LAVH: oops i forgot to ask the Dr.

I had my pre-op yestersday and Dr. was WONDERFUL with me. I had the list (from this site - get it!!) and my own questions. BUT I forgot to ask him 2 things -- I know the disclosure - 'we' are not Drs. but I would appreciate your opinions!!

1. if I am having a TOTAL hyster. with ovaries gone....what holds up my vagina???

2. With a LAVH - how much bleeding post surgery and ummmm where exactly is it coming from since there is nothing there but the vagina?

Ok ladies...just your thots....no medical opinions.

HUGS and I LOVE THIS SITE!!!

Wow! I just had to add those questions to my list.. Neither of them had occurred to me, until now. I've been so preoccupied with worries about the anesthesia and trying to keep my nerves under control that it seems all-consuming.

I still have 2 weeks to go and I seem to be basically incapable of thinking or talking about anything else.. That's why I LOVE this website. Here's hoping that we both get the answers we need..

HUGS!!!

I had my LAVH on Oct.14,2010 ...I bleed for a few hrs after the surgery not a lot though...didn't have any more bleeding after that. IT was AWESOME! which I wasn't bleeding much to begin with....just having the pain when I was supposed to be having my periods. That was worser that having a period the not bleeding but having severe pain. Good luck with all the upcoming surgeries and hope you have a good recovery. GOD BLESS!

A little technical stuff, but there are tendons inside that hold everything in place, & the bleeding will be from the incision. There shouldn't be much, & they cauterize it, but there may still be some.

There are internal ligaments secured to hold up the vagina. Afterwards bleeding amount varies, I had none, its from where it's all sewn together before it heals over. That's about as much as I know. Good luck with your surgeries. Waitng is the worst part of it.

The bleeding isn't much to begin with, but in the weeks afterwards you might bleed a little bit when you are doing too much. It will be a sign that you need to lie down with a good book. Nothing serious. Nothing like any bleeding we were used to!

The Doctor will make what is called a "vaginally cuff" that will seal things up where the cervix was. They use the muscles and ligaments they detach from the cervix to build the "cuff".

I am 2 weeks post op and now have minimal bleeding - when I over do it I spot pink. The first couple of days I wore an overnight pad but now just a panty liner. Post -op I had packing up there (it was like a clown car when they removed it lol) and there was some bleeding then along with the iodine working its way out.

Hope that helps
Take care

Tee

#1 - Ligaments, the same ones that held it before, just slightly re-routed for better support.

#2 - Your incision! There is a several inch long incision at the top of your vaginal vault after surgery, aka "cuff". Some ladies here also have other repairs. If you're naughty and start doing to much to soon, you stress that incision/stitches and get a bit of bright red blood. So behave! >wink<

I also asked question #1 and my doc, who specializes in urogynocology, said the ligaments will hold it up, but he put some extra stiches (??) for added support. I think the way he explained it to me, you can actually have vaginal prolapse, which is something he sees in patients coming to him from hysterectomy complications, so that was why he added these extra stitches to give extra support.