Apendix???

I went for my final pre-op w/my doc yesterday. He told me after all the tests they ran Friday that I have severe Adenomyosis but no cancer (YAH!!). He asked me if I still had my apendix, and I said yes. He said "Well, while I am in there we will take a looksie at them and if they look good then we'll leave them but if they look bad in anyway we'll take those out too while in there". Has anyone else had their apendix removed during hysterectomy? My mother said back in the 70's and 80's it was common if they tied your tubes, or did any surgery in that area they automatically took your apendix weather they looked bad or not. It's fine with me, my philophy is "if I don't need it TAKE IT".....lol Why go through the pain of surgery, and preparing for it more than once if I don't have to. Right?! That's the reason why I told him to take my ovaries too. Yes, I do have 1 cyst that we know of on one overy, but it is the kind that drains, he actually asked me if I wanted to keep them or not, I said yes. So, that is what we are doing.

Annie,
LAVH/BSO and possible appendectomy scheduled on 4/5/04

Hi Annie,

I know a lot of women have their appendix out when they have their hysterectomies. My doctor takes nothing unless it needs to go. I was wondering why you are having your ovaries out. It's not like they are something you don't need. HRT might not be the right thing for you and then you might end up in the Hormone Jungle. Maybe you have a good reason, I don't know, but I just wondered from reading your post.

I am having my overies out because of the all of the severe pain I have had over the years. For the last 10 yrs I have cramped really bad, and the last 3 yrs, I have lived on midol. Endometriosis runs in my family really really bad. They won't know if I have endo on my ovaries until they get in there they do know about the cyst. Every woman on both sides (Mother, sister, cousins, aunts, grandmothers) have major problems with ovarian cysts and endo.

On my surgery papers it is listed along with everything else a "possible appy", which is a possible appendix removal. My dr. said that he will look at it, but chances are it will stay. (I have mostly right sided pain, so the reason to even consider the appendix). Anyway, he said that there is just as much risk taking out a healthy appendix on an adult, as there is in leaving it (meaning possible future appendix rupture, another surgery, etc.) He said that to take the appendix is a risk to causing other damage. I only want him to take it if needed, based on the idea that there are risks to cause other damage. If he could take it, and it was a non-risk thing, I'd say go ahead, no problem. But, something in my head just says to leave it if it is healthy. This is just my situation and thoughts. Good luck to you. I will have my right ovary and tube removed, which in my "gut" I feel is my cause for my right side pain.

Hi Annielee
My surgery is the same day as yours....Getting nervous yet?
My doctor is going to try to due a TVH, but if she is unable to and has to change to abdominal, she is going to call in a surgeon to remove mt appendix as well. I have had severe pain on my right side for the last 7 weeks, and they did do a CT scan to make sure that it was not appendicitis. It sure wouldn't be a good time for that!
Well, good luck next week.....we are all in this together.
Laurie

My Dr. told me that unless there were problems she would not remove my appendix. There were no problems so it's still there!

Every doctor has their own opinion and ways of doing things. I did discuss appendix and gallbladder removal with my doctor at my pre-op. He explained that he doesn't remove...unless it is "hot" because the risk to further potential for infection is too high. He said a hyst. is a very dirty surgery, with the bowel lifted out to do....any way....I definately decided to leave it in his hands. *I did tell him to take any/every thing thing that looked like it could be a problem, cuz I didn't want to be on the table again!!!* Well, he didn't take anything except the female stuff! And...12 weeks later, I was back in the OR having a Lap.chole(gallbladder!) AND appy!!!! Apparently, I had no indication of stones at the time of hyst. But, at 3 weeks later, I started having gallbladder attacks. My surgeon (for the latter surgery) said that in some people, major surgery can trigger this! She agreed with my GYN surgeon that during a Hyst was NOT the time to take anything extra, unless it is obviously inflammed!!! So, Ultimately, I believe that my GYN did the right thing, in my situation!


Hugs,
Ronda

I had colon surgery in 91 and they did take my appendix just because it's not doing you any service and if they are already in there.
Preventative I guess that may be called. ????

Rho

Bridges, I had my gallbladder out the same day as my sah/bso, but it is not in the same place and I had to have two different surgeons - My gyn and then a general surgeon. Until I had to face it, I always thought it would be simple for the gyn to take a gallbladder along with the uterus, but to do that you'd have a scar from right under your breastbone to your pubic area. I've heard though that it's possible for the gyn to take an appendix at the same time as tah.

I had to have emergency appendectomy in August 2003, on a friday night after dinner I started having pain and I thought it was gas, it continued thru saturday, at around midnight my dh said he was taking me to the emergency room, I was in so much pain that even the morphine that they were giving me was not working, anyway they did a scan and found that I had a cyst in my right ovary and my appendix also needed to come out. I had the surgery sunday morning. After the surgeon came out and talked to me in the recovery room he told me I had endometriosis. I had been having problems with my period and had talked to other gynos and one told me it was the change, the other told me it was hormonal, anyway that was when I went to see my new gyno that a friend refered me to and he did the ultrasound and suggested a hysterectomy. and another thing when he did the hysterectomy he took out the right ovary, the one that shoul've came out when I had the appendectomy. Some have told me that sometimes an ovarian cyst will cause pain and it flares up the appendix. Who knows?
I am almost seven weeks post op and aside from the swelly belly and the 7 pounds weight gain, so far I don't regret having had a hysterectomy, sex isn't painful anymore, orgasms have been great, and my stomach doesn't get all full like I'm pregnant, I got a mini period around my 4th week but if that's what it will be like, I'll take it. Anyway good luck to all, and just something for you to think about, when the appendix question comes up.