Newbie... scared (children mentioned)

Glad I found this site! I'm a newbie and scheduled to have surgery on Oct 13th.... if all goes well with my insurance.

In a nut shell I have been having heavy bleeding since I was in highschool. Doctors would only prescribe B.C pills to "control it" - I suffered a miscarriage 13 years ago and the bleeding seem to go on forever.... I had a D/C done and again the bleeding went on forever. A year later I became pregnant again and had a healthy son. Again my bleeding became worse after the pregnancy. 2 1/2 years later I gave birth to beautiful twin identical girls via c-section. And again the bleeding became worse so back on the pill to control it... which was a bummer because hubby had a vesectomy!
I have suffered with heavy bleeding/cramps and my cycle would last7-10 days... with 4 days of horrible flow! Now that my kids are older and more active I can no longer stay at home during my cycle ( easier to stay at home and change pad after pad then try to live my normal life!!! LOL) I finally went and saw a doctor who said I did not have to live like this!! WOW... you mean someone wants to help me???? She gave me 2 options... ablation or hyster...... the ablation scares me and really I just want 1 procedure... I don't want to have to go back and have a repeat procedure. From the research that I have done most people that have had the ablation done they end up back in the office for a hyster..... anyone have thoughts on this???
I am just getting nervous and I am hoping that I have made the right choice. I need to improve my life and spending a week in hiding every month due to my cycle is not helping my family!!!!!

hi..i had my hysterectomy for heavy bleeding also. what kind of surgery are you having?

I don't know all the "codes" for everything LOL... but I am having my uterus/cervix removed and keeping my ovaries.

I have heavy bleeding with large blood clots. My surgery is next Friday (Oct. 3), I can't wait...I was aprehensive at first but now I'm bleeding again and I just want this uterus out. I'm scheduled for a LSH but I may end up with a LAVH since I have previous c-sections. Either way I will be happy to get rid of the uterus and then I won't have to worry about it anymore.
Good luck with your surgery...I'm sure that you'll do fine.

good luck to both of you...its wonderful to be period free
visuli..i had an lsh after 2 csections and a few other abdominal surgeries. i had no problems at all..i hope you dont either. i've had perfect results and i'm so glad i kept my cervix and ovaries.

I had a lot of fibroids that cause very heavy periods. Like you I was stuck at home. Somtimes I would have to change a overnight pad in a half hour.

The real problem came was I went so long like this, I started ruining my health and became anemic. My lavh was essential for me to live.

I am 5 week post-op. I look forward to a better life of being healthy and peroid free.

If you look around on this website there is wealth of information that could benefit you. Articles on numerous topics and even movies of procedures if you don't have a weak stomache. I have learn more here than at the doctors office.

Happy to be rid of a troublesome Uterus.
Peaches

Isslewoo,
Sorry you're feeling so badly. I can certainly understand. You asked about ablation. So I'll fill you in on my experience.

I had a balloon ablation. It did help with the bleeding, but not the 2-3 days of spotting I was told would be the norm. My bleeding is still 7-10 days, and although I'm not soaking everything in site now, my pain has increased.

There are 2-3 days in my period now that I can not function at all. I would take several Advil in a few hours and it does not do anything. Then I take a vicodin and it just takes the edge off.

I'm scheduled for a vaginal hysterectomy on Oct 20th and wish I'd had it done last year. The funny part is last year my balloon ablation was the 22nd of Oct which happened to fall on Monday, so my hyst will fall exactly on the one year mark as far as that Monday!

One side note, my SIL had a balloon ablation two months after I did, and is having great success with it. She is about 50, where I'm 34. I think age does have something to do with it. She's just having spotting, where I'm having normal flow, but PAIN.

I don't think many people that had success with ablations would be posting on a hysterectomy site, so you're not seeing a balanced representation.

Just do some more research. I do understand about the two procedure thing. I just wanted it out last year, but my insurance company requires you to try something less invasive first.

Good luck!

I have had 3 docs (and 2 this week), tell me most ablations fail(and IUD's/other options) and women end up getting a hysterectomy in the end anyway. Last doc was a very experienced female doc-who pointed out also, that this could last to 50 yrs old-so Quality of Life must be considered.

Ok ladies...been there done it all....I have had period troubles for many years. At times so heavy I was afraid to go out of the house and if I did I always carried an extra outfit with me. I had femine products stashed everywhere. I tried birth control to help "control" things and it did to some extent but not for long. I finally had ablation and D/C done Sept. 2007. It helped for a few months. It did make the blood flow less. However it did not help with the length of the periods. When I got to the point that I was bleeding for 3 weeks out of every month it was time to reconsider the hysterectomy. I had my hyster. on Aug. 15, 2008. I only had my uterus removed. Ovaries and cervix were ok so they were left. I was only 44 at the time of the surgery and thought it was best for me. Just had my 6 week check up today and aside from a few issues that need some time to heal I am doing ok. Wish I had pushed a bit earlier with the dr. to do the surgery.
Bottom line to all of this is, you know your body the best. Don't be afraid to ask questions and ask lots of them. I met with my surgeon three times before I was comfortable to say yes to the surgery. Get a second opinion and a third if necessary. You need to do what is right for you.
Best of luck to all of you as you prepare for your upcoming surgery dates.

Newbie, your situation sounds very similar to mine. I am now 4 weeks post-op from LAVH and dont regret my decision to have this done in preference to an ablation, which, it appears, is not always a long term solution. I suffered heavy bleeding for just 4 years, but it was enough to make me anaemic and halve my iron stores, as well as affecting my ability to work. Then I started to bleed in between periods too. That was the last straw! My family is complete and my husband had also had a vasectomy 4 years ago. I am back at work now, although on reduced hours, but I am looking forward to the freedom of not having to wear nappy size pads and to be able to join my kids in the ocean for a swim this summer rather than sitting fully clothed near the toilets!
I wish you the best of luck for whichever option you choose. The information on this site helped me to make my decision.
Kind Regards
Kiwibird63