Pre-Op Hysterectomy: Open House Chat Thread - Today Mar 06, 2016

Hi Ladies! I would like to encourage everyone to complete their member survey. This information shows up on the top of your posts and provides very helpful information including what type of hysterectomy you had and whether you kept your ovaries. This information can easily be changed if your surgery details change on the day. Here is the link:

Member Survey

You may also wish to add your location to your profile and this will show up in the header of your posts as well. It’s fun to see where everyone is! Here is the link to change this.

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Originally Posted by Adarakate I am scheduled for my surgery on Thursday March 10 (the day before my 37th birthday of all days) and am having a total hysterectomy (incl. Removal of my remaining ovary.) I have never had children - though I wanted to. I struggled with fertility issues for years as a result of hyperprolactinoma (small tumour on my pituitary gland that resulted in very high levels of prolactin and hormone issues). I had my right ovary removed less than 2 years ago after having a large pre-cancerous tumour on it. Whilst a bit scared about everything - I feel confident in the hospital I am attending and the surgeon as I got the same surgeon as last time and he was very open, honest and clear about everything. I am a bit worried about going into surgical menopause after the operation and also the idea of HRT. I would prefer natural solutions if possible due to bad experiences with medications in the past.

Hi Adarakate,

I am glad you feel confident about your hospital and surgeon - this makes such a big difference in the amount of anxiety we feel while we wait for surgery. Please know that the nerves are very normal! You will get through this, and we are here for you.

Since you are having your remaining ovary removed, you will be in surgical menopause. This affects us all differently. Have you discussed your feelings with HRT with your doctor? Some women wake in Recovery with a hormone patch, some doctors prefer to wait 6 months to see how we feel. Some women experience menopause symptoms very soon after surgery, while for others it can take longer. Here are some articles that may be helpful for you:

6 Tips to Help you Prepare for Surgical Menopause

7 Tips for Managing Surgical Menopause without HRT

Do This - Not That: Managing Surgical Menopause

Menopause Articles List - you will find several articles here under "HRT Alternatives".

I hope this helps! I am sending hugs & wishing you the best!

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Originally Posted by ChristyMc4 Hey there Ladies! I'm scheduled to have my total hysterectomy done March 9th due to endometriosis and cancer. I'm relieved this was found early. I have struggled with endometriosis for many years. I'm a 36 year old, mother of 4. I'm blessed to never have had problems with fertility. The pain, heavy periods, and bowel complications has almost put my life to a complete stop. I'm mostly worried about how long my recovery will take. I'm a worrier so I have planned, scheduled, and arranged every angle of our life as I possibly could, from child care to meal plans. I just feel so anxious. Many of my friends who have had this surgery are telling me this is no big deal and that after a week I will be back to my old self. Am I wrong for not feeling so positive about their advice? This is a big deal to me.

Hi ChristyMc,

I am sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis. I understand how scary it is to hear that word. Please feel free to post in the Cancer Concerns forum, we have wonderful ladies there who understand this journey. We also have GYN Cancer Articles where you can find helpful information for your type of cancer.

I am also a worrier, and made lists and organized like crazy before my hysterectomy. I expected a 6 week recovery but in the end I was cleared to return to work and regular activities at 8 weeks. It does take a while to recover, think weeks rather than days.

Do This - Not That: Coping with Pre Op Fear & Anxiety

I think your friends are trying to be helpful and calm your nerves with their comments. It's sweet but rather unrealistic in my opinion. Hysterectomy is major surgery and therefore, a Big Deal. Being back to your old self in a week is an extremely optimistic prediction. I found it helped me to ignore the calendar and just pay attention to how I was feeling each day and what I needed to do to take care of myself properly and recover right. I suggest you participate with your Post Op Recovery Thread after your surgery, so you can recover with women who had surgery the same week as you. It is comforting to know we are progressing on schedule and what we are going through is normal.

Sweetie, you can do this, and we are here for you!

Hi Ladies,
Prayers for you all during this anxious time in your lives. I'm having the davinchi hysterectomy on the March 9th I'm 48 and this is my 1st surgery ever. This hysterectomy is a total surprise I never saw it coming. I almost had my head wrapped around this thing then my doctor told me on Friday that he just might take my overlies too. WHAT!! I wasn't ready for that either, oh well I'm keeping my spirits up and looking forwards to a speedy recovery. Best wishes from North Carolina.
Gale

Hello ladies!

I am scheduled to have my surgery 8 March 2016. The doctors are taking my cervix, Fallopian tubes and uterus. They won't know if they are taking my ovaries until the see inside. The plan is to leave the ovaries where they are but I have had six major surgeries in my abdomen alone so the amount of scar tissue is high. My uterus is adhered to my bladder a little. Depending on how they get it off I may have to be in a catheter for a couple weeks afterwards until my bladder can heal.

The reason I am having the surgery is because I was diagnosed with endometriosis about six years ago. I have fibroids and cysts. The cysts bleed and are the size of softballs. I went through every other treatment possible before agreeing to the hysterectomy. I am an active duty member in the United States Air Force and work as a Securoty Forces Member. I hope and pray that this surgery will make my pain go away....or at least decrease to the point where I can do my job. I think of myself as a liability because I am unable to do things that could be the difference between saving a life and taking one.

I am having a total laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Hi, All!

I'm 55 and scheduled to have my hysterectomy on Wednesday. Six weeks ago I had my ovary and tube removed due to a large cyst and had a D&C due to a thickened endometrium. Unfortunately, the lab report showed a small borderline ovarian tumor was hiding inside the cyst and EIN was found in my uterus. The GOOD thing is that they were both found early and my gyn oncologist said she's 98% sure that nothing beyond stage 1 will be found and no other treatment will be needed. I'm praying she is right!

I have a daughter at home and I'm a single parent so I am spending the weekend getting everything ready so that the two of us can easily run things. I was out of work for 4 weeks for my last surgery, went back for 2 weeks, and now will be out again for 6 weeks. Thank goodness for FMLA and sick days! I am most concerned about the surgery uncovering a "surprise" in the form of more advanced cancer. Beyond that, my main concern is getting back into good physical shape once I am healed from the surgery. My daughter and I like to hike and bike ride and I want to get back to that in a way that will keep me from overdoing it. I'm interested in finding out the kind of exercise I can do as the healing progresses to gradually get myself strong again.

Good luck to everyone! It really is somewhat of a comfort to know others are doing this at the same time I am! Misery loves company?!

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Originally Posted by Kimmygusmus Hi My niece told me about this site and I am so glad glad it's here! My surgery is this Wednesday March 9th and I have been excited as all! Ive had cysts that burst and reaccured over and over then we also realized I had a prolapsed uterus causing pain in a couple important areas in my life! Well I woke yesterday anxious and nervous as I can be! Is guess this is normal? Thats what everyone's been telling me! Thanks for being here!

I'm excited in a way also!! On the other side of that, there is a little apprehension. What if I have this surgery and I still have pain? What if something happens during the he surgery?

I hope everything goes well!!

Hi all,
I'm having an LAVH & ovaries/tubes on friday March 11th. Feeling pretty good, especially after i read somewhere that the house will never been perfectly arranged, lol. I'm bad at asking for help, so i'm hoping to improve this without turning into Attila the Hun/mum.
I'm wondering about the eating light deal too, any suggestions? Obviously soup and smoothies would be easy on the digestive system.
Swelly belly has me mildly worried. I'm overweight to begin with. Hope to get new motivation to get into a good fitness routine once i'm cleared to exercise.
Any encouraging words about post hyst weight loss? Cheers to all the sisters this week!

Good luck to all the ladies having surgery this week. I am having a LAVH Thurs March 10th.
I am 62 and having this procedure due to cervical cancer. I am trying to remain optimistic but I am nervous about the procedure and the pathology report. My manager told me about this site and I'm finding it so valuable. I was supposed to have the surgery in September but my surgeon got breast cancer. Her partner is doing the surgery, and I have had procedures by her in the past, so that's fine. I am glad to have a female surgeon! My heart goes out to all the young women having a hysterectomy. Keep positive!

I am having LAVH on Friday, 3/11. I just turned 47. It is being done due to uterine cancer. For various reasons they have determined there is a genetic component at play called Lynch Syndrome (awaiting actual confirmation of genetic testing) which has an even higher risk of colorectal cancer so they are making me have a colonoscopy tomorrow, before the hysterectomy is done. Today I am doing the colonoscopy prep. It is unpleasant and I am fairly certain at my small size I will pass out some time this evening. Dealing with that, however, is keeping me from dwelling on the hysterectomy! Today I am still struggling with whether I should have the ovaries removed. Doc says it's up to me, but if this cancer is early/small and the ovaries seem fine it is reasonable to leave them there, but I will have to follow with aggressive testing and exams because I have higher risk of ovarian cancer. He, however, seems to think dealing with that in a few years is no big deal...but I don't want to have to go back for another surgery if I can avoid it. I also don't want to go into menopause at 47 and it seems like symptoms are worse when it's surgical menopause rather than natural. I am torn. Studies say removing the ovaries increases risks of dying from other diseases. My sister had hers removed (she was diagnosed with the same cancer in December). My younger sister says she'd have them remove everything and would not chance ovarian cancer. Others in my life say leave them if that doctor says its reasonable. HELP!!