Hysterectomy.

[Beanfield]

Hurrah and Hallelujah. My uterus has been given an eviction notice!

30 years of being a complete bitch. Let me down twice (miscarriage and ectopic). Did what it should do twice (2 grown up DDs). Never officially diagnosed with anything but suggestions have been PCOS and endometriosis. 30 solid years of hideous periods. 30 years of being fobbed off by assorted GPs who told me it was normal to faint, vomit, incapacitate and take over my life for one out of every three or four weeks.
It’s got to the point where my cycles are just 18-20 days long, I bleed huge amounts for 5 days (emptying cup every 2 hours), overflowing, clots. Light bleeding on and off for a further 4 days. Bleeding on and off randomly mid-cycle. Puking and dizzy. Period diarrhoea, excruciating, labour style pain. Another 3 days of pain while i ovulate plus bleeding then too.
Tried everything. Mirena - I bled for 8 months then it fell out. Painfully. Pill - unhinged. Drugs - I’m allergic to the good ones and the others don’t work so well. Herbs, flowers, tea, homeopathy, diet - all bollox.

Finally saw a Dr who actually listened and agreed to whip the bugger out. Not sure how yet as apparently it's ‘bulky’ (like the rest of me) so need a scan to see how big it is. Also waiting on smear results and endometrial biopsy (which hurt like a bastard and is still hurting 4 days later).

Myboyamelie glad, despite tiredness, you are feeling better after hysterectomy. Sorry can't advise you about your symptoms. Have gynae discharged you? Are you due a follow up? If not can you speak to GP?

MeganChips I've been on prescription iron at least 10 years and tranexamic acid 4 years but apart from fibroids " nothing wrong with me" yet I have to take days off sick and can't leave the house for flooding and my "chronic anaemia won't be resolved until hysterectomy" [ Push for it, don't take no for an answer. I have clearly been a push over. Don't worry about your new job, you are not not likely to get a date for a few months by which time you will be a part of the team and it will just be an acceptable time off for an op.
Why haven't they surgically removed the Mirena yet? Shocking!

Megan. Mirena in the cervix sounds hideous.

Mrs8. For ablation? Good luck!

Myboy. Any hints, tips and advice?

God knows why they haven’t removed it Whatsthisbear, I had to get a private scan and write an angry letter to my GP to even get another referral!

Appointment is on the 16th October but I have no idea what they will do. It’s just 20 minutes with a (thankfully different) consultant.

The private sonographer I saw told me to really big up how it’s affecting my mental health and relationship. That bit is true, I haven’t had sex since June, it’s just not worth it.

I’m hoping recovery won’t be too bad at least. I had a full tummy tuck and went back to work after 2 weeks. That was 10 years ago though and I was in better nick then!

Good luck for Tuesday Mrsr8

Beanfield, have you rung your consultant's secretary for info on a likely date?

Good luck for Tuesday Mrsr8

Bliney MeganChips that's still ages away!

Whatisthis - thank you. Seeing gynae on Monday so will ask but try to research my questions first to be prepared for any answer (including.... you’re imagining it. Lots of endo discussions have made me doubt my sanity in this area.... which is a shame).

Bean - can’t think of anything that hasn’t been covered. I was up and about pretty quickly and I think a daily nap helped me enormously.
One thing I wasn’t prepared for was my bloating to go down and then suddenly blow up. Two people congratulated me on my pregnancy about three weeks post op.

I also have worn pads every day and have had some random flooding. No infection but again, worth being aware of the possibility.

I struggled with constipation which I was nearly at the docs with as nothing was helping. It cleared all of a sudden and so I wonder if my bowel was just recovering from the op. Not sure if it’s moved or not during the op.... but possibly it finds itself in a more spacious environment!

I spent too much time watching vids of the op. Don’t do that! I don’t think it did anything but make me more nervous.

Best of luck xx

Megan, I could have written your post. It was the relentlessness of the 21 day cycle that wore me down, either just recovering from one period or dreading the next. I also had the horrific knife like pain, and could not convey to any doctor how much worse it was than "period pain". I have had two long labours without drugs, so can handle pain, but this was on a whole different level. Eventually my blood count dropped so low I had to be put on medication to stop my periods temporarily. There was a very long waiting list for NHS hysterectomies so I cashed in my savings and had it done privately. I had abdominal surgery, kept my ovaries and cervix. Recovery was fine.
Just to say, I wish I'd had it done years ago and not been fobbed off by clueless doctors. Because I felt so poorly most of the time I was not a good advocate for myself. I suffered for eight years, which is ridiculous when I look back. You must stand your ground and say this is an UNACCEPTABLE way to live. BTW I know as a big girl I should handle my own affairs, but eventually I dragged my poor DH in with me for moral support, and I'm sure it helped. Once you have had the operation you will be a much happier more productive employee! Best of luck xx

I tried ringing secretary yesterday but by the time i had a chance to everyone else had gone home. I’ll try again monday.

I am 7 weeks after laparoscopic hysterectomy (vaginal), with everything taken out....uterus, cervix, tubes and ovaries. I had mine due to excessive flooding, adhesions at. I was started straight away on oestrogen so no menopausal symptoms. I found first couple weeks painful and restrictive but then felt fine. However , for last 2 weeks I have increased back and groin pain and fatigue. I'm not sure what's going on but waiting to see my gyne again. I'm so glad I had it done, but laparoscopic does not mean you will be bouncing around place after 2 weeks! Doctors told me that there is a lot of healing to be done internally , even if outside incisions look mild. Best of luck and hopefully you will get sorted soon.

@val4 glad it all went smoothly for you, hope the groin pain soon goes and the fatigue is just post op & you will soon feel fighting fit.

@Beanfield did you manage to speak to anyone on Monday? Have you managed to get a rough idea for dates?

Morning all collared a consultant in passing and told her to get on with it now (might have been feeling slightly hormonal). She said probably October because there’s 2 of them want to do it together so they need to line up their diaries. Whether that’s beginning, middle or end of October I don’t know but thats quite soon. Eeeek!
However I’m in the midst of evil period. Ruined another sheet last night and I’m knackered from being woken up over and over hurting and leaking. So even if I can’t plan Christmas off I don’t care.

And when I’m fannying around and wibbling about dying under anaesthetic can you please remind me just how feckin awful I feel.

I have such gigantic fibroids that when I lie on my back I have a visible bump like a 5 or 6 month pregnancy. I don't have pain, but my periods are shocking and I've been quite anaemic.

After a failed attempt at ablation under general anaesthetic in June, I was listed for an abdominal hysterectomy. Ive just got a date: 20 November. The surgeon will take out everything except my ovaries, if they look ok. If they look dodgy, he'll take them too- but I'm confident I'll get to keep them. I don't think I'm pre-menopausal yet.

The operation will be two days before my 45th birthday. I'm going to try to lose a bit of weight and get fitter before the op - but I work long hours in a boarding school so it's hard. I'm a bit worried about how much time off I'll need: 20th nov is four weeks before Christmas holidays start, and I'll take that, but I really need to be back at full steam for the first week of January, so not quite 7 weeks' recovery. Work has not put pressure on me, but I'm on SLT and i feel enormous pressure to be there. My teaching is being covered by someone who retired last term - but it's everything else I'm thinking of.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, especially people who've had abdominal hysterectomy. I'm quite nervous but looking forward to not lugging a massive tummy around. I'm having a horizontal cut along the bikini line, apparently.

Beanfield that's good news. Hope you get an actual date soon. I was told 'late September ' back in June, and eventually last week i was given a choice of 30th October or 20 November. I went for November as didn't want to screw up half term for my family. Gawd bless the NHS, it's slow but I'm not an urgent case.

Good news Fanny.
I’m quite worried about work really. Although I know my beautiful colleagues will cover me I’m a control freak and they might mess up my system and I’ll miss my caseload.

I’m also determined to lose a bit of weight. Back at fatclub and it’s coming off but by bit

I'm back at fatclub too- well weight watchers app on my phone and I have bought myself a Fitbit. Im a lazy greedy pig though, so I find it all too easy to ignore these things even though I've paid for them.

Hi Fanny, the bikini incision is actually surprisingly short and neat. Mine healed up really fast. Extra care is recommended re lifting etc as the underlying muscles knit together. The first week I was super-cautious, had a lightweight kettle handy etc, but by a few weeks on I was feeling pretty normal, driving etc. Let somebody else lug the turkey about! Also, the sheer relief and happiness at being finished with periods forever.....you will surely have a spring in your step quite soon ;-) All the best.

CarolinePooter that's given me a boost- thank you

Bean Oct is pretty close, yes we will def remind you why you need it when you are starting to freak. I occasionally wonder “do I really need this?” But another sick day spent retching with the pain & being unable to leave the house due to flooding soon makes me want to get a date ASAP! Hopefully after she saw you she will have have had a chat to her colleague about synchronising their diaries.

Fanny fantastic you have a date! Better late than never & I think never having periods again would be a fantastic birthday gift.

What sort of area are you both in? I can’t believe I’ve been on the list since Feb and still no sign of a date

Caroline I can’t wait for the feelings of sheer relief and happiness.Glad yours all went ok

Good luck to all, and don't forget to tell your families that hoovering and doing laundry will be forbidden for the first 5 years post-op. Chocolate and wine are to be regarded as medicinal...xx

Whatisthisbear I'm in south west, Dorset/Somerset. I had to be persistent, ringing the surgeon's secretary to get a) an appointment with him, and then b) the date booked in. It's a boring saga but here it is in case useful for anyone in similar position:
I was allowed to bypass my gp because when I was in hospital in June for the failed ablation, the gynaecologist who did it put me straight onto the list for hysterectomy and I was assigned my surgeon at that stage. So I was automatically called for my hospital pre-op appointment in early September. But then I was in limbo for a bit, not having met surgeon or date for appointment with him or confirmation of what operation I would have, though I'd had detailed instructions from hospital. I think if I hadn't kept politely phoning I might still be in that situation!
When I did eventually get an appointment to see the surgeon it was cancelled the day before because he was called away for family reasons, and an automated new appt to meet him was made for November- so I phoned his sec (there was quite a lot of being put through to numbers that weren't answered etc, but each time i rang the original number again and politely explained that I had not managed to speak to anyone so what did they suggest, and after a bit I was given a direct number to surgeon's secretary). I told her I had already had my pre-op and that I had been told I would be operated on in late September. I explained that I was trying to help my school plan to cover my absence. She was really kind and cancelled the November consultation and a promised me a sooner one.

But then nothing happened for a week, so I phoned her again and she found me an appointment (an extra lunchtime one that the surgeon agreed to squeeze in) in two weeks' time, which I grabbed, then she immediately rang me back and said surgeon couldn't make that either, so could I do one week's time? Obviously I took it.
So I finally met the surgeon and we had the discussion about what op to have (and his child's schooling!). He said the only question he couldn't answer was when it would happen and that his secretary would be in touch. I waited another week, then rang her again- she spoke to the booking officer while I was on hold and then gave me the option of two dates. I talked it over with DH and a couple of colleagues and rang her back with my choice the next day. I still haven't had confirmation, but I was told I would get a letter in the post.

I’m also SW but a bit further N than fanny.

Also Caroline I love your name.

I’ve been under gynae since 2014 so no gp issue everything has just taken years from scans, trial of medication 7 month wait for follow up, another medication, another wait for follow up, finally had a laparoscopy last August, then another prescription to ‘help’ then another 6 months for follow up then FINALLY put on the list. Wales - I don’t know why our waiting list is so long but i was told “cancer patients get priority” - well obviously as I would expect them to. Seems it’s all down to funding