surgery 11/19 scared

I am having my surgery on 11/19. Not sure what to expect. My doctor said that he could not do a vaginal hyst. But you know docotrs he tries to explain but I still don't understand why. I am only 32 years old and have endo. Tried the Depo Lupron shots. What a waste of money. The shots were $500 month. Luckly I had met the deductable and only had to pay $100 month. But it was for 6 months. Told my doctor nothing had changed and I want this done. My health like I'm sure everyone else has affected my job and home life.

I always get so sick from surgery even though I tell them I get sick and they give me everything they can.

Is there a big difference between vag and being cut? I was also thinking about having a tummy tuck at the same time. I haven't talked to my doctor yet, but I think it would be worth it. Has anyone else had both procedures done? I had my docotor schedule the surgery out so far so I could get things scheduled at work, but it gives me way too much time to think about it.

Any advice?

Hi. I had a TAH and a full tummy tuck on July 14 and had an awesome experience. I'm right at 3 months post-op and feeling wonderful. The tummy tuck was by far the more intense of the two surgeries but it was worth it. I had never had a flat stomach. Even when I was a thin teenager, it was always poking out there. So now at 41 having tight abs and a flat belly is like waking up to a gift everyday. Of course, the gyno pain is gone and that's another gift too! I haven't tracked my experience in the online journal or anything, so if you want more details and info, I'd be happy to chat with you about it.

Hi,

I understand how you feel. I am thirty and have endo problems for a long time. Yesterday we decided that getting a hysterectomy would be a good thing. We have been talking about it for a long period.

I am nervous too. But, I am looking forward to feeling better.
And I hope you will feel better soon.

Anomis

Hi, It sounds like you are doing a good job of researching before going in.

I can't say anything about the endo part, but I had a TAH/BSO, rectocele repair and full abdominoplasty. (TT) When I asked the ob/gyn surgeon about having a TT at the same time he said, "Sure, you are a perfect candidate for that-I had lost over 50 pounds and still had the large belly and no waist-my waist was the same size as my hips! He said it made perfect sense because they were alreay going to make an incision. He even referred me to one he said he trusted. The ob/gyn's nurse made the arrangements for the surgery day and time and they had it all figured out as to how much time each would take.

The plastic surgeon made the initial incision, separated the skin from the muscle, and did lipo on some parts, then stretched and excised the extra skin. Then the gyn did the hysterectomy, then the plastic surgeon did the closing. Then they flipped me over and the gyn did the rectocele repair. The whole surgery was about 5 hours.

You need to talk to them to see if they will do it, some have asked and their doctors say it is too much at once. But I did fine. There is additional risks of infection, longer healing time, longer surgery and longer time under anesthetic, etc. I also have an incision from hip to hip-45 some staples, and a little vertical incision too-some stitches that had to be removed, and two drain tubes-one on each thigh made by stab wounds. Ouch!

But I healed fine, and feel normal for the first time in my life.
There were some other ladies on the hystersister site when I was preop that had TT with the TAH also. Some had staph infections, some had no troubles, and some had other problems.

Hope that helps, if you want more inform please pm me.

to answer your question there is a huge difference between vaginal and adominal. The healing time with vaginal is so much less but from experience you still need to be pampered and take care of yourself. The key is good pillow police. I had lots of complications during surgery and during recovery. I staying in the castle for only one night. My pillow police were awesome and took great care of me for two weeks. After that my children doubled as pillow police. Good luck.....

As far as hospital stay, with the TAH/BSO, rectocele repair and full TT I only stayed in the hospital 2 nights.

With the doctor's approval, I was driving at one week, hot tubbing in my own tub at 2 weeks, swimming laps, riding bike, strength training at 4 weeks. I drove myself on to a girlfriend's reunion at 3 weeks post op-it was 2 1/2 hours each way.

You also said you were worried about being sick with the anesthetic. Well, that was my worry too, and the anestheiologist said they would do everything they could, but there is a certain percentage of people that get sick no matter what and there are no guarantees. And I did get sick the first and part of second day. They had good stuff that settled it down pretty fast, and once they got me off the taradol pump for pain, I was much better.

It is also my understanding that with endo they usually do a TAH so they can look around in there and get it all. Not sure about that though.

I have no regrets that I did it all-I would never had done the TT without having to have the TAH also-But the insurance did not pay for it-it just saved me some money because all the supplies and hospital stay were under the TAH.

Good luck in your decision.