hyst & bladder sling operation together?

anyone have one of these? I don't even know what to expect... I see my dr tomorrow to schedule my surgery. I'm currently on meds for my bladder issues, and my one dr told me I could get the bladder surgery done when I get my hyst.

I'm completely fine about having the hyst, but both together.. more pain? recovery time? I will also lose my cervix (not even an option), and probably my ovaries...but will find out for sure tomorrow.

anyone have ideas on hrt after the ovaries are removed? good idea? bad idea? I don't even have any pros/cons to weigh since I don't know what to expect.

any info or suggestions would be great. Thanks everyone!

Hi,
If you can have it done togther do it! To go through 2 seperate surgeries and recoveries will take a toll on your body. I just had it done on 2/28. I kept ovaries, only 39. If you keep ovaries no menopause symptoms and won't go on hormone replacement,my dr. doesn't like that due to cancer risk issues. Anestesia really messes you up. I am happy I did it together, I couldn't imagine doing twice. Also your insurance company will like it too, LOL! All I can tell you is ask questions and read all the posts you can beforehand to prepare yourself. it hasn't been a picnic but happy it is over and now just recovery is needed. Hope this helps!

thank you for your quick reply. I am hoping to keep my ovaries.. and tubes.. etc.. but I know for sure the cervix will go. I should try to keep the ovaries? hrt is not good? am I understanding that correctly? I guess I just need to ask the dr some pretty specific questions. Thanks again.

They're done at the same time, more often than not. I had bladder sling, TAH, A&P and rectal sphincteroplasty all at once. The surgeons also did an open abdominal examination under anaesthesia-- basically checking out anything within view after they made the incision. They'd planned to remove my appendix if it looked bad, and take care of anything else that was amiss while they were at it. (I kept the appendix--they said it looked fine!)

Despite all that, at 3-1/2 weeks post-op, I feel great! (Post-op day 6-- when my bowels woke up and started working was rough, but if that's the worst of it, geez!) What boggles my mind is that my laparoscopic tubal I had 7 years ago was 100x worse.

We're all different-- but the greatest risk of any surgery is the anesthesia. If you only have to undergo it once, you're better off. With every additional surgery, the chances of adhesions also increases-- so opt for the "package deal," if you need both.

Good luck!

I also vote for getting everything done at once. I had a LAVH, bladder sling, and anterior repairs done all at once. I don't even know if my dr. would have given me an option otherwise. He gave me a urodynamics test because he wanted to be sure "things didn't work worse than they did before surgery". At first my bladder sling felt weird, like something "meshy" was inside me. That feeling went away, but it took a few weeks. As for longer recovery time, ask your dr. I had my procedures due to prolapse and my dr. routinely gives longer recovery time to "prolapse princesses". I kept both ovaries so I don't have to worry about hormones. Right now I'm reading a pro-hormone book called Menopause and the Mind. Even if you decide against hormones, this book has some nonhormone diet and supplement ideas to try. Soy products are recommended by this book and my dr. Good luck!

I had it all done at once almost 11 weeks ago. I can't imagine having to go through more than one surgery. My doctor didn't even discuss separate surgeries. I was sore, of course, but sore is sore whether you've had one thing or several. I vote for doing it all at once! Best Wishes!

THANKS for all your wonderful thoughts. I saw the dr today and I am seeing the urologist very soon and hope for a total surgery in mid April. I am doing it all at once. I am having an abdominal surgery and if the ovaries are bad, they will remove them but if not, they are going to leave them in... I expect the uncomfortablness of the pain, and can and will deal with it.. thanks again!

Good luck with it all, good decision. Just to warn you about some embaressing tests with urologist. What we go through isn't fun.

Sorry I forgot about the embarassing test. All I could think about was that poor guy went to school all those years just to do this???

One more thought...I am not having my uro-dynamic testing done until 4 days before surgery, so they won't know until the bitter end if a sling will be done at the same time, or if they are going to do something to my urethra (I think it is also like a sling...has anyone heard of this?) My gyn. thinks it was traumatized during my daughters birth 14 years ago. Anyway...I spoke to my insurance company yesterday, and the hospital already had all my insurance work done (they are AWESOME). The man that I spoke to at the insurance company said that if there is to be a change in surgical procedure it is imperative that someone notify them prior to the surgery. Sometimes when these decisions are made at the last minute, it's easy to forget about the insurance companies piece of the puzzle. Leslie