Does this sound familiar?

I'm still making the decision about a hysterectomy. I have prayed for wisdom in making this choice. It seems as if I have been hit with a doozy of a (.) this month to help me decide. It started with two days of maybe, maybe not spotting. Then it hit with a vengeance. I actually dreamed that I was in severe pain in my right side in the night, and when I woke up my right side was killing me. Supposedly my uterus is in Stage One prolapse, and tugging on this ovary, but I suspect it has more to do with my period. Then today my son had a baseball tournament, and I left three times, almost flooding each time. And on top of that there are the clots, headache, dizziness (I'm guessing from blood loss), nausea, etc. It seems silly that when I'm being offered a chance to be rid of this forever that I wouldn't grab it. I'm just scared to have the surgery. It seems like a very big deal, and such a long recovery time. I would be looking at a vaginal hyst., with a one day hospital stay. Anyway, thanks for listening. I know at least one of you out there will know what I'm talking about!
Sandy
P.S. The doctor said there is nothing wrong with my ovaries, but the right side sure seems suspect to me, with the pain and all.

{{{Sandy}}} making a decision can be sooo hard. That's the problem with this surgery: it is not a matter of life or death. We have it done in order to improve our quality of life.

When I made my decision, I weighed the pros and the cons and took a good luck at my quality of life. At one point last summer, I decided that the way I was feeling and living just wasn't normal and that it was time to do something.

Sandy, I would really love it if I could make the decision for you, but I can't: only YOU can do that, based on your quality of life, your health and what your doctor has recommended.

Wishing you wisdom.

I am 6 weeks post-op and it's all like a dream! I was VERY scared of surgery and suffered with fibroids, very bad periods, etc. which affected all aspects of my life. I did not want surgery. But things got so bad and my life was really centered around how I felt so I finally made the decision. I went through several doctors in the past ten years and finally found one I really liked. I talked to people and read a lot of info and decided that this was the right decision for me. It isn't easy because all of the decisions really ultimately fall upon you.

All of my fears were real, I'm not downplaying that, but I was taken such good care of by hospital staff, family, etc. that my experience was a good one!! I expected much worse. My visions were based probably upon watching too many doctor shows on TV through the years and the knowledge that all of the "What ifs" can paralyze you from doing anything in life (I have anxiety). I am stronger now and feel that if I could do this, anyone can. It's a good feeling.

I went through the whole process with very little problems. I was in the hospital 3 days with very little pain--just discomfort. Nurses were great, my doctor was wonderful. Coming home is THE BEST and taking it easy is the BEST advice anyone can give. I was up and around better than I had imagined but I have taken it easy. Minor aching and some nausea here and there but nothing bad. Now the only thing that bothers me is tenderness around the incision but I said to my husband yesterday--"I'll take this little ache over my horrible periods, bleeding and cramps ANY DAY!!" I am taking Premarin and have had no problems so far.

So, get all the info you can and make sure you like your doctor and have confidence in him/her. If you decide to do it, just remember it's not so bad/scary/terrible...Good Luck!

Jan

TAH/BSO Fibroids May 4, 2001

You have time to make a decision but please don't be afraid of the surgery. I'm 2 weeks post op and feeling great. Think of it this way. . . a few days pain (that's really all it is, at least for me) followed by a few weeks of resting and some aches. Then your life is your own again!! Yippee!! If you decide that you don't want the surgery, that's up to you. But don't let fear decide for you. The worst is really over very quickly. The post op pain is nothing compared to the pain I was in before. I hear what you mean about dreaming about pain. The pain kept me up, I could never sleep, when I did doze off I always dreamt that I was being operated on without anesthesia. I called it my "period dream".

If the waiting is the hardest part, the decision-making process is a close second.
The process of deciding is hard because you need to cover all your bases and make sure it's the right thing for you. The hyst is irreversible, so of course it has to be a decision you are comfortable about, if not actually happy.
What I found is that I didn't look forward to surgery as much as I did to the other side, after surgery and recovery and to how much better I would feel. Now, 6 weeks later, the surgery and recovery have been a drop in the bucket when I think about the discomfort I was in and in the grand scope of my life.
When the new year rolls around and I look back at the year, the surgery will be a big part of it, but really I am thinking that the relief from pain and periods, the new found freedom from fibroids and sickness will be even bigger.
Take the time you need to decide. I think each of us has had a defining moment where we knew we had had enough and couldn't take anymore. When your time is right you will decide to proceed or not, and the rest of the world will not have a say about it. Do what is right for you.

Pain, clots, flooding, anemia - lady, I can relate to it all! It's not 'silly' to be anxious about a major decision like having a hysterectomy. I knew that was what was needed but I was afraid of surgery. Well, I can tell you, it was the best decision I've made in years! I had a vag hyst with both ovaries removed (TVH-BSO) and today I am living without pain and all the other symptoms. I am no longer pale and constantly exhausted. I am 3 1/2 months into recovery and feeling great!

Nobody can make this decision for you, but we are here if you have questions or just need to say what's on your mind.

I can totally relate to the wondering if I should have surgery thing. I have suffered with 9 day periods clotting,heavy bleeding and pain.I had an endometrial ablation that did not really work.I keep wondering if I am a wimp as some women seem to suffer more than I do. But the looking at the calender to see if I can go routine was my last straw. I a 35 healthy with 2 lovely daughters. We want no more children. My surgeon left the decision up to me. I said sign me up. My PMS is so severe that I wonder why my family and friends are still around. I am scheduled for surgery in the fall after the girls are back in school. I am terrified but the few weeks of pain has got to be better than the suffering I do every month

I really hope you can make a decision that you can live with

Cath

Hey Cathlaur, it looks like we're neighbours! I sometimes feel like I don't "deserve" a hysterectomy, because I have no fibroids, cysts, endometriosis etc. I had polyps which were removed in January, but I have a feeling that they're back, judging from my periods. I too have to check the calender to see if I will be available for things, based on when my period is. I guess I don't feel like my problem is bad enough to have a hyst., but obviously the doctor thinks it is, or he wouldn't have offered it to me. An older woman I was talking to today, who had one twenty years ago, said then the doctor would just say, that's enough of this, you're having a hysterectomy. It would be easier for me if the doctor would do this, but I guess they can't because of law suits, etc. In one way, if he offered it, it's almost the same thing.