so nervous....I don't know how I will ever walk into the hospital for my hysterectomy

I have a hysterectomy date now. And im terrified. I am symptom free with a large pedunculated fibroid. 2 drs say hysterectomy. It grew 43 percent in 3 months time, but now they say it is getting necrotic spots....no more growth. I dont understand why if its dying...do I need surgery!!! Im just scared.....to go symptom free to major surgery really is making me anxious!

I went from symptom free to a hysterectomy very quickly also. I was incredibly nervous and anxious. I was prescribed xanax and it really helped. I was allowed to take it the morning of surgery and, although I still cried, I wasn't nearly a wreck as I had been for my LEEP surgery the previous month. Maybe ask for some anxiety meds to get you to your surgery date? They really helped me. Why suffer needlessly?

I hope your surgery goes as smooth as mine did. By far the worst was the time leading up to surgery. The surgery itself and recovery has been much easier for me than the anxiety of the unknown.

Blessings and respect.

I went from a routine doctors visit (knowing I've had fibroids for a long time) to a surgery scheduled 10 days later (bad anemia).

The worst part so far, (and I am post op day 5 ) was the dread and fear. Once I accepted this needed to happen, asked all my questions, and prepared to the best of my ability I felt much better. I also, with a fight got a sleep aid I took two nights before my surgery as lack of sleep messed with my thoughts and emotions.

Try to work thru this and find a peaceful place. If you are concerned about WHY you need the surgery, call your doctor's office back. Get your questions answered so that you feel fully informed.

It will be ok. Good luck to you!

I was basically symptom free before my surgery also. I desperately didn't want a hysterectomy. Just speaking to my doctors about the possibility made me weep. I have no idea how I signed the consent form and walked out of the surgeon's office. And I have no idea how I got in the car and allowed myself to be driven to the hospital that morning. I cried the night before, weeping for my poor uterus which never did anything to me... how could I do this? It provided me with my only child. I wept all through pre op and all the way into the OR. I think the only thing that kept my feet moving was the idea that I could still change my mind at any point. Even as I breathed the gas in, I was thinking it's just oxygen I can still change my mind. And then I woke up in recovery.

This is scary. Do whatever gives you comfort and peace in these days leading up to your surgery. If you have someone in your life to talk to, that may help. I had the ladies here, and I couldn't have got through it without them. We understand how you feel. Remember you are strong, amazing and brave. You can do this.

I totally understand your terror. Please know I am not a doctor, but my thought is that if your fibroid is growing that rapidly, and getting necrotic spots, it's rotting in the inside of you. This is bad news and probably why they want to do a hysterectomy.

Maybe you could call and talk with one of the doctors, and ask what would happen if you just let things be?? They could address the necessity of a hysterectomy, and what would happen if you just didn't do anything.

Not sure if this will help but 10 months ago I was in the same situation. The only difference being that mine was prolapsing as well. I was told an immediate hysterectomy was necessary.
I called my surgeon the day before and told him I couldn't do it. The side effects that I learned about on this site really scared me into saying no.
Luckily he suggested UFE and then a vaginal myomectomy. I am now fibroid free without any major surgery. The UFE prevented serious bleeding and the myomectomy was super easy. The recovery from both was hard but very worth it.
I just wanted you to know that your doctors may not be telling you about all the options available.
My fibroids also grew very quickly but pathology on the largest one was benign. The other ones fell away on their own after shrinking. This can sometimes happen after UFE.
Please don't allow yourself to be pushed into major surgery if it can easily be solved. Most especially if you have no symptoms. And depending on the size and location a degenerating fibroid can be reabsorbed as well. Mine needed to be removed because of it prolapsing and the potential for infection.
Major surgery of any kind should be taken very seriously. Not every women who has a hysterectomy is fine afterward. Definitely something to think about.
I am very thankful that my surgeon was extremely supportive and very caring. I couldn't have done it without his support.
He wasn't entirely happy with my decision but backed me up 150 percent.
Hope this helps in some way. In the end it's your body and you have a right to do what you think is best for you.

Two years ago I was diagnosed with a single fibroid. After the ultrasound the doctor told me that there is nothing worrisome about its features. She said that fibroids can grow out of the blue. Sometimes they continue to swell and grow more, and sometimes they shrink.
It is rare that fibroids are cancerous. Cancers are usually found in post-menopausal women.

Here are the options I was given:

1. Wait and do nothing. I could try to ride it out. I could wait for menopause to happen and shrink it about 1/3. The problem is that we don’t know when I would go through it, and the ultrasound revealed that my ovaries were healthy and active (folical hairs). And the fibroid could continue to get bigger. I am already uncomfortable by it.

2. Shots: If I chose not to wait, there were both medicinal and surgical options. I could take a medicine called depo Lupron (shots) for about 6 months. This shuts down the hormone system that makes estrogen. It would shrink it about 1/3 after about 3 months. The problem with this, is once you stop taking it, the fibroid grows back. The meds put you in menopause. Thus, I would experience the side effects of menopause.

Surgical Removal called Myomectomy: The size of my fibroid makes it technically more challenging to remove. Fibroids may develop even after this procedure. And they do in 20 to 40% of women. Recovery would be 4 to 6 weeks.

Laparotomy: depends on size and location of fibroid. Done by a cancer surgeon as they have the experience with the robotic machine.

Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE): catheter/pellets. (Can also kill good tissue)

Hysterectomy: When fibroids are very large, this is an option. Also if pain and bleeding persists and other treatments are not an option.

I went to a doctor to learn more about UAE decided I did not want this extreme pain and to wait and see if I entered menopause and it would shrink on its own.

In the mean time, it began to grow and grow and basically I was not symptom free, as I could see it (about 20 weeks pregnant), I had to pee every second and had constant pressure on my bladder, and I could not longer sleep on my back, and peed each time I coughed, sneezed, and laughed due to the pressure on my bladder.

I also had a renal cat scan that showed the fibroid was doing damage to my kydney. At this point it was too big for other surgeries, so I ended up with a hysterectomy. My recovery has been normal, but as all know it is longer. The fibroid was attached to both sides of my uterus and there was not way I could keep it. I kept my cervix and ovaries.

Good luck with your decision. If you are not sure, get a second opinion. I met with multiple doctors before making my decision.

I cant tell you all how much I appreciate your input...I am so very scared....my husband is supportive....but he wont listen to my fears..he heard possible sarcoma..and he said get it out!! But, he just says...youll be fine....youll be fine....and as much as I appreciate his positive attitude, its pretty annoying. Lol. I am so happy to have found this site, to talk to people that understand.thank you and please bear with me. The next 25 days...cuz I do feel I need this....1st opinion...2nd opinion...loved ones all agree. I just wish I could wrap my mind around this and feel better about my decision.