Conference turris::womannotes-v2

    As a long-time 'hysto', I guess I qualify for this topic.  ;^)

    I am the same age you are, but had mine in January 1975.  I had
    the uteros, tubes, cervix, and one ovary removed.  Mine was for
    endomitriosis plus a large orange-sized cyst on one ovary; the
    other ovary was 'dusted off' and left (it was covered with the
    endometrium).  I signed myself into the hospital allowing only
    the phanensteil (smiley face) incision.  I don't really remember
    being on any pain killers, was up and around the next day, made
    sure I brought my dainty little nothing nities (wore them too!),
    and didn't encounter any physical complications.

    Emotionally you should expect to get a reaction to the trauma of
    surgery and the loss of reproductive organs.  I had a base-line
    hormone count done at my yearly pap smear and periodically ask
    for the count to be re-done through the years just to keep a 
    check on when the ovary shuts down.  It was heaven to get my 
    life back to where I didn't have to plan my activities around
    my flow (extremely heavy) and the clots (extremely large) and
    the pain after intercourse (sometimes incapacitating).  I have to
    stop and think and remember what "having a period" is!  I do sometimes
    get ovarian pain and have to remember that is what it is.  I never
    tracked when my cycle should have been.  

    I would strongly recommend the bikini incision ) as the recovery 
    rate is faster (you can stand up much better tooo!).  This method
    slows the doctor down but hey what the heck!  I should have had my
    surgery done possibly three years before I did but tried D&C etc.

    If I were to do anything differently, I would have had it done at
    a different part of the year.  I do remember feeling very tired for
    quite awhile (say about 6 months).  I think you do go through a 
    mourning period for what is lost.  With friends to help you emotionally,
    it should be fairly mild.  My girlfriend came in the night I got 
    back from surgery to special me which made me feel better.  Friends
    visited and otherwise I just vegged in the hospital.  I took books,
    needlework, and magazines to pass the time but really never touched 
    them.  Pamper yourself with special things.  Don't push yourself too
    much, allow time to heal.  Pretty soon you'll have to stretch your
    immagination to remember all the problems you had every month.  :*)

    If there is anything else, please ask specifically.  All hysterectomies
    are different.....my roomie had a vaginal with a bladder suspension!

    Hope this is a help.  Oh, one other thing, I always answer my gyn's 
    nurse when she asks when my last period was with December 1974!  I
    still get asked, at times it bothers me but most times it doesn't.
    Wish they would put a marker on hysto files though!

    justme....jacqui 	

    I had a hysterectomy 4 year ago (I'm now 40).  I feel I was very
    lucky and maybe you will be too.
    
    I spent 10 days in hospital, couldn't have the bikini cut 'cos the
    surgeon 'wanted to have a good look around in there'.  I was on
    pain killer for 2 days, after that just felt a bit sore, but nothing
    unbearable.  
    
    Was up and about the day after the op. , washed my own hair after
    3 days!
    
    My ovaries were not removed, so I didn't have to have HRT.  I already
    had one child (then 10), and could not have any more children, so
    emotionally I did not suffer at all.
    
    I was off work for 8 weeks in all, and felt really good for the
    most of them, it was more like a holiday!
    
    Just go into it with an open mind - if you expect hell then that's
    what it will be! Everybody reacts differently.
    
    When you come home, take things gently and I'm sure it won't be
    too long before you're back to your normal self.  Getting rid of
    the 'nuisance' will make you feel better physically, and I hope
    that mentally you cope as well as I did.
    
    Good luck - let us know how it goes for you and whether you want
    any more support.
    
    Brenda

    After several years of heavy bleeding and repeated unsuccessful
    D&C's [we couldn't afford the major surgery], my mother had a
    complete hysterectomy when I was a teenager.  She was in the
    hospital for three days, came home and cooked supper that night,
    and despite the fact she was recovering from major surgery, she
    immediately had more energy than she had had for months, maybe
    even years.  Still, she was easily tired and emotionally fragile
    for at least six months afterwards. 
    
    She says how fast you recover will depend on how badly run down
    you are.  Her bleeding was so bad that her iron level was
    approaching critical -- the surgery had to be delayed for a couple
    of weeks while she received daily iron shots to build up her
    stamina, and they gave her the first transfusion the night before
    the surgery.  But her basic health and fitness were good, so she
    bounced back quickly. 
    
    Then a year or two later, she started feeling tense and depressed
    and unable to cope.  She felt like she had failed as a woman
    because she had this faulty fibroid uterus.  Fortunately she burst
    into tears at the doctor's office during a checkup and he said
    "Hm.  Hormone imbalance. . ." and from then she took supplemental
    hormones; her emotional problems immediately went away.

    Hope some of this helps . . .
    
    --bonnie

    
    I had my surgery just about 7 years ago, at the age of 44.  I had
    endrometriosis (sp?), and had suffered for about 6 years with 
    all of the previously mentioned problems, including the D&C routines.
    I felt good after the surgery, happy and healthy - although a bit
    weak! I also was told that I would experience an emotional let down,
    and I did -  for a VERY short period.. the release from having to
    deal with the monthly high and low emotional cycles, and just the
    bother of it all soon replaced that!  I still have to take a very
    minute dosage of estrogen every day, just to keep the hormone 
    balance.  At first, I immediatley started experiencing the 'flushes'
    but the estrogen took care of that.  Physically, I have never felt
    better!
    
    Of course, one consideration was that I all ready had four children,
    and so THAT aspect never bothered me.  I was in the hospital 5 days,
    and was back to work in 4 weeks (only because my boss insisted that
    I take the time) - feeling better than ever.
    
    
    
    and the 'bother' of it all soon ove

    This is a reply from the basenote writer.
    
    ___________________________________________________
    
Thank you all for sharing you experiences.  Since I initially wrote I've spent
a great deal of time preparing for surgery, mostly by paying attention to my
feelings and what is going on inside me.  I did see the EAP (Employee AssistanceProgram) representative and he has been very supportive and helpful and aware;
in fact, I've seen him once a week and will be calling him from home after I
get out of surgery - it has helped immensely to have this type of counseling,
and I'm especially glad that it exists here at work, because otherwise I could
feel extremely isolated (since I don't want to broadcast the exact nature of  
my surgery).

There have been times that I've felt serene and confident, other times outright
dread and panic;  I've had grief, and anger, and I've had to remake my decision
for the hysterectomy on many different levels (and I know there will be more 
levels to come).  I think I will do fine, at least I hope I will do fine.... 
It's a big event - I feel it is the end of my youth, although I do expect to
be more youthful after surgery;  but I will be in a new era of my life.

I'll be back to work around the beginning of December, and I'll let you know
how it went.

Thanks again.

    
    hi 
    I am 36 and have had a complete historectomy at 30, I alos had a
    double massectamy at 24.  I greaved for quite some time over the
    massectamy, but have come to terms with that, I do not have implants
    nor do I wear prostesies, I'm small and most people just think I
    got left out.  The historectomy came after two years of being verry
    ill, I had endametrious that had pulled my lower intestance down
    and were growing to the back of my uterious.  Along with the
    historectomy they resectted my coalen.  I did great no complacations.
    Although I can not have children I do not feel any less a woman.
    I have not gained weight or change inmy apeariance.  I feel great
    and seldom every sick, I don't miss it.  I have six brothers and
    four sisters that have all had children and for me that will have
    to be enough, my job at the present time would not alow for adoption.
    I am a Product Support Engineer, I fly and fix, seldom ever home.
    Keep your chin up things will be fine.
    
    as always can't speel well and have not figured out how to do spell
    check in notes.

    Oh, goody!
    
    To use the spellchecker while you're writing a note or reply, hit
    the <Do> key or the <Gold> and <Command> keys, then type
    SPELL
    and hit the <Return> key.
    
    							Ann B.

    
    Thanks, Ann!
    
    I cannot count the number of times I found my mispellings
    *after* the ^Z...

    thanks a million, I'm great at math and other things but just can't
    get the hang of spelling

    
    This is an answer from the base note author..
    
    
    ________________________________________________________
    
    
    Dear Bonnie,

I'm back, all went very well;  could you please add this (probably final)
note to note #163 in womannotes.

Thanks!


here's the note:

not to change the subject from spelling, but I'm back and wanted to let you
all know how things went;  and this might be helpful information for anyone 
who is going to have a hysterectomy.

I found, in retrospect, the actual surgery to be truly "no big deal".  
Although it is major surgery, I didn't feel it was that intrusive, and 
given what I had been led to believe, I was amazed at how easy the physical
part was.  The emotional part, of course, is huge;  I wouldn't for a moment
diminish the importance of that.  And my guess is, for women who's surgeries
take longer than mine, the trauma to the body and resulting recovery time is
considerably greater.

My doctor was primarily concerned about loss of blood, as I was anemic going
into surgery, and so he did not remove the cervix (which is where the major
loss of blood occurs).  So the actual surgery was 40 mintues or less, the
loss of blood was so small both my doctor and the assisting resident were
inclined to boast about it, and the incision was clean and, even I was
surprised, almost inconspicuous.  (Although the incision was a good deal
longer than I had anticipated.)  I was able to sit up, turn over, and move
around more than most (I gather from the nurses) and although I did all these
things with great slowness, the pain was tolerable.

On the other hand, the morphine practically did me in.  I started throwing
up 12 hours after surgery and when my doctor made his rounds, he said that
the morphine was doing much more harm than the surgery (he was right).  
Wouldn't eat, couldn't stay awake (a hideous feeling:  I couldn't hold my 
head up or keep my eyes open or focus on what I wanted to see), was
nauseous and vomiting (not a good thing when you have an abdominal incision;
the nurses were sweet and patted my back sympathetically while they held
the bedpan).  My doctor switched me to Demerol (sp?), with no improvement,
and by 24 hours after surgery they put me on oral pain killers (Tylox),
and I instantly (it seemed) became well and whole.  Food did not seem a
threat to my sanity, it even seemed interesting;  I was in and out of bed
(mostly to walk to the bathroom to pee, a great incentive for getting up),
I was weak but completely alert and so happy to be myself again.  

A few hours later I showered, then I started slowly roaming around the
hospital corridors, finding everything interesting in the early morning hours
(and moving - I could feel from the sounds of some of the rooms I passed that
an elderly occupant might not leave the hospital alive).  I sat up in bed and
watched the dawn and thought about mortality, and knew I would be home soon;
and did walk out of the hospital at 10:30 that morning (42 hours after 
surgery), was home by noon. 

When I got home I was amazed that I could do everything I wanted to, although
of course I did it slowly.  I could fill and shake down the coal stove, go
up and down stairs, hoist the coal bucket, and best of all, pick up, hug,
change, carry upstairs and carry in the backpack, my son (19 lbs. at the
time).  It was wonderful - a great gift - to be able to do so much.  I should
probably note that I am a swimmer and may have more upper body strength than
is typical, because everyone I had spoken to had said that I should not plan
on doing any of this.  (My doctor had said, simply, "do anything that feels 
ok."  He also said that I could climb a mountain if I wanted, but I did know
that I most certainly wouldn't want to do that.)

I took naps the first three days or so, then was back to a normal schedule,
except for sleeping late in the morning.  That first week I decided, although
I still had some pain from the incision, that I was in fact normal, and 7
days after the surgery my body told me to stop this foolishness (I had 
excruciating stomach cramps).  So I drank warm milk, managed to get to sleep,
and spent the next three days reading a book (and taking care of Daniel). From
then on, life was truly normal.  I also felt a great surge of energy and
wondered how much of my energy had been drawn inward by the fibroid.  Suddenly
it seemed I could do anything and do it all day long. (In fact, as I found out
in my post surgical check up, my red blood cell count was shooting up, now
that I was no longer losing blood profusely.) 

Emotionally, the recovery was a bit more demanding, if only because our 
feelings (mine at least) cry for expression, whereas I can keep physical
discomfort at an arm's length.  The third week home was the week I would 
have gotten my period, and bad as that had been, I still felt the loss.  I
felt a great sadness at the ending of so much;  it was very like a death,
and I let the grief run its course, which it did do.  Overt grief, at any
rate;  I know it will take a while to fully accept and accommodate the loss,
and to feel real joy in having an end to the madness that my periods had 
become.

My main problems now are getting back at work.  The time at home was immensely 
precious, because I was with Daniel all day, because I was writing 
energetically, because I felt so well.  Returning to work has been a loss of
all that, and with the strenuous demands of single working motherhood, I now
feel generally run down.  And angry that I have to be back.  I learned something
that morning I walked around the hospital, and I have to find a way to hold
on to that and to the precious things of my life, and still maintain a job.
This will be hard;  I used to love my work passionately and that has changed,
and it's a big adjustment (and another loss of sorts).  So the true recovery
is much longer term that I had expected, but all on an emotional level;  my
life has changed, I am at a new age, and how to take up where I left off
without losing that new life is what I must find out how to do.

Thank you again for your replies.  My best -

    Thanks very much for sharing that with us, I'm sure your experience
    will reduce the amount of anxiety the next woman feels as she faces the
    surgery. 
    
    						in Sisterhood,
    						=maggie

    At age 42, I'm facing a possible hysterectory after 20 years of
    endometriosis.  With removal of the uterus and only one ovary I
    wonder if I can expect any changes in sexual feelings, or whether
    I might experience the dreaded premature menopause.  Is one ovary
    usually sufficient to maintain an adequate supply of estrogen?
    
    Thanks for any comments on this.
    

    re:  .12 


    Since I am over 42  and had a hysterectomy when I was 30, I
    feel I can give you feedback on your concerns.  I had my
    uterus, one ovary, tubes, and cervix removed through the
    Phanensteil (sp?  eg "happy face smile, bikini ")incision
    for the same reason you are facing.  My remaining ovary was
    "dusted off" and left behind to keep my hormone level functioning
    normally without medication.  I made sure I had a hormone count 
    done at my next PAP to give a baseline reading for future checks 
    on its productivity.
 
    I have not taken any hormones or experienced any problems.  I
    was glad to have the problem solved and my body restored to full
    functioning.  The only way you will experience any menopausal 
    signs is if you are going into the "change" normally.  I should 
    have had the operation earlier than I did but tried the route of
    D&C with no luck.  I was really fortunate to have had a doctor
    who didn't feel one had to "live" with the problem.  Sexual feelings
    don't change one bit, except for the liberation from possible 
    worry of unwanted pregnancy.  

    Be prepared for normal mourning of part of your body though.  That
    does happen.  Also, having it done this time of year might be better
    than in January like I did.  The sun shines brighter and relaxing
    outdoors is more healthy than being in the house with the snow and
    ice outside and the short days!  

    Good luck  and  enjoy living free from the pain involved with 
    endometriosis.

    justme....jacqui

    re: .13
    
    I really appreciate your sharing your experience.  I have found
    other women at work who have had positive results from their
    surgeries, too, and it's relieving some of my anxieties.
    
    I should be asking this in the endo. note (#63), but was your
    doctor concerned about the continuation of endo. from the estrogen
    produced by the remaining ovary?  My doctor is recommending further
    hormone treatment (progesterone or androgen) even after surgery
    to ensure that microscopic endo. implants don't grow back.

    Judy

    Judy,

    Since my operation was in January of 1975, I feel that I haven't
    had any problems.  I really did have massive clots, painful inter-
    course, and no way that my life could be free to live unobstructed
    by the problems associated with endometriosi?  I have been on a
    regular schedule of seeing my doctor yearly and PAP tests done.  I
    have had no pain or feel there has been any growth anywhere.  My
    doctor spent time cleanning up all areas involved at the time.  Really,
    the only important thing for me at the time was getting radical about
    the incision.  I chose the \___/  (that's bikini cut)  over his 
    preferred | (that's what I call the zipper).  To ensure this, I 
    signed my surgical release to include this method.  I asked for 
    hormone count levels to be done at the PAP test time.  I haven't 
    had any supplemental hormones yet!  It's possible that 15 years
    would make a difference in how the treatment process would take
    place.  I just didn't even think to ask.  

    justme....jacqui

    HELP!!!!! I am at my wits end.  I can't think anymore.  I need a
    hysterectomy, I have resigned myself to that....my doctors don't
    agree on whether to take the ovaries or not!  The decision is up
    to me........I CAN'T MAKE IT!!!!!!!
    
    PLEASE......ANYONE WHO HAD THE CHOICE....ANSWER....IF YOU HAD THEM
    REMOVED PLEASE HELP!  I HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS CLOSE TO THE EDGE!
    
    

    How old are you? How close to natural menopuase?
    
    and 
    
    hugs
    
    Bonnie

    Hugs indeed!
    
    The main issue is good sense:  if there's no reason to have them
    removed other than "because we usually do" or some other brain-dead
    "reason", then by all means keep them!  Allow their removal only if
    there's some real pathological problem involved--unlikely given that
    they're offering you the choice.
    
    If you have them removed, then you should take advice --from a female
    MD-- about getting hormone replacement therapy, particularly if you
    haven't undergone natural menopause yet.  
    
    The reason for that is that ovarian removal results in "surgical
    menopause" which has exactly the same results as the natural one and
    probably not something you want to experience if you're 35 or so [and
    for my part, not ever!].  They might try to talk you out of getting
    replacement therapy, or emphasise the dangers, but as far as I can
    tell, the dangers are small and the compensatory benefits large.
    
    More hugs.
    
    						=maggie
                                                                    

    I COULD ALMOST CRY, to think that I got a response from someone
    already!  THANKS!
    
    I am 42 yrs old and the doctors said that I wouldn't be going thru
    meno for maybe 5-9 yrs.  But the speecialist said that if they aren't
    removed there is no good way to check them, only if I begin to have
    trouble with them or get cancer.  That worries me.  I received a
    doctor's report on the advantages and disadvantage of removing them
    and when I read the advantages I say "take them"  when I read the
    disadvantages I say" keep them"  My specialist and family doctor
    are in favor of taking them.  My second opinion surgeon and gyn
    Dr. said it is entirely up to me, the days of the doctors telling
    the patient what to do is over, it is MY decision.  (One that I
    can't make at the moment).
    
    What happens if they are removed?  How terrible is the estrogen
    therapy?  I will be scheduled for surgery (if I make up my mind)
    in January.  So I have some time.  The brochure is 50/50.
    
    
    thanks for caring!
    
    jackie
     

    
    <--(.19)
    
�    But the speecialist said that if they aren't removed there is no good
�    way to check them, only if I begin to have trouble with them or get
�    cancer.
    
    I think the issue here, Jackie, is whether you're thought to already be
    at unusual risk of cancer...to my knowlege [somebody please correct me
    if I'm talking thru my hat] ovarian cancer is really pretty rare, so if
    you're not at risk particularly anyway then it might not matter that
    your gynecologist would no longer have an "inspection port" thru which
    to keep an eye on them.  But I'm really in over my head here, though,
    so it's a discussion you want to have with your gynecologist.
    
    As to what the therapy involves, it's quite like taking birth-control
    pills and in fact they were often used for the purpose, though many
    doctors now prefer to use natural estrogens from equine sources rather
    than the artificial ones used in bc pills.  
    
    Taking them involves a slight increase in your risk of cancer, so that
    if you're already in a high-risk group they might try non-estrogen
    therapies first or seriously recommend that you suffer the menopausal
    symptoms instead.  It used to be that you would be given both estrogen
    and progestin to simulate more accurately the natural hormonal cycle,
    but a recent study suggests that it's less risky to just take straight
    estrogen.
    
    						=maggie

    
    I had a hysterectomy in 1984 and they were able to leave one ovary
    which functioned for almost 5 years.  Since this spring I have been
    on the patch pormone therapy since I started to go through the change.
    
    I also was 42.  My two aunts had ovarian cancer, my uncle had prostate
    cancer, my mother has skin cancer.  Every year without fail I get a
    full checkup plus mamogram because I also have fibrocystic disease.
    
    One reason for being careful to start hormonal therapy when I first
    started showing signs was because of osteoperosis which also runs in
    the family ..... great heritage for my daughter.
    
    You might want to get a couple of opinions, but when after 2 D&Cs I
    still was one week off and 3 weeks on in terms of my period, I was
    ready for anything.  It helped me a great deal.
    
    Cathy

    THANKS you two, I guess that I never considered what actually hormone
    therapy was, and I never did ask anyone....guess I need to try and
    slow down a little.  I have never been this upset.  I am usually
    a pretty "together" person.  But this has me reeling.  My Mother
    had a hysto when she was really young, and her sisters also, don't
    know about my grandmother.  I know that I don't want to get cancer,
    my husband's sister died of ovarian cancer (plus cancer of everything
    else) when she was 34 years old.  Every person in my husband's family
    has died of cancer...no person has died of anything else, not even
    old age or accidents or anything!  I know this doesn't concern my
    health, but I have seen so many people die of it that IT SCARES
    ME.
    
    When you take the hormone therapy, you don't get crazy?  I have
    heard some horror stories that until they get it adjusted, you are
    a mad woman?  It's just like taking birth control pills?  
    
    I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to ask some pretty minor
    questions.  I have always been in control and learned years ago
    how to control things, I just can't seem to get ahold of this "monkey"
    to control it.
    
    I have just made an appointment with my family doctor for tomorrow
    afternoon so we can "just talk", plain words.  I still want to write
    in these notes.  I took a chance by writing, I am somewhat new to
    this whole notes thing and read how to search for a subject, then
    when I read the dates on the notes on hysto, I thought that maybe
    no one read them any more....
    
    
    THANKS OUT THERE....................!!!!!  GLAD YOU LISTEN!
    

    Jackie,

    I had a complete hysterectomy in January of 1975 at the age of
    thirty-two....this included removal of the uterous, both tubes,
    cervix, and removal of one cystatic ovary - the other ovary 
    was "dusted off" of endometrium.  Since I am now 46 and have
    this ever-functioning ovary still producing its hormones, I have
    not entered the "change of life" period of my life.  I have not
    had ANY hormone replacement therapy, nor had any known problems
    with the remaining ovary.  I have a regular gyn exam with a PAP
    yearly by the gynocologist who did the original surgury.  The 
    only thing I required of him in 1975 was to do the Phanensteil
    incision (the happy face/bikini one) - I signed the surgical release
    form to include that.

    After the recovery period and getting over being exhausted easily,
    I have been very pleased with the results of my surgury.  I can
    still recall the problems I encountered monthly and feel that 
    making the decision I did could have been made a few years earlier
    for my faster well-being. 

    Think of it this way.....you can always have the ovaries/ovary 
    removed later, but not put back!  All it will take is monitoring
    it, if the doctor spots a potential problem in the making while
    doing the hysterectomy at this point.  Mine chose to take the one	
    he was going to leave cause he spotted an orange size cyst covering
    it and "saved" the other from endometrium take-over.  Doctors do
    have options, so do people.

    Good luck toward a fast recovery.

    justme....jacqui
    

�    When you take the hormone therapy, you don't get crazy?  I have
�    heard some horror stories that until they get it adjusted, you are
�    a mad woman?  It's just like taking birth control pills?  
    
    Well, it's as simple as taking bc pills, Jackie, but of course because
    your bod has no other source of the hormone by that time, until the
    physician gets the dose right you still have the menopausal symptoms
    and *they* can make you a "mad woman".  But for most women, "getting
    the dose right" is pretty easy.  
    
    For my part, they got it right the first time, then years later the
    dope I was consulting decided to play with it a bit and see if he could
    reduce it...and THAT screwed me up and it took my new physician awhile
    to get it back to a good place, meanwhile I had the effing hot flashes
    and felt generally upset and creeped out.
    
    						=maggie
    
    

�    THANKS OUT THERE....................!!!!!  GLAD YOU LISTEN!
    
    You're very welcome...we do actually try our best most times. :-)

    There's a difference between feeling/acting "crazy" and getting hot
    flashes and other menopausal symptoms.  I did *not* experience much
    moodiness with menopausal symptoms; in fact, I felt much more on an
    even keel than I did when I was menstruating and having PMS.  (Of
    course, this is different for every woman!)
    
    I went on the hormone therapy and we tried *many* different combinations
    until we had the best one for me.  *I* did not notice any "crazy"
    symptoms with any of them, just a return of some *minor* PMS symptoms. 
    In other words, my problems, both with menopausal symptoms and with the
    hormone treatment, have been physical, not emotional -- I didn't get any
    crazier than usual!  :-)
    
    My hormone therapy includes progestin(sp?) because I still have my
    organs.  A friend had a hysterectomy and takes just the Estrogen (since
    she has no uterus to become cancerous).  I believe that taking the
    Estrogen alone eliminates PMS syptoms and keeps you on an even keep
    emotionally!
    
    Hope this helps a little!
    
    Nancy

    I AM SO GLAD THIS CONFERENCE IS ON A NUMBER OF TOPICS, I FIRST THOUGHT
    THIS WOULD BE A CONFERENCE ON MALE VS FEMALE THINGS AT DEC!  
    
    I am becoming a real believer of these notes.  And I thank you for
    being you.
    
    I will let you know what the "doc" says tomorrow.
    
    I really must say, that this morning I was ready to go into a dark
    room and cry all day....now it's 3:20 P.M. and I feel "almost normal"
    (of course if any of you knew the real me, you would know that I
    really am "one crazy woman", and that is why I WAS SO SCARED!.
    
    Thanks to you all!
    
    Jackie

    
    Once or twice and month I might get a "hot flash", but it was such a
    relief not having a period 3 weeks out of every 4.
    
    It is true that some people are more affected than others, but there
    is an old wives tale about women acting crazy after menopause that
    one almost expects it to happen.  If you are "waiting" and "watching"
    for that first sign - it will come if only just as a self fulfilling
    prophacy.  My mother was off the wall because she DID NOT take hormone
    therapy - resfused it and now has osteoperosis VERY badly.  
    
    To me the after care is just as important as the recovery from the
    operation.
    
    good luck,
    
    Cathy

    
    I had a hysterectomy when I was 44, and have been on Estrogen therapy
    ever since (8 years).  Taking estrogen is, as Maggie says, nothing
    more than taking one little pill daily. I have never had any bad
    or ill affects from the estrogen.  Actually, I have forgotten to
    take it once or twice, and have not had any problems.   I have asked
    my Dr. if taking the estrogen could have any negative affects, and
    he says no.. the benefits far out weight any negatives that may
    exist.
    
    Having the hysterectomy was the best thing that could have happened,
    because I have felt sooooo much better ever since!  I was truly
    sick every month, incapacitated for several days each cycle (every
    two weeks!).  Had had at least 2 D&C's, which did nothing.  Now
    I have more energy, feel better about myself than I ever did then.
    
    It did take a few weeks to gain my strength back after the surgery,
    but I would not hesitate to say that it was not bad at all.
    
    Hugs to you, hope it all goes well..
    
    Nancy
    
   

    If you want more technical information on hysterectomies, you might
    want to start a note in the MEDICAL notesfile (currently at
    HYDRA::MEDICAL) - as there isn't one on hysterectomies yet...
    
    Also, please see
    
    Womannotes-v1
    469 - Hysterectomy?
    
    -Jody
    

    I just wanted to let you all know that I took the day off yesterday,
    got myself back to the family doctor and we talked for an hour.
    
    I feel much better, and my surgery is scheduled for January 8, 1990.
    I have made the decision to "have it all out" and go for the ERT
    treatment.
    
    Thank you everyone, the letters were a very important part of my
    decision.  I guess I needed to know that if I took the route that
    I plan to take that I would be alright.  And from reading these
    notes, I know that I will be.
    
    Now all I have to do is quit smoking and loose a little weight before
    the surgery......piece of cake?  NO WAY....!
    
    Thanks to you all........and hugs to all of you, for making me not
    so cracy with indecision.
    
    P.S.  I have decided to give3 my own blood, "just in case"!
    
    
    Jackie
    

�    Now all I have to do is quit smoking and loose a little weight before
�    the surgery......piece of cake?  NO WAY....!
    
    No, not a piece of cake (not if you want to lose the weight, anyhow :-)
    but you'll manage, Jackie, you'll manage.
    
�    P.S.  I have decided to give3 my own blood, "just in case"!
    
    Certainly a wise decision, even today.
    
    I hope that you'll remind us before you go off to the hospital so that
    we can offer some electronic hugs to take with.
    
                                                   =maggie

    Thanks for your encouragement and I LOVE ALL THE ELECTRONIC HUGS!
    
    P.S. Surgery has been changed to January 9th........ will write
    more just before I leave
    
    AND THANKS AGAIN!

    For what it's worth ...
    
    My wife had a hysterectomy in October and has recovered beautifully!
    She had severe endometriosis.  One ovary was removed, one was not.
    So far there has been no sign that she'd need supplemental hormones.
    It's like she's a different person.  She said the paina after surgery
    wasn't anywhere as severe as her usual monthly discomforts.  As
    far as the "ovary - no ovary" question ... if it ain't broke, don't
    fix it ....
    
    
    
    				Jerry

    Well, here I am surgery ready!  I have given my last pint of
    blood for myself.  I have a very good outlook so far.  I have
    everything in order just in case things don't work out well.  And
    I will be at work for one more week!
    
    I hope all of you have a GREAT NEW YEAR and THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR
    MAKING ME FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH MY DECISION AND MYSELF!
    
    

    Big hugs...and best wishes....
    
    -Jody
    

    My hystorectomy is a week from today.....needless to say, I'm feeling
    a little nervous!  Most of the replies here have indicated that
    they did take estrogen after the surgery.  In my case, they are 
    taking both ovaries as well as the uterus, and I will be unable to take
    estrogen as I have endometrial cancer which is estrogen dependedent.
    Has anyone had any experience with surgical menopause and NO estrogen??
    
    Diane
    

   See note 622 in hydra::medical.

    I'm getting more and more confused......
    
    I did go over and read the note in the medical notesfile.  I have gone
    through both this note and note 948.  What I'm hearing is that the
    majority of people seem to be taking estrogen and are pretty happy with
    it.  However, in the reading and research I have been doing since
    all this happened, the side effects of estrogen therapy look pretty
    stupendously awful to me.  It sounds like the doctors are saying 
    something quite different to people.
    
    Since I can't take estrogen anyway,, I don't have to make the decision.
    But I am pretty concerned about the symptoms I will incur from surgical
    menopause without anything.  I just ran into a note in MEDICAL where
    someone mentioned the possibility of Alzheimer's as a side effect......
    that's the first I've heard of that.  Is this something new?  I have
    done a LOT of reading and never ran into it.
    
    

    
    Diane,
    this isn't much help, but my mother had a complete hysterectomy
    just after I was born (nearly 35 years ago, when she was 35) and
    had no estrogen treatments....to my knowledge she had no 'trauma' 
    from the surgery/lack of hormones...maybe some mild side effects,
    and some 'pms' sort of moods, but no long-term problems.  Today
    at 70 she suffers no alzheimers, or anything else related to those
    earlier days.
    
    sorry I can't give you any specific medical references...my guess
    is that no one knows, but everyone speculates, and all those
    speculations range the spectrum from 'nothing to sever problems'
    
    deb
    

    HELLO, EVERYONE.....I'M BACK!
    
    This is my first day on the job and I wanted to make sure that I wrote
    to all of you to say....THANKS!
    
    I had my surgery and it went well.  One bad thing that happened was
    that about a week after the surgery, I got a blood clot.  But, after a
    week that was even great!
    
    It was because of all of you that I went "under" and felt good and not
    as worried!
    
    I had everything removed and am on Premarin for 25 days a month.  It
    seems to working fine.  Even the days I am off of it I feel GREAT!  No
    "hot flashes" or "swings"!
    
    Thanks for all your Electronic HUGS, they mean't a lot to me!
    
    I only hope that someday I can help some, so I can "keep the sharing
    and caring going"!
    

    That's great news, Jackie!
    
�    I only hope that someday I can help some, so I can "keep the sharing
�    and caring going"!
    
    You will, gyn, you will.  [hug]
    
    						=maggie

    
    I am posting this for a noter who wishes to remain anonymous...
    
    -Jody
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    
    My wife is coming home from the hospital today.  She had a complete
    hysterectomy last Friday afternoon.  I don't know what to expect.  I'm
    looking for some words of wisdom from this community.

    Further information, she is 34, we have two daughters 12 and 13.5, we
    both work, our marrige (15yrs) is in poor health, but we are friendly
    and care about each other as people.

    I want to help her recover (mentally as well as physically).  I want to
    support her in her time of need.  

    What can you share with me ?

    It was *major* surgery, even though that may not be obvious from
    her appearance.  She's going to need to recover from that before she
    gets back into doing *any* daily tasks.
    
    Depending on the reason for the surgery, her mood may be anything from
    ecstatic to suicidal...and can swing sharply and frequently.  Some
    women find the loss of the womb to be as destructive to their sense of
    womanliness as most men would feel about the loss of their testes. 
    Others find it liberating:  no more pregnancy.  Most are worried about
    the hormonal consequences, and even today there are physicians who
    routinely refuse replacement therapy and tell the women that they have
    to accept the menopausal symptoms.  That is a crock and a different
    doctor should be found at once!
    
    It's no impossible that you will find the state of your marriage
    changing, perhaps even for the better; I certainly can't predict
    whether or how that might occur, but from whatever I know it often
    does, particularly if you sincerely find her as or more attractive now
    than before and you let her know in *subtle* ways.  But be prepared: 
    the change might be for the worse, too, regardless of your reactions. 
    Or there may be no change at all.  I guess I'm saying try not to have
    expectations.
    
    						=maggie  

    besides the emotional issue, it takes quite a long time to get all the
    anesthesia out of the system. sometimes there is a fear of moving and 
    ripping out stitches, most doctors limit lifting, driving or even
    pushing a vacume cleaner around for almost 4 weeks post op. depending
    on the direction of the incision. It is extremely important to remember
    also that she will probably be very very tired for a few days or weeks,
    depending on her bodies reaction to the loss of hormones.  I remember
    being pretty peppy the second day home, and got up and did some dishes,
    started dinner for my daughter (I had noone else but me and her) ate,
    then developed cramps and was exhausted and sore for almost a week.  
    so be careful, sometimes the false sense of wellness after getting 
    home could lead to over doing. I know many other women who have done 
    the same exact thing so this isn't uncommon.  also any amount of walking
    (as in shopping) is ususally too much for a couple of weeks. 
    be patient, be kind, get your kids to help as much as possible. 
    
    
    good luck to all of you
    
    vivian
    

    I had my complete Hysto on Jan 11.  I agree, that you really have a
    false sense of how you feel.....I felt great when I got home, did a few
    things around the house and the next day WHAM-O!
    
    I can't say much on the hormonal thing...I went into the surgery with a
    pretty positive attitude and decided that nothing was going to change
    how I felt either as a woman or a person (thanks to all the noters that
    helped me) and I was put on Premarin right after the surgery.
    
    It has been about 8 weeks and I feel great!  It was the best thing that
    I ever did, the pathologist's report was horendous, a lot more wrong
    than anyone thought, but it doesn't matter!  I AM OK!
    
    My husband was a sweetheart, along with my Mom, they did everything for
    me for the first 2 weeks I was home!
    
    Want to know what has mean't a lot to me?  I know this will sound petty
    but at the end of my recoup time, I went shopping for some new undies,
    think about it...they will never get ruined again!  Try buying some new
    pretty things for your wife, I think she'll understand.
    
    Everyone told me it was MAJOR surgery, well you believe it when you try
    to do something and can't or you overdo and the next day you die.  Get
    the kids to help out as much as they can, the more help you get in the
    beginning the faster you heal.
    
    And one more thing.......thank God that you had the kids before the
    surgey, some of us were never so lucky!
    
    All I can say is I FEEL LIBERATED!  NO MORE MONTHLY'S (or weekly's as
    they were before the surgery).  IT WAS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND ALL THE
    POSITIVE FEELINGS AND HUGS FROM YOU ALL THAT HELPED ME!
    
    Let me know if I can help in ANY WAY!