Did your hysterectomy help with endometriosis?

I wanted to ask if the Hyst helped your endo? I have severe endo, have had several surgeries and the pain and endometriomas are worsening. I am scheduled for a TAH/BSO on 02/12/09. Your thought and experiences would be most appreciated! Thanks!
CapeCodder
Endo,Fibromyalgia,Adrenal Insufficiency, Fibroids

Hi (((CapeCodder)))!

I had a unique situation in that I did not have pain with my endometriosis prior to my hysterectomy! That came afterward! My problem was continued bleeding that we could not stop. The endometrosis was found during a laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and D&C to figure out what in the world was going on!

The hysterectomy did stop the bleeding and removed a huge amount of my endometriosis. My uterus was covered!

Since my hysterectomy I have dealt with endo and adhesion pain and had surgery last year with an endometriosis specialist. Due to the location of some of the endo and adhesions (cul de sac area and bowel) and because I had had several surgical complications with my hysterectomy, my GYN did not want to touch me again! He jokingly says that I am allergic to scalpel blades! The surgery with the endo specialist has been a big help!

If you have never visited with an endometriosis specialist, you might want to consider doing so before surgery. They tend to have superior surgical skills when it comes to endo since that is what they treat over and over and over again.

Unfortunately, as you probably know, a hysterectomy and oophorectomy are not sure cures for endo. The key is to have as much of the actual endometriosis removed as possible in the best way possible, another reason an endo specialist might be a good choice for you!

There are many ladies here on the site who have had a hysterectomy for endometriosis. Some have done wonderfully since surgery, some pretty well, some not so well. It is impossible for us know before hand how things will turn out!

I do wish you all the best and I hope that if you do have a hysterectomy it is very successful for you! S

I am pretty newly recovering to give a report, but I can tell you what I know so far. I had problems other than endo- my ovaries were not functioning properly, I had fibroids, cysts, polyps, lotsa good stuff. My doctor believes she got all of the endo and adesions that I had and the pathology report seemed to agree so I have my fingers crossed. I am three weeks post op and I can tell you that overall I am feeling much better. My energy is up and the pain I was having is down, and hormonally I am feeling like a new woman! Good luck to you as you make your decision.

Thanks Weiser and Secretarymoss for you info and support - I appreciate it! Thanks Weiser for starting this thread for me - I love the hystersisters site and look forward to hearing from other sisters! Thanks again! Capecodder

I had my tah/bso almost 3 years ago. For me personally; it was the best thing I ever did.

I gained a quality of life I never expected. I have learned alot about myself and what I do need.

I have been painfree. I've had some trial and error with finding the right hrt for me, but it seems like I have found what is best for me.

I have fullfilled some dreams of mine, one was to learn to ride a motorcycle and the other was to go back to school though at the time I didn't know what for.

I do ride a motorcycle and I am in school. I recently finished a CNA (nursing assistant) and I am very happy with myself I had a very high grade in my class. Which before would of been difficult because I would have had a difficult time doing some of the things I have learned to do because of my pain.

I hope you success will be a good as mine has been for me.

Hello Capecodder believe me you will be pain free!! I had severe endo also and suffered for many years severe cramps!! It actually made me lose work, school you name it!! I have been pain free for many years!! NO REGRETS!! Good Luck!!

I'm too soon out from my surgery too, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I spent the better part of 2008 in lots of pain and horrible fatigue. It got worse after my laparoscopy and hysteroscopy (the endo they found was so bad they couldn't do the planned D & C). I stopped working and waited.

My surgery took 5 hours and the doctor said my endo was like cement. They brought in a cancer specialist to make sure they got it all.

I have my post-op appointment tomorrow and will have a better idea of how sucessful it really was, but in terms of how I feel now vs. how I felt before, no contest. Am I in pain right now? Yes, but it's a different kind of pain and it gets better every day. Am I fatigued? Yes, but not in that debilitating way that I experienced before.

Mentally I feel much clearer, my mood is much better. People I see and talk to can see and hear the difference in me right away.

It may not be the end of endo in my life, but I am most certainly better now than I was before.

Hello. I just saw this post and thought I'd add my two cents. I was diagnosed with endo in Nov. 2007. It was a very tough year. We tried absolutely everything to manage the endo pain. Doc and I knew that surgery was only a matter of time but we went through the other treatments anyway for the pain management. I can honestly say that aside from the occasional grieving spells, it's been the best thing for me. I have almost no pain now (still some pain with sex but that's because of the I. C.) and I feel better than I have in years. For me, the pros really outweigh the cons.

Like Wendy, the heaviness has lifted. I'm not constantly thinking about pain or feeling pain and I have much more energy than I used to. (aside from a nasty cold right now!)

I have no regrets and am thanking God that I found an excellent doctor who knows her stuff. Best wishes to you-
Sherry

I had severe endo and adhesions prior to my hyst. I had an LSH/BSO 7/07 and I feel a million times better now (as far as the endo goes). The surgery also helped to relieve many bowel-type problems I was having (ie. IBS symptoms, cramping, hemorrhoids, anal fissures... YIKES!) And I no longer have any of these anymore. Of course, I need to add that I had a goretex patch that was stuck to my colon from a previous myomectomy (8 years prior), so my insides were a bit of a mess!

But I am very glad the surgery was done, and I am thankful for the wonderfully experienced surgeon that I had.

Hope you have a good experience, too!!

Brenda

THANK YOU to Sharon,Sillyme,Wendy and Brenda(I hope I didn't forget anyone- if so sorry) for your support and words of encouragement!!! I can't tell you how your stories have helped me! I am glad I have made the decision to go ahead - I am scared about the surgery and dealing with the unknown, but I am so looking forward to not having any periods or pain. I as write this I could cry because the pain is so bad. So, to imagine a day without pelvic pain and fatigue is a dream! I am so blessed because I have 2 of thebest Surgeons and my God watching over me! Thanks again to my fellow hystersisters! Johanna(Capecodder)
Severe Endo
Fibroids
TAH/BSO 02/12/09