Need your stories please

Hi - I'm new to this site and would really like to hear of your experiences( both good and bad) so that I can make a better informed decision.
I am 47 years old and due to a large fibroid and constant heavy bleeding, my doctor has referred me to a specialist who I am seeing next week to discuss my options (recommending that I have a hysterectomy).
While I would dearly love to be rid of this problem which is leaving me both physically and emotionally drained at the moment, I am really concerned about the affect the op will have on my sex life. The web seems to be full of stories about women who lose their sex drive and have lost the ability to have satisfying orgasms. I am hoping to keep my ovaries, but my doctor seems to think I would be better off having them removed because of the risk of ovarian cancer.
Your opinions please, sisters! I will listen to what the specialist says, but I don't want to be talked in to a decision that I will end up regretting!

Hi,

Good for you! I didn't look for any information until it was very late. Fortunately it was not too late.

I was in a very similar situation and agreed to a hysterectomy and removal of ovaries. My MD too said "they could become cancerous", although I had no history of cancer nor was there any in my family. My problems were all fibroid related.

Due to a comedy of errors I did not go through with surgery at the very last minute (literally, I was prepped and being taken to the OR).

I got another opinion and ultimately an endometrial ablation. No more bleeding, no more discomfort.

A simple blood test showed my ovaries they are fully productive. Removal would have put me into full and immediate menopause.

I dumped my doctor of 20+ years over all of this.

Please, even if your doctor gives you what sounds like iron clad information about why you should do this or that, know this -- if it was their wife/daughter/sister, they would be seeking a second opinion or a consult on any life changing surgery.

Please do yourself the same service.

Good luck!

Hi rhen-

I'm 48 - same symptoms as you had. My GYN said my fibroid was so large that I'd have to have fibroid embolization first just to shrink it enough so that she could do abdominal hysterectomy next. I was none to happy about that verdict - 2 separate procedures several months apart and missing about 8-9 weeks of work didn't sound so hot to me. (Also, the fact that she "missed" when doing my endometrial "torture" - I mean - "biopsy" in the office, waited a week to tell me she missed, then wanted to repeat it - no way - one shot was all she got w/ me!)

A friend who is a physician recommended I check out daVinci. I found a group practice in my area where all the docs in the group were daVinci surgeons so I thought that would be a good place to start. The surgeon I met w/ was awesome and talked to me a long time before he even examined me. After exam, he was sure he'd have no difficulty doing daVinci. He did endometrial biopsy w/ a little "brush" that kind of swabs the inside of your uterus - no pain! If biopsy is negative (mine was), then he leaves your cervix. As far as ovaries, he said mine appeared okay on the ultrasound, and that he'd leave the decision to me - he added that the main complaint he got when he took ovaries is that 6 months or so later, wife shows up crying in his office with her husband yelling at him about why his wife doesn't want to have sex anymore! But he said that could be fixed w/ the correct dosages of hormones. I researched more about the ovaries and liked the other benefits ovaries do for you - even after menopause - including helping in the prevention of heart disease and osteoporosis, so I decided to keep mine.

Had my dvh on June 29th and returned to work on July 12th, only missing 9 days of work. Recovery was amazing, and I had no complications. Was able to resume sexual activity w/ hubby 2 weeks after procedure, and everything is working better than ever in that department!!

YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING!!! Do lots of homework and research - I did!! You know your body better than anyone, and you will instinctively know what's best for you!! I had never cried so much in a doctor's office as I did in my original GYN's office. I was never so relieved and comfortable as I was (and now am) with my new GYN surgeon. I have no doubts that what I did was right for me - find what's right for you!! Good luck!!!
Di

Thanks to the 2 lovely sisters who replied with some good advice. I was able to see my specialist yesterday, earlier than expected due to a cancellation. She was GREAT - very thorough and listened to all my concerns. Firstly, she was horrified at the suggestion of removing my ovaries - said she would never touch healthy ovaries and has seen women in their thirties who have had it done go into full-blown menopause and it's not good. I asked about endometrial ablation. She said in my case because the fibriod is so large and has pushed my uterus so out of shape it would not work properly.Said my only real option is a hysterectomy. But I am going to keep my cervix, because she said most of the nerves that are involved in a uterine orgasm are around the cervix area. Unfortunately this means a full incision not a laproscopic procedure and 6 weeks off work, which doesn't thrill me at all!! The cervix also provides support for the vagina and because my pelvic muscles have never been the same since childbirth, I need all the support I can get !!Am still going to check out Da Vinci and get a 2nd opinion though.

These boards have helped me ENORMOUSLY educate myself as I am still in the throws of deciding what is best for me. Its all a process and slowly I am reconciling what needs to be done, but without my sisters I honestly don't know where my head space would be!

I have also been reading reading The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy by Lauren Streicher, MD that has also been very educational and informative.

Welcome Sister, you're in good hands here!

I wish I had know about this site BEFORE my surgery!!! My new husband and I had the greatest sex ever, before surgery. All I knew was that my TORTURE, (i mean "biopsy") was unsuccessful. Because I had a big fibroid sitting on the inside of the cervix, my doctor was unable to get any tissue sample from inside the uterus. Evidently the fibroid was blocking access to the uterus. So, I had to have a TAH/BSO and removal of cervix. Thankfully I did it, because the tissue and fibroid were both cancerous. My doctor did the right thing!
How is sex without a cervix????? I don't know yet, but at least I am living to find out! There are some things out of our control, but YOU have to ask questions, get answers, find out!!!!! I didn't ask about sex after surgery, so it's my own fault. You PRE-OP sisters need to ask!
My prayer is that it will all work out, and be fine