What led to your hysterectomy decision?

I noticed a weird feeling vaginally last summer, like something was 'there',upon inspection I could see there WAS something there! Kind of freaked me out at 1st. I have always had issues with benign cervical polyps, but this was much more than polyps.(I still have them, as well, including uterine polyps--which is what is causing so much in between period bleeding for me.)
Since all this was discovered, my prolapse has gotten steadily worse...and it is a real cramp on my sex life and sex drive,too. I want to feel GOOD again!

Fibroids. Big ones. More specifically subserosal pedunculated fibroids (on stalks on the outside of my uterus). I felt a lump where your right ovary might be. At first I was afraid of ovarian cancer, because my symptoms were closer to that than to fibroids. Since my fibroids were on the outside of my uterus, I didn't have heavy periods or cramping. Instead, I had bloat and constipation. When I asked what my options were, my doctor said, "we could try myomectomy (removal of fibroids only) but you have so many and they are quite large. There is a good possibility that you could start hemorrhaging during surgery and I would have to do an emergency hysterectomy anyway." So after getting a second opinion and researching everything, I came to the realization that I had to have a hysterectomy. It took 18 months for me to work up the courage. By then, my largest fibroid was the size of a small watermelon, I had 4 softball sized fibroids and 2 golf ball sized fibroids. So she had to do a vertical incision to get to everything. The watermelon was wrapped up in my intestines so it took awhile for her to get it out without nicking my intestines or cutting something she shouldn't. But she did a great job and I am doing much better than I expected.

I would bloom blood. I mean pure liquid soaking my jeans. I lived with it for another two months. I started to feel dizzy walking, very fatigued. Then I would blanch before a bleeding episode. I went to the doctor. I had severe anemia (8) and a pre-cancerous polyp. I started to spot every day in 2000 when my dad was diagnosed with cancer. I tried holistic castor oil compresses with heating pads before I went to the doctor 1 1/2 years later. They treated me with a progestrone stong birth control pill. It reversed the pre-cancer. I quit the pill 3 1/2 years later. I bled heavily the next year, figured it was my body adjusting to no birth control pills. By August 2009, I started the heavy, soak jeans bleeding. It was 4-5 mos between episodes, then from September-November every week. A week before my surgery, it was every day. Different too. I could feel it turn on like a faucet and it would gush blood and water. The hysterectomy was life saving. It was a tumor. Luckily my uterus grew to accommodate it, but it started to grow into my uterine muscle which is bad news because the body's next. No one would do a hysterectomy if they had a choice. The news is too many doctor's do this unnecessarily, but the public is uninformed. You find out about uterine cancer until it's too late. If you're bleeding be it from your bladder, vagina, or colon, something is wrong. If addressed right away, it is contained. Where's the public service announcements that ovarian, lung, and breast cancer have? The bleeding may be treated, but eventually you'll have to have surgery. Life is wonderful after bleeding. My ovaries were removed, I don't have menopausal symptoms except a hot flash once in a while. What's left is a large amount of fat around my middle that is breaking down into estrogen. This is what I'm worried about. The surgery was the best thing to happen to me. No bleeding. I feel like I'm back in the summer of 1974.

Oh yes. I asked for my hospital medical records. In my pathology report, in addition to a endometrial tumor, I had fibroids, a gap in my cervix, cysts in my left ovary. My female parts were messed up. I'm glad it's gone. Hallelujah! Heaven in 2011. Thank you Lord

Hi
I'm new here. I live in Scotland (UK).

Uterine Prolapse (severe) - following a long overdue (my part) visit to a Gynae consultant. Took history - I am relatively asymptomatic - bar the obvious feeling of looseness and more and more coming down. Was told quite suddenly on examination that there were no options. I am told the uterus has inverted, is completely out (stating the obvious) and will endanger kidneys and more. Tried vaginal ring but only lasted one week - though MY GP is going to try a different size. Gynae appojtment was 10 - 15 minutes and left me with more questions than it answered. I assume I will be called for a pre op assessment but have no further information.

Hysterectomy seems the obvious option - last period 18 months past - but do not know extent of further damage, or what method anticipated (most likely vaginal and total - no need to take ovaries as they are healthy). Expect to get a date September/October (requested delay until Mid Sept due to family commitments. Also have seen negative reports on mesh and further potential hernias.

A bit of history.
I suffered nerve damage 23 years ago on difficult protracted delivery (vaginal) of my first child. I have not been able to hold tampons since then.

After 2nd child (also vaginal) 20 years ago I had physio and although it was noted that I had no nerve - muscle signals getting through no further actions was suggested. Just pelvic floor exercises that have become less and less effective.

I am 53 and think I am almost through the menopause.
Fit, healthy, non smoking, good weight. Periods regular once on the pill. Never very heavy until peri menopause.

menopause probably made things worse past two/three years, as did a year working in a shop standing 8 hours daily and humping heavy boxes.

Last tow cervical smears I had asked nurse to assess and advise - was told nothing out of the ordinary. Part of the reason I haven't done much to follow up referral option for two years - instigated by me - no examination by GP staff. Family ill health took it out of my mind as I am not in pain and life is pretty normal despite.

That's the potted history.

I want more answers and to investigate any other options and potential risks of op/no op.

I feel so sorry for emperical. Please find a Dr. who will submit it correctly to the insurance. I just got approved for pt and was told not to bother. I was the first to get it past through this ins. So call the insurance yourself and call 10 times if you have to. But talk to someone who is kind and will help you. Hard to find with ins company I know. Have the person document your converasation in the computer. First Dr. I went to gave up quickly. The foreign tech called me back and told me to submit the claim myself and was of no help. That was the primary care. The ob is a family friend and so is his assistant. So he put in the effort and got it approved for me. You really need to find an ob that will fight for your rights and what is best for you. Don't have same old ob resubmit it. Find a new one. Someone who your friends suggest. So when you meet him you can say so and so recommended you so highly and things like that. Have the Dr. call the insurance company and say that it is a medical necessity. If you have to exagerate your symptoms. You know what is best for you, so whatever it takes. They listen to Dr.s not us and techs. Hope that helps some. Also, are you friends with other Dr.s in town. Ask them to pull strings for you if possible. My dh plays tennis with the gasto Dr. in town. Because they are friends, he moved me to the front of his schedule. So do whatever you can to network. Praying for you to get this passed.

Severe almost constant bleeding since january, decided to have an ablation in april (thank God for the mental nudge to DO SOMETHING). Path came back endo cancer! TAH in may... nuff said! Im healthy, cancer contained to endo only didn't even reach the wall! Let's hear it for catchit early! Thank You Lord for guiding my path!

Gosh, I am so sure I made the right decision at this point. Like many of us right from the start my period ran my life. Pain for three days at the least, crazy heavy, BIG clots and passing out because of the cramps. I lived like this hoping that pregnancy (when I was ready) would make this go away as my mom said it could. My 20's everything seemed better after my son, periods were a breeze for the first year then got worse until it felt like I was a teen again. Then Thirties, I developed an endometrioma, a Chocolate Cysts that grew to the size of an orange and pulled & pushed on everything. Woke me up from a dead sleep one night with the WORST PAIN EVER in my life. All because of a BM! Passed out twice on my bathroom floor. Still in pain 3 days later, gave in to go to the Dr. because taking care of me is last on my list!
So many tests later.... GYNE DR gives me 3 choices,
the pill ...er no thanks those made me CRAZY
an IUD... Definitely NO heard too many scary things about those gadgets!!
Or while he is in there removing the Cyst via LAP he could also do a hyster. I had done some research already, I was ready to make that choice.
Did I have it as bad as some of the other ladies here? Most definitely no but was I on that road and headed toward Fibroid hell.. YES with my mother and grandmother's history. and NO THANK YOU! Take it out I say! I want my life back PERIOD! pardon the pun
My Doc even cracked a few jokes with me after making sure I was mentally okay with the decision...He also left my left ovary the only healthy looking thing in there. So I will still have my natural hormones, which are working just fine..should be on my period this week, broke out with zits right on cue
I truly feel I saved myself a lot of future misery, still recovering but very happy I did it.

My decision was so easy. I am 40 years old and we have 5 children (4 of which I gave birth to).

After a year and a half with a failed Mirena that was supposed to reduce bleeding and make my periods more manageable, it didn't. It made it worse. My mirena actually came out on its own during one period. My doctor said, "now thats some heavy cramping". I know he was joking, but in a way he was right. It never helped. Instead of skipping any periods there were many months I had 2!

I have always had bad cramps and a heavy flow. But after my last childbirth they got worse. I was going thru a full pad and super tampon every hour. I couldn't leave the house duiring my 7-10 day heavy cycle. Not just from the pain but also because I would leak the minute I got out of the car. If I lasted that long. ANy movement made everything just bad.

So pain, heavy (heavy) bleeding which caused me to be exhausted and at times anemic were the normal for me. Nothing seemed to help.

The doctor and I tried many different options (drgus, iuds, shots, etc) nothing worked. It kept getting worse and worse.

The last thing I tried was birth control without a period. Then one morning I doubled over in pain and ended up in the ER. I couldn't stand, sit, lay down, anything...

After a ton of IV pain meds and a sonogram. They found a few fibroids in my uterus that may be what was causing the pain. But according to my doctor it could have been a ovarian cyst rupturing. Once they rupture there is no way to tell (unless there is damage left behind). Great, I even had a MRI the next week, just to rule out kidney problems and such.

So my doctor told me that if the pain returned at my next period that it was most likely the fibroids.

The next month was normal, painful but nothing like the previous pain.

Then the third month, it happened again. This time it wasn't as bad (but that may have been because I knew what it was and took some heavy duty pain meds I had on hand pretty early on).

So...he (doctor) said if you are done having children, a hysterectomy is the best route to take care of this. (I had also been considering a tubal ligation for complete other reasons.)

Well hello, I have 5 of them! I am so done. Like Bill Cosby once said, "Why do we have 5 children? We have 5 children because we do not want 6!" (hence the tubal ligation)

So I made my decision. Big sigh, relief. But I had to wait. My husband was going in for knee surgery the next week. It has now been 9 weeks since his knee surgery.

I got tired of waiting for my husband to be mobile enough for me to have my surgery. I realized if I waited too long school would start and then I would be waiting again.

I called and said lets do this! The nurse laughed (because I was so excited and happy)and reassured me most women are excited and happy once they have decided to proceed. So I don't need counceling afterall! Yay.

My pre op appointment is tomrrow. I have a ton of questions (since I have been on here reading I realized I didn't ask hardly any specific questions at all).
I can see in my mind my doctor pushing his glasses up on his forehead and sighing to answer them all.

I am sincerly happy to have found such a wonderful supportive place for information and support. And I even caught on pretty quick to the warning of mentioning children (some of us are slow that way)! So if I offended anyone in the first two post without a warning I very whole heartedly apologize.

Thank you everyone for everything!

I will check to make sure he will remove the adhesions. Thanx for letting me know they got all yours. I see dr at end of week, we'll chat.