Pre-Op Hysterectomy: Open House Chat Thread - Today Mar 17, 2019

My surgery is at 7:30 Tuesday morning. Tomorrow I do the bowel prep. Luckily (or not, depending on how you look at it), this process isn’t new since I had a colonoscopy in July. I have a 7 inch cyst on my right ovary, so that was the first reason to have the surgery. Then they also noticed that my uterus is over 10 cm, which the MD said is larger than normal and will likely only continue to get bigger due to fibroids. So the current plan is to take everything except my left ovary. However, since she sees a cyst on it also, that one may have to go too. I’m not especially nervous about the surgery since I’ve had 2 c-sections and she’s planning to do it laparoscopically. I have two very active teenagers and work full-time so I think my biggest challenge will be not doing too much too soon. And I have been oddly surprised at the weird feeling of loss I feel. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we aren’t having more kids (my husband was “fixed” years ago). I think it’s just the permanence of it. I’m a very logical thinker, so that emotional response is strange to me. But, I know too, that I’m human and female and God creates us to be emotional. I’ll be praying for all of us this week!

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Originally Posted by SurprisedInNB If you're not getting a "good vibe" from this surgeon then you shouldn't have major surgery done by this surgeon. I agree that his attitude sounds a bit lackadaisical. And if you think endometriosis is a possibility, then you need a surgeon with knowledge and experience in dealing with it. Can you cancel your surgery date in order to give yourself time to seek a second opinion? This may cause some inconvenience in the short term, but remember - you're going to be living with the results of this surgery for the rest of your life. You want it to be performed as professionally and skillfully as possible.

Thanks for understanding SurprisedInNB! I probably should have gotten a second opinion. This is a big OB/GYN practice in a huge medical town, so I figured they must know what they are doing. I've waited months to get this surgery slot, so the fear of waiting longer was worse than just getting it over with. My husband says the attitude from the surgeon is just his confidence, and not to worry. The surgeon must feel like this is a no-brainer, although to the average patient, it's quite scary! Sorry I'm being such a big chicken...I just want to get this over with and get my life back!

Good luck tomorrow, please send an update when you can. I think you’re very brave, and I’m glad you found the support of this group.

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Originally Posted by Etherbridge Hello Everybody Tomorrow is the big day for me. I have to be up at the hospital at 10:00 am. Removing everything except my cervix. Nervous about the anesthesia. I have asthma, so anesthesia is always scary for me. Very scared about hot flashes and night sweats. I bought Soy milk. figure it can't hurt. Also sadness. My dream was the white picket fence growing up with husband and kids. I am 51 next month, single with no children, so that dream that I wanted since I was a child is gone. Lots of mixed emotions. All normal, but it is a difficult day today. I am also alone. Taking a uber there, and am paying my cleaning person to pick me up since I can't leave alone. I will be doing this by myself.

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Originally Posted by JennyZ Good luck tomorrow, please send an update when you can. I think you’re very brave, and I’m glad you found the support of this group.

Thanks. Will do. Now I am crying over my cat and how I am going to miss him.

Oy. I am such a mess.

Immense respect for facing this. You are not alone - carrying you in my thoughts and in my heart.

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Originally Posted by Etherbridge Thanks. I have four cats. I couldn't be without them.

I had to have a talk with mine after surgery about NOT kneading Mumma's belly! But we all enjoyed cuddling up and purring and sitting in the sun together. :-)

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Originally Posted by JennyZ Hello, I'm new here, too. I'm scheduled for a total hysterectomy on Friday, 3/22. I am 39 years old, with two sons (14, 16 years old). I had an endometrial ablation at 34 years old due to a history of loooong and heavy periods. Unfortunately, over the past 6-8 months, I had started to develop increasingly painful cramping (like contractions) and very long periods (and mid-cycle bleeding) and I thought I might be going through menopause, since my mom was 38 and my sister was 40 when they went through menopause. Turns out, with an ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis, I learned I had "post ablation syndrome," and since I already have high blood pressure, I could not take hormones to treat the symptoms. The recommended treatment was a hysterectomy, which seemed extreme to me at the time, but the more I learned about the situation and why the OB/GYN recommended a hysterectomy, I do understand why this was offered as a solution. I will get to keep my ovaries, but the cervix, fallopian tubes, and uterus will be out via robotic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy on Friday. Since I'm now faced with this surgery due to lack of information regarding the original ablation, I've been reading up on risks. I'm starting to get pretty nervous, because as I read up on risks, I learn about vaginal sleeve prolapses and pics of one's small intestines falling through the vagina....ugh. I do not want this to happen. I believe this is the right solution for me, but I just don't want anything else to go wrong.

Your history resonates with mine, as you can see from my signature line I was also an ablation failure. I never heard my doctor say "post ablation syndrome" but makes sense. surgeon expected on top of Endo that I might also have Adeno, which was confirmed after my recent hysterectomy.
I am loving my pain free life and so happy I finally did it. If you follow doctors recovery orders, you should have the best case for a full recovery. good luck!

PS: Googling stuff before surgery is never a good idea! check here on this website for helpful information.

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Originally Posted by Skyhigh Thanks for understanding SurprisedInNB! I probably should have gotten a second opinion. This is a big OB/GYN practice in a huge medical town, so I figured they must know what they are doing. I've waited months to get this surgery slot, so the fear of waiting longer was worse than just getting it over with. My husband says the attitude from the surgeon is just his confidence, and not to worry. The surgeon must feel like this is a no-brainer, although to the average patient, it's quite scary! Sorry I'm being such a big chicken...I just want to get this over with and get my life back!

With all respect, your husband's not having the surgery. You are.

I know for myself, there's a difference between *knowing* that something is the right thing to do but still feeling scared/nervous about it vs. feeling scared/nervous about it and realizing that's because in my heart, I don't know for sure it's the right thing to do.

Try to look within yourself and see if you can sort this out a bit. If it's "just" nerves, then go for it. But if you've got some genuine misgivings and questions underneath the nerves, consider cancelling and getting a second opinion.

Hi,
I’m also scheduled for my surgery on Friday and I just finished my last heavy and painful period yesterday.
I’m worried about my hemoglobin levels but there is nothing that I can do now.
I am having my uterus and both fallopian tubes removed and I’m keeping my cervix and ovaries.
I’m 46 and I’ve got a husband and two kids 21 and 23. My husband has been very supportive.
I have several large fibroids that have resulted in heavy bleeding, frequent urinating and constipation and I can’t wait to experience life without them.
I’m anxious about surgery but I have been visualizing a positive outcome.
Good luck to all you brave women out there!

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Originally Posted by MGee Im so worried about post op POUR! When I had my lap done last year, my bladder was paralysed but was full! A terrible feeling!! The nursing staff were busy with other patients so I was in agony not able to urinate! God forbid if I have to self catherize at home! How to manuver with sensitive life saving stitches inside my vagina! And thats another thing, the VAGINAL CUFF!! iam so scared that sucker will rip open. Iam having the hysterectomy via da Vinci and read that this robot does not properly close the cuff!! Why couldnt I be born a freaking male!

Take a deep breath, you're freaking yourself out over some very rare occurrences. Cuff tears may happen in 1-4% of surgeries, and the factors which may put you at a higher risk are far flung. I'm familiar with some studies which theorize a slightly higher risk with robotic and laparoscopic surgery (the 4% range), but to state that the robot doesn't properly close the cuff is misleading, in my opinion. The cuff is always closed at the conclusion of surgery - whether robotic, laparoscopic, vaginal or abdominal.

The vaginal tissues are elastic and strong, not thin and easily torn like tissue paper. They can withstand the vigors of sex and the total stretching of childbirth. They can also hold surgical sutures. You'll have restrictions when you go home, and you can reduce your risk of a torn cuff or loose stitches by adhering to those restrictions during the time frame of your recovery.