where are all the success stories?

Hi Zim,
Look at my post, million $ day. I'm only 13 days out and still having difficulty, but days can be like the one I posted about. Everyone is different, and this is the BEST place for support- if you're having a Good OR a Bad day.
Best of luck to you!!! And we'll be looking for your success story on the other side!
Mindy

	Quote:
I think you may see that there is success on the PRE-op pages, that's because the ones who have 'been there done that' offer encouragement to those who scared of the unknown. There's not a lot of detail but more of 'I had the same thing, I did fine you will too' And I don't think anyone is trying to fool them either, I think over all we're pretty truthful because we're faceless

Couldn't have said it better. This is a great site to get help with everything we are going though. I have had so many questions answered here about all kinds of things. I'm still scared, but I know that if my HysterSisters can do it - so can I.

Take care
Jas

Mine is an absolute success story. I was scared and nervous of all the possible complications, and struggled for a long time with the decision to have a hysterectomy. My symptoms were not nearly what I'd read of others here enduring. None the less, for the past five years they have gotten progressively worse and impacted my quality of life.

Dr. #1 said must have a TAH, Dr. #2 said we can try for a LAVH but no guarantees. Fortunately he was able to perform the surgery LAVH. I was out of the hospital the next day and recouperating at home. By the end of week two I felt better than I had in a long time. I really didn't realize how crappy I was feeling prior to surgery.

I am a single mom with a teen and preteen. I was fearful how we'd manage with out being able to drive. I must tell you I couldn't be more proud of my kids and the way they stepped up to the plate and helped keep our house on an even keel. They cooked and cleaned, did laundry with minimal supervision and nagging.

It took me years to come to the decision to have the surgery, I researched it forward and backward. I spent hours on this site reading, I realized today (4wk postop) after I returned from shopping and running errands that I hadn't read the forums for a while. When I saw your question of why you don't see the success stories, I felt the need to respond. I think the success stories are feeling so well and back to the business of living a busy life, making up for the lost time. Unfortunately we sometimes forget to come back and share the support that was given to us.

It was the best decision I made, and I am very pleased with the results.

Thank you all for talking the time to reassure someone who had just about talked herself out of this.

While I understad my story will be different from each of you (but I sure hope not), after scheduling my surgery almost two weeks ago and then finding this site, I thought there was no way I was going to go through with it. I just about had myself convinced that I could live with the grapefuit sized fibroid and put up with going to the bathroom every half hour. My symptoms while very real to me weren't nearly as bad as the others I have been reading about.

I am now looking forward to feeling like my old self once again after I give myself time to recover.

If there is somewhere on this site for recommendations I would hope they would create a conference for just success stories. Those of us on this side of the fence need to hear the good as well as the possible bad .

A good percentage of the posts in our "Tell Your Hyst-Story" forum report positive outcomes. You can read them Here.

s

Just my humble story...

I had a radical hysterectomy with horizontal incision.

I went into the surgery fighting fit and really prepared.

The first day post-op was not too sore but pretty nauseated. The next four days were awful - pain (manageable) and nausea (the pits), and I was dying to eat something - every time I said I was nauseated they downgraded my diet to clear fluids again! I was sure that the nausea was because I was so starving but no-one believed me until my Mum brought me some food and I felt much better. I could not take it anymore! Then the next day I woke up and was noticeably better, then better and better.

I was in hospital a total of six days, and since then I have been fantastic. I have not needed any pain meds at all since two days before discharge, the nausea has gone, I have more and more strength every day. I cleaned the house the day after I got home (big big mistake, but it shows how good I was feeling) and I was driving two weeks post-op with no problems and no limitation to movement.

There are some minor problems with my bladder (to be expected after a radical) but already have gotten used to them and they seem to be getting better - very minor really. Bowels have not been so much of a problem since I have been on a strict regimen of Movicol sachets twice per day (very mild bowel prep agent used to treat constipation - like a softener, very very gentle, no cramps, no problems with bowel dependence). The swelling is no longer very great.

All in all, I am surprised how well I am doing - I almost feel like a fraud!

Take heart, pre-op ladies, especially those undergoing a radical - there may be a couple of not-so-nice days but they will be forgotten and hopefully you will sail through it!

Nell,

Thank you for your post. I too will be having a radical on Monday and have been so unsure what to expect. Even my doc telling me that I could play soccer 6 weeks post-op (now if this darn knee would just heal!) hasn't alleviated my fears.

But it is heartening to know that someone who has just had the same procedure has recovered so quickly.

thank you for posting!

Nancy-Anne

Hi Zim,

I, too, must add (with a grateful heart) that I have been blessed with a good recovery so far. I'm at the 4-week mark and feeling remarkably well, having had very little swelling or pain since leaving the castle. I received wonderful support from some sweet Sisters when coping with some nightmares and night sweats after leaving the castle, but that was really the worst of it since getting home. Nowdays I get tired more easily, but that's manageable.

I wasn't brave enough to read the all posts about the possible complications before I had my surgery. I didn't want to fill my head with the "what-ifs" since I was determined to go ahead with it regardless. I just looked for all the posts offering advice and made a big list to follow. So far, all that good advice has worked for me!

So, good recoveries DO happen...and I pray that yours will be one of them.

--Cindy

I consider my story a success story, although I'm only 15 days post-op. The operation wasn't easy and shouldn't be considered lightly, but if you trust your doctor and have come to a decision that this is best, seriously consider it. I was in the hospital for three nights, and had no complications (TAH after Lupron, etc). Pain was managed very well by the hospital staff. I've come home and taken it easy, and although I tire quickly, I feel great. My arthritic knees actually give me more trouble than the operation at this point.

I wish everyone facing this operation could be given access to this website. I don't know how I would have done without the info and hugs I got here. Family and friends say they understand, but they can't. The sisters here are a great resource.

Good luck to you for a successful surgery and quick recovery.

Mary Ann

In case you missed Carmen's post about the "Tell Us Your Hyst Stories" forum, here is the link again: (click here).

There is another forum called "Beyond the Land of Hyster" which is where members who are months and years post op post updates. The link to that forum is: (click here).

The Pre and PostOp forums are so busy that whenever a "happy outcome" thread is started it doesn't stay visible for long, so we recommend posting your stories (after surgery and recovery) on one of those two forums, rather than on these forums.

As someone has already mentioned, since this is a site for support, a good percentage of the questions are about complications, etc.

Best wishes.