Emergency Hysterectomy

Hi everyone, I am new to this site. My sister told me about this site and I was so happy to find it!
On 9/05/03 I had to go in to remove yet another fibroid. I have suffered with fibroids and unexplained infertility for about 10 years now. (Well now suddenly explained!) I lost 5 babies, all at different times and for different reasons. In 2001, I lost 2 pregnancies. One at almost 18 weeks due to a degenerating fibroid that pressed on the the baby and broke the water, and another at 8 weeks. I was devastated by the losses. Then I got pregnant again, and being less than hopeful the pregnancy grew and the baby was a miracle. She was born in January via c-section almost a month early so that my Uterus wouldn't rupture. Right after, recovering from a c-section, I started to have pain in my Uterus again. After only 6 weeks I had lost all the weight, but my stomach kept getting bigger. I dismissed it because I thought it was just the c-section and by the time I started to complain that it really hurt, the fibroid was huge.
I was really busy with work in August so I thought I would wait until September to do the surgery. They thought it could be removed through the laparascope, but I knew it was too big. I never even thought of a hysterectomy. They make you sign the consent just in case, and I really never gave it a second thought.
After I woke up from the surgery, my husband was at my side and I could feel something was really wrong. I was in so much pain. He looked at me and started to cry. I knew something had happened.
When the doctors tried to insert the laparascope they were in shock. What they thought was a punduculated fibroid turned out to be what was left of the Uterus and Cervix. It was huge!!
They couldn't save the Cervix, so there was no way to save the Uterus. They removed it all, along with the tubes. They left the ovaries so I wouldn't have to have the hormones.
I was in shock, guess I still am.. After so many years of trying to conceive I now know clearly the cause of my infertility. I don't know how or why my body allowed me to have my baby, perhaps it is a miracle. I am grateful for her, I know some women don't even get that chance. I Thank God every day for that chance. I was trying to have another before my 40th birthday came along, since I had so much trouble with the others I figured I would have the fibroid removed.
I know how lucky I am, but I still feel in shock. I don't know much about hysterectomies, I am in recovery right now. That hasn't gone so well either. Besides the obvious, I got a bad cold at the hospital and am anemic. Recovery has been rough to say the least. I can't pick up my daughter, but I can see her and touch her and feel like I won the lottery.
I wasn't in pain the first week, but now it really hurts, I guess from so much coughing and sneezing. (Ouch)
The women on this site are amazing. Thank you for your information, you are great!
I am concerned about a total hysterectomy, any advice? (Sorry this was so long)

Oh Viv

You've had a tough time of it. I'm so sorry you woke up to such an extreme surgery, but glad you made it through ok and are on the road to recovery. Make sure you read the princess rules over in Post Op Articles...they will help your recovery go a bit smoother and hopefully more painfree. Also, feel free to ask questions or just vent when you feel like the world is caving in on you. We're here for you

Bunches of s
Cat

Hi Viv, I am so sorry that you have had such an awful time of it, but you are definetly in good hands here. Just about anything you can imagine going through there is someone else here that has too, so you're never alone. Congratulations on your "little miracle". Don't worry everything will work out fine. Welcome sister

Dear Viv,
I went in the hospital to have an ovary removed because it had a cyst on it. When I woke up I was told that I had a hysterectomy because the dr. found alot of endimetriosis. The dr. took everything except the tip of the cervix. I was also in shock and very depressed. I also suffered from infertility and didn't know why. Now I know it was from the endo. I consider myself blessed though because I was lucky enough to have one child. My darling girl is 17 and I thank God for her. Right now you are recovering from major surgery and it is normal to feel pain. I was so uncomfortable for weeks after mine. If you think you are in too much pain don't be afraid to call your doctor. I had so much abdominal pain after mine that when I called the dr. she told me to come right in. It turns out that the pain was from her lifting the abdominal wall during the surgery. But remember the worst is over and you have a wonderful new baby to love. Congratulations and enjoy every minute with your baby. My best to you.
Diana

Yes, it has been rough. I am trying to keep a positive attitude. I know they had no choice to remove it. (TAH) It has been 20 days since the surgery. I am now starting to get over the cold that I got during my hospital stay. It was awful, coughing and sneezing really hurt my incision, I think I pulled something in the groin. The doctor said he didn't think it was a stitch. I just got the catheder removed so I feel much better going on my own. It hurts, but I am going on my own. They had to stitch up the inside of the bladder during the surgery because the fibroid was attached to that as well. I have very bad constipation and have only gone 2 times since surgery. I had been taking iron pills, because of the anemia but I stopped because it just is making things worse. I took Milk of Mag. and finally went. What a relief!!! My stomach is much flatter than when I went in. They told me the Uterus was ten times it's normal size.
I am looking forward to holding my baby, it seems like it will be forever. She is so huge (24 lbs)! My family has been so great to me. I have a great sister who also went through a hysterectomy last March so she is very sympathetic.
It seems the pain is actually worse now, maybe because it's healing? The area is numb and painful at the same time, weird huh? Well, again thanks a million.

Hi
Sorry to hear you have had such a rough time. I felt I had to write as I can relate to some of the things you have said and hope this will help you. I had an emergency hysterectomy 2 weeks after the birth of my daughter. The hysterectomy was done to save my life as I was bleeding from an infection from retained placenta.
From your post I see alot of the same feelings I had. The joy of a baby, the trauma of the surgery and the shock of the hysterectomy. Most people have a bit of time to come to terms with the hysterectomy before but in the case of an emergency hysterectomy you are left to pick up the pieces afterwards.

The good news is one year on I have survived and got on with life. The first 6 weeks were rough from a point of few of health and not really being there to fully care for my baby. But we hung in there and got through it with flying colours. Through it all I managed to keep breastfeeding her and this was a great source of comfort for me. Take all the help you can get and accept that you are going to have good and bad days, but the good thing is the bad days become fewer. It sounds to me that your baby is a precious miracle, enjoy every moment that you can with her and hopefully the shock and pain of the emergency hysterectomy will ease. Take care of yourself and your family.