I am new to this website. Your comments and stories have helped to give me courage to return to nursing after a very long absence. Thank you.
Now I need your advice, comments, and any insights . Ultra sound showed several large masses inside uterus, and in myometrium, and on R ovary. Uterus should not be so large. Gyn thinks its fibroids, and biopsy was just sent ( results will be in 10 days) I have been perimenopausal for several years, and am done with childbearing. Also have suffered severe endometriosis for years. I am pondering whether to have bilateral salpingo oophorectomy, or leave one ovary in. I will be having a total abd.hysterectomy soon. Gyn wants to make sure it's not cancer
My mother passed away from adenocarcinoma of the pleural lining, unknown primary. It manifested as lung cancer. The lung biopsy reported some milk fat globules. I mentioned this to my gyn, and she said that my mom probably had breast cancer. That point was never brought up from my mother's diagnosis.
I sure would appreciate any thing you wish to say about this.
I had a total vag hyst with BSO a couple of years ago. I had a fibroid which was growing, and as I had already had an abdominal surgery, open from pubic bone to umbilicus, I had no desire to get my belly opened again.
I wasn't sure about the ovaries, either, but what convinced me was being told that it was better to get them out because of the difficulties of diagnosing ovarian CA. I didn't need them anymore, was post menopausal.
The surgery went well, even though he had to take out the fibroid in pieces to get it out without having to open me up. It was bigger than he expected.
I had an spinal for the surgery, my big problem being n/v, r/t the duramorph. Not even Zofran stopped it. Now I know I don't tolerate either demerol or morphine.....
I also used Vivelle DOT patches, weaned myself off them about 6 months ago, without much trouble. Those little patches are the best, very small, and they didn't stick to my panties like the Climara used to do. Also I only used them 3 weeks a month.
BTW, my mum also passed away from CA, adenocarcinoma of the uterus. Another good reason for me to have the hysterectomy.
Good luck with your surgery, you have had lots of good advice here.
First I wish to say that you all are WAY more knowledgable than me - I am in the first quarter of my first year of college (hope to be an RN) of the rest of my life....I was laid off just before Xmas after 23 yrs in an unrelated industry - FINALLY going after my lifelong dream of being a nurse (just in time huh?:chuckle )
With that said, as you can read (if you have the time) by my first post regarding hysterectomy vs. non hysterectomy - I am a HUGE cheerleader of getting it ALL out if you've decided on no children (or more children) - the pain and inconvience just isn't worth it, and you can create A LOT of problems for yourself by "dealing" with what you assume is pain from your female organs...
The patches - I have something to say about the patches, and welcome any response from anyone that's more knowledgable than I on the subject (which would be all of you!:chuckle )
I FINALLY got the Vivelle 0.1 after trying many others - Vivelle in my opinion is WAY better than the others - because my body rejected the premarin (with no apparent reason), and my estrogen got to just about 0 before I did something about it, after the shot, one patch was not enough for me - so I've been wearing two for 6 yrs or so - in the not so distant past, Vivelle came up with "Dots" - my pharmacy swore they were the SAME amount of medication - well I'm here to tell you it isn't - I tried for several months to wear the Dots 0.1 (supposedly the same amt of medication as the big patches) within a week I was experiencing the hot flashes, night sweats, exhaustion, you name it....I told the pharmacy this, and they just shrugged their shoulders and said "well it's SUPPOSED to be the same..."
I just have a hard time believing that the same amt of medication can be concentrated THAT much to deliver the same amt...
My opinion is it's just ANOTHER way the drug companies are ripping the public off - I had one heck of a time finding the "real" (big) patches, as the pharmacies are in bed with the drug companies, so the Dots cost them less while they're charging us the same - I FINALLY found them in Canada - at a third of the cost...as I said, being laid off means I have no insurance (it's WAY too expensive for me) I'm single with no kids, so that translates to meaning I am nothing to the state and federal govt - I get zip for assistance....at any rate - anyone else finding that the Dots don't get it for you?? They sure don't work for me!!
i to had to have a hyster, i was bleeding so much i had to have two units of blood. i decide to leave my ovaries, because i had a hx of blood clot, and hormones were not a choice for me. it has been 3yrs, and i don't regeret it at all. i do have hot flashes sometimes, and mood swing, but it is better than bleeding and hurting all the time.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I'm having the whole shootin' match taken out this summer. I've debated about leaving one or both ovaries in, since I don't tolerate hormones well, but I just want to be done with all of it---no more heavy bleeding, worries about cancer, repeated biopsies etc. On top of that I'm having a tummy tuck and umbilical hernia repair.......and once I'm through all that, I ought to be in good shape for many years to come!
Mimi2RN, ASN, RN
1,142 Posts
I had a total vag hyst with BSO a couple of years ago. I had a fibroid which was growing, and as I had already had an abdominal surgery, open from pubic bone to umbilicus, I had no desire to get my belly opened again.
I wasn't sure about the ovaries, either, but what convinced me was being told that it was better to get them out because of the difficulties of diagnosing ovarian CA. I didn't need them anymore, was post menopausal.
The surgery went well, even though he had to take out the fibroid in pieces to get it out without having to open me up. It was bigger than he expected.
I had an spinal for the surgery, my big problem being n/v, r/t the duramorph. Not even Zofran stopped it. Now I know I don't tolerate either demerol or morphine.....
I also used Vivelle DOT patches, weaned myself off them about 6 months ago, without much trouble. Those little patches are the best, very small, and they didn't stick to my panties like the Climara used to do. Also I only used them 3 weeks a month.
BTW, my mum also passed away from CA, adenocarcinoma of the uterus. Another good reason for me to have the hysterectomy.
Good luck with your surgery, you have had lots of good advice here.