My hyst-story...10 days pre-op

10 days left until my TAH & I cannot wait! I joined here back in April 2008 expecting to have my surgery that May, but when I went for my pre-op tests 2 days before the surgery they had to cancel it b/c they found out I was pregnant. It shocked the hell out of me, my DH, & my DR because I was told it wasn't possible. So I decided to put it off until I graduate college, which is 4 days before my surgery!

I have endo & adno, which after suffering through the pain for 3 years, they have systematically ruined almost every aspect of my life. Since its too painful to have sex, I had to dope myself up with Percocet to point of numbness & still silently cried the entire time. Then almost every time we tried I would end up in the ER the next day in unbearable pain, & eventually my DH was afraid to touch me. So after about 6 months of no sex, he caved in to temptation & I caught him cybering online with another woman. After a huge blow-up, we are now in counseling repairing our marriage.

I was diagnosed with epilepsy last July, which are easily controlled with medication. Now, over the past 3-4 months I have been struggling with excessive daytime sleepiness. I will nod off in school, at my internship, even while talking to people, when I'm driving on the expressway....one day I almost drove into the highway divider 3 times with my 2 small children in the car. Sometimes my oldest daughter will catch me & ask me if I'm awake. I have no energy whatsoever, I can't keep up with my house, I can't play with my kids, & I'm barely keeping up with school. Two weeks ago, after a full nights sleep, I slept 9am to 9pm, then my husband couldn't wake me & had to call an ambulance. Once they got me to wake up I was screaming in pain, which the ER couldn't find a reason for (no surprise there). I talked to my neurologist about it & he thinks I might have narcolepsy, that is being triggered by chronic pain. I have been on a medication called Nuvigil for alertness now for 4 days, & I feel like its made such a difference! I forgot what it feels like to be awake!

Now I feel like a walking pharmacy! I'm on 5/325 & 10/325mg Percocet (depending on pain level) for breakthru & Fentanyl patch for daily pain, Zoloft for depression, Klonopin for anxiety, Topamax for seizures, & Nuvigil for alertness. I've never taken so much medication in my life!

I can't wait to see how many of these issues go away after my surgery! I will definitely update everyone on how it goes!

Oh my goodness, what a tale! Congrats on the surprise baby (i think I can glean from your post that went well.)
And major congrats on finally having this done.

Good luck, God bless and I pray that all issues find an easy resolution.

After reading all that you have been going thru, my heart goes out to you. Wow! You definitely are one tough woman to endure all that. Hang in there! I hope your surgery will resolve some if not all of your health issues.

I'm so sorry for all that you've been through.
Glad you've introduced yourself and I look forward to hearing about your positive experience and healing!Good luck. Hang in there...

Thanks for all the encouragement sisters! I forgot how much I love this site, so much support from people that understand what I'm going through! It helps so much!

Today has been a horrible day pain-wise. Mother nature decided to punish me one more time before my surgery just to remind me how certain I am about this surgery, as if I wasn't certain already! I've been taking a 5 & 10/325 Percocet (15mg total) at a time & 10mg of Toradol for pain & its barely taking the edge off! I can honestly say this is probably the worst period I have ever had.... & to make things worse I'm bleeding like a slaughtered animal!

I will definitely update everyone as the days lead up to the surgery & of course afterward. As excited as I am, I'm still a little nervous about the surgery & the pain I'll have when I wake up. I had an emergency C-section for one of my kids where they had to knock me out, & the pain waking up was unbearable! Thank you guys again for all your encouragement & support!

Wow you've been through so much!!! I hope that the surgery helps you immensely and gets you off some of that pain medication. We'll be recovering at the same time...I go in 5 days after you.

Good luck with everything ((HUGS))

As if I haven't been thru enough up to this point...now my insurance is trying to deny my surgery! I swear I am teetering at the edge of my breaking point now....

I don't know WHY??? your insurance would deny your surgery after all you've been through, but I would be calling them up and going POSTAL on someone (pity the person who takes the call). Trust me , the pain after surgery is nothing compared to the pain it sounds like you're going through now. A morphine pump will take care of that and at least you know that the hysterectomy pain will end, unlike your monthly cycles that seem to go on forever, right? Get your Dr. involved in the fight if you have to. He can tell them its "medically necessary" and stay on top of them. Insurance will always try to deny paying. You just need to stand up to them. Good luck!

My doctor went to bat for me & ninja'd my insurance company, so they ended up approving my surgery! Its still on for this Weds the 5th & I can't wait!!!

The only problem...I'm trying to fight off the start of a cold! I went for my pre-op tests on Friday & was feeling fine, then yesterday I started getting that "feeling." I immediately went to the drug store & bought a bottle a Echinacea & a box of those Zicam strawberry chews. I've been taking the max (3) Echinacea pills every morning & eating 2 of the Zicam chews every three hours.

It seems to be working fairly well, but I've made the decision that even if I do have a minor cold the day of surgery, I'm not telling them, & I don't care how stupid that may be but I am not putting this off ANY longer! I have suffered long enough! Besides, whats the worst a little cold will do? They're starting me on antibiotics before the surgery anyway, so I'll be covered in that sense.

Either way, I think I'll be fine! 2 days & counting....I can't wait!!!!

(((Shanon)))

I'm so happy to hear that your insurance company approved your surgery! I know you're very relieved.

Please give your doctor a call about your cold. H/she may be able to call in a prescription for you that is safe to take this close to surgery.

I encourage you to check to make sure it's ok for you to take Echinacea and Zicam this close to your surgery date. Those were two no-no's on my list of meds, vitamins, supplements and herbs to stop taking 2 weeks prior to surgery because of the risk of thinning the blood, problems with immunity, effects on anesthesia, and increase in blood loss just to name a few.

I know you don't want to have your surgery postponed or cancelled, but if you're too sick, it really is for the best to put it off. Your anesthesiologist and/or doctor will make that call the morning of.

Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and yes, chicken soup does help!

Best wishes and I hope your surgery goes as scheduled!



Deb