Re: contemplating hysterectomy

[Guest guest]

I am 47 and having to make the same decision. I would choose a hysterectomy

leaving the ovaries in tact hands down if I thought that it wouldn't have

negative side effects. Everything that I've read however, suggests that even if

I leave the ovaries, there can be serious hormonal problems, not to mention

other problems, as well. Therefore, I'm leaning towards a myomectomy. My

fibroids are 7 cm, doctor suggests hyst because of my age and the fact that I

don't want any more children, but i'm more inclined to stay on the safe side. I

figure that even if the fibroids try to come back after the myo, i'm close

enough to menopause that i can keep them at bay until full menopause kicks in.

Meanwhile, I'm trying alternative medicine. Question to anyone who has gone

alternative route - if fibroids shrink and dissolve, are they absorbed by the

body or eliminated, i.e., through period?

jbabella2002 wrote:

I'm 46 and have been dealing with fibroid problems for the past

year. (Heavy bleeding, cramping, etc.) I've been working with my

dr for the past year trying differnt things to help the situation. As of

last month I am taking Luperon shots while I decide which

procedure to go ahead with. (I decided on Luperon after 3

months of menstruating- I needed the bleeding to stop!) I'm

weighing the different choices and a hysterectomy is looking

pretty appealing. I am not my uterus and don't feel a need for it

anymore. But I feel like i have to justify and defend this decision.

Are there any women over 40 who have had the same decision

to make? What are the reasons you wouldn't choose a

hysterectomy? I'm telling you a life without bleeding and

cramping sounds pretty good!

[Guest guest]

I am 47 and having to make the same decision. I would choose a hysterectomy

leaving the ovaries in tact hands down if I thought that it wouldn't have

negative side effects. Everything that I've read however, suggests that even if

I leave the ovaries, there can be serious hormonal problems, not to mention

other problems, as well. Therefore, I'm leaning towards a myomectomy. My

fibroids are 7 cm, doctor suggests hyst because of my age and the fact that I

don't want any more children, but i'm more inclined to stay on the safe side. I

figure that even if the fibroids try to come back after the myo, i'm close

enough to menopause that i can keep them at bay until full menopause kicks in.

Meanwhile, I'm trying alternative medicine. Question to anyone who has gone

alternative route - if fibroids shrink and dissolve, are they absorbed by the

body or eliminated, i.e., through period?

jbabella2002 wrote:

I'm 46 and have been dealing with fibroid problems for the past

year. (Heavy bleeding, cramping, etc.) I've been working with my

dr for the past year trying differnt things to help the situation. As of

last month I am taking Luperon shots while I decide which

procedure to go ahead with. (I decided on Luperon after 3

months of menstruating- I needed the bleeding to stop!) I'm

weighing the different choices and a hysterectomy is looking

pretty appealing. I am not my uterus and don't feel a need for it

anymore. But I feel like i have to justify and defend this decision.

Are there any women over 40 who have had the same decision

to make? What are the reasons you wouldn't choose a

hysterectomy? I'm telling you a life without bleeding and

cramping sounds pretty good!

[Guest guest]

I am 47 and having to make the same decision. I would choose a hysterectomy

leaving the ovaries in tact hands down if I thought that it wouldn't have

negative side effects. Everything that I've read however, suggests that even if

I leave the ovaries, there can be serious hormonal problems, not to mention

other problems, as well. Therefore, I'm leaning towards a myomectomy. My

fibroids are 7 cm, doctor suggests hyst because of my age and the fact that I

don't want any more children, but i'm more inclined to stay on the safe side. I

figure that even if the fibroids try to come back after the myo, i'm close

enough to menopause that i can keep them at bay until full menopause kicks in.

Meanwhile, I'm trying alternative medicine. Question to anyone who has gone

alternative route - if fibroids shrink and dissolve, are they absorbed by the

body or eliminated, i.e., through period?

jbabella2002 wrote:

I'm 46 and have been dealing with fibroid problems for the past

year. (Heavy bleeding, cramping, etc.) I've been working with my

dr for the past year trying differnt things to help the situation. As of

last month I am taking Luperon shots while I decide which

procedure to go ahead with. (I decided on Luperon after 3

months of menstruating- I needed the bleeding to stop!) I'm

weighing the different choices and a hysterectomy is looking

pretty appealing. I am not my uterus and don't feel a need for it

anymore. But I feel like i have to justify and defend this decision.

Are there any women over 40 who have had the same decision

to make? What are the reasons you wouldn't choose a

hysterectomy? I'm telling you a life without bleeding and

cramping sounds pretty good!

[Guest guest]

I just returned from my gyn...I am 51 and this has been going on for 10 years. I

am trying to get mifepristone from China to shrink these suckers...but the

bleeding is worse every month. Today, I was told by my gyn that i need to " do

some work " " around my fear of surgery. My submucousal fibroids are too large for

resection...and hysterectomy is what she is recommending. I am sitting here in

shock...she has been working with me so long and I trust her. I still feel that

I must at least try the mife if it arrives, but now my hopes are really

dashed....

no bleeding and no cramps sounds great, but at the expense of my uterus, I'm not

sure

[Guest guest]

Diane,

Just remember that surgeons do surgery and are going to have a bias

in that direction. I've had a similar feeling after a few doctors

visits where they have told me I have to have my fibroid out. It is

really curious to me how people can go into the medical profession

and gravitate to becoming ob/gyns which is a fields all about womens

health and yet so many of them have cavalier attitudes to uteri. Not

to mention their insensitivity in talking with patients about

potentially life altering procedures. My sister told me that her

doctor told her that if she wants to have kids she should start

taking some action -- she's 30, recently divorced and in grad school.

What does the doctor want her to do, just jump into bed with the

first guy she meets?

The ob/gyn community has really done women (in the U.S. and Canada in

particular since we have the highest rates of hysterectomy in the

world) a disservice by not learning more about the causes and

treatment of fibroids. It is through us standing up for ourselves and

this amazing organ that we will cause them to reconsider their

recommendations. Silicone breast implants were pulled from the market

due to public outcry, maybe hysterectomies can be reconsidered as

well if we keep the pressure up. The ACOG have revised their

treatment recommendations for when to perform hysterectomy, and the

US federal government health sites promote alternatives to

hysterectomy as well. We know from this list however, and from the

data on the number of hysterectomies performed each year that doctors

aren't listening yet. Obviously we have a lot of work to do still.

(Oh, and to the ladies who have had or are considering hysterectomy,

know that I'm not condemning you. Hysterectomy is sometimes the best

or only thing that can be done to solve our health problems.)

Hugs,

Ann

Today, I was told by my gyn that i need to " do some work " " around my

fear of surgery. My submucousal fibroids are too large for

resection...and hysterectomy is what she is recommending. I am

sitting here in shock...she has been working with me so long and I

trust her.

[Guest guest]

Diane,

Just remember that surgeons do surgery and are going to have a bias

in that direction. I've had a similar feeling after a few doctors

visits where they have told me I have to have my fibroid out. It is

really curious to me how people can go into the medical profession

and gravitate to becoming ob/gyns which is a fields all about womens

health and yet so many of them have cavalier attitudes to uteri. Not

to mention their insensitivity in talking with patients about

potentially life altering procedures. My sister told me that her

doctor told her that if she wants to have kids she should start

taking some action -- she's 30, recently divorced and in grad school.

What does the doctor want her to do, just jump into bed with the

first guy she meets?

The ob/gyn community has really done women (in the U.S. and Canada in

particular since we have the highest rates of hysterectomy in the

world) a disservice by not learning more about the causes and

treatment of fibroids. It is through us standing up for ourselves and

this amazing organ that we will cause them to reconsider their

recommendations. Silicone breast implants were pulled from the market

due to public outcry, maybe hysterectomies can be reconsidered as

well if we keep the pressure up. The ACOG have revised their

treatment recommendations for when to perform hysterectomy, and the

US federal government health sites promote alternatives to

hysterectomy as well. We know from this list however, and from the

data on the number of hysterectomies performed each year that doctors

aren't listening yet. Obviously we have a lot of work to do still.

(Oh, and to the ladies who have had or are considering hysterectomy,

know that I'm not condemning you. Hysterectomy is sometimes the best

or only thing that can be done to solve our health problems.)

Hugs,

Ann

Today, I was told by my gyn that i need to " do some work " " around my

fear of surgery. My submucousal fibroids are too large for

resection...and hysterectomy is what she is recommending. I am

sitting here in shock...she has been working with me so long and I

trust her.

[Guest guest]

Diane,

Just remember that surgeons do surgery and are going to have a bias

in that direction. I've had a similar feeling after a few doctors

visits where they have told me I have to have my fibroid out. It is

really curious to me how people can go into the medical profession

and gravitate to becoming ob/gyns which is a fields all about womens

health and yet so many of them have cavalier attitudes to uteri. Not

to mention their insensitivity in talking with patients about

potentially life altering procedures. My sister told me that her

doctor told her that if she wants to have kids she should start

taking some action -- she's 30, recently divorced and in grad school.

What does the doctor want her to do, just jump into bed with the

first guy she meets?

The ob/gyn community has really done women (in the U.S. and Canada in

particular since we have the highest rates of hysterectomy in the

world) a disservice by not learning more about the causes and

treatment of fibroids. It is through us standing up for ourselves and

this amazing organ that we will cause them to reconsider their

recommendations. Silicone breast implants were pulled from the market

due to public outcry, maybe hysterectomies can be reconsidered as

well if we keep the pressure up. The ACOG have revised their

treatment recommendations for when to perform hysterectomy, and the

US federal government health sites promote alternatives to

hysterectomy as well. We know from this list however, and from the

data on the number of hysterectomies performed each year that doctors

aren't listening yet. Obviously we have a lot of work to do still.

(Oh, and to the ladies who have had or are considering hysterectomy,

know that I'm not condemning you. Hysterectomy is sometimes the best

or only thing that can be done to solve our health problems.)

Hugs,

Ann

Today, I was told by my gyn that i need to " do some work " " around my

fear of surgery. My submucousal fibroids are too large for

resection...and hysterectomy is what she is recommending. I am

sitting here in shock...she has been working with me so long and I

trust her.

[Guest guest]

Diane:

You said you have been working with your doctor for a long time. However, if

you prefer to keep your uterus, please find another doctor who is on the same

page as yourself. Don't feel guilty about wanting to maintain a major organ.

You need to be sure that you want a hysterectomy. Right now, you have some

choices regarding your uterus. After the hysterectomy - your choices are gone.

Remember, it's YOUR body, not your doctor's. Your allegiance is to your body,

not to your doctor. You are the one who lives with the decision, whether you

allow your doctor to make the decision for you - or whether you make it

yourself.

Good luck!

Joyce

Re: contemplating hysterectomy

I just returned from my gyn...I am 51 and this has been going on for 10 years.

I am trying to get mifepristone from China to shrink these suckers...but the

bleeding is worse every month. Today, I was told by my gyn that i need to " do

some work " " around my fear of surgery. My submucousal fibroids are too large for

resection...and hysterectomy is what she is recommending. I am sitting here in

shock...she has been working with me so long and I trust her. I still feel that

I must at least try the mife if it arrives, but now my hopes are really

dashed....

no bleeding and no cramps sounds great, but at the expense of my uterus, I'm

not sure

[Guest guest]

i don't want to advocate any particular route for you, but wanted to

share my experience. i'm 43 and after suffering for many years with

what i thought was an intramural fibroid and some slight

endometriosis, i finally proceeded in contacting an interventional

radiologist so i could move forward with a UFE. a hysterectomy was

something i had fought against literally for years. the results of

my MRI indicated i had adenomyosis - i was stunned to learn this and

decided (unhappily) not to pursue the UFE further (as it might

alleviate some symptoms but does not cure adeno - there is no cure

but uterus removal) after much thought and " listening to my body "

time, i made the decision to have a laproscopic-assisted

hysterectomy. i researched the best doctors (the ones with the AAGL

stamp of approval) and traveled out of town to have one particular

doctor do my surgery. i am a real " snob " when it comes to doctors

and i do believe that many post surgical complications are due to

poor or sloppy surgical technique (or lack of experience.) my doc

had done over 2000

LAVH; he was a GYN only so his practice was just for advanced

situations such as mine.

3 weeks ago i had my surgery and i must tell you that i feel great.

in addition to the adeno, endo, and the " one " fibroid, the lab

results indicated that i had numerous smaller fibroids that had not

shown up on any ultrasound or the MRI. AND the thing that the doc

said he spent the most time on during the surgery was adhesions

caused by the endo - part of my intestines were adhered to my

pelvis!! for someone like myself who thought she just had fibroids,

there was a whole lot more shakin' going on inside!

i went to the gym today for the first time and worked out on the

precor machine for 20 minutes then walked briskly for another 20. of

course at this point in the day my energy is fading fast! i realize

i still have lots of healing to do and that the story is not over and

complications may still come (btw, i kept my ovaries and tubes - so

far no problems with hot flashes, etc.) but i will deal with them as

they do.

i can't imagine anyone feeling more frightened or anxious than i did

prior to my surgery - i had to go on anti-anxiety and HBP medications

i was so upset by what i felt like i had to do. but i was also tired

of having the quality of my life so compromised. i feel that i made

the right choice for me. please do not read this as advocating

hysterectomy for everyone!! i completely believe we should have many

options in terms of how we proceed to rectify our individual

situations. i just wanted to share a positive experience - i was

very humbled by making this decision - for many years i had been

extremely judgmental about women who had chosen hysterectomy. now i

advocate to know all your choices and options (and god knows we still

need many , many more) then move ahead with what feels right for you.

women who truly believe in the feminist philosophy of choice will be

supportive and you should not feel (or worry about) having to justify

any of your choices to anyone.

good luck and if i can be of any help or answer any questions, i'd be

glad to.

angela e.