Hysterectomy scheduled but not sure about method

Hi all! I have a large fibroid that has doubled in size over the past year. My doctor recommended hysterectomy, as I am done with kids. It took me several months to decide to have this surgery. I also went for a second opinion. My original doctor really wants to do a laprascopic procedure. The second opinion doctor recommended abdominal. I lean toward abdominal, but I am not sure for the right reasons. Honestly, I am scared there is something bad in there. So, I want the doctor to just be able to see it clearly and lift it out! I knoe a cancerous fibroid is really rare, but I am only 35 and it scares me. My original doctor said she will do abdominal if that is what I want, but made me feel like it was silly. I have booked the abdominal for February with the second opinion doctor. My original doctor could schedule me sooner. I am struggling with what to do!!

Anyone have advice for going one route or the other?

the only advice I have is that if you get an abdominal, you will have a longer recovery period ... but it DOES eventually get behind you. I'm a titch over a year out from mine, and I'm feeling fine.

I had TLH but prior to surgery I had the expectation of waking up with an abdominal incision.( always the chance of conversion) All my tests indicated no cancer. Though of course the final pathology tells all. I had full trust in my surgeon's ability and that she would take care of me. My uterus was massive and needed to be cut in order to come out vaginally. I wanted least invasive as I have a vertical c-section and abdominal would have been hip to hip. My recovery was uneventful and I welcome and embrace my wellness. Good luck with your journey.

I had an abdominal with a vertical incision because I had cancer and my surgeon said that would give him to most room to look around for signs the cancer had spread. I ended up with a 7" incision closed by 38 staples - Frankenbelly! :-)

I had an easy recovery with minimal pain and no complications. I was up walking multiple laps around the hospital ward two days after surgery. I was released the next day *without* a prescription for narcotic pain meds because I didn't need them!

I went back to work at a part-time desk job at four weeks. Life was back to normal by eight weeks.

If you end up going with the abdominal, it's not necessarily a painful or difficult recovery, just a couple weeks longer than other methods.

I originally asked about a vaginal one as I heard the recovery was easier. My doc originally said she would try it but if there was any risk I had to sign something that said she could switch. Of course I signed. But after looking over my ultrasound again in pre op she told me she was going to do abdominal. I too had fibroids....many many of them and the risk of complications was just not worth it. Go for whatever your doctor is the most confident about. It's his/her job. And as I've read many posts on this site sometimes the recovery is no different.

Thank you everyone! I am just feeling very nervous. I think I feel best about abdominal. I am having so many problems. I am so scared there is something bad in there....

It is normal to be scared there is something bad in there. However, there is no one type of surgery that is the best or the safest. Having an abdominal surgery does not guarantee no risk of leaving anything behind. There is no surgery that is the guaranteed best one. You should go with what your doctor recommends. It is great that you had a second opinion, maybe you should have a third and explain your fears. We have had many women with fibroids, and they have had many different types of surgeries, and almost all of them came through it just fine. I think we are all scared there is something bad in there. The chances of a cancerous fibroid are very slim. However, you need to do what makes it easier for you. Take your time, do your research, and make an informed decision. That's the best thing you can do. I wish you the very best.

Thank you Elsie. That is why I am so glad I found this site. Everyone understands the fear and I can express my own here without feeling self-conscious! I have done a lot of research and am planning to go back and ask more questions, so I can be more comfortable, going in. I think the abdominal sounded better just because I trusted that doctor more. I think that is the key variable...after all, putting yourself in someone's hands like this is really scary...

Trusting your doctor is so important. If you don't, you should seek out one you do trust. Once you've established that it takes away a ton of stress and worry.