TAH: just finished my pre-op w/ doc

I had some...interesting news I wasn't even worried about. I guess the size of the fibroids will necessitate a vertical incision from my pubis to my belly button. I did not want a frontal butt crack scar!

*sigh*. I went over all my concerns pre-op and the doc was a bit exasperated with me telling me not to worry and to let him do all the worrying. Easy for him to say, I'm not yanking his testicles out through a hole in his belly, Wednesday. I also asked about gas pain and his reply was that is more for laproscopic and I will be in way too much pain to worry about gas . I like it when he tells it as it is, but maybe I wouldn't mind a wee bit of sugarcoating.

Oh, I'm so sorry for all that. I did my pre-op on Monday, what he told me was although we have planned for bikini cut, after I'm asleep he does a real "intense" vaginal exam to double check on size,shape & location of uterus (plus my fibroid is on the outside) to confirm that a bikini cut can be done, if something isn't as he thought he'll end up doing a vertical too. He said the exam would hurt which is why he waits till I'm knocked out, which is why I won't know what gets done until I wake up. He did say he's 90-95% sure he can do a bikini, but just has to inform me.
As for sugarcoating the pain, I completely agree with you. Why give you one more thing to worry about that wasn't even on your radar??? You ask gas discomfort, he tells you about surgery pain?!?!
Good Luck!

Crazy what Drs. think will calm us isn't it. My GYN was very good about not freaking me out except at the first visit when she said "Might be cancer". Her surgical assistant introduced herself in surgery and then said "I'm so excited to be assisting since your's are the largest fibroids I've every helped with!!" Then the knocked me out. At least my Vascular Surgeon waited until the very last post op appt. with hime to say "Your's were the worst legs I ever saw." Your Dr. gave good advice about letting him do the worry part. For me the pain was so much less than I dreaded and recovery was on schedule. My vertical is healing so nicely there are places where it has disappeared and others were it has almost dissappeared. The most noticable is the lowest 1 1/2 to 2" were it is still dark pink. I had no gas pains, had trouble getting released because there was no gas for 4 days. Finally a little passed, I found the elevator, and escaped.

I can only assume its because he's a man and somewhere, at a cellular level, he actually thinks telling a woman to relax won't get the opposite reaction. I have had long term relationships where I didn't trust the guy to come to my home uninvited and I'm letting this guy cut me while I'm unconcious and remove one of my organs....I'll tell HIM when I'm ready to relax, thank you very much .

dontpanik-don't panic! But having said that..I completely agree we are handing over our unconcious bodies to an unknown party to take us apart. That is just weird. We, especially as women, are taught to protect our bodies at all costs, yet we are expected to calmly surrender it in this situation? Maybe I'm making this worse, sorry. point is, I am right there with you.

Hi girls.. first I must say that my surgery was not a hysterectomy, it was a myomectomy, but I think they are all same experiences.

i had an extra large fibroid in sizes 19x12x8 cm... huge.. I am making research for 9 months. I was so so so much scared of the surgery, I am a person even afraid of needles and I have very low tolerance for pain. I saw 3 doctors, the first two was going to make it with a vertical incision (you know this way is easier for doctors, but more painful for us). my fibroid was outside the uterus.
Anyway, I went to a 3rd doctor because I did not trust the others. And she said that she will do a bikini (horizontal) incision. And I had the surgery two weeks ago..

girlss.. it was amazing, I had a very very little pain. i was able to walk the next day. had some gas problem in the following days, but not too uncomfortable. my doctor was perfect (I can give you her name if you want), I am almost healed, went for shopping two days ago !! all pain was nothing compared to what I lived before the surgery physically and morally..
most importantly, I knew that everything will go easier if I am brave and positive, and I was!!
be brave and positive, very happy days are ahead of you )

	Quote:
Originally Posted by KimDJ dontpanik-don't panic! But having said that..I completely agree we are handing over our unconcious bodies to an unknown party to take us apart. That is just weird. We, especially as women, are taught to protect our bodies at all costs, yet we are expected to calmly surrender it in this situation? Maybe I'm making this worse, sorry. point is, I am right there with you.

Thank you, I thought I was the only one who felt that way!