Re: reasons for your choices?

[Guest guest]

Other than a hyst. for a cancer diagnosis, there seem to be other, less

dramatic and wiser choices available. Also, for me, there is a feminist

component.

throwing the baby's bed out with the bath water. hahaha.

maybe it is not analoguous to a guy having prostrate cancer....

but, they don't lop off their peni...in fact they take great pains...up

to the point of having some sort of hand pump to preserve their

dignity...and then there's viagara....

let's also talk about heart disease and women....

and dvt....we are just a little in need of self advocacy in the woman's

health arena.

just my O-pinion.

gigi

Dawn Dennings wrote:

>Hello Ladies-

> I would like to know why this group seems to not

>see a hysterectomy as one of the wiser choices for

>dealing with large, painful fibroids?

>Dawn

>

>

>

>

>MEETUP! with other local women who have Uterine Fibroids.

http://uterinefibroids.meetup.com

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Ladies

Well I chose hysterectomy, but not because I had fibroids but

because I had alot of other problems as well as fibroids. Pain that

would still be there even if I had a myomectomy or UAE, made my

decision a little easier. But that being said it was not an easy

decision by any means. I dont think anyone on this list has

actually said dont have a hyst, just make sure you research all of

your options first before chosing a hyst, which is just plain common

sense. And most importantly it should be a personal choice by you,

not your doctor or anyone else.

If a man has penis cancer, they do in fact remove the penis if there

is no other way to stop the progression, much the same as uterine or

ovarian cancer. As for hand pumps and viagra, well that just goes

to show that mens sexual disfunction is obviously more of an issue

than womens sexual disfunction. That has more to do with the womens

health issues all over and needs to be addressed very seriously. I

feel very strongly about the womens sexual health issues, being one

that has been complaining about my all over health issues for as

long as I can remember and not getting any help at all.

Just wanted to add that during my long painfull search for something

that worked for me, my hysterectomy was the least painfull and least

traumatic surgery or treatment I have experienced in the last 10

years.

That is my experience and my opinion anyway.

Bree

>

> >Hello Ladies-

> > I would like to know why this group seems to not

> >see a hysterectomy as one of the wiser choices for

> >dealing with large, painful fibroids?

> >Dawn

[Guest guest]

Obviously a great many posters aren't doctors, and responsibility

lies with the reader not to take everything as guaranteed gospel

truth, but rather as ideas to weigh up and question further. Every

case is different and there's more to be learnt about fibroids by

the medical profession. With so many posters you should expect

some to get their facts completely wrong and to have very strong

biasses, although we seem to be fine here.

As I understand it the group wants women to know there are

different options out there, so they can make an informed choice

themselves. There'll never be a definitive answer because we all

have different priorities and different experiences of the same

treatments.

There may be times when hysterectomy makes a lot of sense as

a choice. But if the forum saves just one 20 year old with some

small fibroids who wanted kids from an unecessary

hysterectomy it would have all been worth it.

How wise is it not to have a hysterectomy for particularly large

fibroids?... you'd have to consult the gynaecologists. I've seen

posts and book references to large fibroids being treated by

treatments other than hysterectomy, and

it seems UAE can be used in even more cases than they

previously thought. If someone is in that situation, I guess I'd say

ask your specialist what the risks are in your particular case, get

a second opinion if the recommendation is a hysterectomy and

you're not happy about that, and look into the suitability of other

treatment options in discussion with someone who knows what

they're talking about, such as an up to date

gynaecologist/radiologist...rather than a doctor that you're

doubtful about.

Make sure they're recommending what they believe is best as

opposed to just giving you what you want and therefore giving

you the mistaken impression they agre with you that it's the best

choice.

Fibroids can grow very large. How do the large fibroids compare

with other posters here and what were their treatment

experiences? What were they told? Bleeding heavily is a risk to

take seriously.

" You might one day get cancer if you have a uterus " is a claim to

be more cautious of. The patient needs to know the treatment

choice was made with your best interests at heart by a capable

surgeon open to sensible alternatives to hysterectomy, where

appropriate. Patients being scared with talk of cancer risks

should ask about current evidence and current test results in

THEIR case. Ask the gyn if they would spot that during a

myomectomy. Fibroids are common and cancerous tumours are

much rarer. If the evidence really is pointing to cancer however,

and you've got a second or even 4th opinion who all agree, then

be wise.

I for one would be happy to pass on recommended hysterectomy

group web site addresses such as Hyster-Sisters.

Aztek

[Guest guest]

Dawn:

The removal of your uterus is drastic and permanent. You are removing a MAJOR

organ - an organ which has been linked by some in the medical profession to

heart health for women. If your uterus is otherwise healthy without the

fibroids, then I feel the first course of action is to get rid of the fibroids.

Don't throw the dishes out with the dish water.

I believe that the only reason you should remove a major organ is to save your

life or when no other options exist to correct a permanently painful and

irreversible condition.

Fight to keep your uterus. As you may know, heart disease is the number 1

killer of women in the United States. Any help we can get in promoting heart

health is well worth it - and, it appears that the uterus may in fact, be a

partner in this battle.

Regards,

Joyce

reasons for your choices?

I would like to know why this group seems to not

see a hysterectomy as one of the wiser choices for

dealing with large, painful fibroids?