Upcoming hysterectomy 5/16: I am new here and quite lost :) (complex hyperplasia; overweight)

I am 65 and was diagnosed with atypical complex hyperplasia after polyp removal during a D&C and hysteroscopy. Of course the best decision is to have a hysterectomy. I am morbidly obese and the doctor says the safest for me is to have a robotic total hysterectomy. I figure she is right. It is just time to remove it all so I don't have any future worries. I have already gone through menopause. I also have asthma and hypertensive blood pressure problems and they make me stop taking my blood pressure med before surgery. The D&C anesthesia made me unable to take my bp meds for 3 days! And that was just a 45 minute procedure. I am concerned about the tilt of the table for a robotic....and I am concerned about so many things. I just want to cry but I don't see it will do any good. I guess I just need some moral support or to hear good stories of others who had similar situations. I know the internet is full of horror stories in general but I need SUPPORT I have no idea what to do with weeks of not being able to do anything. Sounds miserable. I read a lot about gasX but I don't know why.....I see a lot of stories but I don't understand some things in them about why.

Hi LilyPearl to HysterSisters!

I am so glad you found this site. All of your feelings, fears, emotions and anxieties are completely normal. This is one tough surgery to process and digest.

When I was told I needed to have a hysterectomy, I went back to my car and . I several more times before my surgery and many more times after. I did not want the surgery, but it was the best decision given my medical condition - a very large complex ovarian cyst (12x9x11 cm) and numerous uterine fibroids. If I had to do it over again, I would repeat the surgery. I was rudely thrown into surgical menopause, as I was 46 when this happened. HRT gave me my life back.

I know you said that you are in menopause already at age 65. But, if you are having your ovaries removed, you can still have surgical menopause after natural menopause. See how you do, but you may need to talk to your doctor about HRT.

You also will not be the first, nor will you be the last, overweight lady to have this surgery. Here are a couple of articles that may provide information:
Special Considerations for Overweight Hysterectomy Patients
Surgical Menopause after Natural Menopause

The tilt of the table is typical with this surgery. I had it too for my abdominal surgery. They do that so that they can see better. You will not be aware that it is happening, as you will be asleep when they tilt it.

The internet is full of misinformation. Stay on reputable medical sites, and this site for information regarding this surgery. Most women have this surgery and recover with little to no complications. Recovery can take time - think weeks and not days. And you will need help around the house with cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, driving, etc. You will not be bedridden, but you will need to rest much. You will take brief but frequent walks as these help you heal.

You will need to have things to entertain your brain during recovery. Maybe books, knitting, favorite dvds, etc. Keep it simple and light, as concentrating will be difficult, especially at first.

Ask what questions you have, and we will try to answer them for you. Or just get on the site and express your emotions. It really does help. Just know that you are not alone in this. We will be by your side throughout this process.

If my surgeon wanted to remove my ovaries for no reason other than "so I don't have any future worries," then I would tell him that I was not consenting to that until I did my research and sought a second opinion. As Marestail alluded to, after menopause the ovaries continue to produce small amounts of beneficial hormones, and I've heard from many sisters reporting issues from having them removed post-menopause. As for the recommendation of Gas-X, that's for intestinal gas, a common post-op issue; stocking up on peppermint tea and fennel or coriander seeds, and taking regular short walks after your surgery, can also help. You may also experience pain from the CO2 gas that's commonly used to inflate the abdomen for laparoscopic and robotic procedures, and a heating pad can help with that. Wishing you all the best for a successful surgery and a smooth recovery!

Thank you so much for the replies! I will talk to my doctor about the ovaries again. She is trying to stop progression of atypical cells to cancer. I guess that is her major concern. I will question her and am making notes of what you guys say.

Thank you so much for explaining Gas-X need and for all the ideas. Thank you for the explanations. You sincerely do not begin to comprehend just how much I needed to hear these things.

Truthfully, I just am emotional about it all. I was so surprised at the pathology.

Hi LilyPearl,

I went for a “routine” well woman exam and was also shocked to find out I too had atypical complex hyperplasia. In addition, I had numerous huge twisted fibroids that were pressing on all my other organs. After having an MRI, Ultrasound and 2 kinds of Cat Scans, the doctors found a huge “unknown” pelvic mass. I too was reeling from all these pathology reports - totally out of the blue.

Even if your doctor is wonderful, I agree that you should still seek other medical opinions. By doing so, you can be confident you made the best decision about your type of surgery, keeping your ovaries or not, etc. You still get to choose the doctor who is most suited for you personally. I encourage you to find out all your hysterectomy options.

Because I had pre-cancerous cells, keeping my ovaries was not an option. I was not happy at all about that but I accepted the opinions of three doctors.

I was very lucky and did not need any further treatment once the cells were removed.

Please take care and know we are here to help you navigate this process. Take your time and do your own research. But - I also agree to avoid visiting unreliable sites with an agenda. Knowledge and facts are one thing - needlessly scaring people is another. Familiarize yourself with some of our Pre Op articles so that you start to feel more comfortable with the whole process
Keep in touch with positive supportive friends and family by phone, computer, whatever works - even if you can’t see them in person. Avoid the “negative naysayers” and keep busy doing enjoyable things that distract you.

Best of luck.
❤️
Marciamae

Hi LilyPearl -

Having something abnormal growing in your body is very scary. And it can be quite a surprise, because I am sure you feel normal. I know I was surprised at my cyst discovered during my annual exam. I was asymptomatic.

Do talk with your doctor again about your ovaries. Here are more articles that may provide information:
25 Health Risks Related to Oophorectomy and Surgical Menopause
Should I Keep My Ovaries if I Am Near Menopause?

Your doctor can help you go through the pros and cons, given your specific health situation. I lost my ovaries, as it was best for my specific situation. If I could have, however, I would have kept one or both.

You ladies are angels......seriously. You are helping me so much already. I have no family or friends nearby. COVID has locked down so many. I have my DH He is a blessing big time. He said he will do whatever needs to be done for as many weeks or months as it takes.

I will definitely talk to my family doctor and again the gynecologist. I really trust my gynecologist. She replaced an arrogant man who did not have my best interests at heart and we connected from day one. She helped me find answers when no one else seemed to be able to do so. She became board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and she is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and she has participated in much research in gynecological surgery and presented it to the ACOG. And she is extremely passionate about giving her patients the best care. She literally chased me down after the bleeding incident that lead to all of this back in December. I sent her an email and thought that was the end of it. She literally chased me down when I didn't check back by Jan 1.
And finally, she lives a faith-centered life which is very important to me.

I understand not keeping the ovaries because of the pre-cancerous cells. The odds of cancer later on are just too high and it's about life. But surgical menopause sounds frightening so I will talk to her about it

I will be sure to let you know my decision as this progresses.

Hi LilyPearl,

I wish we all could have such a wonderful doctor as you’ve just described.

We are all different, but I just wanted to add I too had gone through natural menopause prior to my surgery. Post surgery, I was very lucky that I had a very brief period of hot flashes - but it was very bearable all things considered.

Please don’t fear the unknown. One day at a time ❤️

(((LilyPearl))) I'm so sorry you're facing all of this but am very glad it sounds like things are being caught at a point when they are most treatable. Even if things would turn out to be a bit more advanced than CAH, surgery most likely would still be your "only" treatment, so please try to put any fears in that regard out of mind as best you can. That being said, for any issues specific to your diagnosis, we do have a Cancer Concerns forum you're welcome to check out, if you'd like. There's lots of good information, as well as ladies who've been there/done that to share their experiences.

We know this all seems overwhelming, but you absolutely CAN do this. Just keep taking those deep breaths and one step at a time, and you'll get through this. Fingers crossed for a smooth procedure and recovery and the best possible final path report. You've got this!

Hello LilyPearl,

Your situation sounds a lot like mine, except you sound smarter and more prepared than I was. I had no idea about the tilting of the table, for instance, and after surgery I was so confused about why my incisions were higher up on my abdomen than I expected! The surgeon and anesthetist will come to see you right before your surgery; you can ask them any questions and get reassurance that they are taking your other medical conditions into account.

The night after my surgery, I felt short of breath and was anxious that something was wrong, as I have an airway disorder. There really wasn't anything wrong, but I asked to have the oxygen mask back and they gave it to me and I slept fine then, and everything was okay.

A couple of hints for recovery. Think about getting a short bedrail, with half that slides under the mattress and the other half sticking up beside the mattress. I bought one that was $28 online (Drive Medical brand), and it was so helpful in getting out of bed, turning in bed, etc. I don't have strong core muscles, and being able to pull myself into position using the rail saved me from straining my abdomen.

The second thing is that even though I had a pretty easy recovery and was soon taking walks without any problem, sitting WAS a problem for quite a long time -- like six weeks. After I'd sit in a chair for a while I didn't really have pain, but it just felt uncomfortable and "wrong" somehow, I can't really describe it. Anyway, for a long time didn't sit for prolonged periods, just alternated between lying down flat and being up and around on my feet. You may not have that at all, but however your recovery goes, just listening to your body and doing what feels right is good.

As for what to do with the time -- I had my surgery in early 2020, and I look back on the recovery time now as (believe it or not!) my best memory of the last year. All I had to do was rest, focus on moving gently, and walk around and look at the flowers in the yard and on my street. If you're able to just narrow your focus and shut the world out for a little while, a little "slow time" can be a nice thing.

Good luck! You can do this!