Pre-Op Hysterectomy: Open House Chat Thread - Today Jul 03, 2016

Welcome!

This special Pre-Op Hysterectomy: Open House Chat Thread is for YOU if you are having surgery this week. This thread chat will help you meet others who are having surgery the same week as you, calm your anxiousness, and help answer your last minute questions.

To get started, please introduce yourself, sharing a few things about yourself and your upcoming hysterectomy. Tell us what concerns you have as you prepare for your surgery.

Have patience! Because this is a "COME AND GO" event, check back here during the day for replies with answers, support and hugs from new friends. Our post-op members will be stopping by, too!

As you get to know the other members having surgery this week - you will be meeting up again, after your hysterectomy, in a special thread created just for this week's surgeries in the Post Op Hysterectomy forum.

Hi, I just turned 51 years old, and I'm having a complete hysterectomy this Tuesday. I have adenomyosis, but to be honest, I don't really have any problems with it. But because my mother developed uterine cancer in her 60s, my doctor recommended this procedure. I'm extremely concerned about losing my ovaries at this age because I've read that it increases my risks for developing dementia, heart disease, and lung cancer among other things. And, of course, the research on HRT is not at all reassuring. I'm curious to know how everyone else feels about losing their ovaries at this age. Thanks!

Hi. I'm 41 soon to be 42 later this month. I have 2 kids my daughter is 12 and my son 9. I'm not menopausal and scheduled for a Total (uterus & cervix) hysterectomy on my wedding anniversary ironically which is July 6,. For 5 years I've not had my periods regularly so my Gyn doctor managed with progesterone. This year I started spotting and a lot of tests were order including a D&C. It was first determined there were cancer cells in my endometrial lining, so I was sent immediately to an oncologist. The pathologist for the oncologist determined it wasn't cancer yet but i have precancer (complex hyperplasia with atypia). It was decided that hysterectomy is the best decision since my husband and I do not plan on having anymore children and this could turn into cancer (30% chance I've read). I do get to keep my ovaries, so that is great news.

I have pre surgery anxiety worrying about anesthesia and complications. I'm also concerned about pain management and healing once home.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by traci6276 Hi, I just turned 51 years old, and I'm having a complete hysterectomy this Tuesday. I have adenomyosis, but to be honest, I don't really have any problems with it. But because my mother developed uterine cancer in her 60s, my doctor recommended this procedure. I'm extremely concerned about losing my ovaries at this age because I've read that it increases my risks for developing dementia, heart disease, and lung cancer among other things. And, of course, the research on HRT is not at all reassuring. I'm curious to know how everyone else feels about losing their ovaries at this age. Thanks!

Good luck to you this week. I also don't have any problems or pain with my complex hyperplasia. It's just that I don't have regular periods or pain so it's hard to wrap my head around needing this surgery but i remind myself it's so I don't get cancer. I wish I could offer more advice on losing the ovaries. I've read about it but not experienced it. Your concerns are definitely ones I've had. My oncologist said I can keep mine as long as they are healthy when he gets in there to look at them.. I fear waking up from surgery without them. Thinking of you

I am 33 with 4 kids. I have my hysterectomy scheduled for the 6th. I have been having irregular bleeding, very long cycles with lots of blood clots, and bleeding in between cycles. My doctor gave me a couple of options, but after researching them I decided a hysterectomy was the better option. I am keeping my ovaries. They are taking my uterus and my tubes. I have had 2 c-sections and they anticipate scar tissue. My operation will be laproscopic and vaginal. One thing I have been confused about is they said it would take me 6 weeks to recover, everything I read online says 2 weeks for laproscopic. Also, I have never been put under anesthesia.

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Originally Posted by leahnicole Hi. I'm 41 soon to be 42 later this month. I have 2 kids my daughter is 12 and my son 9. I'm not menopausal and scheduled for a Total (uterus & cervix) hysterectomy on my wedding anniversary ironically which is July 6,. For 5 years I've not had my periods regularly so my Gyn doctor managed with progesterone. This year I started spotting and a lot of tests were order including a D&C. It was first determined there were cancer cells in my endometrial lining, so I was sent immediately to an oncologist. The pathologist for the oncologist determined it wasn't cancer yet but i have precancer (complex hyperplasia with atypia). It was decided that hysterectomy is the best decision since my husband and I do not plan on having anymore children and this could turn into cancer (30% chance I've read). I do get to keep my ovaries, so that is great news. I have pre surgery anxiety worrying about anesthesia and complications. I'm also concerned about pain management and healing once home.

I am having some anxiety too. How are the doing your surgery? I have talked to other people, and read online, that laproscopic procedures you heal quickly from.

When is your surgery? If you don't have pain or anything, I bet that you'll get to keep your ovaries!

Anesthesia is easy. You're looking at the nurse wondering when they're going to put you under, and then the next thing you know you're waking up from the surgery. That's seriously the easiest part!

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Originally Posted by pjderwin My operation will be laproscopic and vaginal. One thing I have been confused about is they said it would take me 6 weeks to recover, everything I read online says 2 weeks for laproscopic. Also, I have never been put under anesthesia.

. I had laparoscopic surgery. A 2 week recovery period is optimistic, for sure!
Part of the confusion is that a doctor might release you after X number of weeks - ie. doc has done all the necessarily follow up and has no more reason to see you. Usually that's between 4-8 weeks, but that's not when you're fully healed. Full healing takes 3, 4, 6 months, and for some longer. Here's an article on HysterSisters about the different types of surgeries with initial recovery times.

I was released after 4 weeks. At 6-1/2 weeks, I'm still feeling after effects, which are all perfectly normal. Put it this way, it'll be a few more months before I can hoist vacation-heavy suitcases or run 3 miles like I could before surgery.
Best wishes!

I 36 years old and my surgery is July 6. I have anxiety about the pain afterwards. I am having laparoscopic to remove tubes and then vaginal. They are undecided about my ovaries.