My wife will soon have to undergo a rather complicated operation to improve ever-worsening bladder incontinence and her surgeon is recommending that she have a hysterectomy at the same time. She fears that the loss of natural hormones cannot be made up for by artificial hormone therapy.
Who has had experience - positive or negative - and wishes to offer their advice?
2006-08-14 08:20:31 · 9 answers · asked by rickdemarest 1 in Health ➔ Women's Health
my mom had one around that age too. i havent noticed any difference in her behavior or anything like that. shes perfectly fine. and not having to spend money on sanitary napkins anymore is a plus :).
2006-08-14 08:24:56 · answer #1 · answered by NAQ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My advice is to get a second opinion from another doctor. Your wife is right. Artificial hormones won't really replace natural ones. I am not seeing why a bladder surgery should include a removal of your wife's reproductive system, but I'm not a surgeon.
Some old-school doctors like to perform a hysterectomy without any good reason. They say that it will decrease the chances of cervical or ovarian cancer later on, that it will diminish the effects of naturally going through menopause, that it will help with "mood disorders". That is an outdated approach to women's health, but I can't tell you if that is what this particular surgeon has in mind.
"At the same time" kind of puts up a red flag for me. Not to make a joke of it, but that sounds to me like saying "as long as I'm in there, you aren't going to be needing your reproductive equipment anymore, so..."
I know it's an extra trip to a doctor's office, but see a women's health specialist. They can now be found in every major city in the US.
The biggest concern here is that you are asking questions on the web instead of communicating with a physician. If your surgeon doesn't know how to communicate, I recommend dropping him or her like a hot scalpel.
I hope this will be helpful.
2006-08-14 15:40:57 · answer #2 · answered by anyone 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had a hysterectomy June 23 of this year. I am a 22 year old mother of 4 kids. If she is just having her uterus and cervix removed like I did, then she wont need any type of hormone pills because they dont play any part in the hormones. She will only need pills if she is having everything removed (ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and cervix). The only bad thing about the hysterectomy I noticed was the pain and swelling. I didnt need anyone's help getting dressed, or showering, or anything like that. I just needed help with the kids because I couldnt lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for 6 weeks. She will be in a great deal of pain if she gets it done. She will have a scar. The plus side to it is no more periods, no more pregnancies. IF you want more help or advice or oppions feel free to contact me.
2006-08-14 15:56:42 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as hormones everything sould be fine. The only thing is that the recovery time for a hysterectomy is about 6-9 weeks. She will be totally off her feet for that entire period and unable to do any driving , lifting, or house work, and will not be able to help with the kids. If she decides to have the hysterectomy you will definately need to take off at least 2 week s from your job to take care of her. She will need help walking, getting dressed and washed up. It is also suggested that you get help from another relative (may be a parent or sibling) that is will to take time off and assist her when you return to work or need to run errands (picking up groceries or kids school activites). These are just some things you need to consider before she has the surgery.
Hope this helps!
2006-08-14 15:35:39 · answer #4 · answered by divadivine0780 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had "partial hysterectomy" when I was 30 due to excessive cramps and in between period bleeding. This means they left my ovaries. I had 3 children. That operation was a blessing. No more periods, cramps, or pms.lol I take no hormones or meds of any kind. I have never regretted that operation.
2006-08-14 18:39:00 · answer #5 · answered by beasleylin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had the same problem and had a hysterectomy when I was in my late 30s, I did have to take hormones but I felt fine. Good luck to both of you.
2006-08-14 15:26:10 · answer #6 · answered by shirley e 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's going to be painful and she won't be able to do much for quite some time. Hormones are tricky but the doctors will help get them to a normal level. If it's going to help her in the long run, it may be best that she gets the hysterectomy.
2006-08-14 15:25:36 · answer #7 · answered by stowchick01 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would get another opinion on this. If the uterus is causing extra pressure on the bladder than I can see why a hystero would be a plus. If just because the doctor is in there and thinks it would be convenient to do it all at once, with no uterine problems, I would change docs asap.
2006-08-14 15:27:57 · answer #8 · answered by Chloe 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whatever you do, keep the ovaries!
2006-08-14 15:36:11 · answer #9 · answered by pennypincher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋