Sooo many questions...losing my mind

I am going for my surgical consult on Tuesday. I have all of my questions written down and I think that I have covered all of the bases. I don't know if I am going to keep my ovaries (I want to but doc suggested removal due to multiple cysts on both), I also think that I want to keep my cervix but I change my mind about that practically on the hour. I don't want mini periods but I don't want to complicate my already strained sex life either. I try to focus on other things but I AM OBSESSED! DH thinks that I am worrying for no reason, keeps saying just wait to see what the doctor says. I have been crying today for no reason at all and I feel like I am in limbo. I don't even have a surgery date yet and the waiting has already nearly done me in. Noone in my life understands me. If is wasn't for all of you on this site, I don't know what I would do.

Hi there!
Your post touched me...I felt that same obscession before my surgery. So have all the other ladies here. The surgery was all I could think of all the time. I changed my mind constantly in regards to how I wanted to handle things...what procedure...what to save...how to accept. The obscession is all part of the process.

I was logged into this site every spare moment...reading and re-reading stories of people who had my same fears. It was such a comfort to find a place where everyone understood.

Even your crying spells are normal under the circumstances! So give your poor self a break, and know that you are ok & most certainly not alone in this.

Glad to know I am not the only one. I have a surgery date, June 9, but think of nothing else but the end results. I have crying fits that last all day. I am constantly glued to the computer. Gives me some comfort knowing that I am not alone. I too feel like nobody understands me. My dh tries but admits he really can't help just console me. Hang in there.

In my prayers
Kathleen

Aww, you're not alone. I just recently posted that I thought I was insane, only to find out I'm in great company in my insanity.

I've got about a week and a half to my surgery date and my nerves are killing me. I'm getting to the point of just wanting to get it over with so the waiting is over. There are additional benefits like no more monthly floods, bleeding through, buying pants and panties off the clearance rack due to an emergency surprise extra period, no more back pain, pelvic pain, no more going through bottles of otc pain meds that do nothing etc. I will be keeping my ovaries (had a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy 5 weeks ago and they looked really healthy) but my cervix will be going the same route as my uterus.

It's good that you've got your questions ready for your consult on Tuesday. Just keep asking questions, it doesn't make the wait any better but you will feel you at least know what is going on.

Good Luck!

Did you have on your list to talk to your doctor about mini-periods? Most clinical studies put the likelihood somewhere between 5-20% of those who keep both their cervix and ovaries have mini-periods. The key is that they remove all remaining endometrium either by coring and/or cauterizing. Ask him what his experience is with his patients getting cyclical bleeding.

I have a mini-period and frankly, it doesn't bother me a bit. I like the reminder that my ovaries are functioning properly. It's so light that it doesn't even interfere with my sex life.

There have been studies that have shown that post-hyster sex life is actually better for most women. However, I did see one report that showed that women who have their cervix taken specifically to treat hyperplasia where they take a little more off the top of the vagina do have vaginal shortening and experience pain during intercourse.

Most importantly, ask your doctor about testing you for the high risk strains of the human papilloma virus. Most cervical cancer is caused by infections of these strains of HPV (there are many strains, so just because you've had a vaginal wart doesn't mean that you'll get cervical cancer, that's a different strain) so knowing before hand if you're at higher risk is important.

About your ovaries, I see that you're very young, about 15 years from natural menopause. Do the cyst bother you? Are they functional cysts and can they be drained when you have your hyster?

At this point if your doctor is recommending oophorectomy for someone so young (have you been tested for polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is insulin resistance and can indicate an overall endocrine problem and possible future diabetes which puts you at higher risk for cardiovascular disease) I'd suggest getting a second opinion, especially from a reproductive endocrinologist.

Keep reading to educate yourself. You're in charge of your destiny here, and ultimately it's you and your health care team making the decisions, so you're wise to spend your time before making a choice to get smart about your body.

Take care.

Thank you all so much for being there! It's such a comfort to know that I am not alone. Work kept my mind occupied today (mostly). I just don't know what I would do if you all weren't here. I thank god for this site. With the help and support of so many women who have been there, I know that I will be fine (even if I do go a little insane now and then).
Consult is tomorrow. Juniper, I do have it on my list to ask about the mini-periods but I don't know whether my cysts are functional or not. They do bother me quite a bit especially mid-cycle. I did not think to ask about having them drained and so I will add that to my list. Thanks for the tip.

Had my consult today! Went great! Doc is wonderful. Didn't even have to ask most of my questions because he addressed them before I could bring them up. Keeping both ovaries, going to attempt TVH, fibroid might be too large but he is optimistic. I feel soooo much better about all of this. Don't have a date yet, hopefully soon.
Thanks for all the support.

I'm glad you are feeling better about all this. There is a lot to consider. Not to add to your confusion, but you mentioned in an earlier post that you may want to keeo your cervix. You also noted that you are having a TVH. You cannot keep your cervix unless you have an abdominal hyst. I had TVH 3 weeks ago so it is too soon to know for sure but I don't feel any different without my cervix and I'm confident sex will be better than before because my pain will be gone. Good luck in whatever you decide.


Lisa
39yr old. TVH 4/6/05 kept ovaries, adeno. and fibroids

Imp66,
I did originally want to keep my cervix but my doctor said that there were not necessarily advantages to keeping it. I have a family history of cervical cancer (though I have never had an abnormal pap myself) and he said that with the position of my cervix being very low in the vaginal canal it could likely be one source of my discomfot during intercourse. That advice paired with the chance for a less invasive surgical approach helped me make the decision. I trust my doc and he said that it was in my best interest. One of the biggest concerns that I had originally was that I read that removal of the cervix can acutally shorten the depth of the vagina sometimes. My doctor assured me that this was not infact the case. He led me to believe that most women don't miss it, and that I can likely look forward to a much improved sex life.

I'm a little over 2 wks. post po and can't wait till I get the O.K. from the doc. Everyone that I've talked to, sex life is great. So think positive!! We all get scared, it's alright, that's normal. So hang in there. I don't regret a thing, I feel a little better each day.