Did you get a second opinion?

At HysterSisters.com we encourage all women to get a second (and third!) opinion when they've been told they need a hysterectomy. We know that often, that isnt a consideration.

Please vote in the poll, sharing in response if you got a second opinion or not!

I needed to have my left ovary removed. As I am 51 and had been having annoying menstual troubles over the past year, my doctor asked if I'd like to have my uterus removed at the same time. I chose to do so because:
1) the women I'd talked to that had had hysterectomies were very glad they had done so to relieve their ongoing and severe menstrual troubles
2) it would decrease my stress, time off, and expense of having two separate operations should I eventually need a hysterectomy
3) I would avoid going through all the symptoms that would lead me to seek a hysterectomy
4) I'm never going to get younger to face the operation any better
5) my family had met our insurance deductible for the year so it would likely be more expensive later should I need one in a year that we didn't meet our deductible. We usually don't meet it, we have a high one.

It's been 5 weeks. If it weren't for extra endometrial tissue that they had to remove from my left ureter (tube that goes from kidney to bladder) on that left side, I'd be feeling just about pre-surgical. At this point, I'm glad I got the hysterectomy.

This was my second bout with cancer, I had breast cancer in 2000. In 2000 I did get a second opinion. For some reason, this time I felt more "knowledgeable" and "comfortable" with the diagnosis and the Dr. I do strongly recommend though that you would get a second opinion...I guess it is "do as I say, not as I do"!

I went to the GYN first and I considered what the GYN/ONC had to say as my second opinion. I asked about about different types of surgery to include the lap and vaginal. I had a lot of faith in my GYN as well as my GYN/ONC and decided to proceed with the TAH for my hyst.

Given the same circumstances, I would not change a thing. I feel great and have had no problems since my hyst. Both my GYN & GYN/ONC have been very supportive and have answered all my concerns and questions.

I got a second opinion AND a third opinion. I wanted to feel comfortable going into this that I was making the right decision, and that there were no other options available to me. All the docs agreed, which gave me a great deal of confidence. (Did get a little tired of "undress from the waist down" though!)

I've been told due to my age (now 47) they aren't prepared to consider other options and to wait until they are large enough to need a hysterectomy (the largest is 10cm now). This has been inspite of my expressed concerns about undergoing major surgery with a prolonged recovery time and saying I'd like to be offered less invasive options early on. 2 different doctors over the past 3-4 years have said this. Interestingly I've not been asked basic questions such as when my mother went through menopause.

Based on my endometrial biopsy I went searching through the medical literature. What I found indicated that a hysterectomy was the only sensible option. However, I did switch surgeons from one who specializes in gynecology/obstetrics to one who specializes in gynecology/oncology.

I wish I would have gotten a second opinion, but I don't think it would have changed the outcome b/c the fibriod tumors came back faster than they grew the first time around.

Just would be good for my peace of mind.

In a way, yes, but not with another GYN. I met with my family doctor and asked him a lot of questions and made sure he had my records to review. Given my medical history he agreed with the surgeon that a hysterectomy seemed the best way to go for me. I'm a month shy of 57 and, quite frankly, will be happy to get this over and done with.

I chose to not get a second opinion. I had been seeing my GYN for many years about my fibroids and he let me wait until there was no question as to the need for a hyster. Never any pressure. He offered lots of options. I waited for menopause to shrink them, they only got bigger. My DR was offering me the LSH and I had asked around about his surgical skill. The health care professionals I talked to all assured me he was an excellent surgeon, I was comfortable. The only regret is that I didn't spend enough time deciding about my ovaries. I have second thoughts about that from the hormone jungle.