New to boards and anxious about surgery.

[font=Comic Sans MS]Just wanted to say hello and thanks. The info. and support here is amazing.

I am 38 and have 2 kids. LAVH is scheduled for Oct. 23, and will keep my ovaries. I have endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. I have had ridiculously heavy and looonnnnggg periods for a few years now, and ignored them, tolerated them and avoided the doc. all together until 9/11 when I started bleeding uncontrollably and did not go to the hospital until 9/14. I was admitted ASAP and given 4 pints of blood. My hemoglobin was at 6, and suddenly, I realized why I had been dizzy, out of breath and craving ice for months.

I have a bunch of questions and am anxious about surgery. Pre op appointments are scheduled for 17 and 20 of October. All looks to be a go. Thanks so much for any and all wisdom shared.

Hi tmb1023, Sounds like you have had a awful time. I can't give any advice yet as I haven't had my surgery. I am sure that the others will "drop by" to welcome you and give you any advice you need. They are all so wonderful. Just want to say welcome. You will have alot of support here.

Thanks for the quick reply. Best wishes for a smooth surgery on the 8th. I will send positive thoughts and prayers your way.

Thank you very much. I will do the same for you. I am anxious to get it over with now! They all say that the waiting is the hardest. Just hang in there, mine has been scheduled for almost 2 months and I have tried to stay busy to keep my mind of of it. This site will help you so much while you wait.

Sending encouragement your way! I am so glad I had my hyst. Life doesn't revolve around that week anymore like it did. No more pain every month. I had some special circumstances w/my surgery, but even still, I'm glad I did it. Just read all you can, search this site as much as you can and expect things to not go exactly as planned. Most of us are pleasantly surprised when it's over b/c we fear and imagine the worst. Keep asking questions too. Knowledge is the answer for worry (and prayer in my life).

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate that you are willing to share your experience as I take off on this new adventure.

I'm almost a year post op. I remember the days leading up to my surgery. I have never regretted having mine. I don't have to spend the time boarded up at home, send other people to do the errands that needed to be done, and if I did have to go out plan out ahead of time where the nearest bathrooms were.

Any specific questions that we can answer for you?

Hi TMB,

Your story (avoiding the doc) sounds like me, only I'm a few years older. How was your hyperplasia w atypia diagnosed, by endometrial biopsy?

I was wondering if your doc is a gyn/onc or have you considered consulting one since Hyperplasia w Atypia is considered by many physicians to be precancerous. I've been told that 30% of cases turn out to be cancer.

If you haven't consulted a gyn/oncologist, I'd strongly urge you to do so. There's studies done that show much better results when the initial surgery is done by a gyn/onc.

When I got my second opinion by the gyn/onc I saw in Dallas he said I could have the surgery with my local gyn, but if cancer was indeed found then I would need to come back to him for a second surgery to stage the cancer.

I didn't want surgery to begin with, the thought of needing 2 of them so close together was abhorrent. I did research and found a gyn/onc who did minimally invasive surgery and that's the route I went.

At the very least, ask to have your biopsy re-evaluated at another pathology lab and ask your gyn to consult with a gyn/onc. Having one on standby during your surgery (or assisting your gyn) would be even better.

Best of luck to you.

I like you had hyperplasia but my was simple hyperplasia. I had bleed for two months solid. My LSH was last Friday (Oct. 3). I can say that I was scared to death up on till the time that they wheeled me into the OR. All that worry was unnecessary. They had a hard time getting my uterus out because it had adhered it's self to my bladder but once that was fixed then it was smooth sailing. I awoke in recover on a pain pump (which I never had to use) and it's not been a bad experience at all. I am sore but as far as pain...I had none.

I'm not 5 days post op and I'm still in the recovery period but I'm doing great and know that you will too. Good luck any my prayers are with you.
You'll be glad to have that uterus out.

Thanks for the suggetions, and I will look into this. The hyperplasia/atypia was dx when a D&C and hysteroscopy happened back in Sept. I have already been informed that this is precancerous tissue, and both docs maintain that the upcoming hysterectomy will be curative. That being said, I do not want any surprises so I will definitely ask. Thanks for your insight.