life would be great w/o periods and PMS. plus no risk of pregnancy!

Inagony, I agree with MOST of your post. The only two things I would differ in #1, as with most cosmetic or fertility procedures the cost to have a hyst for purely convenience purposes should be placed on the patient, #2, a hyst often brings with it more problems than it solves that is why it is reserved for those with actual medical problems. Heavy periods, flooding, severe cramps are NOT normal, I am sorry that anyone would think these do not constitute real rather than psychological problems. Such symptoms are not all in the women’s head, no matter what any doctor might say.
Women's health issues are still in the dark ages, we still have not mapped the nerves in the women's pelvis, we do have the male's pelvis mapped, this is so backwards, considering the amount of female surgeries that are done in comparison to male. With a hyst because of this, there is a risk of permanent nerve damage.
Also, let us not forget the sexual side effects that often accompany a hyst; this also is not being dealt with by the male dominated medical society. There are other numorous complications taht also may arise that are for more inconvienant than a period.
I personally do not regret my hyst, even though it did not solve my medical problems. But one must think long and hard before theyexercise what they believe is there right to obtain what is the equivalent to female snorflation. One mus think about all the effects of such a surgery long term on their body.
Carrie

Hi inagony. Boy your nickname says it all! (And your sig says the rest....) I recall that your first thread here got rather heated, at least I *think* that's the thread I'm recalling anyhow. (Get ready for brain fog. It's a very real phenomenon *sigh*) I'm glad to see that you have a surgery date. May it be as smooth as possible; I'll bet that you'll be a lot like I was, rejoicing at being rid of the whole nine yards practically from the moment you wake up.

As others have said here, a hysterectomy is really not something that can be compared to cosmetic surgery, or IMO to bariatric surgery (which is something I've been considering for a couple years but had to delay for medical reasons). But you have described so eloquently some of the really AWFUL symptoms/problems/conditions so many women endure, only to hear from doctor after doctor after doctor (not to mention all those bleepin' societal pressures that are out there!!) that "it's in your head" or "it'll get better when you have children" or "it'll get better as you approach menopause" or any of a dozen other dumb lines we've been fed.

Why should women have to endure month after month of misery of heaving bleeding, crippling cramps, PMS to the point of it being a de facto mental illness, etc.? It's RIDICULOUS. Why should we even have to argue with the docs about the psychological factors and all that jazz? It just stinks!

Nonetheless, because a hystie is such a huge invasion of so many of the body's symptoms, especially when it includes the BSO, it has to be a "bottom of the list" resort. So many things can go SO wrong afterward as some of the women hear can testify. It SHOULD be a more available option than it is, though. On that I agree with you 100%.

What an irony that some docs perform far too many hysties, and so many are so resistant to them at all.

Hi Firechick - sorry for the dreadful typo - I meant "Dear"!

Docs have said NO to me for so long that now that I have green light - I am freaking out! Yes, there are a lot side effects to be considered and many issues to take into account. I will not reneg on this golden opportunity - but believe me, there is a lot involved in making the decision to have and living with an hysterectomy. I did not feel the need to re-iterate what has been so clearly stated time and again on the site - I took it as a given.

I do not mean to belittle the severity of this surgery by "comparing" it to cosmetic surgery but rather meant to offer a different perspective - one that illustrated our mentality about getting medical treatment. Someone used the very word I feared would come out of this by suggesting that elective hysterectomy is tantamount to mutilation! Please reread my post! I hope only that a wide and varied perspective will get us all the treatment that we need and help bring women's helath issues into the light of our "enlightened" age. Peace! inagony.

>>>Someone used the very word I feared would come out of this by suggesting that elective hysterectomy is tantamount to mutilation! <<<<

It was me who used the word snorflation as removing the ovaries is femal snorflation the equivalant to removing a male's testicals. I looked through the posts and did not see any referance to mutilation, so I figured that this was what you were referring to.

cas·tration :
Removal of the testicles or ovaries; sterilization
On-line Medical Dictionary, © 1997-98 Academic Medical Publishing & CancerWEB

So, it indeed is snorflation.

Also, in this so called enlightened age that you refer to we are hardly an enlightened people. If we were we would have mapped the nerves of the female pelvic region. This has not been done. Many women have a hysterectomy and wonder why afterwards they have more pain or loss of sensation, it is often due to nerves that were cut durring the procedure.
Again, this is not a surgery that should be gone into just to eliminate a natural normal period. The risks are far too great. It should only be entered into if the potential benefit would be greater than any potential risks.
BTW I am glad you have you date, may you be blessed, and find the relief you so desire.
Carrie

Life would indeed be wonderful without periods, PMS and the risk of pregnancy.....

but the trade-off -removal of organs- comes with its possible own set of problems.

The hysterectomy remains a surgery that should be approached with caution, trying every treatment and option first and understanding the possible risks and complications. Its true that many complications do not show up for months or even years later.

Because this argument has no ending place, I'm closing this thread at the request of many and my responsibility as administratior.

If you have anything to say about my decision, please contact me private as we outline in our website guidelines.