endometriosis

I am most likely going to have a full hysterectomy in Jan or Feb due to extensive endometriosis. I am 37 and really have no moral problem with the procedure, as I have one adopted daughter already, and plan to adopt another. Naturally, I am scared. I was wondering if anyone has had a hysterectomy due to endo, and what changes happened afterward. I think that in the back of my mind, I am scared that after I have everything removed I will be old. I want to know from people who have had it done, what is sex like? Did you have more or less energy afterward? Should I worry about keeping my cervix? And then there is the whole HRT can of worms. I guess I am pretty worried, and could use some support. Anyone can feel free to email me privately. <michelle@hillfolk.net>

Thanx a bunch,

Michelle

Michelle,

I am 30 years old and have fought endo for 12 years with two surgeries in 95 to laser the endo and try to correct the adhesions in order to preserve fertility. Well, it didn't work. But, in 96 my husband and I adopted a BEAUTIFUL baby girl and we are planning to adopt again soon.
I just had my TAH on Friday morning and I feel better already. Sore of course, but no aching or cramping. If you would like to stay in touch and follow my after surgery progress I would be happy to email back and forth and if there are any questions I can help with...just let me know
I am WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO happy I made the decision to and finally got old enough that my doctor thought I had fought the battle long enough, to get this done. I will try to post my castle story very soon. I feel great and and up and around frequently and went in for surgery Friday and came home at noon Sunday.
Anyway, hope this helps some, don't hesitate to email me with any questions....
Nikki

Hi Michelle

I am 31 and had my TAH/LSO almost 9 weeks ago. I had stage IV endo and have had 2 laser laps in the past for removal of endo which was all over the place. How do I feel different? Well, lets see, the pain is gone (I still get some around the incision site if I do a lot of standing, walking, bending, lifting in the day) and I have one little tender spot below and to the left of my belly button. The first while I had cramping when I peed, but I realized recently that that's gone now. I don't have the constant everyday, feels like something is gnawing away at my inards pain, and I think I have more energy than before. I can do more now before I have to rest, but I am still recovering too, so it is hard to tell exactly. Sex is still painful for me (intercourse) but it is a different pain - a not quite healed pain, rather than a knife stabbing me in the gut pain. But outercourse is FANTASTIC and even better than before, especially since I am not left crampy and sore for the rest of the day after. I still have one ovary and my hormone levels have been great - no mood swings, no hot flashes, etc. In fact I don't think my moods have ever been on a more even keel my whole life - and my spirits are great, and have been ever since the afternoon of my surgery (once I got over the initial unbelievable pain that lasted a few hours before the morphine started really working). I feel I still have a few more weeks to go to recover to the point that I would like, but there is nothing I can't do now that I couldn't before, and I'm sure I am doing more than I was before.
I wish you the best of luck. For me, this was a GREAT option. I will continue to look for your posts to see how you are doing too.

Take care.
Shelley

To Nikki:

Yes, I would love to keep in touch with you, and please forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is a TAH? Does that mean everything came out? And was it vaginally, or laparoscopically, or the other way? I'm so happy to hear that you are recovering so quickly! definitely keep me posted!

To Shelley,

What is a TAH/LSO? And also to you, how were things removed? I think I just figured it out ......Total Abdominal Hysterectomy? But I still can't figure out LSO. I went into the Doctor yesterday saying that I just wanted to have my uterus out, but leave my ovaries. My doctor said that leaving my ovaries would be a bad move. I am concerned with going into menopause, obviously, but don't want to come out with my pain still there. My doc seems really adamant about not leaving my ovaries. I didn't ask her about leaving one ovary. I have mood swings, so that was a concern for me too. Like are they going to get worse? Or better.

Thanx tons to you both. I can't believe how quickly I got responses!! I don't even know if I am doing this right. Am I supposed to reply to 2 posts at the same time? Or am I just supposed to email you? Sorry, I am new and learning.

Michelle (shadey)

Hi again

LSO is left salpingo-oopherectomy (left ovary and tube removal). I had my left ovary removed because it was destroyed anyway due to the endo. I didn't want both ovaries removed as I am young and didn't want to go into menopause and be on HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for the rest of my life. Some doctors don't want to leave the ovaries when they are dealing with endo because estrogen fuels the endo, and the ovaries produce the estrogen. Some doctors also will do a hyst to try to cure endo, but not get rid of the endo that is there currently, and then the person will still have the pain from the endo because it is still there. My doctor is an endo specialist - that's all he does and he was very confident that he would be able to get rid of all the endo and then do the hyst (same surgery, 2 stages). If there was any there that he could not see, it is possible that it could continue to grow and cause me more problems in the future. It is a choice I had to make, and decided I would rather still have natural hormones and trust his abilities. If I have to have another surgery in the future, well, that's life, I guess!!
I hope this helps you, but really it is a decision you have to make on your own, and with your doctor.

Shelley