Ovary pain...is a hysterectomy (keeping left ovary) my answer?

Hi Ladies! I am scheduled for a partial Hysterectomy next month. I have struggled with vein issues, back pain, PMS, left ovary pain and leg pain during ovulation and my period. I have had coils put in my pelvic veins, tried various meds including birth control. I bled the entire time while on it (3 months), switching it and doubling up didn't stop the cycle so it wasn't the best choice for me. I have had two ob/gyns suggest a partial hys. One of which is a very well known doctor who specializes in pelvic pain and surgery. My concern is this, if I go forward with the partial isn't there still potential for me to still have all of my pain during ovulation? I am asking here because I want to hear from those that have been through it. I don't get why they wouldn't take the left ovary? I have been through a lot of "let's try this." I have had procedures that I think were unnecessary and I don't want to make that same mistake again. oh and I have had a laprascopy..no endo or anything else. clean bill of health. Thanks Ladies!

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Originally Posted by Jeanne17 Hi Ladies! I am scheduled for a partial Hysterectomy next month. I have struggled with vein issues, back pain, PMS, left ovary pain and leg pain during ovulation and my period. I have had coils put in my pelvic veins, tried various meds including birth control. I bled the entire time while on it (3 months), switching it and doubling up didn't stop the cycle so it wasn't the best choice for me. I have had two ob/gyns suggest a partial hys. One of which is a very well known doctor who specializes in pelvic pain and surgery. My concern is this, if I go forward with the partial isn't there still potential for me to still have all of my pain during ovulation? I am asking here because I want to hear from those that have been through it. I don't get why they wouldn't take the left ovary? I have been through a lot of "let's try this." I have had procedures that I think were unnecessary and I don't want to make that same mistake again. oh and I have had a laprascopy..no endo or anything else. clean bill of health. Thanks Ladies!

I am so sorry you are going through such a rough time Unfortunately, there is no guarantee for a hysterectomy of any type or even an oophorectomy to resolve pain completely for almost any diagnosis that has led to the surgery, or even at all in some cases. In some cases that you may read on here, some have had worse outcomes after surgery that left them more debilitated than before surgery. A hysterectomy is a risky surgery that can bring on some serious complications of its own and I am glad you are evaluating the risks versus benefits. I am sorry to sound discouraging, but I am an honest person and believe in telling the truth.

I personally am only 9 days post-op from my TLH-BSO and so far, I have no regrets and am doing better than I was pre-surgery despite minor short-term complications. I know women on here who have been here longer and are further in their recovery and I have read varying outcomes ranging from "it's been awesome" to "this was the worst decision of my life." Risks depend on your physical/emotional/spiritual situation before surgery, the reason for your surgery, the expertise of your surgeon, and roll of the dice.

So, I have to ask, if you are having pain and they believe it is the ovary that is the cause, then why the hysterectomy? Do you still have the right ovary? I am missing the connection between what your symptoms are as you have stated them and why they recommended a hysterectomy. You state you are having a partial hysterectomy and no bilateral salpingo oophorectomy, which means that they are only taking the uterus and leaving everything else including your cervix behind.

If the ovary remains, there is a chance for ovulation pain each month, as your ovary will continue to have cycles. A partial hysterectomy will only stop the bleeding. With that said, since the cervix is the lower portion of the uterus, if there is uterine tissue left behind, there is a chance for mini periods, or small amounts of bleeding to happen every month due to the tissue being left behind. Also, you will still have to have pap smear examinations for cervical cancer, since the cervix would still remain in place.

I know many women on here that would strongly state that if the ovaries can be left in, they should be left in for the sake that people that have not reached menopause naturally need the hormones secreted by the ovaries to prevent lifelong complications such as dementia, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular issues to name a few. I did not have a choice and am on HRT. HRT is good for some things, but it cannot compensate for an ovary. If you were given a clear bill of health, then I would strongly advise you to investigate other options besides the hysterectomy.

Although personally, I would also seek a second opinion on that clean bill of health because in my case personally, I had endometriosis that was seen and then some that was not able to be seen. Then, later on, it resurfaced as an issue and became visible, and I had to have it removed.

If they are so sure that it is only the LO that is causing your problems, then why didn't they just remove the LO and leave everything else behind? I have had adequate hormone production for 10 years from my RO only until I just recently had it removed.

I wish you the best!

You might want to go back to your doctor or get a second opinion. I had a partial hysterectomy and would do it again. However, if the source of your trouble is ovulation, that won't help you. I have pain with ovulation, but it's not debilitating. Because of DVT, I can't do hormone therapy, so I opted to keep my ovaries. I still have the pain and PMS symptoms, just no huge fibroid pressing on all of my organs and no bleeding. (My gyn got all the uterine tissue.)