Repairs without hysterectomy?

Hi..sorry I have been away for a bit.
I am afraid I have no idea what urodynamic testing is...nor do I know if he suspended my uterus 15 years ago. I just know that he did a front and back repair. This surgeon told me that they sometimes use the uterus to support the other organs, which is why he wouldnt say if he would take it or not.
However, when it came to the op, the uterus was on its way down and was my main problem. Hence the hysterectomy.
Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Hey guys I am new to this site. I found some information on the three types of treatments used to suspend the uterus without a hysterectomy. Hope it is somewhat helpful.


http://www.womenshealthlondon.org.uk...eprintall.html

I didn't mention in the first post that the information on suspending the uterus is near the bottom of the page. sorry.

I HAD SURGERY ON THE 14TH APRIL FOR PROLAPSE OF MY UTERUS IT WAS QUITE SEVERE. I WAS FIRST ADVICED TO HAVE A HYSTERECTOMY BUT AFTER RESEARCHING THIS I FOUND THAT BY REMOVING THE UTERUS COULD CAUSE OTHER ORGANS TO COLLAPSE E.G. BLADDER,BOWEL AND THE VAGINAL WALLS.I GO FOR MY FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENT THIS WEEK.
I HAD THE UTERUS SUSPENDED AND AN ANTERIOR REPAIR. i THINK IF I HAD HAD ANY OTHER PROBLEMS PAINFUL PERIODS ETC I WOULD HAVE OPTED FOR HYSTERECTOMY.
I ALSO READ THAT EVEN IF THE OVARIES ARE LEFT THEY CAN PACK UP AND YOU CAN GO INTO AN EARLY MENOPAUSE.
HOPE THIS IS OF HELP TO YOU.

Thank-you Julie Anne... it is good to hear from you. I do not have any problems with my uterus. It is not even prolapsed and a hysterectomy was advised along with cystocele and rectocele repair. I do not think anything should be removed if it is healthy, ya know? I have opted to wear my pessary and maybe not even have surgery at all for now to see how it goes.

I think that is a good idea. I tried a pessary but it wouldn't hold in place. The consultant said I had no support in my pelvic floor at all.I think you have even less reason to have hysterectomy than I did.
Sometimes I think doctors suggest hystertectomy because it is easier for them and also they can then do the repairs vaginally.
My op took about 2 1/2 hours wheras hysterectomy takes less than a hour. I have just a small bikini scar about 4 1/2 inches long and it's hardly visisble really even though it's only 12 weeks since my op.
There were no guarantee's with this op as the surgeon hadn't performed it that often but I thought it was worth trying. If my uterus wasn't prolapsed I wouldn't even consider having it removed, but you have to make the desision. I would see how you go with the pessary and then just consider the repair op.
Good luck. I'll keep you posted with my recovery.

Riverwmn -

I am new to this site too and i toying with the same issues that you are. I have two babies and about three months after the second one, I started having to pee every 5 minutes. I have a cystocele and a rectocele, but they are not "hanging out" for lack of a better term. They do move when I bear down, though. I want to not be so dependant on going to the restroom constantly and it ruins my sex life sometimes b/c I seem to have this fear that my bladder will just fall out during sex some day. On the other hand, a hyster at my age (25) is REALLY REALLY SCARY!!! I am about to just suck it up and deal with it due to my fears and anxiety over doing something about it. I wish you the best of luck with your problems. I see a uro-gyn next Wed. and he is going to do a cystoscopy just to make sure everything is clear. I just want to be able to be a wife and mother again and be somewhat "normal."

Good luck!

Hi Hiddareboog...
Well, I have a healthy uterus and no leaking at all from my bladder. My Dr is surprised I do not leak as my bladder is very loose and the support is completely severed on one side. The pessary holds everything up just fine. The rectocele is a different story. I have tried to alter my diet somewhat and that seems to have helped a little with it. Please let me know how you are doing and what your Dr says next week when you go...

Sunflower...
How are you feeling now? So you had a uterine suspension and bladder repair (suspension) too? That is exactly what my Dr told me. He said he could do all the repairs and suspend my uterus but it would have to be done 'inside and out'. Just like you said, if done vaginally the uterus would 'have to go'. His words. Kind of made me a little mad when he said it like that. I know he is a good Dr, but I also feel I should be able to decide what I want done with MY body. He said he could do it but I would be his second patient without a hysterectomy. He said it can be done and is not usually done as there is not much data out there to confirm what the success rates are. All I know is my Mom had a friend who could not get pregnant. She had a uterine suspension and had two kids after that. With the suspension! So they must work pretty well if she could carry two babies to term, ya know?

I've had the urodynamic testing and it wasn't a big deal for me at all. (Of course, keep in mind that most of the nerves to my genitals were damaged by my hysterectomy and I can't feel much in that area anyway.) Basically, they make you drink a ton of liquids, cath you, strap you to a table that tilts up and have you pee into the tubes while the machines monitor and chart your functions. The worst part for me was all the liquids I had to drink.

I also have a rectocele which was caused by the hysterectomy. For the first year I was in AGONY as it also pushed back into my spine and I was told that I "had" to have corrective surgery. However, since the TAH/BSO did so much damage and caused problems I never imagined, I was reluctant to sign up for surgery again and didn't do the repair. Then I found other doctors who suggested the atrophying of my vagina (because of oophorectomy) probably had a lot to do with my rectocele problem. Sure enough, some vagifem tablets helped to restore some of my vagina and greatly improved the recocele. I'm very glad I didn't "have" to have the repair, although I still have problems, it is safer for me to not have any more surgery.

I'm with you on keeping your uterus! Especially since it's healthy! Did you know that in just the last few months scientist discovered that the uterus secretes two (that they know of) hormones that our bodies use? They never knew that before!

A hysterectomy jeopardizes your ovaries. The ovaries are VERY important in their contribution to your overall health as they are major suppliers of hormones used by your endocrine system to operate MANY organs other than just the reproductive ones. As a woman who has suffered MAJOR health problems from losing my ovaries (oophorectomy) I would recommend thoroughly investigating their role before consenting to any unnecessary surgery that may harm your ovaries. This is a classic case of "better safe than sorry" because if the hysterectomy does cause harm, you can NOT go back and undo the damage.

Lastly, I would be concerned about having a surgical procedure done by someone who has only done it twice. Please consider your second opinions and alternatives carefully.

Best wishes,

I went for my check-up yesterday the doctor is pleased he said I still have some prolapse but my cervix only comes about half way down when I cough or push, whereas before my cervix was at the entrance to my vagina before the op. I go back again in six months. He didn't actually repair the bladder as he said he didn't need to. I'm really paranoid that it willcome back but the doctor said to carry on as normal as long as I don't lift anything too heavy.
He shortened the supports on my uterus from about 6cm to 1cm.
He said if it came back I would probably have to have hysterectomy but he would lokk at other repairs first. He did say that sometimes you can repair too much and then that causes problems and pain.
I'm very happy with what I have had done and it's just fingers crossed I suppose. I just hope it lasts. I'm sure I would have had a lot more problems later if I had opted for hysterectomy.
Good luck with whatever you choose but don't rush into it.