Making a Decision

First, it's all personal. There is no right or wrong decision when it comes to your own health.

Modern medicine is great because it gives us so many choices.

There was a time when I was younger, perhaps more angry or resentful about being a woman and I thought that hysterectomies were butchery. And it's likely that a lot of it was. There were millions and millions of women who had rather banal complaints and so doctors just took out their "plumbing."

I know some of that still goes on today, but I'm not worried that I'm being victimized by that old system.

I want a hysterectomy because my uterus is a problem. My uterus is causing problems with other parts of my body.

At the moment, nothing is serious or life-threatening, but these little compromises kind of chip away at us slowly.

My bleeding has gotten worse over the years. Bad enough that I haven't been able to donate blood for almost three years. While I'm not anemic in the sense of it being a health hazard, I do wonder sometimes if I'm tired because of it.

My bladder has become incredibly small. I've changed my drinking habits because of it, and I wonder if that will affect other parts of my life. I loved to drink lots and lots of water. I feel energized when I'm hydrated. Or I used to, anyway. I feel cleansed by great quantities of water moving through my system. I live in Southern California where it's hot and I'm not afraid to sweat.

I've got this bunch of rocks in my abdomen. It's uncomfortable. They press on things, they push back. I hate them. I feel my tummy and I'm unhappy. I worry that someday it will affect my sex life. I've been with the same wonderful man for 13 years. He deserves a woman who isn't afraid of her own body - he deserves a woman who takes care of herself. I'm not worried that he's going to be turned off by my little belly - I'm in my late thirties, we expect to get a little rounder as we get older. But I can't blame him if he got turned off by me not caring about myself.

The uterus is made for holding a developing baby. I'm not going to have children. The uterus is made to shed itself when it doesn't have a baby to nourish. Mine is not doing that according to the norms.

But let's face it. Things are there for a reason - the uterus holds other things in place - the bowels and bladder rest against it. By taking things out, it'll create a void. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe sex won't be the same as it was before.

Sure, I look forward to not being "out of commission" for ten days a month. I've never missed a day of work for my bleeding - but I sure spend a lot of time running back and forth to the bathroom because of it. My bladder causes the same problem - at least every two hours. Won't it be nice to sit at my desk or go to lunch and not have to worry? Won't it be great to go on an afternoon hike and not have to plan a short trail that has bathrooms along it?

I'm just looking to get back to normal.

Any questions or feedback? Feel free to email me.

Posted by Elizabeth M. on July 1, 2004 1:02 PM

IM 30 YEARS OLD AND ABOUT TO HAVE A MYOMECTOMY SURGERY/ALMOST SIMILAR TO HYSTERECTOMY, BUT SAVES THE UTERUS FOR FUTURE PREGNANCY(CURRENTLY DONT HAVE ANY CHILDREN)//I WAS WONDERING DID YOU EVER TAKE THE PICTURES WHILE YOU WERE IN THE HEALING PROCESS???I WANT TO KNOW WAS THERE A LOT OF SCARS AND FLABBY SKIN AFTERWARDS SINCE THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLE ARE CUT????

1. Posted by niki on November 9, 2005

Hi Niki -

If you check out this link:

http://www.healthdiaries.com/women/hysterectomy/elizabeth/archives/incision/index.html

You'll find all my posts that reference my incision and the healing process.

I did have a scar, but it's not terribly obvious. I'm glad you're going through with the myomectomy. I have two friends who had babies after myomectomies so I know that it's extremely promising.

I'm not a very flabby person (though certainly not all muscle and bone either), so there's no little flap or flap over it for me and my abdomen didn't have trouble going back to my pre-fibroid belly.

2. Posted by lizzie on November 9, 2005

I had a Myomectomy in '00 and i have only recently figured out how much i want children. if you have some scar tissue after the surgery will having children not be in my future? what can i do?

3. Posted by Equasia on December 20, 2005

Equasia - only your doctor can answer for you if you can have children since your surgery. I have several friends that have had myomectomies and have gone on to have healthy children (though both ended up with c-sections).

4. Posted by lizzie on December 20, 2005

Health Diaries publishes diaries and blogs on health and fitness topics. This diary is listed under:

Name: Elizabeth M.
Location:
Southern California

About Me: I'm in my late thirties and suffered with large fibroids until August '04 when I had a supracervical hysterectomy. Keep reading as I'll cover topics on long-term recovery from hysterectomy.

Links
PelvicFloor.com
All About Myomectomy
Fibroids
HysterSisters

Making a Decision

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