Finally decided to undergo Abdominal Hysterectomy

Hi All,
I'm glad I found this highly informative site about hysterectomy. I've finally decided to undergo AH (not sure if it's total or sub) on May 29 after getting 2nd & 3rd opinions.
I'm 51 years old, married 10 years, with h/o of stage 1 breast cancer, 2 incidents of strokes, the 1st one treated with tPA & the next mild infarction happened 6 months after. I don't have any underlying health issues, thank you Lord, no diabetes, no heart problems, no high blood pressure, etc. w/c according to my ob-gyn, makes me a good surgical candidate. No pregnancies, miscarriage, & I have never taken any birth control pills and the only maintenance pills I'm taking is baby aspirin for the stroke & supplemental vitamins, B-complex, omega-3, & none for the breast cancer as the risks of taking tamoxifen seem to outweigh the benefits for me.

Why I finally decided to go ahead with the surgery is because last month, after 6 months of not getting my period, I thought I had gone into menopause (YEY) but haven't after all and my period came back with a vengeance. So much so that it was the first time ever I bled so heavy that huge clots were coming out & I would saturate a pad every hour or 2. Then I blacked out in the shower was scary enough resulting in my losing too much blood that I needed to have blood transfusion & was given 4 units of blood and 1 unit of frozen plasma. I was given the hormone progestin to stop the bleeding & so far, the pill, Aygestin, which I’m still taking until day before surgery, makes me feel ‘balanced’. I also looked like I'm 5 months pregnant with the size of my fibroids. I'm not sure yet whether the ovaries will be taken out. I've asked my Oncologist to weigh in but gotten her response yet.

At first I thought I would wait it out til menopause & not have the surgery but no one knows when that'll happen & I also don't want to hemorrhage that much anymore even though the thought that it might not happen again comes to mind. But what if? is the big question.. So I'm trying to prepare myself for the surgery by juicing, exercising, eating more veggies, which I've done after the breast cancer but have fallen off the wagon eating 'bad' foods...

I'm understandably nervous but know I'll be in capable hands.

Also reading about hyster sisters' different experiences is indeed very helpful. So thanks to all for your postings...! I'll report back after the surgery...

Hi atplanetant and

We’re happy to make your acquaintance! You will discover a ton of solid information on the site, and members with unlimited cyber-hugs to dispense and experiences to share with you at every stage of your journey to good health!

If you haven’t already done so, please do yourself a favor and register to receive Hysterectomy Checkpoints. It’s one of the best features of the site, in my opinion -- designed to accompany you through the entire hysterectomy experience from start to finish, and beyond!

You can take the opportunity to prepare yourself for what’s ahead by reading the Pre-Op Articles. You might find the following particularly helpful:

Coping With Pre-Op Anxiety & Fear

What to Expect at the Hospital

What to Bring to the Hospital

How Others Can Help

Is Sex Afterwards Really The Same?

Through the years, hundreds of women have shared their personal suggestions in Hints from Members that you may also want to peruse.

It sounds like you have been through a lot, but are doing well in preparing for your journey to better health.

This is the place to be for support. I had my TAH almost two years ago and haven't regretted it at all. I feel like I always have - just no more periods!