Hysterectomy?

[LunaLoveg00d]

I'm 44. I have a large 9cm fibroid in my uterus which has grown 3cm over the past year to 18 months and is starting to cause problems, even with a Mirena in place.

Saw a consultant last night who put two options on the table - an embolisation process or hysterectomy leaving the ovaries. I am very conflicted about what to do. The embolisation process will not get rid of the fibroid but may shrink it significantly and means only one night in hospital and a quick recovery. But there is a risk of needing further intervention further down the line.

Other option is a hysterectomy. This would have to be an abdominal procedure rather than keyhole given the size of the fibroid. I have had surgery before but nothing so major and am very concerned about the recovery time. On the other hand, no uterus means no chance of any problems with bloody fibroids. I don't know any friends in real life who have had hysterectomies and the only people I know are of my mother's generation (70s) and modern surgery is very different.

I am usually a decisive person but I am very conflicted about all this.

[NightNightBadger19962]

Hi there. I had a partial hysterectomy (leaving cervix and ovaries, abdominal) because of a large fibroid. It had pushed my mirena right out of place. I think my recovery time was about 8 weeks - it did take a lot out of me, I remember really having to pace myself, trying to walk a little further each day. I also had a real wobble before surgery (cried all day!) (and the actual trip down to surgery I also felt really weepy - lovely anaesthetist held my hand and told me 'when I inject this you are suddenly going to feel a lot lot better..😀). The surgeon told me this type of surgery is really popular, and I can see why - no more periods, but you don't go straight through the menopause (I believe there is evidence it starts quicker in some women though) And I had not realised quite how much the fibroid had been bothering me - heavy, bloated, fatigued feelings. I was not offered a different procedure, but it might be good to hear from those who have. I read up a lot, and went on 'hystersisters' for info. I was also on a thread here for a few of us who were having surgery at the same time (waves if they come on here) It worked out good for me. Do you have some support in place for a recovery period, time off work etc? people helped me out with lifts for the school run etc in the first week. Good luck with it, and remember, you have been given two options, both of which will probably significantly help, otherwise you would not have been offered them, so both choices are good ones - I guess one is just 'more hassle and stress now', but potentially sort the problem out once and for all, while the other is less invasive, but not necessarily going to sort it completely - so how the timing fits for you in your life is an important factor. HTH, all the best with your decision

[LunaLoveg00d]

Thanks for your reply, your situation sounds very similar to mine - the gynae I saw last night couldn't find the Mirena in my uterus because the fibroid has pushed it out of the way.

I work for myself, at home, so time off isn't an issue. I would just have to email my clients and tell them I won't be around for a few weeks. Husband's employer is very understanding and he could work with more flexibility to allow him home earlier to take kids to the dancing/scouts/drama which I usually do. Children walk to school by themselves, and we have a shop 5 minutes walk away so I could cope.

I am also lucky in that we are covered by BUPA so there is a fair degree of flexibility over when this happens. My thoughts are if I do decide to do it, to schedule the op for mid-december and then husband would be off over Christmas and New Year, and I'd be on the mend by the time the schools go back. Would also give me the perfect excuse not to visit the inlaws....

Just really fancy the idea of no more periods, ever.

[VikingMuchToAllOurLiking]

I had the embolism procedure, then a hysterectomy. I had high hopes the embolism would work but for me it made no difference at all and my fibroid continued to grow.

I think if I was private I would try both, but the length of time it took to get back on the waiting list for a hysterectomy on the nhs meant I just suffered for an extra two years.

I had abdominal planned but ended up with keyhole as I had a really excellent surgeon. Absolutely no regrets here, life is sweet now the lump is gone, and I'm not tired, bloated and heavily bleeding 80% of the time.

Wish I'd done it years ago! Would have spared me a couple of transfusions. Ask away if you want to know anything particular op.

[LunaLoveg00d]

It's not the surgery which bothers me - I've had general anaesthetics before and am otherwise healthy. It's the recovery. I have three kids and work for myself at home and having never had major surgery before I can't imagine what the recovery will be like.

I do know that the fibroid has grown 3cm in the past year and is likely to carry on with no intervention, and that as my Mum hit menopause at around 55, I have potentially 10 more years of this tiredness, bloating and bleeding. The other options described by the consultant may buy me time to control symptoms a little until I reach the menopause, but may not. No guarantees - only hysterectomy gives that. And I would LOVE to be able to wear white linen trousers in the summer without constantly worrying about a bleed!

Whoever designed the human reproductive system didn't do a very good job, did they?

[VikingMuchToAllOurLiking]

Ok so I took 12 weeks off work, they just signed us all off for that.

Get up on your feet and move asap afterwards, and drink water, and hold cushion to your stomach when you cough or sneeze.

I was in bed for 3 days, pretty much most of the time, then more and more shuffling about and sitting down often. After about a week I could act pretty normally, but I didn't do the school run for a couple of weeks.

I reorganised every drawer in the house, after e few weeks. You just have to be careful not to bump or lift for as long as possible, it might be different if you gave the abdominal surgery though.

What I would say us that it was all worth it, honestly. No regrets at all.

[Costacoffeeplease]

I had an abdominal hysterectomy due to fibroids almost 4 years ago when I was 47, best thing I've ever done. My op was mid November and by Christmas I was starting to go out for short trips - I didn't drive until about 8 weeks post op, but I also work for myself from home so wasn't under any real pressure

If I was you, I wouldn't hesitate - get it booked in soon!

[LunaLoveg00d]

I am also feeling quite tearful about the prospect of losing my uterus which is crazy as it's causing me nothing but bother and my child-bearing days are well gone!

[Costacoffeeplease]

I was lucky, I didn't feel emotional about it at all, just a huge relief when the surgeon said I needed a hysterectomy - I didn't even get a choice, in fact he wanted me to stay in and have the op the next day. In the end I went home (Sunday evening) and went back in on the Wednesday morning, and was home the following Saturday lunchtime - less than a week from diagnosis it was all over