PRE-OP: Why are you having a hysterectomy?

I was just wondering...

My story: I've had heavy periods since they began at age 13. I'm now 37. I was always confused in health class when they said women only bleed like 2 teaspoons worth of blood (or some small amount) during their period, because mine sure was a lot more than that! They last for 7 days (no less, whatsoever), with a day of spotting before and after. They are also irregular - sometimes my cycle will be 46 days long and sometimes it is 28 days long. I never know what it will be month to month, which makes it very hard to "plan in advance" for anything (so, of course, it seems like I always end up having my period for vacations and such). Oh, and everything seems to affect my cycle - too much exercise, not enough exercise, sickness, stress, etc. I can't win. In a nutshell - my uterus is annoying and my life revolves around it. I've had 3 babies (no c-sections) and after baby #3 last year, I noticed that I could feel my cervix when I went to the bathroom. I also have a small amount of bladder leakage, as well as problems with constipation. At my 6 week post partum check-up, my doctor diagnosed me with prolapsed uterus, cystocele, and rectocele. He wanted me to wait until I was done breastfeeding before we proceeded with any treatment. Fast forward a year, I'm done BF and ready to get fixed! After weighing all my options, we decided a hysterectomy (with A&P repair) was the best "long term" solution for me. It is also the same exact surgery my mom had 30 years ago for the same reasons. I've tried so many hormones to lessen or stop my period, to no avail. I can't use tampons anymore due to the prolapse, so even if my bleeding is light, I still have to wear a pad. My ovaries are healthy so I'm leaving those, but I look forward to the rest of it coming out and the other issues getting repaired.

Anyone else want to share their story?

Well my periods started when i was 14. I never really had many problems until i got quite a bit older. My cycles have gotten more painful, heavy, and pms has gotten way worse. I had a pap come back abnormal 6 years ago. I had a biopsy done and then paps every 4 months for a while. then i had my third and final baby after getting finally normal results on a pap. then the chaos went downhill. My cycles were so painful and so heavy I was pretty much crying each time. All of the sudden it went from once a month, to every two weeks. I called my obgyn and went in. A sonogram showed adenomyosis. My entire family of women has had endo and adeno and hystos. She also did a pap. Came back highly abnormal. So we did colpo. Came back CIN3. Did cone biopsy which came back CIS. Sooo in order to combat everything since i am done having children my doctor says the best thing for me is to have the hysto. she is going to examine my ovaries in surgery and decide whether or not they will stay. she doesnt think that leaving them will be a problem. But im not sure i have been having horrible shooting pains in one ovary or the other at random times.

One week to go and nerrrrvous!!!

Cycles started as a 12 year old, 31 now. Horrible periods from day one; in high school I'd bleed for 14 days and have 3 off before starting up again. Super tampon and overnight pad, both changed hourly. Went to a gyn and told to suck it up, it was a couple tsp, get over it. 4 doctors later, I finally found one that took me seriously....after 18 years. I take 600% dv iron; am extremely iron deficient. Clots as large as my hand. TMI, sorry... When I was 30, I finally had a doctor look into this - my endometrium is 12x thicker than normal she said, said I had "hypervariscosity uterine syndrome", multiple fibroids... Tried 4 different BCPs and plain prometrium with no help. Diagnosed with adenomyosis (though will be confirmed after hyst). Family history isn't comforting; had a grandmother who still needed regular d&c for bleeding into her 80s. I found out about 15 mos ago that I'm gluten intolerant, and highly suspect that that has played a role. My periods are "only" 10-12 days long now (and every 24-28 days), but anytime I have gluten I end up with bleeding. I suspect years of untreated intolerance may have led to permanent damage. 4 c-sections; 2 daughters that I'm very worried will face same troubles. I'm getting a 2nd opinion (or is it 5th?) on Sept 9, but cant imagine NOT doing the hyst. This one is mostly to comfort DH that it's the right choice; traveling to the #1 gyn dept in the nation just to "be sure."

I'm 40. I started at the age of 12. Horrible cramps, heavy periods & unpredictable cycles started at 13.

And yeah, I always knew I wasn't normal. meh, didn't bleed a couple tbls of blood either...............please.

I've always been on bc pills. Been on so many, I can't even remember the names.

I've had yearly paps since I was 13.

In 2001 (I was 30)? I found a good gyn. He said I had fibriods and that's been my problem for so long. The fibriods were about the size of 9 week pregnancy. I often wondered why the other docs NEVER felt or thought about that possibility. He did an ultrasound and I had MANY......too many to count and 2 were 4.5cm-4.9 at that time. So, I've been trucking along, seeing him for years and he made me mad one day and I fired him (2007).

In 2007, I found a FEMALE gyn & really like her. My fibroids have only grown from 9 week to 12 weeks size within 7-8 years so things seemed to be going ok, just peeing a lot. I've been on LoEstrin FE 24 for a couple of years and haven't had a period for over 9 months !!!!!

Within the last 2 1/2 - 3 months, the fibroids have went from 12 week to over 20 weeks, soooo, its time for them to GO and I mean GO NOW ! AND I have a cyst on my left ovary

I'm still very nervous and was still thinking last night, should I really do this? Then, I woke up this morning and felt my stomach, and said yes I do. My stomach feels gross. I can feel the fibroids poking up when I lay on my back. nasty !!! And, they aren't getting any smaller. My belly is bulging. I pee sooo much lately. It hurts when I lay on my stomach. I'm even having some difficulty bending over.

Ok, that's basically my story.

I had my first period at 11 (I'm now 56), and there was more than 2 tsps in my panties when I called my mom into the bathroom. Always had heavier than normal periods. About 5-6 years ago they got insanely heavy (super + tampon and big pad every hour on heaviest days and having to get up at night, sometimes to change pajamas as well), and I was diagnosed with uterine polyps and thickened endometrium. Dr. did a hysteroscopic d&c; I had abnormal cells but they were contained within the polyps, so I decided to try and wait it out until menopause. Periods lightened up only for a few months. Four years ago I started craving crushed ice to the point that I took my food processor to the beach. About a month later my hair started coming out. Went to my GP and found out she had overlooked my anemia on my annual labs! Told me to take otc iron, and I did, but I also got a new GP, whom I suspect also overlooked my anemia. On the otc iron I lost 40 lbs and kept it off until last January. I started sleeping excessively, feeling the need to pee far too frequently, gaining weight (now up 26 lbs) and craving junk food again, having inconsistent back pain, feeling as though I couldn't empty my colon. This May I went through 40 super + tampons and 20 pads in two days; scared me enough to send me running to GP, who ordered an ultrasound. I went back to my gynecologist with the results: 5-month size uterus with multiple fibroids, one as large as a lemon, 2 walnut-sized and countless pea-sized ones. Couldn't tell whether endometrium is thick or whether the fibroids account for how it looked. Left ovary has turned into a simple cyst and right ovary looks normal. It's obviously been working double time. My gyn (who is wonderful and a fine surgeon, too) agreed with me that I need a hysterectomy and she's doing a TAH on 8/15.

My periods started at 13 years old. They were awful from day one. I've never been regular. I have fought for years with doctors to figure it out. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian disease. My doctor now (2nd/3rd opinion) found out I have adenomyosis and doubts the polycystic diagnosis since I've never had issues with glucose intolerance.

2 tsps?! psh! Not in this house

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Originally Posted by cabby5 2 tsps?! psh! Not in this house

Ditto. I remember reading that too and thinking NO FREAKING WAY! I've filled pads from day one. So happy I'm through with that!

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Originally Posted by cabby5 2 tsps?! psh! Not in this house

The first time I heard the 2 tsp thing, I seriously thought they were making it up!

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Originally Posted by Whatsit The first time I heard the 2 tsp thing, I seriously thought they were making it up!

I thought I was crazy! Seriously. I told that first doctor "But... I'm soaking a pad and tampon an hour!" to which she replied "Well, the blood spreads out a lot. You're not different than anyone else."

I finally started using a Diva Cup a couple years ago, and when I realized I was losing 12-16 oz a cycle (versus 1-2 oz, which is "normal") I finally realized I was not nuts. So discouraging to feel like *I* was the crazy one for not being able to deal.