Guest guest Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 I have been living with fibroids for 5 years. I ignored the symptoms and delayed the recommended surgery basically due to every doctor insisting I have a hysterectomy. I have now had enough. Last month an ultrasound showed 90% of my uterus covered with fibroids. My symptoms include heavy periods, constant discomfort, back pain and pressure to my bladder and colon, my lower abdomen is similar to a 4 month pregnancy. I am 41, married, no children--we have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant. My doctor/surgeon is willing to perform a myomectomy, even with my large fibroids, and at this time I am awaiting a surgery date, potentially early February, 2004. For those of you who have had this surgery my concerns are recovery time, incision scaring, my ability to get pregnant after the surgery (especially due to my age and large amount of fibroids). My physician is Dr. Brusch/UCLA Medical Center, surgery to occur at Cedars Sinai Hospital, LA. ANY personal insight by those myomectomy survivors and/or anyone who had their surgery at Cedars would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Sally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 It's good to hear you have a surgery date in February. Best wishes for that. I " m glad you managed to avoid the hysterectomy it sounds like you didn't want. I had a myomectomy too. Make sure your surgeon is comfortable and experienced when it comes to myomectomies. They will remove a lot of fibroids but it's possible they may leave some in. When a woman womants children still they are particularly worried about the strength of the uterus. It is possible for someone who has had a myomectomy to have fibroids again in the future. Fibroid books are a great source of info. You should get symptoms vanishing and as you've had some nasty symptoms you'll probably really notice a difference. Sometimes a symptom remains after the operation recovery, esp if it wasn't caused by fibroids after all. Sometimes a cesarian section is required after a myomectomy. Recovery for an *abdominal* myo is about the same as a hysterectomy. Even after this time you still won't want to be doing press ups or hauling very heavy weights around!! The GP will tell you when it's OK to have sex and when it's safer to get pregnant. You may be given a vertical incision. You'd need to have a chat with the gynaecologist about that. If you are lucky and have the horizontal incision it won't show above brief bikini knickers and is just a thin red line that will become hard to see. I had staples. The myomectomy is a good option for keeping fertility, but you'd need to talk to the gynaecologist about your fertility situation. It may be that firboids made past pregnancy attempts unsuccessful. UK Aztek (Cat's Myo diary on Smartgroups UK around Aug 2003) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 Thanks for your support. My doctor has 25 years of myo/hys surgery and is fully supportive on a myomectomy. After much consideration I am just not ready to give up the ability to conceive. Realistically I have a tough road ahead, uncertainty as to how healthy my uterus will be post-surgey, a low percentage of eggs and my age. On a whole other note I am concerned about the incision. Due to several large fibroids, some extend far above my belly button, my uterus has expanded from normal size. I am scared to think about a vertical incision. I expect to get my surgical date soon whereas I will discuss my concerns with my doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 -Welcome to our group Deb, you'll find its a comforting place to be when no one else seems to understand. It's probably tough on u being a student. My lupus flare ups were never ending when I was a nursing student ( i only graduated in 2000 ) As u know we are suppose to stay away from stress, but thats a joke when u r a student. You are right it is a relief to finally be diagnosed and not have people look at u funny while u are describing your symptoms...they think your a head case :-) Anyway, welcome again and if there is anything I can do 4 u just ask, soft hugs to you , Pam-- In LUPIES , " lv_deb_r " <lv_deb_r@y...> wrote: > I just signed up and Don't know how this works. I am Debbie, just got > the diagnosis this year of lupus. Seems like a good thing to do - a > support group of some sort. I went through about 5 years of no > diagnosis with all the horrible " ailments " - finally getting a Name is > a huge relief and a curse at the same time. But so relieved to " have > something " with a real name. I am a busy nursing student, with husband > and three kids........so I don't have time for lupus. But I hope to > chat from time to time. Nice to know others are out there with me. I > am feeling pretty good this week. The sun is shinning here in Vegas > and spring is in the air. The sun always makes me happy. > > God Bless and hello to all > I hope you are all feeling well. > Thanks Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 You should ask your doctor about diabetes self management education. You will go to a class and learn from a Certified Diabetic Educator and a Registered Dietitian. They will help you with a meal plan and to learn what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat. Typically with diabetes, you are much better off eating 5-6 smaller meals (or smaller breakfast, lunch and dinner, with snacks mid-morning, mid-afternoon and after dinner). The trick is to do this and NOT increase your caloric intake during the course of the day. Don't beat yourself up about having ignored things for years and now you are on pills. You could have been watching your diet and still have progressed to the point of needing medications now. Many times the processes that the body uses to create insulin and to effectively use it decrease with age. What you can control with diet at first, progresses to something that needs oral medications. Not necessarily due to any fault of your own (i.e., no weight change). Eventually many progress to insulin. NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE BAD, but simply because this can be a progressive disease. Many Type II diabetics, regardless of how perfect they are at controlling diet and exercise, will progress from diet/exercise, to needing oral meds, to needing insulin. (Not my opinion, but a statement from the diabetes educator from the class I attended). She said this because this disease can be progressive... even if you are doing everything correct. To emphasize that meds and insulin are not 'punishment' but simply the next course of treatment. Mike > > hello, > I am new to your group and hoping to learn more about helping my > self. Hope I will be able to share something to help others one day. > > I have diabetes 2 and have had it for years. Sadly, I have ignored > doing anything about it until recently. At first doctor said just > watch diet (which I didn't) and now I am on pills. > > A month ago I got down right serious about watching my blood sugar > count, diet and what effects the meds had. Most days I have blood > levels like 125, 78, 145, 131, after dinner is like 250. > > I don't know if the figures are really that good. I don't like th > ehigh figures. And I go low and start to shake. I am bearly eating > anything this month and not losing weight. Just 3 meals and celery if > I'm starving inbetween. > > I need help to get some kind of balance in my meal planning and > keeping sugar level somewhat even. > > Any suggestions will be appreciated. This is all so frustrating. > Thanks so much, > Kaitland > > > > > > > > > Diabetes homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/ > > To unsubscribe to this group, send an email to: > diabetes-unsubscribe > Hope you come back soon! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 Hi. You'll enjoy this website whether you'r " verbal " or not : ) Lots to learn, and sharing knowledge and experieces has been a God-send for me. Hugs, leelee35_2000 wrote: WElcome to the group. > > hi i,m a 31 year old single mom i live in dayton,ohio i have a daughter > age 7 and i,,m having the vertical sleeve gastric bypass > --------------------------------- Sponsored Link Degrees online in as fast as 1 Yr - MBA, Bachelor's, Master's, Associate - Click now to apply --------------------------------- Sponsored Link $200,000 mortgage for $660/mo - 30/15 yr fixed, reduce debt, home equity - Click now for info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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