dVH/RALH: Upcoming hysterectomy 8/2: Concerned about losing my cervix!!!

Hi, I have been reading all the positive and helpful advice for my upcoming surgery. But I was reading in the other forums and there seems to be a lot of negative experiences regarding removal of cervix. I am so apprehensive now after having decided... It would avoid an open abdominal surgery that I cannot risk due to bleeding disorder. I am so upset now! Sexual problems, pain, pelvic support! I feel like I am losing so much:/

I realize I'm only 8 weeks out and don't have a year or two or five behind me, but I kept my cervix. More about my own experience below.

The medical community is divided on whether or not the cervix helps pelvic support, and also whether the cervix contributes to our sex lives (the latter is difficult to measure scientifically). The decision is as personal as whether to keep your ovaries, to go on HRT, pain management, etc. Just as there are negative stories regarding keeping it, there are positive stories - you just might not read as many since nothing is going wrong. Here are two articles which may help you through the decision:

Should I Keep My Cervix?
10 Questions to Help You Decide About Your Cervix

I've been with my doctor for 25 years - he's current on surgical procedures (not too many doctors do LSH), but very open to his patients' concerns. He's a minimalist and suggested to keep the cervix - he feels that there's some validity to the cervix providing pelvic support. I've had one abnormal pap 20 years ago, no family history of cervical cancer, so a pretty low risk for the future. Being a minimalist myself ("if it ain't broke") and discussing this with him, keeping it was fine by me.

My surgery was all laparoscopic, and what was removed came out through an incision above my belly button. At 8 weeks, the scar is less than 3/4" and still fading. I have no vaginal cuff to deal with in healing, so didn't have to worry about stumbling blocks there.

On the other hand, I'll still need annual pap smears, but that'll be part of my annual pelvic exam as it always has been. I've not experienced any mini-periods as some women have - apparently my doctor cauterized everything sufficiently.

I'd make the same decision again to keep my cervix, even though I know more about the pros & cons now.
Good luck, and best wishes for a successful surgery!

Cussette, once again thank you. That is a lot to think about. You are right that when all is well people tend to not visit the forums. I am not as active with the MS forums when I am feeling okay.
I have two weeks left before surgery... I guess I will do more homework

I want to ask if anyone has seen the Facebook page titled 'HERS' hysterectomy educational... It is so negative. Scared the crap out of me! How the robotic surgery is so dangerous and that 90% of hysterectomies are unnecessary! I had 3 different gynecologists tell me i needed a hysterectomy. It took letting my problem get worse and now I need an oncologist.
Had anyone else encountered all the anti-hysterectomy advice and articles. I have a friend that told me "Don't do it! You will ruin your sex life and your marriage.!" Oh, Lord I am so scared!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellis17 I want to ask if anyone has seen the Facebook page titled 'HERS' hysterectomy educational... It is so negative. Scared the crap out of me! How the robotic surgery is so dangerous and that 90% of hysterectomies are unnecessary! I had 3 different gynecologists tell me i needed a hysterectomy. It took letting my problem get worse and now I need an oncologist. Had anyone else encountered all the anti-hysterectomy advice and articles. I have a friend that told me "Don't do it! You will ruin your sex life and your marriage.!" Oh, Lord I am so scared!

I remember when I was told I needed surgery for my fibroids, the first book I read was from a doctor who had an anti-hysterectomy bias, and it scared the s*** out of me. However, after speaking to my doctors, and finding some unbiased information, including this site, I realized that this was the right choice for me, and that it would turn out okay. My surgeon wanted to do an LAVH, citing the cancer risk from morcellation, as well as the risk of future cervical fibroids. However, like Cussette, I also believe that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and my research indicated that a supracervical approach might be more appropriate in my case. We discussed it at our next appointment, he agreed that the benefits of keeping the cervix outweighed the risks, and so we settled on LSH, which turned out exceptionally well, and didn't require an abdominal cut to get everything out. You need to do your own research, and ignore all those self-appointed experts, in favour of speaking to your medical team, so you can decide on what's best for you. Best wishes for whatever you decide!

ANY surgery carries risk, and hysterectomies do too, no doubt. Not just robotic, but laparoscopic via incision or vaginal, or total abdominal with vertical or horizontal incisions. I get bothered by sites and groups that demand perfect surgeries (of any kind) with no complications in recovery or demand that such surgeries be stopped, period - medicine is a practice, ever-changing rather than an exact science. So much research and so many improvements happen in a year, and old methods continually get ushered out because whoa, they're not as good as originally thought.

Some women do not have a choice for their hysterectomies (cancer), and others have tried alternatives for years until they've exhausted all their options (endo, fibroids) to the point that only surgery hasn't been tried. To continue to live with pain or bleeding or failing health is not necessary when there is the option for surgery which may well end the issues.

There are cases where women regret their surgeries because of unexpected after effects, or they continue to have related but different issues and feel their surgery contributed. But there are more who find that their GYN issues were resolved, their sex life is fine, they're managing their menopause with HRT or by natural remedies, and they no longer have pain or bleeding and can wear white pants in the dead of winter if they wish .

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellis17 I want to ask if anyone has seen the Facebook page titled 'HERS' hysterectomy educational... It is so negative. Scared the crap out of me! How the robotic surgery is so dangerous and that 90% of hysterectomies are unnecessary! I had 3 different gynecologists tell me i needed a hysterectomy. It took letting my problem get worse and now I need an oncologist. Had anyone else encountered all the anti-hysterectomy advice and articles. I have a friend that told me "Don't do it! You will ruin your sex life and your marriage.!" Oh, Lord I am so scared!

I too saw the HERS video. It came across as a scare tactic to me. I agree, watching it made me very worried. But, I have faith in my surgeon, and she has done a lot of these surgeries. We can't let that video get to us. Good luck with your surgery!

So, much to think about! My surgeon felt removing the cervix was important in my case but said he would leave it up to me to decide. Oh, my head is going to explode! Thank you all for your input

I am 29 years old. I had my hysterectomy in March 2015. They took my uterus, cervix and tubes. So far everything has been great and sex is better for me. Sex used to be very very painful and I get to enjoy it now. I'm happy with how everything to do with my hysterectomy has gone. I hope you make the right decision for you and that your surgery goes well! 💕 Good Luck!

Since you still have time, the absolute best resource I came across is The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy by Dr. Lauren Streicher. Her advice is practical and thorough, and helped greatly in informing me on choices to discuss with my medical team to provide the best outcome.
My oncologist didn't leave the cervix question up to me, I had a confirmed uterine cancer and suspected ovarian cancer (confirmed by pathology). He felt and I agreed that removing my cervix was the best course of action to avoid future cancer. Since I was diagnosed with type II diabetes at the same time, I did have a bit harder time with my vaginal cuff healing. I spotted a couple weeks longer than most women, and needed to have silver nitrate to help it heal 3 times, but it overall wasn't too bad.
As for the robotic surgery, if your doctor has performed it many many times, and is comfortable performing the procedure, you will likely be in good hands. It does make recovery easier than a traditional hysterectomy. Because they do not open up your abdomen it minimizes the trauma and risk of severe infection. It doesn't eliminate them altogether, but certainly helps.
I went to the HERS group exactly once, and never looked at it again. It seemed to me that they were all about scaring women into complying with societal norms to the detriment of their health rather than empowering them to make the best choices for them personally.
Wishing you all the best for a smooth surgery, and short uneventful recovery!