question re ovary and cervix removal

I will be having a hyst. sometime in Sept.
I am a failed UFE 6 months ago and have a 14 week size uterus from fibroids causing lots of discomfort (pain, constipation, freq. urination, to name a few).
I am 47 and my MD feels that he should take everything due to my age. He is a very good doctor but knows it is up to me. I do not feel I can go through with removing everything but my uterus just because of my age.
I would be grateful to hear from others who have made this choice and are happy with it, or who felt they should have had everything removed. I have a wonderful sex life with my husband and am afriad this could change due to ovary removal as well as cervix removal.
Also, would recovery be quicker if only the uterus is removed?
My uterus is too big to be removed vaginally per my MD.

Peppatty99

I'm also 47 and had a uterus that was 14 week size. I had a fibroid on my cervix so keeping it was not really an option. Sex had become painful. But even if it hadn't been painful I would have removed my cervix anyway. I wanted absolutely zero chance of any kind of bleeding and zero chance of having to go back in and take it out which seems to have happened to many women in here. My sex life is better now because there is no pain. Having an orgasm hasn't been a problem.

My doctor left it up to me if I wanted to keep my ovaries. He said there are still many benefits to keeping them. Libido was one reason. He told me to trust him and that if he saw any problems with them he would remove them. But they were in perfect condition. There's no family history of ovarian cancer and it is rather rare so I chose to keep them.

My surgery went well and I'm happy with my decisions. I haven't looked back and I have no regrets.

I just had TAH/BSO and I am 43. I have no complaints. It has been so nice not to have a period, even a mini one. Sex is not painful. My libido is not quite the same, but the doctor and I are working on that with HRT. We have the estrogen right; think we just need to add in a little testosterone! Ultimately, you have to do what you think is best for you. This is a wonderful site to get lots of insight. Check the hormone jungle for info as well if you are trying to decide what to do about the ovarian removal.

When I had my tvh, I was 51, and my dr encouraged me to keep my ovaries and for me it was the right decision. If you have no history of problems, it's always best to keep what you can.

Definitely discuss this with your dr so that you both can feel comfortable with the decision. Don't feel badly about speaking up...this is your body and you should be able to decide what you want to do. Once they're gone, they're gone...there's no putting them back.

Sending you big s and hopes that you can come to a mutual decision.

Blessings

Hi Peppatty,

I was 46 at the time of my LSH. I did (3) months of lupron shots to shrink my fibroids enough for a LSH, a less invasive hyst. From you profile, it looks like we are one month apart in age.

My Dr. felt I was a ~good~ candidate to keep my cervix since it was sturdy and I had had normal pap smears for years. I had my cervix cauterized during my hyst and that has prevented me from having a mini-period in post-op. A small percentage of ladies get a mini-period in post-op if they keep their cervix and one or both ovaries.

Since I was a candidate to keep my cervix, my Dr. told me that he felt the cervix helps with future pelvic support and with sex. I am one year post-op now and I am glad I kept my cervix for those two reasons.

I also kept my ovaries since they were healthy and ovarian cancer does not run in my family. My ovaries are still working great. No period but I get some monthly breast tenderness.

I wanted to go through natural menopause, if I was a candidate. From what I have read on Hyster Sisters, the ovaries secrete important hormones that help with the bones, skin, hair, etc.

Best wishes. To keep or not keep the cervix and ovaries is a very personal decision.

Mary

Did your doctor give you any reason why you should remove otherwise healthy ovaries?

The recommendation for removing ovaries for pre-menopausal women is outdated. They are generally taken in cases where there is a strong familial risk (two or more first generation women with breast/ovarian cancer) and/or a positive for the BRCA1 & BRCA2 marker.

If you've had a history of painful or complex cysts or endometriosis a doctor might also recommend taking your ovaries.

It's a common misconception that women are done with their ovaries after menopause. Menopause is simply the cessation of fertility/menstruation. The ovaries continue to work, putting out lower levels of hormones that protect your heart, circulatory system, bones, teeth, bladder, vagina, sex drive and for some women their sense of self. After oophorectomy even with HRT women are at slightly higher risk of high cholesterol, heart attacks and stroke and bladder incontinence. However, keeping ovaries is not a sure thing either. Recent studies have shown that women who have a hysterectomy go into menopause an average of 4 years sooner than women who keep their uterus.

It's important to keep a good perspective about the things that are the greatest threats to our health. Heart attacks and strokes kill over a half a million (500,000) women every year, most of them post-menopausal. Ovarian cancer kills about 26,000. Though keeping the ovaries will not completely prevent circulatory disease, it can put it off as long as possible.

Did your doctor discuss HRT with you? Are you a candidate for HRT? It can be expensive and studies have shown that women don't always stay on the recommended HRT because of side effects and costs. If you are leaning towards removing your ovaries, you might want to start reading up on the most recent therapies so that you can work with your doctor to design the best therapy for you.

Finally, since you're probably within five years of menopause, even though the UFE was not successful, have you investigated myomectomy? Many women find that just reducing the bulk of the uterus can get rid of the troublesome pressure symptoms.

I was only 38 at the time of my hyster and kept my ovaries and know that they're working normally for me. My sex life and libido are virtually the same as before, so it was the right decision for me.

Please talk to both your gyno and your primary care doctor (there are conditions like hypertension and history of blood clots that would contraindicate oophorectomy). I think your instincts are good, but definitely get more information about all the things about your medical history that could influence your decision.

Take care.

Wanted to agree with Juniper and historylady.

If you have valid medical reasons for removing your cervix and ovaries, by all means do so.

If your DR wants to remove the ovaries because of your age, I would tend to argue that you should keep them as long as they are healthy. The ovaries do much more than produce our female hormones as stated in the earlier posts. Natural menopause is preferable to surgical menopause because it is a gradual process not an instant one.

Also, the cervix helps to support the pelvic floor, and may help with sexual response/function. You are a good candidate to keep your cervix if your annual pap tests have all been normal. If you decide to keep it, your surgeon can cauterize the cervix during surgery to prevent cyclical bleeding (mini periods).

Just want you to be aware of all of this so that you can make an informed decision.

Thank you for all your responses. I am so grateful that I am not alone, that so many have the same feelings or have gone through the same things.
I wish I had a crystal ball and all my decisions were made for me. I mean, how do I know keeping my cervix is the best thing, how do I know that it isn't. It can be all so consuming. Sometimes I think I know the answer and then I read someone who did the opposite and it was OK (and in some cases it was not). I'll just keep reading and figuring it out. I wonder if men can tell if there is a cervix or not.
Now I find myself always touching my abdomen to feel my large uterus protruding. I must be getting weird.
Hmm, I wonder if I can get a tummy tuck at the same time as my hysterectomy, perhaps that will make it all worth while.

Peppatty99

Hi Peppatty,

I'm 48 and was able to keep one ovary and my cervix. DR was all for keeping my ovaries if possible but would have taken my cervix as that is what he usually does. After a lot of researching and reading different sisters views, I requested to keep my cervix if possible. I liked that it would help in pelvic floor support and I wanted to keep what ever was healthy. I also did not want to go into surgical menopause and am very happy that my remaining ovary appears to be functioning well.

Best of luck with your decision.

Ahh the tough decision, keep part of it or loose it all....

I had to make the same choice, I am 45, and two weeks post op....

My decision was fairly simple though in actuality.... I was requested by my regular MD to have a genetic test done for hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer, which I am high risk for. Here is the kicker.... I couldn't get the test. My insurance wouldn't cover it, I couldn't afford it and I missed the scholarship for it by having $50 too much income a month. I tried many different avenues to get the test done. After months of research and asking people where I might find a solution for it, I came to the realization I wasn't going to be able to get the test. During this time of research, I also investigated the option women were being given if they tested positive for the genetic mutation. And educated myself on the pros and cons of it all.

I also began having trouble with my female organs. And was sent to an OB/GYN to see about some answers... She performed a Laproscopic diagnostic surgery to see what the problems were. And found an answer for me, since I had already decided I would have a hysterectomy if I could find cause for one for the insurance to approve it.

Once the Lap was done and my Adenomyosis was found I didn't hesitate I requested a hysterectomy with my ovaries removed due to the cancer risk. All my insurance required was one same generation relative to approve the ovaries removal... I gave them history back to 1895 for this genetic mutation which probably flabbergasted them....

I was happy to hear my surgery was approved and am doing ok with the side effects so far I am two weeks post op. But my doc and I agreed that low dose hormone replacement therapy which is being slowly decreased over 6 months to a year was the best answer for me.

You will find a wide variety of reasons people decide on having the ovaries removed. Keep in mind everyones situation is different and their needs at home are as well. I care for my husband who survived a massive stroke at the age of 41. I couldn't see going through cancer treatments and caring for him. Risk reduction for me was priority, and my decision was simple for me to make.

I hope you find your answer and are able to make up your mind to this issue; we all know it isn't easy. But it is your choice in the end.

Ces.