questions about the actual surgery

I'm new here.
I've had horrible periods since '91. So heavy I can't leave the house. The subject of hysterectomy has come up in the last couple of years with my gyno. I'm so ready (has anyone else felt this way?). He said he will do a vaginal and leave my ovaries. That means no HRT, right?
The actual surgery is making me nervous though. What can I expect when I get to the hospital? What about pre -op sedation? Do they do an endo-tracheal tube or face mask during surgery? I think I'm more concerned with the anesthesia part than the actual procedure.
I don't have my pre-op app until July 3, and surgery is July 11. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I had a TVH and my main concern also was the general. I have bad asthma and was so scared to be put under but everything went so well. When you get to the castle, the nurses expect you to be nervous and they will go out of their way to keep you nice and calm. Your dh or whoever is with you should be allowed to wait in the holding area with you. You'll put on a gown and empty your bladder,then they'll start your IV's. This is when I had my first little med. to help me relax. The A-man will come and talk with you and you have to be honest and tell him your fears and if you have had trouble with a general before. I had trouble with nausea even with an epidural...so he knew of this and took care of it so it wouldn't happen... which it didn't. I also said that I wanted to be asleep before he put the mask or anything on me in the OR...that was also taken care of, I didn't know a thing. The TVH itself was a great choice. Not much pain after the surgery and I had Demerol in my pca. I was up walking later that day and went home at 9:30 the next a.m. 21 hours total. Tha cath. will be taken out the a.m. after surgery so as soon as you are awake enough start drinking all you can...this will help you void on your own. It sounds much scarier than it really is. I'll keep you in my prayers.
Susie

Hi!
You are correct. If you keep one or two ovaries you wont need HRT. Some ladies ovaries go to 'sleep' for a short while after surgery and the dr can give you temporary HRT if that happens. It usually doesnt last long and doesnt always happen. I kept both of mine and they worked just fine the whole time.

I also had a TVH which I was extremely ready for! I can share my hosp experience with you.. although yours may or maynot be the same. I got to the castle at 6:15 am for my 9 :15 am surgery. Was given a pager and DH and I had to wait until we were called back. He wasnt allowed back at first.. so he kept the pager while I went back, got into the gown, answered a few questions for the nurse, was banded with the lovely bracelets, and then was set up for my betadine douche. Easy as pie to do, just insert the nozzle and release the clamp.. wait til it empties... so no worries there. Then my DH was allowed to come back and wait with me while the IV was started. I then had to take an antacid to keep my tummy settled during surgery. Just one gulp, and got to chase it with 7-up (woohoo my first drink of the day! )

I then talked to the A-man about my drug allergies and shortly after was given some versed to calm me. A nurse anesthetist came in and gave me some fentanyl because I was having bad period pain a few minutes later. My doctor arrived, stepped in long enough to shake DH's hand and tell me that I had nothing to worry about and he would take good care of me. Then they wheeled me to the OR, I kissed my DH outside of the door and we parted. Once in there, I got a lovely hat.. then moved to the OR table and had to scooch down, just like for a pap test.. lol. Then they put a oxygen mask over my nose and mouth.. my GA was started by an IV shot of propafol.. and I remember taking 2 breaths.. then I woke in recovery with no concept of losing any time at all. It truly seemed like I closed my eyes one minute and awoke the next.. except everything was finished. My actual alert time in the OR couldnt have been more than 2-3 minutes before I was soundly sleeping.

If you have GA (general) like I did, you will have to be intubated. They do it once you are out and remove the tube while you are still out, so you wont remember it. Its a precaution to protect the airway and also to keep you from possibly aspirating vomit (if you do happen to vomit). My throat was a bit sore the first few days after.. but it wasnt like a normal sore throat. It only burned a little whenever I ate solid food and that passed quickly. Also I didnt have a bowel prep as many ladies do, and I didnt have a cath after surgery.. so I was up on my feet within a few hours of waking up.

If you have any more questions or concerns.. please feel free to PM me. I hope I've helped!

Big s to you!

(((((((Rierie)))))))),

Welcome to Hystersisters.

Please keep reading. Knowledge is power !!!!!

You might want to check out the pre-op and post-op articles/hints to start with. Just go to the home page. Their links are on the lefthand side of the page,just scroll down a little.

If you keep both ovaries,AND THEY ARE HEALTHY AND WORK, you shouldn'r need hrt. You may have to wait for them to *wake up* for a bit,some ladies get hrt from their Dr. til they do start back working.

Hope this helps,

Pamcat

A million thanks to you that responded!

I'm still real anxious about the anesthesia part, but like I said I am so ready for the whole thing to be over.
Do you think my gyno will give me a sleeping pill the night before if I ask him?

Thanks again

My surg was in January. We arrived around 6:30 am, went through the paperwork stuff, then went back to the staging area. DH stayed in the open waiting room while I did more paperwork with the nurse, and changed into a gown. Staging area was open, so we could watch the goings-on around us.

They gave me the lovely hat and the booties, started the IV, etc., at this time. Dh was with me until they hit the button to open the OR door. Next thing I know, I'm in recovery waiting for a ride to my room.

One thing I did request this time was the IV be started early.....two years ago when I had my right ovary out, I was wheeled into OR before the IV started. I remember being put on the table, etc., and I got a little upset when they got out the armrests and velcroed my arms out. I just didn't like being awake for that. It didn't hurt, but it was weird knowing that I couldn't move my arms.

Beth Ann
TAH/BSO

It never hurts to ask for something like a sleeping pill. The worst that can happen is the doctor says no. I had GA when I had my LAVH 8 weeks ago. I was given the medicine in my IV so all I really remember is being wheeled into the OR, transferring to the Operating table and waking up in Recovery. I had quite a bit of nausea post-op but the A-man said to expect that because I went into surgery with a period, which for some reason is 5 times more apt to cause nausea. He ordered extra anti-nausea meds for me to help. I was well taken care of and hope you have the same.

I'm still trying to figure out when they GAVE me the anestesia. Of course I had the IV all hooked up pre-op, they took me into the pre-op room and the A-man came in and asked me what I wanted. He explained the epidural which I did'nt know alot about so just told him general was OK but I was really nervous. He told me don't worry I'll mix you up a great cocktail, you won't get sick etc. Anyway, I swear I never saw him again. They wheeled me into the op room, moved me to the op table and all these thoughts start going through my head like what happens now, wow, look at those lights up there, just like on TV, things I had read here on hystersisters, and BAM I wake up 4 hours later. OK, when did they sneak stuff into my IV?? Where was the A guy? How did they do that? I thought I was supposed to get drowsy, someone would tell me to relax, NO, just one minute your on a table, the next your in a room. I suppose that was the best thing, no time to stress and worry but I'm still trying to figure out the whole thing. Anyway it sure went fast and I'm glad for that.

I was terrified of the general anesthesia also, never having had surgery before. Not a problem.

During pre-op, they put in an epidural for pain management after (works great, highly recommend it!), and the anesthesiologist put in the IV. I have difficult veins, so instead of simply a needle, he put in a long flexible skinny tube that he thread up into the vein (when it came out, the thing was about 6 inches long!) so there was little danger of the IV coming out and someone having to put in another during the hospital stay.

Once the IV was in, they gave me Versed, which honestly, I didn't feel. I guess I was just so revved up about everything. My surgeon came over to say hello, and his fellow (it's a teaching hospital) came over to talk about my ovary. About 5 minutes later, it was time to go.

They started wheeling me along the hospital corridor, I remember them pushing through some big doors and the next thing I remember was waking up in recovery, with an oxygen mask on my face, a very slight sore throat (from the tube), a feeling like I had to pee (from the cathetar) and a slight pressure on my abdomin. No pain, no grogginess, no nausea, nothing.

Just talk to the anesthesiologist about your fears. They'll be able to put your mind at ease and control your "cocktail" to make sure you have a good experience.

	Quote:
BAM I wake up 4 hours later. OK, when did they sneak stuff into my IV?? Where was the A guy? How did they do that? I thought I was supposed to get drowsy, someone would tell me to relax, NO, just one minute your on a table, the next your in a room.

That's exactly my experience, too! The anesthesiologist leaned over, said hello, said she was putting an oxygen mask on me, and that's the last I remember. She had said I may have a sore throat and raspy voice later (from whatever it is they put down your throat), but I didn't.

I was scared to death of the catheter, as I had never had one. I told my doc's nurse of my paranoia, and she assured me it would be put in after I was asleep. I woke up with it in, and they took it out the next day (didn't hurt).

Good luck to you!