OK, the time has come to fight with my insurance company again over my need to have a TAH/BSO. I'm seeing my GYN this next week, and I've been faithfully charting my bleeding episodes over the entire past year (I don't call them "periods" anymore, because I more or less bleed all the time......this last episode went on for 24 straight days). Now I've got some questions.
1) How long is recovery time......REALLY? I'm 45 years old, no spring chicken but not exactly an old hen either, in decent health except for morbid obesity and HTN. I don't have anywhere near enough vacation time saved up to have this done, but neither can I see waiting another 6-12 months.
2) Vertical vs. "bikini" incision: My GYN says she'll do a vertical, but what is the benefit to this as opposed to the bikini? I've had 3 C-sections with this cut........why do I have to have my entire abdomen opened up, with the potential for wound dehiscence and other problems (not to mention PAIN in a new area)?
3) What, if anything, do I need to do to "prove" to my insurance companies (I have dual insurance) that I really need this operation? I've tried progesterone (made me psychotic), birth control pills (migraines), an endometrial ablation (worked for only about 5 months), and just tried waiting it out until menopause (which could go on another 5 years or more). Right now, I'm NOT anemic and I'm NOT suffering from unbearable pain.......but how on earth am I supposed to have anything even resembling a normal life (and forget having a sex life!) when I bleed almost all the time?!
Any help you can give me would be very much appreciated. Thank you!
I had one via scope and partially the lady parts. One ovary had adhered to my abdominal wall so they ended up doing some cutting. I feel so much better but it took a year to get insurance to pay for it. The only thing I was not prepared for was I lost almost 100% of my libido. Nothing has brought it back.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
What's a libido??
Seriously, it's a little difficult to "get busy" when you're bleeding all the time and you feel about as sexy as a piece of toast. I think *I'M* the one who needs the stinkin' Viagra........
Thanks for the FYI, renerian. I still think I'd better take my chances and have the surgery when I can.....I don't think my sex life will suffer much more than it has already.
So, when I tell patients that I really do understand how they feel being "the patient", I really mean it.
I too know what "the patient" feels. I have been a pt for so long now, I decided to go to nursing school!
I was diagnosed at the ripe at of 19 with Endometriosis. Contrary to several doctors beliefs of having children, I was blessed with 2 beautiful babies. (My son is now 4 and daughter will be 2 in March)
I was also blessed with the battle of 6 types of birth control pills, 3 different types of medically induced menopause. One Depo shot caused me to bleed for 26 WEEKS STRAIGHT! :angryfire
Not to mention the 6 laproscopic surgeries. The pain was so intense on a daily basis...
Finally, last August I had my hysterectomy at the age of 28. I had Laproscopic assisted lady partsl Hysterectomy. ((leaving only one ovary) No major incisions. 1 small one in my belly button and two small holes above the ovarian area on both sides. (They found I also had fibroid tumors and Adenomyosis as well.) I was up walking around 3 hours after leaving recovery and went home (errr shopping, shhh ) the next day. LOL
I was in so much pain going TO the hospital for surgery that the post-op pain was NOTHING!
Anyway, I LOVE my hysterectomy! Sometimes I wonder why I waited so long, but I do have two precious babes!
I too can still tell when it 'would be' my time of the month by my moods. But otherwise, no hot flashes and no hormones...
I would also check into the lady partsl hysterectomy too. I flew out of town 9 days after surgery. I felt normal with no pain at all after about 4 days. I still took advantage of my 4 weeks of medical leave though. :chuckle
Best wishes hun, I know what it's like to have the "crimson tide" and I feel for you! Good luck!
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I've been told I can't have a LAVH because my uterus is too large (I think it was 18 cm at my last visit) and would injure other structures if the hyst were done that way. I can understand that. I just don't want the vertical incision unless someone can give me a compelling argument for doing it that way.
I had a hyst almost 2 years ago...uterus, cervix, tubes, and L ovary. This after so many years of heavy, heavy bleeding and severe pain. I'd been on 5 different types of birth control (ever increasing doses) and a course of lupron. The decision was the best one I ever made, because I have been totally pain free since then, and it's wonderful not to be bleeding all the time.
I had a bikini line incision which healed nicely, can't see the scar at all. My recovery seemed to take a while, though. I was off work 8 weeks. Partly because my initial recovery was delayed a bit because my bladder was nicked during surgery (my bladder position was high and to the right). I also had significant pain not relieved well with pain meds....but I have a *low* pain tolerance. So while I was up and on my feet when I was supposed to be, it took me longer to get back up to speed.
Maybe your MD wants to do the vertical incision because of the size of your uterus? I suppose it could probably be done the other way???? I would just have a frank discussion with your doctor about your concerns.
i had to have a hysterectomy, cause of cancer of the uterus. i am still recovering from it. i had to have everything out. now im having radiation to make sure they got it all. it is so depressing some days, but im trying to cope with it all. the worse thing is when i go for the radiation, they have to put this cylinder up me, and it is so painful, but the radiation doesnt hurt.
) the next day. LOL
Sometimes I wonder why I waited so long, but I do have two precious babes!.thumb.jpg.ebb7e0b8d82ee32bace787d4e1dcfebb.jpg){kind=small}
renerian, BSN, RN
5,693 Posts
I had one via scope and partially the lady parts. One ovary had adhered to my abdominal wall so they ended up doing some cutting. I feel so much better but it took a year to get insurance to pay for it. The only thing I was not prepared for was I lost almost 100% of my libido. Nothing has brought it back.
Just an FYI,
renerian:imbar