Removing my Cervix and Uterus

i just recieved a phonecall my surgery has been brought forward to the 19th so im getting a little nervous now, and its at a different hospital as they were concerned about how big my surgery is in the other hospital if something goes wrong... xx

Tazza....its understandable to be nervous. You will be just fine. Wishing you a successful surgery.

I had TAH uterus, ovaries, cervix...all removed 2/18/11.
Without my ovaries, my libido is way down.
Other than that, no problems!
I am still tired at the end of the day. I just put my feet up and relax.
No complex meals to make for dinner.
Still making salads, cans of soup, simple Mexican food, sandwiches, and take out.
Only minor housecleaning.

Thanks Traleigh!!!!

TW65. I am wondering the same thing. How do things "stay put"? How do they close the vagina? Pretty sure this wasn't covered in health class. I also just found out that I can't take my RA medicine for several weeks. Great another thing to worry about. Can't handle that pain again.

mwinter,
They have information and complete surgeries on utube or the internet.
Just "Goggle" your type of surgery.

Hi guys.

I had my TAH on 17th Feb - took my cervix while they were at it and I had no issues with that although I didn't know they were going to, my fault as I didin't ask - just wanted periods adn pain to stop.

I don't miss my cervix, it hasn't affected sex in anyway.

As for how everything stays in place - well, as we all found out - They stitch thinks in place. You will find you have hundreds of internal stitches. Please do not be frightened by this, it isn't as bad as it sounds. They will make a vaginal cuff at the end of where your cervix was and this closes everything off.

If any of this sounds wrong, I apologise - I have found all my information here from the lovely princesses here who offer love and support to one and all.

Good luck to everyone, you will no doubt have bad days in your recovery, expect them but think and remember How many days a month you felt bad with your period - for the sake of a couple of months you may feel poorly, emotional and fragile - it gets better, just remember to give yourself time to heal physically and emotionally.
Easy to say, not as easy to do.

Let me see if I can clarify a few things for everyone!

First, rather than the cervix being a separate organ, it is actually the neck of the uterus. Depending what is affecting the rest of the uterus, the cervix could also be involved dictating its removal. Additionally, with any type of vaginal or vaginally assisted surgery, it is simpler to remove the entire uterus since the cervix would be delivered first. (There is a rarer hysterectomy where the cervix can be left with a vaginal hysterectomy but most doctors have no training for this as it is complex.)

When the entire uterus is removed, a vaginal cuff is created, sealing the pelvic area. You can read more here: Vaginal Cuff -- What Is It?

In general, the medical field is not recommending pap (or vaginal vault) smears for women with no cervix. However, those with certain risks and diagnoses--including cancer--will still need them. Additionally, some doctors still feel it is wise to do the vaginal vault smears regardless of diagnosis as issues can still occur in the vagina and on the vaginal cuff.

Even without doing the smear, some doctors will still want to do a visual vaginal exam to make sure all is well. Additionally, for those who keep their ovaries, they are reached for examination by the doctor using fingers internally and on the abdomen (here is a drawing to make it more clear: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...x-1786-300.jpg).

As mentioned, the CA-125 can be very inaccurate for pre-menopausal women. Also, yearly ultrasounds are not necessary to make sure the ovaries are doing well if there are no symptoms and the doctor does not detect anything during your yearly exam. If there are ovarian cancer risks, discuss them thoroughly with your doctor to determine what is best for your situation.

The ovaries are still held in place by various ligaments and such, including the broad ligament, but they can float around a bit just as they do now. See if this diagram helps a bit: http://www.bartleby.com/107/illus1161.html

My personal experience is that I had the LAVH so my entire uterus with cervix was removed. It hasn't been a problem not having any part of my uterus. I have a yearly well woman exam that includes the digital check of my ovaries and a look see to check the vagina and cuff. For the first 5 years, I had a vaginal vault smear each year. Now, I have them every 2 or 3 years. I actually have two GYNs and one of them does not think I need the smears at all but he is not my primary GYN so I go with the advice and opinion of my primary GYN.

Best wishes to all!

Weiser - thanks for the clarification! I'll be sure to check out the links. Thanks again!

Umm.. i was told by my surgeon that even if the cervix is removed; the vagina is still there, so yearly exams and pap smears are still required.