Surgery this coming Wednesday

Hi,

I just joined and this is my first post. My hysterectomy is this coming Wednesday. This will be my second surgery for fibroids - I had a myomectomy in 2000, where they removed 5 large fibroids, but alas, they came back. Now my uterus is enlarged about 22 weeks (they estimate) and I definitely look pregnant. I'm only 5'2'', and I don't have that much room in there to begin with. I resisted a hysterectomy for YEARS because I had hoped I could have kids at some point, but it never happened.

Even though I can't have kids, I'm hoping I can at least have my old figure back. Right now, my waist size is 35 inches!!

Have any of you had a uterus at 22 weeks size? Did you notice a huge difference after the surgery? Did your waist go down? My doctor said mine would. Hopefully my belly (which looks way pregnant) will also go down. I am so thick through the trunk....I just look so pregnant.

The Otter

Hi, I just wanted to wish you luck. Your story is so very similar to mine. My myomectomy was in 2001. I'm 5'3 and had a huge uterus removed monday.

It's too hard to tell how much things will shrink due to swelling but even with swelling I can easily wear my "normal" clothes so I am likely to be happy to have a waist again.

Hugs!

Diane

Thanks for replying Diane. Glad to hear you're doing better, and glad to hear you can already fit into your normal clothes so soon after surgery!!

I kept all my pretty petite dresses that I could wear after my last surgery (couldn't bear to throw them away) so I'm hoping I can fit into those again soon.

My uterus grew almost 100% in the last year. Last summer it was about 12-14 weeks in size, and this summer, it was 22 weeks in size. So, I figured it was time to get it out before it grows even bigger. Yikes. At this point, I can't even bend over without getting short of breath, because my fibroids push up on my lungs. And I used to love bike riding, but that's hard, too. Anything having to do with bending over is hard! lol.

One thing I am worried about is that I don't know exactly what surgery I'm going to have done....what's going to come out. I told my doctor that I'd rather keep my cervix if I can (she was going to remove it) but when I told her I'd rather keep it if I could, she said she will keep it there as long as it's not totally covered in fibroids, and as long as it still "looks" like a cervix. But if it's not healthy, she'll remove it. I'm fine with that.

She also said the same thing about my ovaries....if they look unhealthy, she will take them out. Yikes. I do NOT want to lose my ovaries. I am NOT ready for menopause yet! I mean, if they look cancerous, or pre-cancerous, fine...take them out. But I just have no idea what I'm going to come out of surgery with, and I'm a little on edge about that.

I'm afraid to lose my cervix, because that's where I feel the most pleasure during sex. (I know, weird...but true!)

Hello Otter,
We are in similar boats, both with the large fibroid uterus and the surgery uncertainties. My surgery is scheduled for Aug. 29. It sounds like I am a larger person than you to begin with, but I am also really hoping the big pregnant look goes away, and that I can get back to exercising as soon as possible and get back the waist I lost both with the fibroid and the extra fat (which I'm blaming on the fibroid and hormones :-) ).

I am also ready to not feel like my pelvis is packed full of something (also causing pain). It will be nice to have some space in there. A year ago, I found out i had a fibroid but it did not bother me much at all. Within the last two months I've developed symptoms as it has grown larger. I'm afraid of surgery but now feel like what am I waiting for, for it to get bigger? I don't want to create an even more difficult surgery for myself.

I would also like to hear from more women on here about whether they could see and feel an immediate difference once the large uterus was gone.
Wishing you luck with your surgery, I hope you get to keep your cervix. You should tell the doctor again what you want before surgery!

Hi Otter,

Thanks!

I had my uterus and cervix removed plus bladder sling. I kept my ovaries.

I always felt full too. I guess my uterus had expanded hip to hip as well as out so my doctor was surprised just how big it was. I also always had that "stuffed" feeling.

My cervix was removed because I have had a couple abnormal paps and there is no clear line where cervix and uterus meet. I have had no pain or bleeding from the cuff so far. I don't feel any different but well see how I feel later on. I understand your concern due to the impact on sex for you, that was not the case for me but it's certainly a valid consideration for you.

I was happy I could keep my ovaries. I hope you can keep them too.


The waiting really is the worst but youll be recovering before you know it.

Thanks everyone. I've been trying to work out and lose as much weight as possible before the surgery and tone up, but man..my fibroids just HURT when I exercise! Argh. I guess I'll just give myself permission to lounge around like a bump on a log until after surgery. I did lose 4 pounds just from walking and swimming, though.

I hope I don't have a bunch of saggy skin or stretch marks afterwards.