Recommendation for Surgery

In answer to jen 28 the reason I wanted to keep my ovaries is after reading this website for about a month and a half I made the decision to keep them. I was not having bad periods and menopause has not been difficult. My main problems with my adenomyosis and fibroid was pressure and deep dull ache. My digestive system has been a mess for a few years. I kept my cervix but am convinced that it doesn't seem to matter...but the ovaries are important. Go to post-op or the hormone jungle and see what I mean. HRT seems to be an unexact science at this point.

I had 2 doctors tell me just take it all out. I equate it to going to the grocery store and saying "I got what I came for but while I'm here I'll but this whatchamacallit so I don't have to come back tomorrow." Not a good enough reason to be cleaned out. Besides, I don't mind going through life's natural process of menopause and I have no history of cancer in my family. Now, if I had been having serious pain/problems I would have agreed to take them out. But I'm not. My third doctor encouraged me to keep my cervix for support and sexual reasons. He is sooooooooo caring. With an LSH it is relatively easy.

I am now completely healed and having no menopausal symptoms. No mood swings, at least no different than I've ever been. I'm rather Type A, outspoken, blunt and fearless. No hot flashes since I started on the progesterone cream. I'm doing great and happy happy happy about all my decisions. It's working for me. I have an incredibly amount of energy, thank god, because I work like a Georgia mule.

So, my vote is keep the cervix if you want but try try try to keep any good ovaries. I have one, my precious gentle right one, and we are both glad that the evil left one is gone.

Thanks Shirl0 and Becky for your input. Shirl0, I wish you success in the hormone replacement and osteoporosis department I've been reading the hormone forums and it does sound like many women do have substantial problems with hrt when their ovaries are removed. Wouldn't it be so simple if a woman could live thru a hyst and then be hormonally balanced for life!

Becky, you never said what your third dr recommended about keeping/removing ovaries. If he also recommended removal, do you think you would've removed them? During the 1-1/2 months of doing your research, did you also vacillate with your decision - or was your mind pretty much made up from the beginning?

Also, you mentioned progesterone cream helping with your hot flashes. Is this the 2% type you can get at the health food store? I wasn't aware of progesterone cream for menopausal symptoms - don't women usually need estrogen?

Thanks for everyone's help!

HI! My bikini incision healed very quickly, after 8 days the tapes came off and the pain lessened. I have started week 3 and feel great. I never had to self-cath, luckily, but it took a week for the bladder to relax and settle and produce a stream rather than dribbles. I do not regret having kept my ovaries, as I have no menopausal symptoms that are a nuisance yet, and no history of ovarian cancer in my family. I'm curious to see if I'll be PMS! (If I didn't need AP repair, I'm not sure if I would have had the surgery, as I prefer au naturelle). It's weird when the decision is up to us, isn't it? Hugs and best wishes to you all.