Undecided as to what to do

Hello Everyone! I have been mulling this over and over in my head. I know no one can tell me what to do but me but I sure could use some advice. I have fibroids which has caused my uterus to be the size of a 3 month pregnancy with bleeding, clotting and cramping (causing me to be anemic). I had an abnormal pap smear last year which was treated with the Colposcopy and also the Leep precedure. Now after a recent D and C, it was found that I have CIN I-ll so must go through the Colposcopy again with paps every 3 months. I was seriously considering the hysterectomy prior to knowing about the CIN but now I am still uncertain as to what to do. The Dr said she has enough criteria so that I can get a hysterectomy. When I asked her what she would do, she told me it was my decison. This was not much help to me!! Has anyone been through a similar experience? Any words of advice? Thanks so much for listening! Cathy

No one can tell you what to do BUT, i can tell you that my decision to have the surgery was the best i ever made. I feel so much better now. I have energy I am no longer anemic, i too had fibroids pre cancer cells etc. I was bleeding for 6 months straight with maybe a 3 day break. Best thing i ever did was to have it. I have lost 53 pounds, i feel great the sex is 99% better I have my life back. I cant tell you what to do but from the sounds of it you can not feel that well, with allt hat going on. I would just think about it but, sounds like you may have to have it anyway.
Good luck

Hi, I also cant tell you what to do. But for myself I know that I had to do a lot of soul searching. I finally decided that I needed control of my life again. I was tired of the heavy bleeding and not being able to do alot of things in life because I never knew when I was going to bleed again. I sat with my husband and doctor and we all talked it over, and then it was for me to decide. I had had 2 surgical procedures and tried the pill and nothing worked for me. I had my TVH on 10/24 and feel great. I will tell you that in the beginning I cancelled my surgery 2 times and rescheduled. If I knew that I was going to feel this good I would have stayed with the 1st surgery date. You found a great site and these girls are wonderful and we are here for you.

Kelly :email: kelsamb@aol.com

Hi Cathy, wouldn't it be nice sometimes for someone to tell us exactly what to do! I'm sorry, but as with everyone else, I can't tell you what to do as the decision is yours to make.

In my case, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and my Dr. gave me the option of either the surgery or radiation/chemo. I asked my Dr. the same...what should I do? And I got the same answer as you....it's your decision. My circumstances were different than yours, but still a decision had to be made.

Why don't you try making a list for yourself of the pros and cons of each decision and maybe that will help you see more clearly.

Best wishes and 's

Read as much as you can about different treatments and maybe seek a second opinion. Being informed makes you feel more secure. I do not know your personal life story, but when I read your post, I had to double check that I didn't write it!

I am 41, had begun my slide toward menopause, was no longer ovulating and have my three children. For me the decision was based on my need to stop bleeding so I wouldn't bleed to death and to put an end to the quarterly pap smears (which were abnormal requiring treatment annually for three years in a row). I had a TAH-BSO on Nov. 13 and I'm so glad. I already have more red blood cells and more energy than I've had in two years and I still can't walk for more than 5 minutes at a time. (oh i know i'll still need pap smears still)

But some doctors are cautious nowadays (mine came in while they were prepping me for surgery and said, quite seriously, "Now are you sure you want to go through with this?" )and I think it's a good sign that your doc wants to include you in your own treatment.

love,
Pam

Cathy, I only wish I could make that decision for you: sure would make it easier if someone else could decide for us, right?

The problem with a Hyst is that it is almost always an elective surgery and that makes the decision all that much harder. I know what it's like: after procrastinating for 2 years before I even consulted a doctor about my frequent and very heavy bleeding, my unexplained weight gain and my mood swings, I procrastinated yet another 2 years before I finally opted for the Hyst. My only regret? that I didn't do it earlier!!!

What this time did though, was allow me to read up on this issue and check my options. When I made the decision, I knew it was the best avenue for me.

I agree with Tina: start by making a list of all the pros and cons for each option.

You might also want to post in the Hysterectomy Options and Alternatives message board where you'll find others looking for answers.

Wishing you the best of luck in your quest for answers. Whatever your decision, we'll be with you every step of the way.

Cathy ... I am in the process of making my decision as well. You may try rephrasing your question to your doctor. Instead of say "what do you recommend," since as you are seeing on this message board everyone's doctor says they can't tell you what to do it's your decision, I asked my doctor the following: "I know you can't tell me what to do, but what's your recommendation. Is there a benefit to one surgery over the other? Is there one proceedure you would lean towards over the other, and if so, why? Would I become a hormonal psycho if I go with the permanent proceedure? Man the Braves screwed up the NLCS didn't they?" (he has a sense of humor)

That got us to talking about the permanent proceedure vs another myomectomy. Because of the way I phrased the question it opened him up to a dialog rather than just stating his opinion. (Somewhere around surgery 3 we had discussed a hysterectomy and when I asked for his advice he gave me the benefits of both and did say because of my age and health he didn't think the hyst was the only answer at that time. After surgery 4 (5?) we discussed the hyst would probably be the decision should the fibroids come back.)

So here I am making my lists of pro's n cons. reading this message board and other website s and information to help me make a decision, but more importantly to help me accept my decision.

Good luck as you seek your answers as well.

BSQ

I had abnormal paps and one LEEP. I was considering another LEEP. My Gyn said the more LEEPS, the harder it is to do a coloscopy and see what to biopsy. I guess the cervix starts looking more like the craters on the moon than a smooth surface. I also had a uterus that had dropped (thanks to my twins) and was sitting on my bladder. My doctor said I'd eventually need bladder surgery and was surprised it didn't bother me. (Once he mentioned it, I had to go all the time!) My periods also had gone to lasting 1 day. I'd go through a tampon and pad every 15 minutes.

Just facing those issues (plus currently losing a friend to ovarian cancer)... I loved the idea of a hyst. No more biopsys and waiting for results and waiting for the next pap. No eventual bladder surgery. Bye-bye tampons!

I'm glad I did it. Once inside, the doctors added this to my list of problems: hernia (thanks again, twins) that would have eventually needed surgery, cysts on my overies, and fibroids in my uterus which was twice the size it should be.

You have to make your own decision. It is both a physical and emotional decision. I'm pleased with mine. But, I tend to overreact to health issues then underreact. I think it is safer and I don't want to be one of the statistics they point toward.

Hi Cathy, You've got a hard decision to make. Here is how I made mine.
I was 46 at the time. I had fibroids and heavy bleeding and cramping. My primary care Dr. tried everything she could, short of some sort of surgery. She asked me if I wanted to go to see the surgeon, that would get me in. She told me, "only you know how badly this is affecting my day to day life. That when you've had enough of this, you'll know it.) Well, I pretty much knew it so off to the surgeon I went. He also had the same speech about it being my decision. He gave me two choices. The hysterectomy, which he said I more than qualified for, or a D&C, which might help, or might not help, or might give me 2-3 years before having to have the hyst. So I had to decide which to try. Well, I'd tried everything else, so I said let try the D&C first. After I made my decision, he said he agreed with it. (They won't do that until you decide.) So I had the D&C, and the next period I had was the worst one yet. So back I went and was ready to do the hyst.
I don't regret it at all, nor do I regret trying the D&C. My hysterectomy was in March. I've just had the best summer I've had in a long time. I'm looking forward to each day and each new experience without having to worry about bleeding the entire time, or needing to find a bathroom each and every hour. For the first time in many years, I do Not know where all the bathrooms are at the places we vacationed at this summer, and it was great.
Good luck on you decision. Let us know what you decide and come back here often to ask questions or just to talk about something bothering you. Take care!