Frustrations

Hi ladies,

I found out two weeks ago that I need a hysterectomy and a sling to hold up my urethra. And when I tried calling my ob.gyn to schedule a surgery date, found out that he's moving!!! How dare he!!!

I spoke with my neighbor who is an RN at a hospital in town. She helps deliver babies so she has worked with all of them. She recommended a female ob.gyn, so I made an appointment last week for next week.

This past Monday I went to the urologist's office and had a urodynamics test done. The numbers are baffling. My bladder is voiding more than is being put in. Ii have questions, and can't seem to get answers again.

I'd appreciate any and all advice, concern, support, etc.

Have you called the urologist's office back to tell them that more is coming out than going in? If not please do so. I don't know about this so can't offer specific advice. But I'd rather see you make another phone call or two than put yourself under any risk.
Perhaps you can go in and talk to one of the urologist's nurses if the doc himself is too busy. I did that twice pre-op and it made me feel so much better about the things I was concerned about.
I am sure some more posts will come along that may have more insight and advice on this. We are here for you.
I can offer lot's of 's though.
Keep us posted, okay?

Thanks Shelley, for your quick response. I found that out when I went for my urodynamics test on Monday. They know about it, and have it all on record. I'm just very concerned with how they're supposed to fix my problem. I will find out more definitely next week. The urologist's nurse was off today, so hopefully I'll be able to touch bases with her tomorrow. I need more information.

I don't know if I told you, but I need a hysterectomy, as well as a sling to hold up my urethra. I'm hoping there's more that can be done. I also found out that having the sling will definitely feel different when I have to pee. I don't know if I'll like that! So now I'm scared too.

Michelle

Dear Michelle,

Please try not to be scared, although I know that's easier said than done at times.

I found a link to a site that explains bladder suspension, which I think is the same procedure.
http://www.yoursurgery.com/Procedure...fm?BR=7&Proc=6

Also, there are many women here who have had to have a bladder sling. I hope that one of them will see your post and will be able to reassure you.

In the meantime, here's some more 's for you.

Karen

Hi Karen what is A & P repair? Did you have a sling put in? If yes, what difference in feelings, etc, do you have? How long ago did you have it done? I want to keep my ovaries, but I've read that a lot of people who've kept them when they had hysterectomies end up having to have them removed within 5 years after the hysterectomy. Please let me know.

Michelle

Hi Michelle,

A & P repairs is short for Anterior and Posterior repairs, which means that I had a rectocele (prolapse of the bowel) and a cystocele (prolapse of the bladder) that were repaired during the hyst surgery. My surgeon did episiotomy-like cuts on the front and rear walls of the vagina - then she removed the extra tissue and sewed it all back up. This removes the bulges caused by the prolapses.

No, I didn't have a sling done and I did keep my ovaries. I hadn't heard the 5-year statistic, but will try to find out for you. I kept mine, but actually didn't make the decision, since I didn't know enough at that time to even discuss it with my doctor. However, if I had been given a choice, I believe that I would have decided to keep them, since they were healthy.

But that's a personal decision that you and your doctor must make after you discuss it with him. Please continue to read and post questions - we'll be here for you.

's

Karen

Hi, Michelle!

It sounds like you have a lot going on and I know you're nervous, but you've come to the best place around for support!

As far as the ovaries (and someone else may have other information, but this is what I have read), the only statistic I've read is that in women who have had a hysterectomy and kept their ovaries, 50% of those ovaries will cease to function within 5 years. Now it's possible that a good many of those ovaries would have stopped anyway even without the hysterectomy. And in a small percentage of women, the ovaries can go into shock after the surgery and not "wake up". And some women will develop cysts and end up having their ovaries removed, but that can also happen without a hysterectomy. It's really a shame that that crystal ball hasn't been perfected yet! My doctor strongly suggested that I keep my ovaries if they looked healthy, and I did. They work great and are going strong! And it's really wonderful to not have to worry about HRT at this point in my life.

Good luck with your decisions! I hope all turns out well for you.

	Quote:
Originally posted by mmarie I want to keep my ovaries, but I've read that a lot of people who've kept them when they had hysterectomies end up having to have them removed within 5 years after the hysterectomy. Please let me know.

Dear Michelle,

My doc was a uro-gynecologist specializing in pelvic reconstruction... due to his specialty, he performed 25 hysts per week. He quoted me that 50% of ovaries will shut down within 5 years of a hyst. Well *I* took that to mean that 50% of them WON'T shut down and of course, having TWO ovaries to start with only makes the odds more in my favor...

I was almost 43 when I had my surgery & kept my healthy ovaries. I am now almost 3 years post-op (and almost 46 yrs old), and they still seem to be puttering along just fine in there. Even when/if they shut down in the future, that doesn't mean they need to be removed.

Hope some of this info help.

Just sign me,
An ovary snob in Denver

Hi mmarie,

I too am having either a bladder sling or a burch proceedure (similar proceedure but done when they open the abdomen vs through the vaginal when they don't open the abd.). I had lots of questions and my urologist answered most of them. But he had never had it done, so his answers weren't the only ones I wanted :-) I posted a note on the Post-op boards asking for responses from princesses who had that proceedure done.
Here is the link to that thread.

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...burch+or+birch

I had lots of replies that made me feel much better. You can also do a search with the search button at the top of the page (thanks to the person that suggested that to me!) for bladder sling and it will bring up more messages than you can ever get through on that subject.

Caren