Scheduling questions...

Reading through many notes, I am seeing surgery schedules weeks and what looks like months ahead.. depending on how long ago they were scheduled.. while I know most of us don't have what would be considered, for the most part, an immediately life threatening condition.. How long is *normal* to have to wait for the surgery? Does it just depend on how bad things are? How much bleeding is going on? I have ultra sounds this afternoon.. I am not looking forward to it mostly just because of having to drink enough water to float a battleship or two. And now thinking about having to go through all this for possibly a couple more months...????? I mean I wasn't expecting that it would all be over *soon*.. but.. sheeeeesh.. sigh

texxi

Hi texxi!

In most cases a hyst is considered "elective" surgery, not a medical emergency so a lot of times a patient can try to schedule it for a period of time that is more convenient. This way they can arrange coverage at work, childcare, line up help for a few days at home, spouse's vacation time, etc. I was about 6 weeks from when I scheduled surgery til the actual date.

But some places like the UK and Canada the health care system is different it seems like they have less of a choice and longer waits.

And the waiting is the hardest part!!!

I think mine was scheduled about 5 or 6 weeks from the time we decided to go ahead with the hyst. The timing was entirely when I could fit it in! April 21 was the best date for me, and one the doc also had available.

Hi there,
I think it largely depends on the condition and your doctor. Right now my OB/GYN is the only one covering three towns. He is booked solid for a month in advance. I set my surgery daye yesterday for the 23rd of April. They asked me if I wanted the 16th but I couldn't because my youngest is turning 3 on the 18th. Good luck with your ultrasound today, make sure you let us know how it went.

Abby

Ok.. I didn't know how much would be left up to me to decide or what. I have already warned my family, lol.. After the biopsy results (hopefully nothing bad) if my Dr says we have a spot we can do this tomorrow.. I am JUMPING at it and they're just going to have to accommodate me.. I know that is unlikely but I want this over with SO bad.. I am having a horrible morning with bleeding and huge clots again. Ultrasound in 5 hours.. hope it settles down by then. I have no idea if all this bleeding would affect what they would do. I know it wouldn't on the pelvic ultra sound but I am to have a trans-vag too..??? I had never heard of that one before this.

teeb

Hi Texxi, I have had the very same question since I first heard that I was having a TAH/BSO. My Dr. said worst case, a month. She said she didn't want me to have another period. When I got the call for the date, it was 5 weeks out!! Here I was thinking 2 weeks. It turns out she is on call one week and the other she is on Easter Vacation. I'm going April 25. I told the scheduling nurse, I would take anything sooner. I guess it is all in the scheduling of hospital, Dr. and you. Godd luck with all your tests. Time will fly if we keep reading Hyster Sister stuff. Our time will come . Tellson

I am lucky enough to live in a city with a big medical center and large women's hospital. I am not crazy about waiting, and so, with no children and being self employed I had the flexibility to say "let's do this NOW", and so only have a brief wait.

OK the "transvaginal" ultrasound. Had that the last time I had surgery...a myomectomy to only remove the fibroids, and leave the uterus.

It was pretty interesting, actually....like being your own Discovery Channel special. It's a camera that's shaped, well, (OK, going to be blunt.....) sort of like a penis. At any rate, they were putting a condom and lubricant on it, and I was like "wait, no dinner and movie first?!?". At least it was "safe".

My husband got a big laugh out of that one....I did, too, after the initial surprise. Anyway, there's no pain at all, and it was interesting to watch.

Good luck on getting your "date".

Cheers, Melissa

hi just wanted to let you know sometimes things go quick and then they go slow. in my case i went to my dr. last year to have a d&c, and two other procesures, well i was bleeding very badly after them, i had clots the size of soft balls. so my dr. put me on bc which i have been taking for a year. he had me visit him every 3 to 4 months. the got worse more pain and pads i should own the company (ha ha). the last time i went to see him, they scheduled my surgery in three weeks, so it depends on how things are going with you. i hope they go well for you.

Hi texxi,
Transvaginal ultra sounds are not bad at all. If you're sensitive inside (such as pain with intercourse) you might feel it a bit. Just let your tech know. The tech will let you insert the camera yourself. Once you've got it placed comfortably for you she'll tilt it at different angles (nothing extreme) to get images she needs. I had an unexpected US when I had a heavy flow, they didn't bat an eye. Embarrassing for me but didn't seem to bother the tech or Radiologist a bit, so I got over my shyness about it and just watched the images. Fascinating how they know what they're looking at! I've had 5 or 6, reached the point where that's all they did on me (and I don't miss drinking all that water!) They told me transvaginal offers them a clearer image/better vantage point, and no water is needed with transvaginal alone.

My surgery was scheduled 4 weeks after I made my decision. My surgeon scheduled me himself (rather than letting scheduling office do it). He felt it was probably not ovarian cancer but could not rule it out without a biopsy (negative post-op, thank the Lord.) He knew I needed a little time to adjust (no kids=emotional reaction). He's an onc/gyn and very booked and I think the reason he scheduled me himself is he did not want me to go longer than 4 weeks. I've seen other sisters post that they were diagnosed with emergency situations and were scheduled so fast they hardly had time to comprehend it.

If you're really anxious to get this over with, have you let your Doc know? Perhaps something can be arranged. Best wishes getting it scheduled!

Well I guess I need to update on this.. friday i ended up in the emergency room.. bleeding and clotting was getting out of control. they canceled the scheduled ultrasound and did them at the hospital.. only to find NOTHING remotely resembling a fibroid or anything else.. so now we are back at square one trying to find out why i have this grossly enlarged uterus and all this bleeding. they put me on medroxyprogesterone twice a day for 5 days.. it sets off horrible migraines and nausea but i am trying to get through it to see if it at least stops the bleeding.. thing is, i know it will start up again once i am off them so i am not sure what the whole point is. my dr had me on it a couple years ago and took me back off after a couple weeks because of the side effects. adenomyosis is on my list of questions at my appt a week from monday.

texxi