Upcoming hysterectomy in December - questions on surgeon choice, bleeding after orgasm and on recovery - very nervous.

Hello, all. My doctor did an ultrasound and it came back very thick lining she didn't tell me the numbers. She did a Uterine biopsy that came back Complex Hyperplasia without atypia. I have a family history of uterine cancer. We talked and both decided a Hysterectomy was the way to go. Uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes to be removed leaving ovaries. She asked if I wanted an Gyn/oncologist so that if something was found it would only be one surgery. I said no we will stick with the plan. Hoping I made the right choice. My surgery is 12/6/2016. I'm a little nervous. I have three children and they are the best. I had no periods for 2 years and then starting having month long periods with very heavy bleeding. That is what sent me to the gyn in the first place. I asked her today why when I have an orgasm from just clitoral stimulation do I all of a sudden bleed very heavy. She explained it is the contractions during the orgasm that cause that. This is all new to me never had any of these problems. So that is my story I hope to get some great support here. Aside from all that what do you feel like after?

Well, when I first woke up after surgery I mostly felt relieved that the surgery was over! :-) I wasn't in any pain whatsoever. I chatted briefly with a friend and then went back to sleep. The next day I felt really out of it from the anesthetics and narcotics, but by the second day I felt more alert. I was up walking a lot and also spend long periods sitting upright reading.

I had a really easy recovery with no real pain, just some soreness and twingeyness. I had no complications. Mostly I found my recovery to be relaxing, because I'd put my "normal" life on hold and could just chill out.

Where your surgery is for complex hyperplasia with atypia, you might want to check out the gyn cancer discussion forum at https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/forumdisplay.php?f=6.

I had full-blown endometrial cancer myself, not just hyperplasia, but my only symptom was a few weeks of light post-menopausal bleeding, unrelated to whether I had orgasms or not.

Hi ruia30 to HyserSisters!

I am so glad you found this site. I know this is such an overwhelming experience, that it is really hard to know where to begin. Your emotions and feeling are very normal.

My surgery was for a very large complex ovarian cysts (12x9x11 cm) and multiple uterine fibroids. I had a cancer concern, so my surgeon was a gyn onc. Everything was removed and tested in the OR. All was benign. But, I was very grateful for my gyn onc because if it had come back cancer, he was the best person to take it to the next level. They are also more skilled surgeons at handling the larger masses.

You can rethink having a gyn onc do your surgery if you wish. You may ask what your current doctor thinks is best, or maybe if a gyn onc can be present during your surgery.

Regarding orgasm: yes, the uterus contracts during an orgasm. In fact since my surgery, I miss the muscle contraction of my uterus during an orgasm.

Ask whatever questions you have, and we will try to answer them for you. Or, just express emotions and feelings - it really does help.

This site is full of very supportive women. I have found that the only people who understand what it is like to have a hysterectomy are the women who are going through this or have already gone through this.

Just know that you are not alone in any of this. We will be by your side throughout this process.

Thanks guys! I'm very glad I found this site. I did ask the gyn what she thought about the gyn/onc and she said it is totally up to me. Here's the thing. She said that if I choose to have the gyn/onc then they would take everything including lymph nodes. I really want to keep my ovaries since I am not in menopause yet. Problem is, if they find cancer in anything they took out, it means another surgery. On the other hand, if they don't find anything then it was one surgery with my ovaries intact. as far as having them present during surgery they don't have that. this is <an HMO> and to even have an gyn/onc it is a referral outside of <an HMO>.I really don't know what to do.

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Originally Posted by ruia30 Thanks guys! I'm very glad I found this site. I did ask the gyn what she thought about the gyn/onc and she said it is totally up to me. Here's the thing. She said that if I choose to have the gyn/onc then they would take everything including lymph nodes. I really want to keep my ovaries since I am not in menopause yet...

That's simply not true. Keeping the ovaries for younger women who have low grade, early stage endometrial cancer has been shown to be safe. You can negotiate with your gyn onc on this point.

As for lymph nodes, what the gyn onc will do is to take *some* lymph nodes and have them studied while you're still on the table. If the nodes are clear, they won't take any more. They only take more nodes if cancer is found in the ones they've already taken.

I had a similar situation of being in an HMO, so not seeing a GYN onc initially. At my HMO, you only see a GYN onc if you have a certain grade/stage, otherwise GYNs do the surgery, and can call in a GYN onc mid surgery if needed. To make a long story short, after my surgery I finally got a referral to an outside GYN onc and did have a second surgery. For myself, I wish I'd insisted on an initial referral to a GYN onc, for a second opinion. I may have still had the GYN do the surgery, who knows, but I ended up very confused and with second thoughts the way I did it. My thinking has also changed over time. If you can get a consult, you aren't committed to having the surgery with that Dr, but it may help you know you've made the best decision. These are difficult decisions to make right when the inclination is to hurry, but sometimes it's worth it to check out options. We are here for support as you figure things out.

Ok. You guys have just helped me big time. Perhaps I will ask for that referral. I'm so very glad I found this board. I was very unsure of what to do. Thank you so very much. My other question is what is life like after all is said and done?