vaginal vs. abdominal surgery

After reading many posts for comfort and support, and needless to say, you wonderful, caring woman, have been so good for my heart...I have one question resting heavily on my mind. I have heard so many stories of bladder and urinary problems from this site and friends from having the hyst done vaginally verses abdominally. Is this true? I have a constant bowel problem now since a surgery I had done to repair my esphogus after years of terrible heartburn which ate away at my esphogus, so my stomach was brought up around the esphogus to protect it. So now I experience alot of diarrhea daily from nerve damage to the bowel during surgery, which does and can happen, so I am not complaining. I am considering ask my surgeon to go addominally on the hyst, I cannot deal with urinary problems later on also. Am I crazy, or is this the route to go for me? I have had one c section with one of my children, so I am not overly concerned with the slightly longer aftercare.Please respond.....Thanks and angels be with you all...

Hi Susan,
I am sorry I can't help with your question but this will bump this up to the first page, and hopefully someone will come along who perhaps has some information for you.

You might try doing a search on the site using "bladder" as a keyword, and see if any threads come up where perhaps this has been discussed in the past.
Also a sight that may have some information is www.webmd.com On that site you can also search by keywords and see what comes up!

Best of luck to you Susan!
Hugs!!
Maria

Hi Susie, I had a tvh 3 months ago for fibroids. No bladder problems here post op. I never had any problems with my bladder pre op either. I know it's a hard decision to make, but from what I've gathered here, vaginal is a easier recovery because you don't have the abdominal incision to deal with, altho you still have all the internal stitches like an abdominal procedure. I wish you the best in your surgery. My surgery and recovery have gone very well, I wish my experience on you. Jan

Hello-I had a TVH 8 days ago and I have not had any trouble with my bladder(PTL!)That was a very large concern for me because I know ladies who have a bit of a time with spasms,UTI's,and such after surgery.I think it really doesn't have anything to do with which type of surgery you have but more to do with if your bladder will be involved in any type repair during surgery.My Dr. thought I needed bladder work but my problems were due to the weight of the large uterus and a very large fibroid against it.When all that mess was removed I didn't need and type of bladder work.(I had only had a few problems and they had only been in the alst 6-8 months)I had a catherter for the first 24 hrs.and after it came out I was able to urinate with only minor discomfort.No trouble since!!Best of luck and many prayers to you!!

My doctor say that because I'm young (37), and because he has done a previous lap., etc., he knows that my bladder isn't prolapsed at all. He assures me I will have no trouble with my bladder after the surgery (TVH).

I know that my doctor (nearing retirement) would tell you to go for the TAH. That's what he told me - and I had no prolapse problems (no kids, either), a not-particularly enlarged uterus, smallish fibroids... He said the complication rate is lower with a TAH, and so what if you're recovering for an extra week. I asked him if I were a friend or relative seeking his advice, what would he tell me to do, and without hesitation he said to go with the TAH. I'm sure other doctors have other opinions, but that's they way mine thinks.

At least discuss it with your doctor - make your priorities clear - that you'd take the trade off (if there is one) of a longer recovery time in exchange for less risk (if that's the case).

By the way, my TAH recovery was pretty darned easy. I was cleared for "whatever I felt up to doing" at 4 weeks, and was riding my horse at 5 weeks. So it's not particularly awful to have it done abdominally, if that's what you choose.

Best of luck!

Hi,

I had no problems after my LAVH with my bladder. Before surgery I had so much pelvic pressure that I would wear a tampon to keep my bladder pushed up inside me. The Doctor assured me that it wouldn't fall out but it was very uncomfortable having it protruding.

After about 2 weeks I felt really good post op. If you're able, I think the LAVH is the way to go. It is a very personal decision so you do what is right for you and follow your doctors advice.

Best of Luck!