Just getting started!

Hi...I just found this site - had to print out the list of abbreviations

Ultrasound showed my uterus sized equivalent to 12-14 weeks from multiple intramural fibroids. Spoke with two Dr's - seems no matter what, I will eventually end up with a hysterectomy. I'm 45 with no great emotional attachment...so that doesn't upset me.

Would like to hear about other's options with VH vs. AH... My gyny told me he would not do any kind of VH - would only consider that with size less than 10 weeks and prolapsed.

Having any kind of AH doesn't thrill me too much. And - oh my! - I wasn't even to the point of thinking about my overies and cervix yet!

This is all new to me right now - I only had the ultrasound 2 weeks ago - so have been trying to get as much info as possible.

Has anyone had any kind of VH with fibroids >12 week size?

Many thanks!
Whosey

Whosey. Welcome to hsytersisters. I had tah/bso..and surgery and recovery both went smooth. I'd never had surgery before except for tubal ligation...so didn't know what to expect..but it actually wasn't that bad. There's pain..I'm not going to fib..but it was controlled well with pain medications. I followed all restricitions and drs. orders to a "t". I didn't rush recovery and took it VERY slow and easy for the entire recovery period which was 6- 8 weeks.

I really didn't want a vaginal hyst. anyway...but since the dr. had to look around inside..due to a "suspicious" cyst...thought abdominal would be the best way to go.

I had horizontal (bikini incision) and it healed nicely. The looks of it bothered me at first..but after the swelling went down..and after I healed inside...my tummy looks the same...except for a scar that I'm used to by now

This is a GREAT place to get support..we're glad you're with us.

Hi, Whosey,

I had a TVH, but my uterus was very small. It's my understanding that the size of your uterus can limit the type of hysterectomy that can be performed. I would encourage any woman who's considering a hysterectomy to get at least two medical opinions.

Best wishes,
Helen

Dear Whosey----------

I am 41. I went for my annual last October--and was told that my uterus was >12weeks. The symptoms that I had learned to accept as normal, were now give a diagnosis. Multiple fibroids (some very large), very heavy bleeding/clotting during periods, bad pap, and painful ovulation. Four months, five professional medical opinions, two ultrasounds, a colposcopy, two visits with a nurse practitioner, and three different gyn's later I decided to go ahead and schedule my TAH. None of the drs said a TVH was an option. I have been told that some of this is because there aren't many drs trained in TVH with a large uterus. I think that most drs don't want to risk complications. I have also been told that it is possible to use medication temporarily to shrink the fibroids in order to make a TVH a possibility.

(One of the things that helped me finally decide was research into my family history---which I had always thought was squeaky clean. I found out that the reason I never heard of any problems was that both of my grandmothers had TAH with ovaries removed before the age of 40. In addition, my aunt had her hysterectomy at 39 and returned to have ovaries removed at 49--same problems as I have. My mother who made it to menopause--had a much more eventful trip than I had ever realized--numerous D&C's over a 10 year period between the ages of 30 and 40.)

The dr who I have chosen to to perform my TAH in just five days was the dr who offered the most conservative opinion of the three gyn's I visited. (The first two panicked me--One even said I was playing "Russian Roulette" if I didn't have my hysterectomy immediately.) My new gyn actually said that I could wait--monitor the rate of growth of these fibroids (one of which is impinging and had already grown larger in less than four weeks) and do more frequent PAP's--until the situation gets worse. She said that I probably will eventually have to have a hysterectomy anyway, but it could be as much as five years away.

My decision has not been easy--in fact, I am still second-guessing myself. I decided that because I was otherwise healthy--having a TAH now--maybe even being able to keep my ovaries--is the option for me and my family. God willing, my recovery will not be unbearable, and I won't be worrying and monitoring the situation for the next five years.

Good luck making a decision--do lots of research--don't rush into anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way--both of my grandmothers are healthy and in their 80's.
--------------Sue

I had to have a tah with a vertical incision for my volleyball size fibroid (couldn't even do a horizontal on it). Whether it was the surgeon, my physical shape or a great job by the anesthesiologist - I found the recovery surprisingly easy. I'm 40, but did opt to lose the ovaries and didn't fight over the cervix. I had a choice on the ovaries although the oncologist was recommending to remove them. My hormones were wacky before the surgery so I wasn't concerned about wackiness after, plus we have a serious breast cancer history in my family and ovarian risk is high for people with breast cancer history in family. I'd been prone to cervical trauma during sex so I didn't mind losing that either.

I did a lot of research in the 3 months leading up to my surgery, especially when things started to be weird on my second ultrasound (thing had grown so rapidly to size of a volleyball with pockets of liquid and assymetry) that it really alarmed the doctors. TVH does seem to be reserved for conditions where uterus isn't too large. Perhaps you can discuss whether going on lupron would reduce the size of your uterus enough to do a tvh.