<p>Mom had surgery to remove fairly large fibroid tumors about 3 years ago and…they came back! What a surprise. The doc said she could simply get them removed again, OR undergo hysterectomy (specifically, removal of her fallopian tubes – is what he said) since she’s done with having kids. He suggests the latter because he thinks they will most likely come back otherwise. We know fibroids are pretty common among middle-aged women, but mom is still pretty anxious…she’s heard from somewhere that this can lead to hormonal imbalance resulting in pretty severe moodswings…? She’s also not comfortable with the idea of having “permanent removal” of a part of her body.</p>
<p>Are there any parents on CC who’ve undergone hysterectomy or removal of fallopian tubes to get rid of fibroids/tumors? Any noticeable side-effects? Moodswings lately? Any stories that I might be able to share with my mom? </p>
<p>We are thankful and relieved that the situation isn’t any worse…Can’t imagine what it would have been like if they were malign.</p>
<p>I haven’t, but 2 of my very close friends had them at very young ages (early 40s). One is my best friend and like a sister. She is the same person today as she was 3 yrs ago. Actually, both of them are happier because they feel healthier, they were at the point of begging the docs to just rip it out already. Neither are on HRT since both have breast cancer issues.</p>
<p>I had a total hysterectomy for nasty, nasty fibroids (I couldn’t leave the house for the first day of my menstrual period). I should have had the surgery 5 years earlier when the fibroids got really bad. Had the surgery at age 54–kept thinking I could wait for menopause, but it wasn’t happening and the ob/gyn told me that my uterus was the size of someone who was 5 months pregnant. Haven’t taken hormones (my mother died of breast cancer) and I’ve been fine. I had a great doctor (she was at teaching hospital and headed up a research center on fibroids). She presented pros/cons and various options and let me decide. She made the point that sometimes a hysterectomy was what worked out best for a woman and if that was my decision (after looking at options and researching) I should avoid all the hysterectomy-is-always-horrible websites/info. She said I’d do better afterwards if I was comfortable with my decision.</p>
<p>My mom had a hysterectomy because of uterine fibroids. For her they were really bad, she had several grape fruit sized fibroids and she was bleeding extremely heavily during menstruation, to the point that we begged her to let us bring her to the ER because she was bleeding too much. She would go to stand up and it would just pour out. We were told that if we could do the hysterectomy laproscopically it wouldn’t be too terrible an ordeal to go through, but because her uterus was so enlarged they had to do a full open procedure and that is a lot harder on the body. She was in a lot of pain for a while and couldn’t get out of bed or move around. It’s been two years now and she’s been back to the doctor because she has a numb spot in her abdomen and they found a hematoma, we don’t have insurance anymore and I don’t think my mom pursued it any further so I don’t know what’s wrong. She wonders if they messed up her surgery. She had two surgeons, one for the hysterectomy and another to insert a sling to support her bladder, and the bladder doc was extremely angry with the other when they got out of surgery. So I get the impression what my mom is experiencing is not normal.</p>
<p>Other than that, she started having menopausal symptoms right after the surgery. They left her ovaries because they told her that in theory that might stop that from happening immediately, they told her if they removed the ovaries she would have immediate menopause symptoms, but she’s at an age where it might have happened anyway. So she has bad hot flashes and mood swings now because of that, but given her circumstances that seems like it’s normal.</p>
<p>For us the worst part was that the insurance considered her fibroids a preexisting condition and the cost of our insurance went through the roof, which is why we don’t have it anymore.</p>
<p>First off, you or your mom can go to hystersister dot com and check out thousands of people’s stories- some are women fighting the doctors to get a hysterectomy, some are women fighting not to have to have one, most are in between, but tons of personal anecdotes and a great resource to give you and your mom ideas for questions to ask the doctor.</p>
<p>I was diagnosed with fibroids 10 years ago, because we have a huge deductible and I was managing and I was concerned about side effects, after effects, cost of medications, HRT, etc, I did not pursue surgery, but planned to survive until menopause would make them shrink. </p>
<p>This past year I had complications and concerns about cancer and ended up with a complete hysterectomy etc. I am now nearly 6 months post op and on HRT. I must admit that I feel better than I have felt in years; it really is 28 good days every month now.</p>
<p>So, yes, there are tons of possible complications and side effects, but that happens to very few people and there is every reason to think/hope it will go well and improve life.</p>
<p>If it was my mom’s story that scared you, you have to consider the costs of not doing it, as well. My mom’s might not have been so bad had we caught it before her fibroids were so large and numerous-- that seriously complicated her procedure. Had she had the sense to talk to her doctors when she first started experiencing symptoms, or at least didn’t wait SEVERAL years, maybe it would have been easier. My mom also insisted they make the incisions for the laproscopy and see if it could be done that way because she desperately wanted to avoid the full open procedure, and they made the incisions and decided it couldn’t safely be done and then had to make MORE incisions to do the open procedure. In terms of cuts, she had three different procedures at once-- the laproscopy, the open procedure, and the sling. It is also worth noting that my understanding is that many of the horror stories about hysterectomies are about the open procedures, which are not as common anymore as the laproscopies.</p>
<p>I mentioned that we suspected the surgeons might have made a mistake not to scare you but to denote that my mom’s side effects (aside from the hormonal issues) were NOT normal or common. I shared that detail because it was part of my mom’s experience and we don’t KNOW what caused it, but it is abnormal. </p>
<p>I would like to add additional emphasis to the fact that her hormonal symptoms are not any worse than standard menopausal symptoms that she would have likely been having soon anyway. My mom doesn’t regret the procedure at all. Her quality of life has vastly improved, she isn’t in pain anymore and she can go back to living a normal life. In fact, she gets quite a laugh out of taunting the other women in the family because she doesn’t have to worry about cramps anymore.</p>
<p>You do have to consider whether you really have any other realistic options. She can have them removed but that doesn’t really make the problem go away if the doctor is right that they will come back.</p>
<p>I had terrible fibroids also and ended up with anemia caused by the blood loss. I agree that this was the best decision to have a complete hysterectomy. I felt much better almost immediately. I was 45 at the time. I know women who had the surgery around the same age and one that was younger. We all felt better after the surgery.</p>
<p>I am 48 years old and had a hysterectomy in July for continued problems with fibroids and ovarian cysts. I had a D&C last year that really helped for a while (doctor was unable to do a planned ablation at that time) but, earlier this year, problems returned. This time, I had fibroids on the outside of my uterus and a huge ovarian cyst. My doctor said anything other than a hysterectomy would be a band-aid. Because my right ovary was so involved, and because of my age, my doctor suggested she also remove my ovaries. Due to the size and location of one of the fibroids, my doctor told me she was afraid she would need to do an abdominal hysterectomy. I told her I understood if she <em>had</em> to, but hoped she would <em>try</em> doing it laparoscopically first. It worked! I had a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (removal of uterus and ovaries, but leaves the cervix). Of course the removal of my ovaries threw me in to immediate menopause. My doctor said she would like to wait three months to see if I would need hormone therapy. After two months of feeling like I was cooking from the inside out, I called and said I couldn’t take it any more. I am on Estradiol 0.5mg daily and that has helped quite a bit. I still get occasional hot flashes, but they are much less severe than they were and I can absolutely live with them. Given the problems I was having before the surgery, I wish I had done it earlier! I feel great now!</p>
<p>Splashmom, what does cooking from the inside out feel like? </p>
<p>Also, mom isn’t in particular pain or anything because of the fibroids - it’s just there to bother her and she gets tired pretty easily, but other than that everything is so normal that we are wondering whether she should wait a little more…?</p>
<p>Powerbomb, “cooking from the inside out” is miserable … HOT, HOT, HOT, especially my legs, butt and face. Like I said, the Estradiol has helped, but there were times when I would have liked to strip naked and stand in a walk-in freezer. One day we were at Costco while I was experiencing a hot flash. I went and stood in the refrigerated produce room (clothes intact ) and still couldn’t get cool enough. The hot flashes I have experienced were the worst of it … fortunately I haven’t experienced the mood swings that can go along with this. I think I was moody before surgery due to all the problems I was having (excessive bleeding, sometimes more than 15 days per month). Good luck to your mother.</p>
<p>funny story… I was having female issues- not fibroids but periods and cramps from hell for about 6 months. I also had to have my large intestine removed due to a family related colon cancer gene. Being in the military, I saw my colon doctor and he was great. Saw my first OB/Gyn and he had the opinion to take out everything but one ovary so I wouldn’t go into premature menopause (I was 40 at the time) and have to deal with a possible ostomy at the same time.</p>
<p>As I was in the military, the great OB/Gyn doctor was sent to Afghanistan/Iraq so I had my presurgery appt with another OB- who told me that I didn’t need that ovary and he would just take it out- totally not understanding or caring about the possible ostomy fears. After discussing this rationally for 15 minutes and him not budging, I told himk that he needs to think of it in terms he could understand- If he was having similar surgery (male perspective) he doesn’t need both testicles- just take them out. needless to say he didn’t appreciate my attitude.</p>
<p>Flash forward to morning of surgery. I had my hubby write in sharpie marker- “leave one ovary… or else” on my stomach. A note to the doctors just in case one of them “forgot” what I wanted.</p>
<p>Hubby tells me after the surgery, my colon doctor - who did both surgeries with the dreaded OB looking over his shoulder- came out and said he hasn’t had a laugh like that during a surgery in a long time. I still have one ovary and no menopause and it’s been 6 years. woo hoo. take that you doofus OB :D</p>
<p>PS: I went to a city three hours away and had surgery with the robot and the best oncology gynecologist around, he is expert at the surgery and was able to do it without an abdominal incision despite the huge size of the organs. I would highly recommend going with the best most experienced surgeon you can find just to be sure the chances of laparascopic procedures is maximized.</p>
) and still couldn’t get cool enough. The hot flashes I have experienced were the worst of it … fortunately I haven’t experienced the mood swings that can go along with this. I think I was moody before surgery due to all the problems I was having (excessive bleeding, sometimes more than 15 days per month). Good luck to your mother.</p>