Surgery with Adrenal problems

I posted this on another site and was told this would be a great place to try for more answers.

I have been on steroids, for my asthma, for 11 years and from this I have developed adrenal suppression (so I've been told). I have over the past 6 years had horrible trouble with PAP smears. I was being tested every 6 months. Last year I had a biopsy which came back with complex hyperplasia w/out atypia. The doctor said that if I didn't have the other problems he would go ahead and do a hysterctomy. He put me on provera for 3 months and had me come back. This biopsy came back as complex hyperplasia WITH atypia this time and he said we had to do a hysterctomy. He did not feel comfortable in doing this so he referred me to another "more experienced doctor" I waited 3 weeks to get in. I walked into his office and he immedicately looked up at my husband and said "I can't do this surgery on your wife". He said he first felt I should have a D&C but that with my white count levels he believed there may be cancer already and has now sent me on to an oncologist. I have an appointmet in 2 weeks.

I guess what my question is, should I be concerned about surviving a surgery? I feel myself getting scared and thinking of not even going to the doctor. What questions should I ask? I had to look up on this website what a hysterectomy was. I knew very little about it, but I can't find anything about the complications of hystectomy on other illnesses like my asthma, diabetes, and adrenal troubles? Just how dangerous is this surgery for me?

Just looking for a little advice and maybe some reassurance.

Thanks

I have asthma too. Have only had it since 1999. Developed it after a severe bout with bronchitis. I'm having surgery July 14. I haven't had to take steroids too often. What I did was call the nurse who knows my history at my pulmonologist. He is going to do a pre-surgery check-up on me tomorrow to give his A-OK. Talk to yours, I'm sure he'll be able to give you good advice. I have a great pulmo doc. Hope you do too. Good luck.

You may want to clarify again with your DR why s/he isn't doing the surgery. My understanding is if a women is positive for a certain level of dysplasia the treatment protocal is to not bother doing the hysterectomy - they go straight to treating the atypical cells with chemo, etc. I won't pretend to be authoritative on WHY they don't do the hyst. I suspect they don't want to risk introducing cells into the surrounding tissues. They also may not want to send you through the difficulty of a surgery and recovery when your time may be better spent doing other procedures.

I have asthma and have been on steroid maintenance for over 10 years now. Fortunately, I haven't developed any problems with my adrenals although my hypothalamus will sometimes suddenly stop functioning when I'm overly stressed and that can affect my adrenals. The A-man had some extra steps to do because of my asthma but it didn't rule me out of having the surgery. Women who are active diabetics have hysterectomies, too, so that won't rule you out.

Thanks for the advice.

I live in a small city and Monday I am scheduled to go to the bigger city and speak with an actual oncologist. I guess the thought of going to an oncologist is kind of freaking me out a bit since I've not been told I actually HAVE cancer and they are cancer doctors.

I'm just confused and now worried since I keep getting different stories and told that I really need to have the hysterectomy done and yet neither doctor wanting to do the surgery. the last doctor when pressed as to why he wouldn't do it, leaned over the desk and said "...because I don't know you would make it through the surgery"

Truely though, I have been reading through the material on this site and feel a little better. I also have printed out alot of it and let my husband read it as well.

Today I'm a little more at ease and hopefully Monday I will feel much more at ease and know what I am to do.

...and if all else fails it's all in God's hands anyway.

Thanks again to all of you who have written to me in private and in public, it truely is appreciated.

Le