shaking scared - questions, questions, questions

First of all thanks for all the wonderful advice. You ladies are amazing. I'm actually a very introverted person when it comes to the medical field,but I will take the advice about making my fears and wishes known. I have lots of questions and my OB keeps saying "depends how you fair"!! Aargh!! So how long did you stay in the hospital? Also, my OB keeps saying my uterues in HUGE (I'm love hearing about anything about me being huge, I tell ya.) He wants to try to remove it and the ovary vaginally, but says he may have to do a traditional instead. Did anyone of you have this happen, if so was the pain of the vaginal attempt evident, or masked by the incision? I just have so many fears. I cried last night and my husband told me to get away from the computer. Just what a crying woman wants to hear. Also, did you need any extra support when walking, a garment of some sort that I need to buy? Help, help, help.

Hi There!!!! I had a TAH on 1-12-06, and am doing pretty darn well I think!!!! I used a small pillow for the first 2 weeks when walking around to support my belly and it really helped!!!!! My husband said the same thing, but they just don't understand that this information is sooooo helpful!!!!! I haven't had to bug my dr. because of all the info I received from this site!!!!!!
Best wishes to you!!!!!

Hey Roxieloveme,

I'm not sure our families understand the need to be with people who understand everything we are going in. (I think our family think they understand....)

Don't be afraid to talk to your doctor, I didn't stop asking until I was comfortable with my decision. I opted for the TAH, because they said the size of the fibroid made it a safer surgery to do it that way. I'm all for safer.

Good luck on your quest for what's right for you, but be sure and make sure you talk with your doctor; because everyone here has a different health history than yours.

Peace

I was in the hospital 2 nights. I made sure I took my pain meds every 4-6 hours, that helped me a lOT! I only needed them for the first week. Back to work at 2 weeks, with no heavy lifting. Everyone seems to get real tired. I never did, I still am not. Have finally recieved persmission to get back to my workouts last week, and it feels GREAT! Exercise gives me more energy. Sleeping a lot made me more tired.

Everyone is different though, but it is a huge relief to get it over with. Good luck with your surgery!

I had a TVH and didn't have much of any vaginal discomfort and no vaginal pain. So if they do have to switch to a TAH (which is a possiblity with any TVH), I don't think you would have any extra discomfort or pain. I was in the hospital for a little over 24 hours, but your stay may be longer if they do a TAH. I'm a week out and recovery has been a breeze. My hubby also complained about me being on the computer all the time. But talking to others in my same situation helped so much. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask every question you have and if you don't think your doctor explained well enough ask him to elaborate. You are paying him after all, you deserve to be informed.

Okay- I know about obsessing at the computer..... I was in total denial until about 1 1/2 weeks before my surgery, and then spent tonnes of time on this site. I think knowledge is good- I was too shy to ask my doc a lot of questions, and not knowing was upsetting me so much. Even knowing the scary stuff is better than not knowing.

I can tell you that I had a TAH with almost every complication known, and yet 8 days later, I feel a lot better than I thought I was going to. Still need pain meds, but it's really not constant suffering. I'm still nervous about dh going back to work, but enjoying every minute of him yelling at me to get back on the couch!

You will be fine- I don't know much about the vaginal thing, but the girl I shared a room with had it, and she left after two days, and she looked great. I left after three feeling pretty rough, but, again, I had rare complications that don't happen very often.

I don't know for sure, but I don't think you're going to have more vaginal pain if they switch partway to abdominal- you have incisions at the top of your vagina anyways, so I don't think it matters. Honestly, my abdominal incision doesn't hurt- it's numb from cut nerves. It's your intestines that hurt the most, from being banged around, and with TAH, the stomach muscles are really sore. Vaginal incisions are weird- doesn't really feel like anything happened there most of the time- I thought I would feel it a looooot more.

Take it from me- we women are tough- you will handle anything that happens fine!!!!! The pain is only really bad in the hospital, when nice nurses are giving you loooots of drugs on a regular basis to deal with it. And really, haven't you been dealing with pain up to now? You're probably toughened up more than you know!

As far as anything extra you need- I didn't really realize how swollen my belly would be- I only have one pair of elastic waisted pants, and I'm wearing them any time I leave the house..... Get some of those. I'm not a big woman, but the swelling is making me look about four months pregnant- five on a day when I've been on my feet lots.

Sorry- that was a really long response, but I know I wanted to know every little thing before mine, and hopefully some of it will reassure you! Good luck!!!!

K