I'm desperately seeking info

Please help! I've been crying for hrs. I went to GYN this morning to be told that my sonogram results were in and it showed I had 5 fibroids, 3 of which are growing in the uterus. I've been w/my GYN since I was 15yrs old - now 41 .
He advs that I have a hyster. I advs I wanted to get another opinion b4 I made any decisions. I asked about Lupron and was told due to the mutitude of fibroids and location, it probable would only delay what needs to be done. I have been suffering for yrs, approx since '92 with fibroids and endo. The pain is so intense I function on a daily basis using naproxen, I'm taking approx 3-4 pills a day. I'm sick of the meds, sick of the poor quality of life I'm experiencing. Any comments, suggestions , support is truly needed now.

Mari

Hi Maria,

We Hyster Sisters are here to help if we can.

I can understand some of what you are going through. I had (2) large fibroids before I opted for a hyst. Fibroids are not fun!!

I think that is a great idea to get a 2nd opinion. I got (2) opinions myself and they were two very ~different~ opinions on how to proceed with my fibroids. I was ready to get a 3rd opinion if I needed it.

Also, if you said you have had the same gyneo Dr. since you were 15 yrs old - maybe it is time for a change. I realized pretty fast my 1st Dr and her opinion were more ~old school~ than I wanted. My 2nd Dr. was younger and trained in the newer procedures - especially laparoscopic hysts which my 1st Dr. *wasn't*.

Also, ask your 2nd opinion about lupron. My 1st Dr. never suggested it and my 2nd Dr. *did*. I did (3) months of lupron shots to shrink my fibroids enough for my less invasive hyst.

Do your research and get your questions answered. A hyst is major surgery so take alll the needed time to decide what to do.

Sending best wishes~

Mary

i would definitely suggest getting an second opinion. not to find out whether you need one or not, but to see what other options you have. are your cervix/ovaries healthy and are fibroids your only problem? if so, you could be a candidate for an lsh. you could just have your uterus removed through a lap. there are a lot of different options and each has a different recovery. if your dr can only do a certain type of hysterectomy, that is all he will offer (i've been through that). my second opinion was the best thing i did.
good luck with everything

I have spoken to other women with fibroids who elected to have hysterectomies. ALL of them said they wish they had done it sooner! I am 53 and am facing the same decision as you. I am sick of the whole mess. You would be amazed at how many women like us are out there!!

Ladies,

I'll go for my 2nd opinion on Thursday. I've been crying since I've been told. I stop for a hr or so, than my mind goes right back to problem and I cry again, thank GOD for eye mask -- my eyes look like my pugs!
I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm over all the meds I take on a daily basis just to FUNCTION thru the day.

My DH is so fantastic -- he's been @ my beck and call all wkend. I'm truly blessed to have this man.

God bless you, sweetie. Just know that your hysterSisters will be with you every step of the way!

Maria -

My situation was a little different. In Oct 05' I had a totally text book exam. One morning in Feb I woke up and could feel 'something' the size of a golf ball, it freaked me out. The next day I couldn't feel it nor the next couple so I forgot about it. In May, I awoke and could now cup 'something' with my whole hand. I was terrified this was cancer.

My Dr right away felt (no pun intended) it was a very large fibroid. She told me she felt I had 2 options. One was a miomectomy if DH and I wanted a child (but we would need to do so as soon as it was safe and I would probably be looking at a hyst in a couple years) or if we were sure we weren't having kids (I was 35 and married 9 years) she felt I should proceed with a hyst and I was a good candidate for an LSH.

I opted for the hyst as I felt it was inevitatible. All the while, I was continuing to swell. I knew things weren't 'ok' when I was buying up a size for the waist to fit and I had all this room in the hips and thighs (not my shape!).

I was so scared about surgery but this site helped me a lot. I felt I knew what to ask and what to expect. When I was upset, the light was on. Same when I couldn't sleep. And post-op, there were others healing at the same points in recovery to chat with. It really helps to not be on your own with this all. And DH's, they can only relate so much.

I won't say I wish I had done this sooner as my problems to recommendation to surgery was only 6 months. But I will say, I am so glad I went ahead. My problems were getting worse each month and my quality of life would have continued to be affected.

I agree as well about the 2nd opinion. I didn't get one but was comfortable with my decision and with my surgeon. I understand about the pill thing, it does get so old and we wonder longer term what we are doing to ourselves.

Best wishes in your journey. If you have further questions, feel free to post them.

Julie

	Quote:
Originally Posted by maria1965 Please help! I've been crying for hrs. I went to GYN this morning to be told that my sonogram results were in and it showed I had 5 fibroids, 3 of which are growing in the uterus. I've been w/my GYN since I was 15yrs old - now 41 . He advs that I have a hyster. I advs I wanted to get another opinion b4 I made any decisions. I asked about Lupron and was told due to the mutitude of fibroids and location, it probable would only delay what needs to be done. I have been suffering for yrs, approx since '92 with fibroids and endo. The pain is so intense I function on a daily basis using naproxen, I'm taking approx 3-4 pills a day. I'm sick of the meds, sick of the poor quality of life I'm experiencing. Any comments, suggestions , support is truly needed now. Mari

hi i had a total hyster a year ago just do it with out any thought you will feel 100 %better.althought i am haveing some problems with scare tissue that needs to be removed from my vagina cuff due to the surgery...im glad i did it....it took me 6 months to go threw any changes like menapause..it really was a peace of cake...please do email me freely if you need to ...pat

Hi Maria. I turned 49 yrs old in June. I recently had a LAVH on July 5th, able to keep my only remaining ovary I had, which so far it is working (no night sweats or hot flashes yet). Anyways, I lived on ibuprofen daily & heating pad wrapped around my gut/lower pelvis, hips/top of thighs since I was 45. I just came back from my post-op appt today where I heard my results of my surgical pathology report, also gave me a copy. I had endo, adeno, multiple uterine leiomyomas as well as cervical cysts too....plus some scar tissue & adhesions. He told me that my life should really change.....hopefully no more pain, unless this little bit of endo that he couldn't remove starts to bother me.

Since I had a lap performed, he was not able to remove this small area of endo that was in my peritoneal area, behind my right ureter without using his hands. He stated if I do ever have that horrible cramping/pain again, then yes will have to have surgery again & it will be a small abdomen incision, just to remove that endo behind my right ureter. But, on the other hand, he stated, the pain could be so minimal or not at all, that it may not bother me, especially with what I put up with previously (horrible uterine cramps, pretty constant).

So, on that note, I have not had horrible uterine cramping since 2 days before my surgery...and believe me July 5th couldn't come soon enough, plus I was such an active person prior to this, so I I feel this surgery was my ticket to a better quality of life & to get my old life back. Take care.

Lizzie