Stupid Gynae wants to take out my uterus!!!

[doodle]

my mom went through a lot of this a few years ago. her fibroids started off small, and her doctor (NOT a surgery-happy kind of guy) told her not to worry about them unless they became problematic or grew at an alarming rate. fast-forward two years, and she was having periods more often than not (like bleeding for 6-8 WEEKS straight, off for a few days, then start back again). when she finally went back to the doctor, he advised a partial hysterectomy, which she was fine with (after that much "period time" she would''ve sold her uterus on ebay if he recommended it). thank god she did have the hysterectomy because when they got in there to do the surgery, they discovered cancer that previously hadn''t been detected because of the insane amount of fibroids obstructing the view. they wound up having to remove her uterus, ovaries, and even a small piece of her digestive tract because they were so eaten up with tumors.

my best friend, on the other hand, has had them since she was barely even a teenager, and they''ve never really caused her any issues at all. my point is, each person is different, and as long as you keep a watchful eye on what''s going on in your body and base health decisions on what is best for you without having a knee-jerk emotional response or a huge wave of denial, you''ll pretty much always be in tune enough with your body to know what is best for it.

one other thing to keep in mind: your doctor was insensitive, yes, but doctors see an insane amount of anatomical parts every day, and some doctors can be too cavalier. to some, your body is a machine, and your uterus might as well be a carburetor. if you are taken aback by a doctor having such a manner toward you, it might be best to find one who is a little warmer, but more importantly, find one whose methods you approve of. if surgery is a last resort for you, a surgery-friendly doc should be a last resort, too.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 12:35:26 PM
Author: Lorelei
I am also amazed that she suggested this so casually, plus the fact that it is major surgery....

Sounds like a great idea to change your gyno Phoenix.

Thank you, Lorelei.

Yes, definitely time for a new doctor.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 1:01:08 PM
Author: part gypsy
Phoenix, sorry about your doctor being so insensitive. I guess I almost feel the opposite way. After having my second, (and also not being on birth control) I''ve really have had alot more feminine issues, including bad pms, heavy bleedings, etc. It seems all my physical complaints revolve around my uterus (for example I''m anemic from yes the heavy periods). Most of the time I''m fine with it but there are other times I think maybe I should just get this damm *** cut out!

Thanks for your input, part gypsy.

Sorry to hear about your issues. There are other things you can do, though, such as takingn iron tablets to help with the anaemia, eating more broccoli, spinach etc. There are also a lot of things one could do to help with tge PMS as well, including Chinese medicine. I used to have really really bad PMS and horrible horrible pain for the first few years after my period started. I remember crying from pain, literally crying where tears were streaming down my eyes, each time my period came. I went to see a Chinese doctor and he gave me some medicine to eat three times a day. I wish I could remember which doctor and what the medicine was (this was about 20 yrs ago in London). These things looked like donkey droppings (sorry

), but they tasted not too bad (not bitter like most Chinese medicine) and I swear to God, all my symptoms went away more or less straight away.

As I type this, I am reminding myself to go see a TCM doctor here to see if there''s anything he (usually a "he", female TCM doctors are not so common for some reason) can do to help with my various ailments.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 1:43:34 PM
Author: Bia
I don''t care if she''s right or not, that was a very insensitive way to suggest something so invasive and you have EVERY RIGHT to be upset and unsettled!

I don''t understand how doctors can speak to their patients like this...

Sorry you had to go through that, at the OB/GYN of all places!

Yes, I know, thank you for your kind words of comfort.

She really needs a lesson on how to handle patients.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 1:56:35 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 11/13/2008 12:35:26 PM
Author: Lorelei
I am also amazed that she suggested this so casually, plus the fact that it is major surgery....

Sounds like a great idea to change your gyno Phoenix.

DITTO. She really needs to learn better bedside manners. I am sorry Phoenix, I wouldn''t go back to her either!!!

Thank you, Kaleigh, I appreciate your comforting words.

 

[lauralu]

I have fibriods as well. Or I guess one pretty big one right now. I have had two in the past. Now though, my last US said I just have one big one. Which could be two I guess pushed up against each other.
One of my old Gyne''s once said to me. If I performed a hysto on every women with cysts or fibriods I would be very rich and driving a really nice car. Made me wonder how many women are having unnecessary hystos for just this reason. Fibriods are really a watch and see kind of thing. They are not cancer. However if they grow too large or if they are the kind that make you bleed heavily and cause a lot of pain. Than yes there needs to be a conversation with your dr. to figure out what your options are.
The sz or amount of fibriods really has no bearing on wether you need a hysto or not. It''s where they are located and what other issues they are causing you.

Your Dr. Phoenix should never have said it that way. Since being diagnosed with firiods I too have seen a few dozzies for drs who have said some pretty dumb things concerning them. I have figured that they are either having an off day, or just totally insensitive.

I am doing a watch and see approached. According to when my mom and sister reached menopause i only have 6 more years to go. Although no signs yet. I hope I reach that point so they will just resolve on their own with no monthly blood supply. I also know that these next few years can be the most difficult due to peri-meno making them grow and change so quickly. mine are not in a location that make me bleed heavily. However, they are painful and push on my bladder. My uterus is very large and I know that has to be why I feel so heavy and bloated always in my abdomen. I have more painful days than not these days.Lots of cramping off and on each month. The first 2days before my periods and the first 2 days when I get it are sometimes extremely painful. Some days I think just do it.
Than it goes away and i say thank god I never called.
You are right in my opinion to be upset by what she said. If your not at a point where you feel this is wrecking havoc on your life than you are not at a point where you want your uterus out. She was way off base.

Now I have a question...to the poster who said she has a different "O" than before her hysto yet it
is sill great..or something like that anyway. What does that mean exactly? different? Or maybe that is TMI for the baord.

 

[justjulia]

Date: 11/16/2008 8:41:58 AM
Author: lauralu
I have fibriods as well. Or I guess one pretty big one right now. I have had two in the past. Now though, my last US said I just have one big one. Which could be two I guess pushed up against each other.
One of my old Gyne''s once said to me. If I performed a hysto on every women with cysts or fibriods I would be very rich and driving a really nice car. Made me wonder how many women are having unnecessary hystos for just this reason. Fibriods are really a watch and see kind of thing. They are not cancer. However if they grow too large or if they are the kind that make you bleed heavily and cause a lot of pain. Than yes there needs to be a conversation with your dr. to figure out what your options are.
The sz or amount of fibriods really has no bearing on wether you need a hysto or not. It''s where they are located and what other issues they are causing you.

Your Dr. Phoenix should never have said it that way. Since being diagnosed with firiods I too have seen a few dozzies for drs who have said some pretty dumb things concerning them. I have figured that they are either having an off day, or just totally insensitive.

I am doing a watch and see approached. According to when my mom and sister reached menopause i only have 6 more years to go. Although no signs yet. I hope I reach that point so they will just resolve on their own with no monthly blood supply. I also know that these next few years can be the most difficult due to peri-meno making them grow and change so quickly. mine are not in a location that make me bleed heavily. However, they are painful and push on my bladder. My uterus is very large and I know that has to be why I feel so heavy and bloated always in my abdomen. I have more painful days than not these days.Lots of cramping off and on each month. The first 2days before my periods and the first 2 days when I get it are sometimes extremely painful. Some days I think just do it.
Than it goes away and i say thank god I never called.
You are right in my opinion to be upset by what she said. If your not at a point where you feel this is wrecking havoc on your life than you are not at a point where you want your uterus out. She was way off base.

Now I have a question...to the poster who said she has a different ''O'' than before her hysto yet it
is sill great..or something like that anyway. What does that mean exactly? different? Or maybe that is TMI for the baord.

Might be too much info for here. Let''s just say that the o culminates with uterine contractions and those obviously won''t be there. Makes the o "shorter," but just as intense.

In my situation, I started bleeding and did not stop. We''re talking not just a trickle either. The dr put me on bc to try to stimulate hormones to slow it down, but it didn''t work. My dr asked me to wait for a couple of months and see if there was a pattern in the bleeding. There wasn''t. I always had a large uterus and a slow growing fibroid..for years. I could put up with the cramps and heavy periods, no problem. It was the scary dam breaking bleeding that started with one random period and did not stop that did it for me.

Yes, I ate very very well and took iron, all my life. This was the amount of bleeding over an extended time that could not be combatted with iron.

I had to work through all the mental decision making that naturally comes with such a decision. I can understand many of the ladies'' fears here. Think about it: we''ve only had feminine product advertisements on tv in the last 20 years. This stuff hasn''t been talking about publicly. It''s been hush hush and subsequently very frightening. I think the answer is to talk it over with someone who understands your fears. Get the facts and try to stay calm.

It really should be a case by case decision.

 

[lauralu]

justjulia, that was perfect explanation w/out getttng detailed. I have heard that is is different. However, no-one has said exactly why. makes sense though, Thanks for sharing the info...

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 2:06:17 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
Good for you for sticking up for yourself Pheonix! That makes me mad too

The uterus is NOT just for having children. It is a major organ that produced hormones and it is also very involved in the female sexual response, partcularly orgasm. Removing the uterus as a matter of conveniece is often just that: a matter of convenience. Too often, doctors and women think, ''Oh you aren''t having kids, just take it all out!'' Then down the road many women who have had hysterectomies discover that they can no longer enjoy sex the way they used to, or that they require hormone replacement therapy, which is not always easy to get right, nor are synthetic hormones always the best way to go. Certainly, in some cases hysterectomy is a life saving option, or the only/best option for treating medical conditons. But there are LOTS of options available for treatment of fibroids other than hysterectomy. You just need to find a doctor who cares about your WHOLE quality of life as a woman, not just your capacity to reproduce

.

Thanks for your reply and great input, dreamer.

I agree with *every* word that you say. Thank you.

 

[divergrrl]

Phoenix, I''m sorry your doc threw this at you. Mine suggested the same thing, and I was horrified! I hadn''t had children yet!

My fibroids used to cause 55 consecutive days of bleeding & I had 2 myomectomy surgeries to remove some so I could get pregnant, and then we had to watch one that was blocking my cervix with my last pregnancy..etc...all was fine.

So while I have to get mine removed when they go ballistic on me (since, unlike yours, they do cause problems & I wind up in the ER getting hormone shots to stop the bleeding as I soak a pad in less than 10 mins & then it just bleeds like a heavy period until I get it removed..my docs now get me in for surgery asap instead of making me wait like in the old days) you have a choice to just let it be.

You know, when you go through menopause, fibroids usually stop being an issue.

However, I have actually given a hysterectomy some serious thought lately. I have a few friends who have had htem for cervical/uterine cancer treatment & my bff''s dad (a retired physician) told me that its not a bad idea since in his opinion the uterus "is just a bag that can get cancer" and if you are done having kids, then why bother keeping it.

So my personal decision (after having these issues since 1999, and multiple surgeries, miscarriages etc...and I''m done having kids, I have 2, I''m 38, and my tubes are tied...I had that done laparascopically the day after my daughter was born..aka through a small incision under my belly button) is that if my fibroids start acting up again, the whole mess is coming OUT!! If your tumors aren''t too big, it can be a laparascopic, outpatient procedure.

FWIW, my myomectomies were minimal procedures. Outpatient, and I was running (literally...running...15 miles a week) within 7 days.

But its such a personal decision, but I kind of side with my bff''s dad. If I don''t need it, then why keep it. That kind of cancer runs in my family anyway.

But yea...docs with no sensitivity bug the whahoozits out of me. I dropped the doc who first mentioned it to me as a 30 year old newly wed who was trying for children. I MEAN COME ON NOW!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 2:29:17 PM
Author: swingirl
I am sorry for your medical issues and pain and discomfort that go along with it. I also had fibroids and I realize every situation is different and the 3 kinds of fibroids call for different treatments. The options of myomectomy (removing just the fibroids), uterine artery embolization (cutting off blood flow to the fibroids) and hysterectomy (removing the uterus) were all given to me as options. I had extremely heavy periods to the point of being anemic and having heart palpitations because of it. It was putting my heart at risk. The decision to have my uterus removed was easy to make because I was finished having children and looked forward to the days of no periods.

I had laparoscopic surgery with 1 entry through the belly button and 2 little side holes. I stayed overnight just for observation. There was absolutely no pain. My only discomfort was the catheter. While my doctor was in there she cleaned up adhesions from my C-section, and added extra support to the bladder.

I am so happy with the results. It did not bring on any menopausal symptoms obviously because the ovaries are intact. I LOVE not having a period. My cervix was also left intact so there was nothing disrupted vaginally and no scar tissue. There has been no change is anything sexual and I've been asked several times after a pelvic exam when my last period was, which shows that there is no change in the vaginal anatomy.

My doctor, Karen Rae Abbott, has since moved to Reno but if I needed this done again I would travel across the globe to see her. She is a pioneer in the field of minimally invasive gynecological surgeries and pelvic pain. She saved my son and my life 18 years ago.

You will need to find the treatment that best suits you. Your doctor should offer you a variety of options and let you decide what you are most comfortable with. I had my surgery about 6 or 7 years ago and it was not very common to remove the uterus leaving the cervix behind. I don’t know what being done today and if there are new alternatives. Find another doctor who is more familiar with this specialty and a little more sensitive!

Thanks so much for yr reply and very helpful infor provided, swingirl.

I am surprised to hear that one can have one's uterus removed without removing the cervix. I doubt if the doctors here know how to do that. Even embolisation is a "new" procedure for them. I have a suspicion that they don't keep up to date fast enough with advances in the medical field here (but if I am wrong, pls no one sue me for defamation!

).

Thank you for providing the infor abt Dr Abbott's. I may very well contact her and get some more infor. If I need to, I would travel across the globe to see her too. I have another problem with I don't know the exact cause of, but I suspect it's adhesions - I posted about it in this thread:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pain-in-lower-abdomen-fibroids-tmi.80064/

I have these horrible pains that occur once in a while, all of a sudden without any warning. There's no pattern to it at all. I've been concerned it might be cancer, but at the risk of ignorance, I've had these symptoms for a while now (about 6-7 yrs) and it can't possibly be cancer because otherwise I'd be dead by now, I *think*!

. In any case, the pain attacks now occur a lot less frequently (like once every month or so) and the severity seems a lot less too. My periods seem to be less heavy too, for some strange reason.

I don't think that I would have surgery specifcally for my fibroids (which as I mentioned are not causing me serious problems) but I *may* have to have surgery to see what all this pain (which I don't think is caused by my fibroids, as I've only had the pain for the past 6-7 yrs and the fibroids were "discovered" 10 yrs or so ago) is about, and more importantly to prevent any serious problem from getting much worse. I've been reluctant to have anything done here because I haven't felt comfortable enough with any doctor I've spoken too, but *if* I can find someone who would make enough sense to me (I am an auditor by profession and am pretty skeptical in nature), then I would definitely consider having appropriate surgery to help pinpoint and hopefully solve my problems.

Thank you so much again for sharing yr story and the infor. I am really glad that Dr Abbott was able to help you - more than once.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 6:58:15 PM
Author: justjulia
It''s a tough, emotional issue, facing this kind of surgery. If you''ve had your children, it''s a whole ''nother matter, of course. At any rate, losing this majorly feminine piece of hardware is quite a mental hoop.

I had a hysterectomy 3 yrs ago and I have more energy and vitality now than EVER as far as I can remember. I still have my ovaries and they are pumping along those hormones very nicely, thanks. I had fibroids and heavy bleeding....I had no idea how tired it had made me (i.e., overly tired, easily agitated, all that you''d expect with slight anemia) until it was done. I don''t miss it. That said, I have beautiful children and don''t really need it. Sex is still, well, great. (Blush.) You heal and get the O a different but equally fabulous way. I''ll leave it at that.

I do joke with my family from time to time about not being able to find their missing things since I lost my uterine tracking device. (Ok, odd joke there, but maybe you can laugh along with me here...if you''ve been there...).

I think for a lot of women, it''s also a mortal thing. Like, a piece of you can actually expire and leave. It''s kind of weird. You start wondering how much they can take away and it still be ''you.'' Ya know?

Anyway, food for thought. Definitely not the end of the world, but I can say that from this side of the fence.

Thanks for that refreshing perspective, justjulia.

I am glad you''re able to resolve yr bleeding problem and the fatigue that goes with it.

It''s totally a *mental* and *mortal* thing for me. I can''t imagine what it''d be like not to have my uterus, my feminine equipment. What I''d do though is to keep a watchful eye and see what''d be the appropriate course of actions to take.

Thanks again for taking the time to post and to share. I am sure that not only I but other female PS''ers would find the "O" thing interesting and informative to read about

.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 7:17:45 PM
Author: diamondsrock
How odd that she mentioned something like that so casually. I thought removing the utereus was sort of a last resort. I had a friend with major problems and it took a lot of pushing on her part to get hers removed.
She really was lacking in her bedside manner that day!

Thanks for your post, diamondsrock.

It seemed odd at the time, yes. Now that I think about it, she's always been kind of curt anyway. It *IS* definitely a last resort, for anyone, IMO and only if the problems warrant it and you'd have had to have done plenty of research beforehand.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/13/2008 8:44:38 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
I think too often the whole uterus is removed when there are other options that allow a woman to have her own hormones, instead of relying on a horse (hormone pills) to provide that. I think a second opinion is a wonderful idea.

Good luck and I'm sorry your Dr. was not too polite and lacked tact while suggesting this option to you.

Eeeee, I typed out a response and lost it all!!

Fisherofmengirly, thanks for your response. Yes, far too often *some* doctors just make recommendations without a just basis and their patients just listen to them without questioning them or the basis of their recommendations. This has happened to me quite a few times (on various other issues - including the one time where a GP recomended me to go see an orthopaedic surgeon just to have a small remnant of a bee stinger removed from my finger). I also gather this from my reading. In fact, this gyanae said at the end of our conversation that she'd "removed the uterus in many of her patients because of the fibroids"!! AND she didn't even bother to explain to me why. Shocking!!

 

[MishB]

I''ll be having mine out next year, for the last couple of years I''ve been going through a lot of problems that are severely impacting on my lifestye, physical and mental health! I don''t need it, don''t plan on having children, so it seems the simplest and easiest option.

I have made that decision myself though, it''s not something that should be presented to you cold as the only, or even the best option.

 

[swingirl]

Date: 11/22/2008 11:39:38 PM
Author: Phoenix

Date: 11/13/2008 2:29:17 PM

Author: swingirl

I am sorry for your medical issues and pain and discomfort that go along with it. I also had fibroids and I realize every situation is different and the 3 kinds of fibroids call for different treatments. The options of myomectomy (removing just the fibroids), uterine artery embolization (cutting off blood flow to the fibroids) and hysterectomy (removing the uterus) were all given to me as options. I had extremely heavy periods to the point of being anemic and having heart palpitations because of it. It was putting my heart at risk. The decision to have my uterus removed was easy to make because I was finished having children and looked forward to the days of no periods.


I had laparoscopic surgery with 1 entry through the belly button and 2 little side holes. I stayed overnight just for observation. There was absolutely no pain. My only discomfort was the catheter. While my doctor was in there she cleaned up adhesions from my C-section, and added extra support to the bladder.


I am so happy with the results. It did not bring on any menopausal symptoms obviously because the ovaries are intact. I LOVE not having a period. My cervix was also left intact so there was nothing disrupted vaginally and no scar tissue. There has been no change is anything sexual and I''ve been asked several times after a pelvic exam when my last period was, which shows that there is no change in the vaginal anatomy.


My doctor, Karen Rae Abbott, has since moved to Reno but if I needed this done again I would travel across the globe to see her. She is a pioneer in the field of minimally invasive gynecological surgeries and pelvic pain. She saved my son and my life 18 years ago.


You will need to find the treatment that best suits you. Your doctor should offer you a variety of options and let you decide what you are most comfortable with. I had my surgery about 6 or 7 years ago and it was not very common to remove the uterus leaving the cervix behind. I don’t know what being done today and if there are new alternatives. Find another doctor who is more familiar with this specialty and a little more sensitive!

Thanks so much for yr reply and very helpful infor provided, swingirl.


I am surprised to hear that one can have one''s uterus removed without removing the cervix. I doubt if the doctors here know how to do that. Even embolisation is a ''new'' procedure for them. I have a suspicion that they don''t keep up to date fast enough with advances in the medical field here (but if I am wrong, pls no one sue me for defamation!

).


Thank you for providing the infor abt Dr Abbott''s. I may very well contact her and get some more infor. If I need to, I would travel across the globe to see her too. I have another problem with I don''t know the exact cause of, but I suspect it''s adhesions - I posted about it in this thread:


https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pain-in-lower-abdomen-fibroids-tmi.80064/


I have these horrible pains that occur once in a while, all of a sudden without any warning. There''s no pattern to it at all. I''ve been concerned it might be cancer, but at the risk of ignorance, I''ve had these symptoms for a while now (about 6-7 yrs) and it can''t possibly be cancer because otherwise I''d be dead by now, I *think*!

. In any case, the pain attacks now occur a lot less frequently (like once every month or so) and the severity seems a lot less too. My periods seem to be less heavy too, for some strange reason.


I don''t think that I would have surgery specifcally for my fibroids (which as I mentioned are not causing me serious problems) but I *may* have to have surgery to see what all this pain (which I don''t think is caused by my fibroids, as I''ve only had the pain for the past 6-7 yrs and the fibroids were ''discovered'' 10 yrs or so ago) is about, and more importantly to prevent any serious problem from getting much worse. I''ve been reluctant to have anything done here because I haven''t felt comfortable enough with any doctor I''ve spoken too, but *if* I can find someone who would make enough sense to me (I am an auditor by profession and am pretty skeptical in nature), then I would definitely consider having appropriate surgery to help pinpoint and hopefully solve my problems.


Thank you so much again for sharing yr story and the infor. I am really glad that Dr Abbott was able to help you - more than once.

I don''t mean to blather too much about my wonderful doctor but I''ll go on just a bit more. She was a regular ob/gyn and delivered babies for years. She got older and didn''t want to keep up delivering babies at 2am and noticed more and more older women coming in with problems of pelvic pain, weak bladders, painful sex, etc. (something no one talked about a generations ago) So she now concentrates on everything except pregnancy.

I also had adhesions from my C-sec that felt like I got stabbed every time I sneezed. Honestly I couldn''t move for a few seconds. My doc cleaned those up too and didn''t create any new ones by using the belly bottom method. She said even dabbing you with the surgical sponges during surgery is going to create scar tissue. In my case I had a major c-secion and the adhesions ended up knitting my bladder to my uterus. The good news is I can sneeze and keep talking! I have excellent bladder control. My iron is high enough to donate blood again. And there are no complaints from the hubby!!! I realize I am much older than you but pain IS a pain at any age.

If you don''t plan on traveling across the globe you might email her office and see if she has any referrals in your area.