Don't be shy... everyone has already had one!

Okay ... "everybody" is an exaggeration ... but I have been surprised by the number of people I'm encountering who have either had hysterectomies, been advised to consider a hysterectomy but have not yet had one, or who have close family/friends who have had one. There are also a large number of women with fibroids, symptomatic or otherwise.

Initially, I was a bit shy about mentioning my upcoming hysterectomy and the reason for it to friends. But of course my friends want to know what "kind" of operation this was and "why" I was having it and ultimately, what they could do to help. And then I discovered that among the 40-plus crowd, darn near everyone seems to have already encountered the operation.

These women are also being amazing helpful in sharing their insights and experiences. Even some that have not had hysterectomies are going out of their way to put me in touch with women they know who have had the operation.

So, if you're like me and a bit reluctant to disclose details of your pending surgery to your friends -- I wouldn't worry, especially if your friends are on the less youthful side of 40. You might be surprised by who has already had a hysterectomy ... I know I was!

Keep well,
IslandScribe

Hi IslandScribe,

When I was doing my hyst research in pre-op, I read a statisitc that said that the 2nd major type of surgery performed annually on women in the US is a hysterectomy. Caesaran section and having a baby being number one.

So...that is probably why we run into a lot of ladies who have had a hyst or are going to have one.

Best wishes,

Mary

I personally haven't known anyone who has had one, but something that I find interesting is how fast the membership to this site increases every day...giving me an idea of how many of us there really are. When I first found this site in January, there was "only" about 55,000 or so members but now we are over 60,000! I never knew how many hysterectomies were performed until coming here and doing other pre-op research...but now I don't feel so alone like I did. Now I am a member of a wonderful sisterhood
Jewelz

I too was amazed once I mentioned that I was having a hyst, how many of my friends/neighbours had already had them.

Jewelz - when I joined the site, there was just over 20,000 members - it has been incredible watching it grow so fast. More speed to Kathy for having the foresight to start it. More and more downunder girls are venturing here and finding it too which is great.