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It's not supposed to be there!
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11-13-2006, 01:42 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 320
Hysterectomy: July 18th, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Undecided
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It's not supposed to be there!
"Did you know you still have part of your cervix?" asked the surgeon who was examining me today. I have a fistula that needs repair (happened during my TAH in July). I was NEVER told by the gynecologist who performed my TAH that they didn't get it all! Shouldn't I have been told that? I was in such shock, I didn't ask the new surgeon what that meant-do I still have to have paps? Isn't there a cervical cancer risk now that shouldn't have been there anymore? This summer, following my surgery I was told I had a lot of scar tissue from my 2 previous c-sections, that there was a cyst in my fallopian tube, and that the ovaries were left. Now I have to wonder what really went on. I was upset about the fistula, but I knew there were risks, and I was one of the unlucky ones. Now I'm not sure about what was done (or not done to me!)
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11-13-2006, 01:51 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 253
Hysterectomy: October 4th, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH/SAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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It's not supposed to be there!
I do think you should have been told exactly what happened in surgery. I went into mine with the plan to have my cervix removed, but came out with it still intact.....doc explained my situation to me the next day. Mine had become attached to my bladder due to previous c-sections and was impossible to remove. He didn't want to cause complications for me down the road and since my pre-hyst problems weren't related to my cervix, he just left it. Maybe your situation is similar...I'd ask....and then I'd tell my gynecologist how I felt about being left in the dark! Good luck!
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11-13-2006, 01:56 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 1,080
Hysterectomy: August 17th, 2006
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Removed both
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It's not supposed to be there!
Hello. What a surprise you've had. I think I can answer one of your questions, and maybe make a hint about something else. A person's chances for getting cervical cancer have less to do with whether they have a cervix or not than with whether they have been in touch with HPV viruses. Even if a woman has had a hyst with cervix removed, she still carries the HPV viruses in her body, and the viruses can -- in rare instances, but still can -- affect her other genital areas, incl the vagina , labia, and other external tissues. So not having a cervix would only mean that if you have one of the "at risk" viruses that make up the 100 or so viruses called HPV, you wouldn't have any problems in your cervix -- the problems could emerge in one of the other genital areas.
I hasten to add that only a selection of the 100 or so viruses that are called HPV are the ones associated with cancer in the cervix. So I don't really think you have too much to worry about. You should always get paps done, anyway, even after a hyst, though, because HPV can cause dysplasia in the other areas I have mentioned, and the latest numbers indicate that 85% of the sexually active population carry HPV viruses.
It could be that your surgeon decided to leave the cervical cuff (on the vagina side) in order to support your bladder more and to keep your vagina more in shape. Sometimes they do that.
What you might do is ask for a report of the surgery. Every doc makes a surgery followup report. And as the patient, it's yours. You should be supplied it, along with the pathology report on your tissues (because they likely ran a pathological test on the matter that was taken). You can call up your doctor's office and ask for it, or, perhaps better yet, make the call and follow up with a written request, if you don't get the report within a reasonable amount of time. The information should be provided to you free of charge, but some docs ask for fees for records. But really, the records are yours, and you cannot be kept from getting them in some way.
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11-13-2006, 02:05 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 320
Hysterectomy: July 18th, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Undecided
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It's not supposed to be there!
Sisterpn/ blueheron2003-Thanks for the comfort. It's just kind of scary, now that I'm about to have a 2nd surgery. You want to be able to trust your dr., and I know mistakes can happen, but at least tell me what's going on!
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11-13-2006, 02:16 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 1,080
Hysterectomy: August 17th, 2006
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Removed both
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It's not supposed to be there!
I'm sorry this is happening for you. It must be painful and indeed scary. It does sound as if you are in good hands now, and for that you can be grateful. Others have had to go through second surgeries, and some for fistulas, if my memory of earlier postings serves. To gain additional support, perhaps you might do a search for others who have posted about this. (Go to the upper right portion of the screen and find "Search," click on it, and find a blank space where you can type in fistula.) It sounds like your new surgeon is a good one. Your experience is why many of us have recommended to others to have gyn surgeons rather than their regular gyns do these surgeries. Sometimes things happen that they just don't know much about. I hope things get better for you soon.
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11-13-2006, 02:50 PM
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Guest
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Posts: 305
Hysterectomy: November 8th, 2006
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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It's not supposed to be there!
Hi BlueHeron, You seem very knowlegable about the HPV viruses and so I have a question. Lately I have been seeing these ads on TV. Back in April, I had the DNA-related test for the HPV virus and it was negative, it also wasn't covered by medicare so it cost me out of my own pocket, but I felt it was worth it. My Dr explained that these HPV related viruses can cause cervical cancer.
The first test they do is a DNA test, looking for a specific gene or genes that can allow a person to develop or carry the HPV viruses. As I mentioned, my test was negative. He told me therefore the cervical cancer/dysplasia I had in 1996 was NOT as a result of an HPV virus. So wouldn't it be true that cervical cancer can and is caused by OTHER sources? In my case it would have to be. Although in 96 there was no such test, or info available, the Dr says I would have to have this specific gene, and I don't.
This is where my concern comes in and maybe you can shed some light on it. That TV advertising campaign leads you to believe that you have to have one of the HPV viruses in order to develop cervical cancer. But that isn't the ONLY case in which you can get it... isn't that a dangerous campaign? If a woman has this simple, painless test and does not have the gene she might stop going for pap tests, feeling invincible. She could die. Am I right? Or am I missing something?
My cervix has been removed, except for one small section that the Dr could not remove.
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11-13-2006, 03:01 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 1,080
Hysterectomy: August 17th, 2006
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Removed both
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It's not supposed to be there!
I'll post to you privately, as this thread relates to a number of different issues, cervical cancer worries being only one of them.
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11-13-2006, 03:16 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 390
Hysterectomy: September 26th, 2005
Surgery Type: TAH/SAH
Ovaries: Removed both
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It's not supposed to be there!
Your doctor may have had a valid reason to have left part of it. I would call and ask for details since you expected it all to be removed.
The issue I would have in your situation is not being told that something different was done than what you expected. I was also supposed to have my cervix removed. Due to the size of my uterus there was a lot more bleeding than expected so my doctor decided to leave it because he was afraid of causing complications. I think his partner who did rounds the next day gave me the update, if not he did at my first post-op appointment.
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