daVanci or TAH - Which would you choose

Hi - I desperately need your help.

I have sought out several opinions and now I have to narrow it down to a choice - daVinci or TAH - keeping ovaries either way.

The doctor who would perform the TAH I had seen several times before I switched insurances. He is well respected, known and considered one of the best in his field. Often at times the wait for him in his office is long because of the time he chooses to spend with his patients. Before going to him as a patient I use to belong to his father's practice before his retirement who was also an OB/GYN and performed my Mom's hysterecomy. While having same day surgery about 20 yrs. ago I over heard him and his patient speaking. She was having 2nd thoughts and he insisted she get another opinon and would not perform the procedure even though she had already received a 2nd opinion. I can see that his main concern is not money. I have nothing but praise for him and trust him completely.

The doctor who would perform the daVinci is considered a pioneer in his field and only performs daVinci hysterectomies. I found him through the daVinci search and also researched him on the web. He is not only on YouTube, but I mentioned to the doctor who would perform the TAH that I had went to him for a 2nd opinion and he asked what did he say. He knew of him immediately and also said he was an excellent surgeon and that the only surgery he performs is daVinci. Both doctors are from different hospitals.

My fear with daVinci is the time that I would spend under anesthesia which can take 4 hours or more with complications. My fear with TAH is the longer recovery and the possibility of infection in the incision as I am obese. The doctor who would perform the TAH told me he would cut me lower on the abdomen as to not encounter complications due to the size of my "jelly role".

I am so confused now. If it were you and you had the choice, which would you choose? I am 41, a bronchial asthmatic, 280 lbs. and a smoker. However, I have medically cleared my pulmonary test, echocardiogram and stress test. Requirements from both doctors who are confident that if I pass these test then I SHOULD have no complications. It's a tough choice for me and my DH.

Help...please???

I am morbidly obese (way heavier than you) and I had the DaVinci method and that is the way I would go. At 2 weeks I did not even feel like I had surgery.

Good luck with your surgery.

Look at the 2 procedures, they are vastly different. If I had the option a Da Vinci would have been it.

Im having the Davinci, my mother had the TAH and I find myself wondering if it would be better for me to have a TAH, Im heavier myself and since I tend to tire out easily and have other health problems the chance at a quicker recovery does seem better in my opinion. good luck either way

Hi

Thanks for all of your opionions. This is a hard decision and I do agree-these are both vastly different. I am not sure which my Mom had..vaginal or abdominal, but I do not have children as well as I have cervical stenosis so vaginal is out of the question.

I guess I will sleep on it, but I am putting it in God hands as when I do things on my own without seeking his will I FOUL up.

Thanks and I hope everyone is recovering extremely well.

Lisa

Lisa,

I also do not have any children. My doctor told me that a TAH would have been very difficult on me for how deep the cervix/uterus/ovaries were in my pelvis. He told me that my recovery period probably would have been longer than a normal TAH recovery. Due to the size of my pelvis (very tiny) he had to cut the uterus in half to remove it through the vagina. There was no spread of the endometriosis so I was very lucky.

Thanks. I am having my uterus removed through those tiny incisions. He is going to cut up the fibroid uterus and remove it that way. I am keeping my ovaries, I have not decided about my cervix yet. I am leaning more so towards daVinci as I am very hyper and can not imagine myself sitting still for 8 weeks nor going thru all that pain. I have a low tolerance for pain.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristy28 Im having the Davinci, my mother had the TAH and I find myself wondering if it would be better for me to have a TAH, Im heavier myself and since I tend to tire out easily and have other health problems the chance at a quicker recovery does seem better in my opinion. good luck either way

Did you speak with your Mom's?

Hi

I don't have the weight issue going on but I am 10 days post op from davinci today and I just wanted to tell you that for me at least, this was the way to go. At 10 days my recovery is so much farther than that of others who had surgery the same day and had other types of surgeries done. I have next to no pain, normal twinges that something is different but that is really it. I am set to be released back to work in 2 weeks as recovery from davinci is normally half of what even a lap. is. I will pray for you that the Lord will give you and your husband guidance in this tough choice. I know each person is different and you will need to do what is best for you, I just wanted to offer my input in case it helps at all

((((hugs))))

I can only tell you that my da Vinci surgery went very well. The recovery time is unbelievable and short. The scars are minimal. I am not sure what you should do. I would pray about it. I know you will figure it out. Good luck!!