still trying to decide

Thank you everyone, for your replies. I spoke with you on 05/23/02, about my unwillingness to have surgery for 16 week fibroids. I'm still in turmoil about what to do. This is a really dumb statement, so please excuse me. Everyone keeps telling me I'm going to feel so much better after the surgery. The problem is I don't think I'm sick! I've read so many of your posts and my problems seem miniscule compared to yours. I feel like a fraud. I do have large fibroids, and I do have long and heavy periods, but I work full time, have a family, care for aging parents, and do everything else so many of you do. The difference is that so many of the ladies are in terrible pain while they are doing all of these everyday things. I just can't get it through my thick head why I need surgery. The doctors have all discussed the risk of hemorrage, but in my mind, there are greater risks with the surgery. I know I have become obsessed with avoiding surgery at all costs, and maybe I just can't see the forest for the trees. (I'm also stubborn as a goat, but those are my only 2 flaws! ha ha). Thank you very much for listening to my thoughts. lhg

Dear lhg,

I went back to your original post and read it and the replies. The one thing that stands out in your earlier post is that 3 doctors have made this recommendation.

You said you feel that you're a fraud because you don't have pain - please keep in mind that each of us is different, and each of us had different symptoms leading up to the needs for a hyst. Not all of us will have pain.

It sounds as if you've done a great job is continuing to keep up with all of your responsibilities, but I wonder if maybe you have just become gradually used to the bleeding and fatigue? There have been lots of posts from ladies who have said they didn't realize how bad they felt because it had been so gradual. They felt so much better after they recovered from the surgery.

You also mentioned that you had hemorrhoid surgery 15 years ago and would never have elective surgery again. Please talk to the surgeon and the anesthesiologist about your fears - pain is manageable.

I can't give you medical advice, but please consider the danger of waiting until it is no longer "elective" but becomes emergency surgery, since 3 doctors have told you that it's necessary.

Please let us know what you decide.

's

Karen

Karen did a really good job of saying what I was thinking so I won't add much, just want to tell you my experience. My first recommendation came 3 years ago. I ignored it, ended up with a kink in my right ureter so urine was barely passing through, my small intestine needed to be repaired and so did my bladder. Then the bleeding started, woke up at night drenched. My doc. retires, sends me to another one, she says wait a year, I bleed some more, clots the size of my hand, my urologist wrote letters to 3 doctors. He was having a fit. My general practicioner calls after recieving the letter and tells me I'm going to have more to deal with then just my uterus because it is affecting other organs, sooo I find another gyn and here I am, 4 months post-op. Talk to your doc. about your condition, is it affecting other organs in your body? Just something to consider. Karlene

I agree with Karen!!

Not every person is the same in RE to symptoms. I have a very good friend of mine, who seems to be have had similiar symptoms as you. she had fibroids (3) and the heavy bleeding. She to said she was not anemic, yet when it came time to have the surgery, her counts were still "normal" but were on the low side. Once she had the surgery done, she was amazed at how much better she felt!!

I to am a VERY stubborn person. You should see all the marks on the walls around here from me hitting my head on them so many times untill I got something threw my thick head!! BUT, if I had 3 different Dr's all telling me it is something that NEEDS to be done, then I for sure would not have a problem with it. For me the decision was easy on this subject. Pain, more pain, & even more pain, heavy bleeding (17-25 days/mo.), pills, creams, and a surgery have all failed. Didn't take a rocket scientist to tell me what needed to be done. My philospohy was: I'm not using it, (had tubes tied 11.5 yrs. ago), it's causing me pain & ER visits, GET IT THE HECK OUT OF THERE!!!!!! AND, I am also the biggest chicken when it comes to pain. I can handle it, but don't want to deal with it if I have to. I told my Dr. this and he let me know that he will instruct the Anesthesologist to do what he has to to make me as comfortable as humanly possible. And that included putting me to sleep before even putting in the IV, much less Cath. & starting anything else. He does not like to do it that way, but will if he needs to. Talk to your Dr., or any one of the 3 that told you it is necessary, and go with the one you are most comfortable with, and will listen to you. Trust me, my husband works at a hosiptal, you would rather have someone you know and trust do it, than have to go in and have an emergency one, and get Dr. Slash & Dash who knows nothing about you, and is just going in to get it done and save your life with no regards to any of your concerns.

Hope some of this make ssome sense, and helps you make a decision. Keep us posted on your decision...and you are NOT a fraud. Anyone with a fibroid thathas Dr.'s telling them it needs to be taken care of is NOT a fraud, just someone in denial :dance2: Good luck!!

Chris