impending hyst?

greetings ...
so glad to find this site ... been browsing some postings ... what a bunch of positive, supportive folks!

I'm 43. Recent ultrasound: large uterus, fibroids, ovarian cyst. No surprise here. Suspecting a suggestion for a hysterectomy, based on conversation with the competent technician and her consultation with another GYN.

Myomectomy 9 yrs ago ... 20 or so fibroids. (DepoLupron survivor :-) Hysterectomy was recommended then but MD at the time thought the myo was worth a try, since I hadn't had kids.

Had a planned Csection 11 months later.

Watching recurring fibroids over the years. Heavy bleeding; clotting; growing uterus; recurrent cysts. Tried different BC pills but side effects. Two years ago, current GYN was going to remove an ovary b/c of large cyst. But just appendix came out. That's another story.

Guess I'm thinking that my time has probably come ... don't think my bod is going to let me buy any more time ... no sign of menopause yet ... this would be the 4th ab surgery (and preferably LAST).

So my questions abound regarding whether I can consider leaving one ovary (the other is a mess) ... the pro's and con's.
What can I REALISTICALLY expect for recovery from a tah???? My hub thinks I'm delusional that I could return to work after 3 weeks. But I've had exceptional recoveries before, and my work involves no lifting and minimal phys activity (altho a 45 min commute daily).

Are there other options I'm not considering?? I'm concerned that continuing to live like this will possible complicate other organs (uterus is moving and pressing all the time)

Interested in hearing your experiences / suggestions.
Peace to all.

We all heal differently, this is my experience: I've had two abdominal surgeries, one in 84 for an intestinal resection (Crohn's disease) and one in 00 for an endometrioma and removal of tubes and half an ovary. I'll focus on the second, since it is gyno related. I believe that I heal fairly quickly, so I could move fairly well and had minimal pain after the surgery, but I was TIRED TIRED TIRED. I went back after 6 weeks, first on half days for a week, which was very tiring (even though I have a desk job). I expect to this TAH to be only slightly worse, but there is no way I could have gone back to work after 3 weeks!

I haven't had your procedures, but from what I understand about C-sections, they are not as hard on the body as a hyst--less internal cutting and stitching and organ manipulation. And your appendix removal and myomectomy were probably also much smaller incisions than what is required for a hyst, so they would be a shorter recovery, I'm guessing.

I'm hoping to keep the half ovary I have left, since the other one is the site of a monstrously huge endometroma and has to go. You might be able to keep one ovary if it isn't involved. You are right about the continued growth of the uterus, etc being a problem--scar tissue can start sticking to everything. I have a lot of adhesions, which make it impossible for me to have a LAVH or any other procedure that is less invasive than an abdominal hyst. I'm just desperately hoping that this thing stops growing and doesn't rupture before my surgery 4/8!