Any Systers from Maine or New England

Can't seem to find many people/friends in my area that are going through the same thing .I am 45 and never able to have children.I had breast cancer at 36.Did lumpectomy, chemo and radiation . Now on June 18 I am having Da vinci radical hysterectomy. due to complex glandular hyperplasia. The 5 years of tamoxifen due to the breast cancer is not a friend because that causes uterine cancer . So they may find cancer deeper in the uterus . Yay me

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Originally Posted by Survivor 9 Can't seem to find many people/friends in my area that are going through the same thing .I am 45 and never able to have children.I had breast cancer at 36.Did lumpectomy, chemo and radiation . Now on June 18 I am having Da vinci radical hysterectomy. due to complex glandular hyperplasia. The 5 years of tamoxifen due to the breast cancer is not a friend because that causes uterine cancer . So they may find cancer deeper in the uterus . Yay me

I am in S. Maine. I am a year and 3 months out from a Da Vinci total hysterectomy for Stage I uterine cancer. I was very blessed to have my cancer caught very early. In my case, the Da Vinci procedure went extremely well. I stayed in the hospital overnight, but other than feeling exhausted and a bit like I had been run over by a truck, I had very minimal actual pain. They took uterus, ovaries and lymph nodes, the cancer had not spread, so I was able to avoid chemo and radiation. The cancer itself was plain old most-common form of uterine cancer, so risk of recurrence is low single digits for me. Yay!!

I hope you will find your Da Vinci procedure similarly easily tolerated. I hope no cancer is found, as that would be a major relief. My only post surgical issue was a leaky Da Vinci port that oozed a clear fluid for about a week. I found a neat trick to cope with the fluid - I took a heavy duty menstrual pad, the kind with adhesive to stick it to your underwear. I placed that pad side to the incision, then pulled on panties and let the sticky hold it in place over the incision. This required "granny panties" that were not loose to accomplished, but worked better than gauze and tape. Those pads are absolutely created to absorb - and worked like a charm. So if that happens, free tip for coping there!!

I found myself unexpectedly weepy after about a week and a bit emotional. I was caught by surprise, as I am generally a very even person in my emotions. I was told it was a complicated mix of anesthesia working its way out of the system and genuine grieving for the loss of the uterus along with the trauma of the surgery itself That all made sense to me. After the first bout of moodiness, boredom and then weepiness, which went on really only about a week, things began to improve. But from time to time, even into the fall, I found I would have a day every now and then where I just felt weepy for no obvious reason. But the last of that was about 8 months out from surgery - and don't be scared by that, because after that first weepy spell about 2 weeks out from surgery, it only happened maybe 5-6 times widely spaced, and only for a day and at the end only for a few hours. It would have been helpful to know this was perhaps a part of it, as it took me by surprise.

Now a year and 3 months out, I feel my old self again, and frankly better than I have ever felt, in that my uterus was always a source of problems and issues for me from the time of my very first period in my teen years. I had irregular periods, skipping for months, the bleeding for months. Years of infertility with all the associated studies, procedures, medications and frustrations. Eventually did have 2 healthy children (Thank you Clomid), but it was a misery getting there. So I was glad to see that whole mess in there gone!!

There are forums here where people who are childless and facing a hysterectomy share their struggles with coming to terms with childlessness, if that is a hot button for you. Having had infertility, I can relate to it, but having eventually been able to have children, I'm not the best resource.

HysterSisters is the absolute best thing I found for support. There are post-op groups that you can join of women who have their surgery the same week you do. It is invaluable to be able to share with women having your exact time-line of experience. You can get some perspective on the recovery process in the sharing of others.

Also, I found the people in my life, got tired of hearing about my surgery a long time before the healing was over. They just wanted me to get on with it and quit talking about it. I get that - but I was not finished yet - the post-op group of women who had surgery my same week were a god-send then. We talked among ourselves and let those folks who didn't want to hear it anymore, just move on. Win-Win for everyone.

I wish you the very best experience you can possibly have as you head into your surgery. Take advantage of HysterSisters, it will definitely help you out.

All the best,
Susan

Thank you Ladyhawksz. I am ok.with the no children part.Came to terms years ago. I too took clomid only to find out years later I had too much estrogen and had possible double ovulation .So they gave me clomid without bloodwork. I was taking it for nothing .I ended up with breast cancer 6 years after stopping treatments.Which was estrogen receptor positive !! I'm just nervous now of surviving the surgery . I appreciate your words of encouragement.

((Ladies))

It’s wonderful to see new friendships forming here in the Neighborhood forums!

Please use the dedicated Pre-Op forum, however, for all discussions or advice regarding surgery. But you are more than welcome to chat here about local interests involving your community, city and state or any other topics unrelated to hysterectomy per this forum's descriptor:

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Where are you? Contact Other Hyster Sisters in your Area for chit chat and social get-togethers. (Pre-Op and Post-Op concerns should not be posted here. Please use Pre-Op/Post-Op forums above for hyst support)

Neighborhoods is one area where we enjoy a welcome break from hysterectomy discussions!

We'll look for your ongoing surgery posts on the dedicated support boards. With best wishes and many thanks for understanding!

Woops sorry

I have never been on this board before, my apologies…but glad I got to share a little bit of strength and hope with someone needing it.

(((Ladies)))

Please don't worry! With over 4.3 million posts across the forums, we need to keep everything as organized as possible and clear - to both members and visitors - where hysterectomy support is available on the site.

So, please enjoy chatting about life in general - weather, family, pets, food, dieting(!), hobbies, sports, TV, etc - here in Neighborhoods.

(((Ladyhawksz))) Please don't hesitate to share your invaluable support and experience on (((Survivor 9's))) threads in the Pre-Op Support forum. Just click on her username above and select "Member's Threads" which will then reveal a list of all her current discussions.

Hope that helps!