Adenomyosis - what surgery should I opt for?

Hi all - I'm just a newbie here! I just had a Laparoscopy and found out that I have adenomyosis - 10+ week size uterus and will need a hysterectomy.

I am trying to find out all I can about types of surgeries whether it be vag hysterectomy or abdominal. So if any of you have any experiences you'd like to share or know some pro's and con's of either surgery I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks!!

I had adeno. I also have Endo and prolapse.

I had a TVH. The thing is, is sometimes you really don't get a choice if you go TAH or TVH. Depends on your ligaments and if you have/haven't had children, etc. Some women are not canidates at all for the TVH.

I wsa told I was a good canidate for TVH but TAH was a possibility. I was lucky and had a successful TVH. I wanted to avoid the TAH becuase of fear of the stomach being cut open (long story about my mom).

I also have been told that with the vaginal surgery you heal faster and I have seen that by talking with others that have had both surgeries. The ones with the vaginal hyst, seems to heal faster than those wiht the abdominal hyst.

i'm not sure what else to say. Do you have any direct questions?

Well I've just heard that with a TVH there is a higher chance of having to have your bladder re-attached? Or at least having bladder problems post surgery. Also - do I have to have a Laparoscopy to have the TVH done?

And does the size of your uterus affect your eligibility for a TVH?

I am worried to have a TAH because I am not skinny and I think that because of excess belly it would be an even longer recovery period. (Maybe I'm wrong) Plus I do have 2 small kids and being "out of comission" post surgery would be quite difficult for us as a family as my hubby works out of town.

Mostly I just want to know my options before I make any decisions.

I have not heard that. I opted to have bladder repair done at the same time becuase I have had 5 children and it needed repaired, btu I haven' theard anything about it coming unattached.

No. There is LAVH, and there's TVH. One uses the lap the other doesn't. I had the one that doesn't.

Yes. The size of the uterus can effect whether they can get it out or not through the vagina.

I don't know about the weight issues w/ a TAH. My mom had hernia operation years ago go wrong and now I fear having anything done through my stomach and will go to great lengths to not have it cut. (My mom is still having surgeries and is currently still inthe hospital sine March after yet another surgery to correct her wound which now is her entire stomach area and there's no muscle left to cover it becuase of the mistakes).

I know what you mean. I have 5 children, all young so it makes it hard. I was able to care for them when my husband went back to work just two weeks later. I still rested a lot, but managed, but that was with a TVH>

I know what you mean. I did too. :-) I even told my doctor I was dead set against a TAH. She was a bit surprised by that.

Thanks Brenda - it's nice to have someone to chat to about all this!

Jen, I had adenomyosis plus fibroids and was able to have LSH (lap supracervical hysterectomy). This is accomplished through 3 tiny abdominal incisions. Recovery is minimal - back to work by 2 weeks out. AND the medical journal articles say that size of patient is not an issue at all.

The biggest hurdle you might have would be finding a skilled LSH surgeon. It is technically advanced. Most studies indicate that at least 80 to 90% of full abdominal hysterectomies could be done this way.

Just a suggestion of one other surgery you might consider. Good luck!

I also had adenomyosis, my uterus was about the size of 8 weeks. A lot of the decision depends on your doctor. I'm not excatly thin and not really fuffy, more like in between. Like 196. My doctor told me that with the way that my body was that it would be easier to do my hysterectomy TAH instead of vaginal or even lap. Everything was still up high as he put it and nothing had dropped, even though I have 2 kids.

If you have a vaginal your cervix will be removed. Yes the size of your uterus does come in play with how they remove it. Sometimes and from what I've read here women go in with planning a TVH or even LAVH and then ended up having a TAH. Because of different. I have also had almost 10 laposcopic surgeries withing the past 12 years prior to my hyster. for problems with endo and cysts.

Talk to your doctor and ask, yes there is a faster recovery rate depending on what kind. I am now 6 weeks post-op and I feel so wonderful excellent. At my 4 week post-op appt. I felt wonderful then. My doctor also said that if it was his wife he would want to do a TAH.

Hope this helps.

jane
6 weeks post-op
ding dong aunt flo is dead
the wicked aunt flo the wicked aunt flo
ding dong the wicked aunt flo is dead!!

Jane - Is it a bad thing to have your cervix removed?
Kate - When you have an LSH is it still removed vaginally? Or through the abdominal incisions? Do they have to remove the cervix?

The uterus is removed through the tiny incisions in the abdomen after use of specialized lap tools that essentially reduce the uterus to small parts. My cervix remains. Hope that helps!

I too had adenomyosis and my doc did a TAH/BSO. At first I was reallly scared about this because I felt it was rather drastic but it will prevent any further surgeries. I went to his office prior to surgery to see if he could TVH but it wasn't going to work. Uterus to large and not enough give and Dr. didn't want to create other problems for me. I am post op now 1 week and feel really great. No back pain as I had in past and everything seems to be going well. Good luck and prayers are with you!

Valerie