I've been scheduled

Well, I set the date. Oct 22. TAH. Still doesn't feel quite real. I could barely eat my lunch afterwards, tho. I sat with some other women for lunch in the cafeteria. I don't have any female friends. I really wanted to talk to them about it, but I didn't because I barely know them and it's my workplace. Not that it's all that confidential since I've been having to ask the doctor questions and set up the appointment at my desk in front of everybody. What else can I do, chained to my desk in a Dilbert cube-farm hell?

I hope I'm not making a terrible mistake. I've only had discomfort for 5 months or so, and the discomfort only happens when I'm on my period (unless the BM problems are caused by this, too.) It's not like I have cancer ot endo or anything like that. Just I'm 39, no kids. I'm supposed to be young, right? What does 10cm look like? Should I be sure to write in magic marker on my tummy "Leave my ovaries and cervix" to make sure they don't get trigger happy?

I'm going to miss a month of my Environmental Horticulture class. And my Unix System admin class. They'll send my job to China while I'm gone and I will have missed my training for my next career. Jeez, and just when I finally got my lazy butt back to school.

I'm whining. Sorry.

Diane

Hi Diane-
If you're unsure if you need a hyst, get a second opinion. There is also a place here /Hysterectomy alternatives/ that you can check out for other options. There is a procedure to remove fibroids, but I can't for the life of me remember what it's called.

Did your dr. say they can't be removed? A hyst. is MAJOR surgery and if you're not sure about anything, then you might consider these suggestions.

I wish you luck with your decision. Keep us posted.

Blessings-
Amber

Diane, don't be sorry, your not whining...your sharing like the rest of us...keep your chin up sweetie! You've got time to research and find the best options for you...I know you'll decide to do whats best for you....feel better Hon...luv & blessings, and like Amber said, keep us posted, K?

Mich

I was given 2 options. I chose the TAH, rather than the myomectomy, so I wouldn't have to have any surgery again in the future. My mom recommended it, too. She nearly made the appointment for me. She's very happy since she had it done.

I don't even want to consider the one where they inject plastic particles in you. I don't trust medical treatments that are newer. Let's see how that works after 25 years.

Soini,

You have been making some tough decisions lately, it looks like.

I also did not experience the fibroid pain very long. A few months. And, I knew if I did not do anything about them, they would keep growing and I would be in more discomfort.

A Hyster Sister posted that 1 cm is about 3/8" of an inch. I had a 8.5 and a 6.5 cm fibroid myself. I tried to get a picture in my head also.

If you have any doubts, take some more time and do some more research. Get another opinion. You can take things out but you can't put them back.

Good luck.

Mary

(((Diane)))

to HYSTERSISTERS!!! Now, you can't say you don't have any female friends to talk to!!! That is what we are all about!!!!! You now have a whole world full of friends to listen to you, encourage you---in any decisions you make---and to talk openly to!!! We all have different stories, different medical histories that led us to hyst., different family backgrounds, different recoveries....but thanks to the www, we are joined as "friends without faces" to see each other through this time in our lives!!!

It is always advisable to seek a second or third opinion....you need to be well informed! Here, at hystersisters, there are many articles and threads that help inform you and give you tips to ask your doctor!!! Our RESOURCES dept. is full of useful info. Here is a link to the Pre-Op articles:

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/hsl...s=&forumid=170

Hope you find the answers you are looking for!!!

Also, if you could go to your CONTROL PANEL and EDIT your PROFILE, adding the date of surgery!!! This puts your name on the Calendar and you will be included in the Daily BEST WISHES thread for your day of surgery!!! It also helps members know how far PRE/POST op you are, when replying to threads! Thanks for your cooperation in this! If your date changes, you can always go back and re-edit your profile!

's,
Ronda

Hi Soini--

I didn't think I was having many symptoms from my fibroids, either. Didn't have any pain, just periods that were getting heavier and longer.

I was having constipation problems, though. The last month or so before surgery I had resorted to enemas, stool softeners and suppositories.

Guess what? I have not had a single problem with BM's since I had my surgery. I am having to assume that those darned fibroids were pressing on the bowel.

I had my fibroids shrunk with a 3 mo. shot lupron to allow the surgeon to do my hysterectomy vaginally. The surgery was not that bad and I can very honestly say I've had head colds that have made me more miserable. I realize I may be one of the lucky ones, but if you decide to have the surgery I suspect you won't regret it.

I tried birth control pills but they made me start bleeding (painlessly) continuously so the doctor gave me progesterone which stopped the bleeding after a week or two (two if you count finally nothing, no clots or anything). I felt pretty good taking it too. I stopped taking it at dr. suggestion once the bleeding stopped.

Now, less than a week later I constantly feel like I have to poo, even after I poo. I feel all "stuffed" in my lower ab. It's not painful, but is yukky. I'm not fat, but I feel fat down there. I feel weird twinges down there, too, always in the same spot where the "orange" is. I wondered if maybe taking progesterone all the time might work, but didn't ask. I'm not sure I want to mess with hormones anyway.

I talked to a women today who had an ovary removed. She was adamant that I not have the surgery, that doctors have an "if in doubt, take it out" mentality. I find it hard to believe my (first opinion) doctor would do that since he's never prescribed me anything until this happened. I swear I could be on death's door and he'd send me down to Long's for some over the counter remedies! Nevertheless I felt all in doubt again.

I've always been the kind who used 2 tampons during the day and none at night, breezing through my periods. I'm spoiled I guess. I'm looking forward to having my period so I can feel all miserable again with the pain, constipation and blood all over the bathroom. I can feel it coming. I want to be reminded that I'm not making this up. After a so many years of not taking medications for anything, of never being sick, healthy as superwoman, it's hard to believe there could be anything wrong with me. I just want to go back to being me and carefree again.

Soini:

To find out how large your fibroid is in inches, divide the number of centimeters by 2.54.

On the issue of progesterone, I was told in May of this year that I needed a hyst for fibroids causing heavy bleeding and pain. I began using natural progesterone cream and taking a number of natural supplements, in hopes of maybe shrinking my fibroids. Progesterone TOTALLY helped the bleeding, but the pain has only gotten worse. After four months of this regimen, my largest fibroid went from 8.9 X 5.9 X8.9 to 7.7 X 8.7 X7.2. Overall, it essentially stayed the same.

Like you, I ruled out UFE because of how experimental it is. I pursued myomectomy, but then a reproductive endocrinologist explained to me that 60-80% of women develop adhesions from this surgery -- resulting in more surgeries in the future.

This left me with the option of hyst. It sounds like you have done the same thinking yourself. But you seem uncertain. Perhaps you should cancel your surgery date until you feel more certain. I would simply warn you, though, not to wait *too* long because the pain may get worse.

One last thing -- Did you ask your Dr. about LSH?

	Quote:
Originally posted by cindybd I pursued myomectomy, but then a reproductive endocrinologist explained to me that 60-80% of women develop adhesions from this surgery -- resulting in more surgeries in the future.

What are adhesions? Is that like scar tissue?

	Quote:
Originally posted by cindybd One last thing -- Did you ask your Dr. about LSH?

No I didn't ask about it. My uterus is enlarged as well as having the fibroids, something like 16cm in length or so. Both doctors mentioned a number of things, quite quickly so I don't remember them all, but after each one they said that they wouldn't work for me. The only ones they said would work were TAH or myomectomy.

I'm not sure what difference laproscopic surgery would make anyway. I mean, I understand it's less recovery time, but it's still the removal of a major organ, and that is the part that freaks me out.