Hysterectomy Advice

B.

Wow I want compliment you on your extentive knowledge on the process. In my opinion you are correct to try and keep your ovaries. My mom is 70 and still has issue with hot flashes yet my sister who has her ovaries hasn't had any issues with hot flashes and she is 47. I had suffered with ovarian cyts for several years I have started to use natural products to balance my hormones and since then I have not had any cyct since. I also know a few ladies who had fibroid and with using natural products it also has decreased them and avoid surgery. I have also stop using Soy based products and don't drink meat and I try to limit my meet consumption which is loaded with hormones. I use several natural products and have had wonderful sucess. Not sure if your available but there is a health seminar on Jan 24th at the Ramada 4900 S LakeShore Drive Chicago Kenwod room Nurse Practitioner Lynn from NY will be talking about hormone balancing and the products I take.

I pray you find the answers that work best for you. I know God has but great foods on this earth to heal your body. I really commend you for all your research it is so important to educate yourself. If your interested in the products I am using let me know I can email you the information.

Many Blessings.
MG

I highly recommend the site "hystersisters.com". A one stop web site that is the BEST ! Advice for pre-surgery, post-surgery & everything in between ! I used this site pre & post & it was a blessing. The best advice I got was to stock up on Gas-X dissolvable strips. They dissolve in your mouth similar to the Listerine strips. They work fast & you'll need them no matter what kind of gut surgery you end up having. Good luck with your surgery which ever type you decide on.
As far as keeping ovaries, if they are healthy, I recommend keeping them. The "surgical" menopause can be brutal from what I have read & heard.

K.

I had a hysterectomy 13 years ago. I had no problems, but I was 37 at the time. they did not remove my ovaries. at 44, I would do whatever the doctor suggested regarding that..depending on your family history. You will notice how much you use your abdominal muscles for everything! after, you are not supposed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk and only go up and down the stairs once each day. you could make sure that you have a lot of the grocery supplies etc that you would need because you can't drive for a couple of weeks. I had two c-sections prior to the hysterectomy, so I knew what was in store. It really wasn't that bad.

I don't know where you live, but my Ob-gyn, Dr. Ranae Yockey is wonderful and practices all the latest techniques, especially if there is an alternative to a complete hyserectomy. My friend ended up having one frm her and was up and around much sooner than normal and with way less pain than i have ever heard of. I am not sure which type Dr. Yockey did on her, but she said it sure wasn't as bad as everyone had said it would be. Check out her website at www.advancedwomenscarecenter.com They are located in Elk Grove and the number is ###-###-#### if you even just want to get a second opinion from them

Hi B.,

I am so sorry to hear about your condition. I am only 26, but I had to deal with many health issues with my own body and my mother. My mother has had blood clots in her left leg sending her to the hospital many times. She is on blood thinners for life. Doctors always tell us it is a miracle she is alive. Last year she was diagnosed with fibroid and doctors thought she was going to have to have surgery because it was quite large. Fortunately she started with acupuncture! I know it is expansive, but we found a free place on Broadway and Montrose. She is doing well and the fibroid pretty much is non existent. Maybe you should try that for a while. She was doing it twice a week, for about 2 months. Hope you feel better soon.

L. M.

Dear B.,

At the age of 34 I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and lost my left ovary to it. After learning that I was BRCA-1 positive through genetic testing my oncologist recommended that I have the other ovary removed since my chances were very high that my cancer would return. He told me that ovarian cancer is the most lethal cancer for women and when it recurres it is just about guaranteed to be beyond cure. I took his advice although it was the most difficult decision I have ever made, and when my miracle son was a year and a half I had the other ovary removed laproscopically. The pain was much less that way,and only lasted for a day instead of for a month like the first surgery did. After the second ovary was removed my oncologist informed me that he found a cyst the size of a baseball on it, and told me it would have only been a matter of time before it turned cancerous.

I will admit that early menapause has not been fun, but in putting things into prospective, every woman is going to experience it whether now or later. At least I don't have unpredictable and irregular on and off periods; once I had the last surgery they were over with forever! My oncologist put me on a low dose hormone therapy called Divigel. It is an estrogen replacement that you just rub into your skin once a day. It works wonders in taking away the hot flashes and night sweats. The most important thing is I am here to raise my son.

B., I truely wish you the best as you make this decision. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. I am always available if you want to talk more about it.

Very Truely,

J.

I had a hysterectomy at 42, four years ago. I had many fibroids in my uterus and very very heavy bleeding. Nothing else could be done. So... .having a hysterectomy was one of the best things I ever did for myself! I'm so glad I had it done. I was in the hospital for three days. They couldn't take it vaginally as they had planned, so they had to cut me open. I was in a good amount of pain the first night after the surgery, but I just kept asking for meds and it held it off a bit. The hardest part was not having stomach muscles for awhile! It's very hard to even get yourself out of the bed. But you have to push yourself. The faster you get up out of that bed and walk the halls the quicker you'll recover and sooner you'll get out of the hospital. The week after I had the surgery, I was at my daughter's first high school softball game. I kept a pillow with me and used it to protect my abdomen in the car, and while out sitting at the games. The area was tender for quite awhile. My doctor encouraged me to keep moving and I would get better faster. I didn't exert myself, but I did drive in a couple weeks. I wasn't even on pain meds very long. If you have any concerns you can always message me. I think after it's all over you'll be so glad you had it done! Good luck!

B.,
I am 45 and had a hysterectomy a year ago. It is the BEST thing I ever did! Well, not the best but way up on the list. I feel better physically and emotionally than I have in my whole life. I had a laproscopic, robotic assist total hyst. My dr is Dr Jane Blumenthal and she is out of Northwestern University Hospital in the city. I had seen drs here that all told me to keep an ovary. She said "why" "you'll just have to come back in a couple of years to get it out". I had endometriosis and they werent working anyway. She has also co-written a book on menopause and hysterectomy. You should google her and read her book. I would also highly recommend that you go see her. I know you would love her. I was in the hospital less than 24 hours and came home wearing a hormone patch. I talked to her about the risks of breast cancer and heart disease. She assured me that I my body is getting less estrogin now than it was before the surgery, therefore my risks are LOWER now. I also suggest that you go to www.hystersister.com There is so much help and information there, you should set aside a couple of hours to read and look around that site.
You can also email me directly if you have any more specific questions. Do not be afraid, you will be so happy when its done!

Hi B., Iam 33 and I went through this 6 years ago. At this time they only took out my utrus. Then a year later they had to take out my left ovary because I wanted to try to keep them. Well I still have my right one thank goodness and as far as we know it is still good. This happens to run on my moms side of the family and all the females have had this done several of us in our 30's the rest in their 50's. Even with the right ovary I still have some hot flashes, night and day sweats, but not going through complete menopause. It was not a hard decision for me because I had already had my tubes tied after my last child, and not having to deal with my very heavy peroids and the pain from the cyst and fibroids. I healed pretty good. Like I said it was 6 years ago and they are always comeing up with new ways to do this surgery. And it sounds like you need this surgery, I wish you the best of luck.
K.

B.,

I had a hysterectomy when I was 30 and that was about 21 years ago. I was able to keep my ovary's which I think is best if you can. I was as the one of the other's said the best thing I did. I felt so much better! It takes time to heal, but after that is it better. Best of luck and I will be praying for you.

Dear B.,
I am so sorry you having these issues. I too had many problems and put off having my uterus out for eight years. The eventual happened (at 46) even after trying all other options. I was able, however, to keep my ovaries, TG! For the surgery itself I was prepared with A RECLINING LAWN CHAIR FOR THE HOUSE!It was perfect for getting into and out of, and I could even nap in it. I had plenty of bags of popcorn kernels for my "ice packs" ready to use. Meals were made in advance and frozen. I had a cleaning team come in...I had my mom come care for the rest of the family and keep everything running smoothly...besides being available for me! I made sure I WALKED as much as possible and drank lots and lots of water. The surgery was a bit more to recover from than I had anticipated, in that I thought I would "get better" sooner than I did. I was careful though to follow the orders about not lifting. I didn't lift anything for the first two weeks and then only slowly began to lift light stuff, moving to a bit heavier until I got the okay from the Dr. I know up to 10 pounds was okay, but I played it safe and think that it did help w/ my overall recovery. (Besides, when does MOM ever get to have that kind of help?!!) After I got the okie dokie from the Dr I began an exercise program, again, slowly, and have gradually built up to kick boxing. I still on occasion feel a pulling sensation at the incision site (center between breasts and belly button) but do not have pain! I am for once in MANY years pain free! (It's been 5 months.)I do not miss my monthly period. Sometimes I have grieved over the fact that I can NOT have any more children- even tho' we were not planning on any- but have come to have peace that I am in a new chapter in my life. I am embracing this and thanking God that I have this opportunity. I was home-bound for so many years every month with bleeding and pain. Now I don't even have to give it a thought.

Now, my sister-in-law went thru a total hysty at 43, throwing her into meno. It was rough til she got her meds regulated but then all has been fine. Research research research and do what is right for you! YOU know your body best. I applaud you wanting to keep your O's and agree with your reasoning. I said the same request and was able to keep mine. (My Dr. wanted to take them.) Whatever happens (keep them or not) God will see you through. Look at it as an adventure and milk it for all it's worth!! :)

Let us know how things go. I'll be praying for you.

B. M.

I had to have one 4 years ago at age 44. The best book is Lauren Streicher's. Order it for about a penny on Amazon, etc. I laughed and learned so much, used it as a referral source all the time. It was wonderful! Good luck!

Hi B.,

Sorry, not sure what to say about your ovaries, but please don't have a hysterectomy for fibroids.

I am 47 and had fibroids 12 years ago that produced extreamly heavy bleeding, I was so anemic that I could barely walk a flight of stairs. After going on medication to shrink them, I had them surgically removed and have not had any since. The surgery wasn't painful and required very little recovery. I didn't even have to stay overnight at the hospital. At first my OB/GYN said I may need to have a hysterectomy, but referred me to a specialist here in Chicago. I hadn't had any children yet, so a hysterectomy was not an option. His name is Dr. Valle, he's with Northwestern. The number I have is ###-###-####. I remember the nurses calling him "The King of Fibroids". He's good!

Good luck!