to slap her upside the head!! Tomorrow she and the first ob/gyn will be in the OR together. I will say this (and I've told her since) you know your body better than anyone and when things don't feel right Keep going back until they listen. They go on books but you can't do that because everyone's body is different and may not be a text book case.

Well said.

It took me 2 years to come to a decision. After being anemic, heavy periods, fibroids, I finally had enough. So glad I got it done!

I wanted to put it off also. My fibriods were found during a CAT scan of my abdomen due to abdomen pain. I had 2 large fibriods, 1 inside the uterus and 1 on the back side. Both were fast growing due to a very good blood supply. I tried to wait until October but only made it to the end of June. By the time I had my complete hysterectomy, it was like I was 4 months pregnant with twins. The tumor on the back side of the uterus had attached itself to the main nerve and arteries to my legs and I had started to lose feeling in my feet and the strenght in my right leg. I was also ready but really scared of what I would be like after surgery.
When I woke up after surgery, I was pain free and could feel my feet and leg again. I was mildly nauseous. My pain after surgery was nothing compaired to pre surgery. I had already gone through medopause but start having mild hot flashes 2 days post op. I am 15 days post op and still have not noticed mood changes. The biggest change I have notice so far is that I get tired really easily. Overall, I am glad its done and over and that I am on the mend. Don't forget to discuss your fears with your doctor.