Cryolabation vs. Hysterectomy?

Hi all,

First I am very new at this is somewhat overwhelmed! I am 36, am having serious bleeding issues (have been bleeding since the first week of November non-stop) and my doctor has told me I need to either have the cryolabation (also known as 'Her Option') or a hysterectomy. He feels I am a good candidate for the cryo because of my age and my weight. I've been taking progesterone with no sucess, there doesn't seem to be a cause for the bleeding and am going to have a biopsy done next week.

I am all for anything that will stop this. The bleeding has been horrifying for the last week. I am anemic and now experiencing sever pain in my lower back and abdominal region. Is this normal? Well, not normal per say but does anyone else experience this? I have absolutely no one to talk to about this. No mother, no close friends and no family to speak of. My husband is less than helpful (actually he is become a huge problem but that is another story).

Honestly I don't know what to do. I've been reduced to crying in front of strangers because I can't cry about it at home. I am in pain, scared I have cancer and still have to do laundry, take out the trash and take care of three kids. Right now I am hating life.

Any advice on cryo versus hysterectomy? I wonder if I should find another doctor and go for the whole shebang but, and please don't laugh...I am scared I will bleed to death before I can get in to see a doctor.

Help!!

Jennifer,
I haven't had the cryo but I am now 8 weeks po-op from having a hysterectomy. I bled for weeks on end...being a divorced mother I just kept putting off going to the dr. because I didn't want to have to miss work.Last April I became so sick...weak,chest pains,couldn't walk far without losing my breathe. Finally I went to the the dr. and my blood was so low(4.9 and it should be 15) that I ended up having to be put in the hospital and getting 4 pint of blood over the next 3 days. I had all kinds of test and the dr. found larger fibroids in my uterus and my uterus was a lot larger than it should have been. my dr. put me on Lupron injections to help build up my blood count and to try and shrink the tumors.On Dec.5th. 2007 I had a TAH (saved ovaries). I have never felt better. I have so much more energy,no problem breathing,no running to the bathroom all the time. I was terrified of the surgery and being off from work but everything worked out and I am back at work. I was so worried about cancer and any other problems i knew might exist....I nor an of the other ladies on here will laugh at you.We have all been through some or all of the fears you are having.Please try to breathe and contact your dr. and let them know your fears...and if they won't listen find one that will. I will keep you in my prayers and let me know if you need anything I can help you with.
Faith

hi jennifer,
reading you post, i thought "oh my gosh, this is me too" i have been bleeding nonstop for a year now. i cant stand it anymore. not only do i feel dirty and gross. but weak from all the blood loss. i am sick of bleeding thru my clothes and worring if i made a blood stain on furnature. i just feel gross... my husband lets me know that he is being neglegtated (sexually) and that i need to do something soon. give me a break.... i am trying to connect with someone who is dealing with this same crap... now i have had a biopsy last week and the dr called friday and said it indicates i have endometrial cancer. i am home sick with pnemonia and i am too sick for a operation now, so dr said within the next few weeks when i am better.

Thanks for the replies. Right now the world is upside and down and all I want to do is curl up in a corner and cry! Scar d cat I so share your sentiments about husbands and their 'special' time. Perhaps that is something I'm too ashamed to talk about....perhaps I feel if I acknowledge it I will have to face the fact that I only feel good for one thing...well two things really...cooking and sex...lol and both are equally as boring and repulsive to me at the moment. I am sorry for your diagnosis and hope it all turns out well for you!

I'm really working hard at just taking this one moment at the time. My hormones are up, my anemia is getting bad (light headed, dizzy, out of breath and perfectly smashing headache). Both my husband and my kids have decided to act out this week and you know I have thought, seriously thought just get on a bus and ride away....but I'd probably bleed through to the seat..lol. All kidding aside, I am finding myself very depressed, crying a little too much and denying/pretending everything is okay at home. I'm not okay right now and I don't think I should have to be either.

Cryo versus hysterectomy? I don't know. I know if the cryo doesn't work than hysterectomy is the next option but I also know I will very soon run out of sick time at work and can't afford to take off time for a hysterectomy. That is another compound to this whole deal - if I can't work I don't get paid...I don't get paid I can't pay the rent.

Blah! I am ready to put this day to bed already.

Jennifer,
I am in a similar situation but I dont have a husband. Maybe I am lucky.
I was just given the same option today as you were and cant decide what to do. You now have someone to talk to. Me.
Anytime.

Sal

Thank you for your kind words! We are both in a tight spot. Do you have a support system for you? What do you think of the cryo verses a hysterectomy? How long have you had your issue? Sorry for all the questions but I have so many questions myself and not many answers. Is this the right thing to do or should I just go for the hysterectomy? Some how I feel my doctor is trying to 'sell' me something and instead of giving me information he is just telling me what to do instead of allowing me to make an informed decision. I'm not buying a car here I am dealing with my life. I don't know about you but I'm finding people tend to just brush hysterctomies and female issues as not being a big deal....yeah right.

I had resolved to have the procedure but I've hit a slight snag.

Yesterday I found out that my insurance company is not going to pay 100% of the procedure, they will pay only 70%. That sounds good but that leaves me with an $800 dollar bill and the doctor wants it ALL before the procedure. I am a middle class American with three kids and do not have $800 dollars just lying around.

The best part? He refuses to do the procedure unless I pay and he will not do a payment plan. That is scary and very unsettling. This man is holding my health hostage for money! What are my alternatives? Find another doctor? Wait? I don't know...meanwhile my anemia is getting worse and worse. I am taking 4 iron pills every day!

I'm sure it will work out in the end but geez, getting to the end is a pain!

Please feel free to share your story. Perhaps we can hold each other up for a little while!

Jennifer

jennifer, i may join you on this bus...i so know how you feel. i told my friend that i would rather get a rootcanal then have sex.LOL:> really as if we are not going thru enough. i have been bleeding for so long now(a year straight)my girls think that when you get your period it never stops.. poor kids..i dont know how attractive he can find me when i have period stains on everything i wear. i am so sick of bleeding , feel gross about myself that i just want this mess to be over. i had my biopsy almost 2 weeks ago. it hurt , but was over in just a few minutes. i had one a year ago and it was fine. that one really wasnt bad at all.. so i was a little surprised at how much this one bothered me. i am a liitle shocked from my results, but i have not shown any emotions that i have cancer. i am in denial.. my kids dont know anything...i think the worst part of all this is : i am at home bleeding, cant really go anywhere or face having blood run down my legs regardless of the 2 overnight pads i am wearing. i dont think i am depressed yet. but really just want to get on with my life.. could care less if i ever resume sex ever. so that is not an issue with me..(not my husband) i am also not sure how the dr is going to do my surgery. at this point i dont even care. i have not really asked many ???s i dont know what to ask. i see on some posts like yours this or that,TAH or other abreviations and dont have a clue. i will be having my surgery in march/april. so i have time to ask ???s . for the last few weeks i have been having alot of pain. this is all new... as if the bleeding isnt bad enough. i am overweight also but because i am in pain i dont want to eat and have lost about 7 pounds in the last 2 weeks. i still need to lose alot more. my body is so hidous right now that i asked my dr if when they do the surgery he could cut all the fat from my stomach too.LOL:> like who am i kidding. i wanted a panelectomy to cut that apron i am wearing. sorry i am going on & on here... just have so much to say and no one to talk too.

it just keeps getting better for you huh? (just kidding) boy ... i am so sick of these dr's thinking of $$$ . please give us a break. like you said it's your health we are talking about... how are those iron pills working for you ? i cant take them they make me feel worse with constapation.. have you talked with your dr's financial dept. sometimes it helps to talk to someone else re: your $$$ situation and maybe can get some assistance. if he still wont do the surgery, i would see someone else. believe me i find that most people are not sympathetic when it comes to female stuff. everyone seems to think that it is no big deal. i have found great comfort here on this website, so many woman are here going thru the same thing. if only we were rich????? ha ha...

Here is what I know about ablation. If your endometrial biopsy comes back positive, the Dr shouldn't do one. If you go to www.endometrialablationdiscussion.com and post your question, someone will answer. Just make sure to put HerOption in the Headline. The ladies over there are very helpful with EA (endometrial ablation).

I hope everything works out for both of you.
Take care and let us know how you are doing.

Don't worry that you may be going on and on...it is perfectly fine. Getting it all out might help and it certainly won't bother me. God knows I've probably written a book so far. I understand what you mean about not having anyone to talk to. I want to tell someone my fears/problems and I wonder sometimes is THIS normal???

Have you talked to your husband about the cancer? I understand not talking to your kids yet but soon you will have to, especially if you have to take further treatment (hopefully you won't!). Right now I won't leave my home for long periods of time, excluding work of course. I am so scared I am going to have an 'accident' and am constantly running back and forth to the bathroom not because I need to but because I fear what might be happening!

I to am overweight. As a matter of fact when I went to the doctor for the bleeding the first thing he said after examining me is 'Well you know you're overweight...." I wanted to laugh and say thanks for making that observation...I really had no idea. He then went on to tell me that so many doctors offices were opening up weight loss clinics along with their medical practice, so much so they are becoming a dime a dozen. After degrading medical weight loss he told me HIS medical weight loss clinic was by far the best...lol. I should really consider spending the extra money and just do it. Yeah, right. If I don't have the money for the surgery where the hell am I going to come up with 150 dollars for WEEKLY weight loss therapy?

Whatever.

I to want this to just be over with. I don't honestly care what he does just FIX it. I am so tired of feeling icky all day long. Right now I am freezing and I live in south Florida where it is 80 degrees outside right now. I am nauseated, very sleepy and just want to rest.

You have so much on your plate right now! I can tell you that is it time for you to have some time to yourself but that is a tough one. What mom has time to herself? Try to take some quiet time, even if it is just reading a book in the tub (the only place I have found in my home where I won't be bugged!)

Also, this is a side issue, but I have found this woman to be a God send: http://www.geneenroth.com/index.php. She deals primarily with overeating issues. I've lived with overeating for 24 years now and at times it has been really bad and other times not so bad. I've gained and lost sooo much weight over the years. I once lost 115 pounds and STILL felt fat. Well, I guess because I felt fat I made myself fat again and gained it all back plus some.

I go on Tuesday for my biopsy. I don't think about therefore it's not real...I guess I'll deal with it when it happens. How did you do afterwards? Was there pain for a long time? Does it make the bleeding worse? I did have an ultra sound scheduled and bailed out on it...I just can't afford all the copayments! Each time I go to the doctor it is 50 bucks, each test is 50 bucks! And that doesn't count the fees for this surgery. I guess I have to pay my customary 50 bucks before I pay my 800 dollars right? What does it matter, just another dinner for him, right?

Take care and keep your head up.