fibroid

Hi! I'm new at this and my problem is I have a fibroid in my uterus
that needs to come out. I'm so scared. I don't know how i'll feel afterwards.Like will my insides feel empty? How will my sex life
be?
I also have gallstones and I was planning on haveing two surgerys in one on the same day. For some reason the gallstone
surgery don't scare me ,but I've worried so much on this other.
Maybe someone can give me some advice .Lucky I have 2 children
boy and a girl. but the thought of just not being able to have kids
again kills me. I'm 38 my kids are 16 & 3.. I hope someone can give me advice on the surgery and the after life
Thanks,
Blueberries

((( blueberries )))

I understand your fears, I think that most of us have some when facing this surgery.

I didn't have fibroids so I can't share experiences with you about that. I had a TAH/BSO for precancerous uterine tumors. I did not feel empty afterwards ( still don't at 3 years post op ). I'm happy to say that my sex life is just fine

At 54 at the time of my hyst, I was well done with having children so I didn't have those feelings of sadness but I was still nervous about it all anyway.

The Pre Op Articles here have lots of good hints and info. If you'd like a good list of pre op questions to ask your dr click here
I printed it and added a few of my own and it really helped me a lot

Best wishes.

s

I had a TVH (kept ovaries) on May 3rd for a "softball size fibroid". After surgery I could already tell the bloating and pressure were gone. I did not have any "empty" feeling at all. (I thought the same thing as you - like something would be missing.) The surgery itself went very well for me, I had a very easy, painfree recovery.

My fibroids were causing heavy, clotting periods that would last nearly 10 days, twice a month. I was scared about having a hysterectomy, but needed relief. I am soooo glad I went ahead with the surgery. I really feel great - it's been 7 weeks now, and I'm totally back to my old life - minus the periods and pain.

I'm 44 and had my children at ages 19 and 21, so there wasn't any regret about fertility.

Hope you can come to terms with your surgery
Best of Luck to you!

Thanks, Yall have gave me alot to think about.
Blueberries

Dear Blueberries,

I go in tomorrow for a hysterectomy for the same reason. I never had any trouble with my periods until December of this year. They kept getting more and more painful until by April I was lying on the floor thinking, "OK... this is hospital strength pain, and something's not right." I imagine you also had an ultrasound and found out there was something "growing" in there that wasn't supposed to be there.

I know how you feel about the sadness associated with never being able to have more children. I'm 36, already have 3 kiddos, didn't plan on having more, but I still feel sad on occasion just thinking about that chapter in my life being over. Let yourself grieve for that loss for a little while. Cry when you need to and know that it's OK. Since talking with my husband and having a real boo-hoo-fest I've felt so much better and moved on from those feelings. I'm focusing on the wonderful kids God did give us, and on how much better I'll feel after this surgery and how much more energy I'll have to enjoy life with them.

I'll post after my surgery to let you know if I feel empty at all inside or if something feels like it's missing. I'm hoping I feel 10 lbs lighter with no more bloating or pressure on my poor guts. I will be happy for that emptiness (lol). Take care. Cheryl (a.ka. Bonzai!)

blueberries,
I think your feelings are totally understandable. I am not far off from your delemia. I am 39 , two kiddos, one 8 months the other 7 years. The feeling of lose of ability to have children is so real. I know 2 is as many children as I wanted, but ....
I had a huge fibroid that was causing me so much discomfort I never even realized I had. I was so tired of being tied to the bathroom for 8 to 10 days every month, and not having a single pair of pants, or panties stained from leaking. Sex was painful, I could not lay on my stomach, and the fibroid was causing me stress incontinance.
Fast forward to today......I feel like a new woman, that has a new lease on life. I do not regret the surgery at all. I no longer ponder the loss of the ability to get pregnant. Sex is wonderful, white pants are a joy, and I have splurged and purchased new panties! Looking back, I think the feelings of upcoming loss was just that, a greiving process.
I hope you can find peace with your decision.

Blueberries, I'm also having surgery for fibroids on July 13. I have some of the same feelings you have. I have really been worried about what my sex life will be like when this is over. I wanted to post that question on here, but just had not yet. I'm so glad you started the post. I am 41 w/no children so therefore I don't know that I will feel any different about not having kids, because I've never been able too. I had to put that issue in Gods hands many years ago. The day I had my doc appt. to follow up in the ultrasound results...I was sitting in the waiting room waiting to be called back and everyone around me was pregnant of course w/husbands in tow....probably to find out the sex of that wonderful being inside of them. I wanted to cry, but I didn't at the office. I left there knowing I would have a hysterectomy!!! I cried all the way back to work!!! Enough of that.
I will have a vaginal hysterectomy w/assistance of camera..in my belly button...whatever that is called??? I'm very new to all this too. I'm very scared and have cried a great deal too. I think that's a very normal feeling. I try and focus on the fact that I will have a much better quality of life w/o pain!!!
I will keep you in my prayers!!

I made an appointment today to go in and see my gyn about my fibroid since I haven't seem her since I found out , they just called me on the phone and told me and set me up with a another doctor to deal with my gallstones. Of course he had the report from my gyn and he mostly worried about my fibroid and wanted to do both surgerys.
Will, I talk to people and found this site and I've learned alot so that's what made me call my gyn..
Now I'm hoping they can go in and get the fibroid and leave everything else there.
This is tough.
Blueberries


Hey! I'm from Arkansas
where are some of yall from?

Hey there Babiesone1963....You and I are castle date sisters. I am having the same surgery as you also. It is called a laparoscopic assisted vaginal hyst(LAVH for short). I have been looking forward to mine since the end of March. I would have had it done already except that I have to have bladder repairs also, so I know how you feel about having multiple surgeries at one time bluberries. Having my 3 children has messed me up something terrible inside.


Blueberries...I too have a fibroid. Mine isnt too big yet, just as big as a large grape at this point. Thank goodness it will be removed before it has a chance to get as big as some I have read about. I have 3 biological kids and a bonus son, so DH and I werent planning on having more. The lose you are feeling will pass. I felt a sense of lose when I first heard that I needed this done also. By the time that I finally got it scheduled I was past the grieving thing I think, bc now I am just anxious to get it done and get on w/ the wonderful part of my life.

Hey Blueberries,

I'm from Arkansas, too! I live in Farmington, which is very close to Fayetteville, and we just went picking blueberries in Russellville a few weekends ago! How's that for coincidence? I just wanted to let you know that I had my TVH yesterday early morning, and was released today at about 4 p.m. I am sore, but it was nothing like the worry my mind had created. Getting up out of bed was the scariest, and it took me about 30 minutes to get up the nerve, but once I had a shower, I felt much better and capable of walking around.

The anesthesia went very easily. The nurses were great, and pain control wasn't an issue, because they were right there to help. Morphine did not kill the pain for me, just made me very sleepy, so they gave me another drug called dilodid (spelling?) and it was great. I was able to relax and it limited the pain really well.

I know so much how you feel about being nervous and wondering what you will feel like "inside" and if there will be an "empty feeling." I can honestly say that I do not feel like anything is missing at all. I do feel lighter because the pressure from the fibroid is gone, but other than that and the stiffness and soreness, I feel just like me, and I can't wait to see how good I'll feel a few weeks from now. Take care of yourself, and try not to worry too much. Our minds can really be our worst enemies at times. You will do great. -- cheryl a.ka. "Bonzai"