Your Opinions Needed

Hi Ladies -

I've been advised by my doctor to have a TAH - I wanted to get your valuable opinions!! I'm 37 yrs old - have had endo for 13 years on & off - haven't had any problems for about the last 3 1/2 years but last year I started having slight endo problems - have gotten worse each month - however my problems don't seem to be nearly as severe as some that I have read. My doctor also found a large cyst about 2 weeks ago. He had other options but I thought that the TAH would offer the best results in the long run - however, now after reading about other ladies in waiting - my problems seem so minor and I'm begining to doubt my decision - any suggestions?? Also, I keep reading about hospital stays and 6-8 weeks recovery time - my doctor is doing mine as out patient and I will leave the hospital in 23 hours - is that too soon - and I'm being told 3 weeks recovery time?! Does this sound right to you. Believe I love my doctor and I do have faith in him - but it seems this is really rushing me!!

Sonja

i am a LIW my surgery is scheduled for july 10th--i can not give you any answers but tell you what happened to me--when i was 40 i had a laproscope done and was told i needed a TAH. i am 50 now and ready for my trip to the castle. the only thing now is that i also have a cystocele and rectocele. i say go with your intuition. maybe even get a second opinion. keep hunting for answers. questions and more questions-- i felt i had to be straight with all my info before i could make a decision. best wishes----i will be thinking of you sincerely, janice72

Hi Sonja!

I'm no doctor for sure, but I can tell you from my experience that there was NO WAY I could have gone home 24 hours after my TAH! My doc told me to expect about a three day hospital stay, which from what I've seen seems to be the average. I didn't have any complications, but I needed that three day stay. I was glad to get home when the time came...it's nice to recuperate in familiar surroundings!

The six to eight week recovery period seems to be pretty standard too...I was soooo grateful for it! I didn't start to feel 'normal' until the fifth week, but recuperation time can vary for different women.

I don't have any personal experience with endo issues...but I do know that it is important to be well informed before making a decision to have a hyster!



Your Hyster Sister,

Chris

Hi, Sonja,

Rather than comparing your symptoms to those of other women, I'd suggest taking a look at the way your symptoms affect your life. Most women who choose a hysterectomy do so in order to improve their quality of life.

If you experience pain or heavy bleeding, and they affect the way you lead your life, that may be reason enough.

I'd suggest that any woman who's considering a hysterectomy get at least two medical opinions, before making a decision. There are other, less drastic, options available, and it's a good idea to consider those, too. Some women experience complications after a hysterectomy.

In the end, you're the only one who can make this decision, with the help of your doctors. You're the one who is living with your symptoms, and you're the one who will have to live with the outcome of whatever medical or surgical intervention you choose.

The Options and Alternatives forum, here at Hystersisters, offers information for women who are in the process of deciding on which treatment is right for them. Here's a link to that forum:

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/for...p?s=&forumid=4

Good luck with your decision.

Best wishes,
Helen

Your stay and recovery sound too short. As far as comparing yourself to others....find the thread number 58082 called,"After reading about others my symptoms seem so minor", by Ingrid, the last reply to it was on April 20.

I hope I'm not repeating anyone else here...didn't take the time to read your replys. It's almost 6 here in CA and hubby is in the kitchen looking in all the pots. Better go cook!
Luck to you,
Maralyn

Hi,

I went and got 4 different opinions before I had the surgery. A TAH is tons different than a TVH from surgery time and castle stay to recovery time. Are you sure your doctor didn't say vaginal hyster? That would be what you are describing, for the length of stay, 23 hours. Why not call the doctors office in the morning, just to double check?

Everyone is different in surgery, hosptial stay and recovery time. Along with symptoms that bring us to the surgery.

Keep on reading Hyster Sisters, there is a lot of information on the site.



Sara

Sorry, I could have been wrong - I'm having my hyster done by laproscope - I assumed that was considered abdominal surgery.

I'm so thankful for this website - believe me I have been researching this for about 2 weeks and you have only given me more useful info. I just finished reading my Hyster Sisters book!!

To be truthful, I guess my condition is pretty severe - I've just gotten use to the pain and have learned to live with it. However, the other week, after almost passing out at the doctors office -due to cyst, I decided I would get rid of everything in my body to make that pain go away!!

Sonja

sldbolt

OK...that's a little different. Yes, less time on the table and less time to recoup. I was getting excited thinking,"Ya, they have something newer and better!"
Sounds like you really need this proceedure.
My best to you,

Maralyn

Sonja, yes, a LAVH is done with a small incision for the scope but everything is delivered vaginally. That makes sense to me now...hopefully to you too?



Sara

Sonja,

I'd like to repeat something that I've read here in the past few days (can't remember who's post it was)... but basically it's to say that living in pain is very hard on your body physically and emotionally, and I think we as women are used to doing that. The problem is that we diminish our quality of life...

Second and third opinions are an excellent idea, if for no other reason than to reinforce your decisions. However, it's a totally personal choice, and it's very important that you feel completely comfortable with whatever decision you make.

All I know is that the only 'second opinion' I needed was how I read here on the Hystersisters board over and over that you feel so much better and regain control of your life.

Best wishes, and a big !!

Karen