Getting a hysterectomy

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valeriedl

valeriedl

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I'm 34 and because of all the epilepsy meds I'm on and the seizures that I have I can't have children. I know it's really not good to be on birthcontroll for long periods of time either.

I've been asking my gyno for the last few years about having a hysterectomy and he keeps telling me that it's not a good thing to have done until you're in your mid to late 30's. I'm 34 now and I'll be going to my yearly visit in a few weeks and I'll be asking him about it again.

Can anyone give me any pros or cons about having it done? Anyone who's had one and how it's effected them. I know that you also have to take some meds after you've had one also.

Any information will be appericated, thanks.
 
A hysterectomy is major surgery! If you're just looking for birth control, you could get an an IUD, or as Eric suggests, have your tubes tied.
 
I'm on depoprovara now. I went on that because the peirods that I would have were horrible.

They were always irregulator, very heavy and I would have horrible cramps, headaches and they would last forever. That's why my gyno suggested taking depoprovara so that I wouldn't have a period.

That's why I'm afraid if I get my tubes tied all these things would start again. I know that it is major surgery but I don't want any chance of getting pregnet either, which I know there is a small percent that you could get with getting my tubes tied. I'm on so much medication that I don't know what would happen if I had to go off any of it, or if I were to stay on it and what may happen to the baby.

Plus I don't think I'd beable to handle a child.
 
Don't rule out the IUD -- I'm on it and it works fine. You could look into the kind that has progesterone, it might help with the hormonal issues.
 
I would become extreamly emotioal also. I'd get to the point sometimes where I'd like to strangle someone. I'm like that on the keppra now so I could only imagine what the two would be like mixed together.

Thanks Nakamova, I'm going to do some reading up on that. If I have any questions would it be alright if I sent you some private messages so we could talk about it?

I'm on Depakote, Tegretol, Keppra and Lamictal. I also have a VNS. I want to know if it would work with taking all these meds also.

Also if there's anyone else out there that has one could you let me know too. I'd like to see how it works with other people. Send me a pm, I think I'd feel more comfortable talking about this in private, thanks.
 
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Absolutely, feel free to PM me any time.
 
valeriedl said:
They were always irregulator, very heavy and I would have horrible cramps, headaches and they would last forever. That's why my gyno suggested taking depoprovara so that I wouldn't have a period.

That's why I'm afraid if I get my tubes tied all these things would start again. I know that it is major surgery but I don't want any chance of getting pregnet either, which I know there is a small percent that you could get with getting my tubes tied. I'm on so much medication that I don't know what would happen if I had to go off any of it, or if I were to stay on it and what may happen to the baby.
Click to expand...

Hi Valerie,

After my two children were born, not only did my seizures start getting so out of control, so did my hormonal issues. My ob/gyn at the time kept telling me I was too young to be going through "the change", the mennorahagia in my early 30's, along with night sweats. Crazy, heavy periods that sometimes would last 10 days. Next time maybe 3 days.

For some women with epilepsy, hormonal problems goes with the territory.

I finally had a tubal ligation when I was certain I did not want any more children and haven't had hormonal problems. Are you sure you would want to have a hysterectomy instead?

valeriedl said:
I'm on Depakote, Tegretol, Keppra and Lamictal. I also have a VNS. I want to know if it would work with taking all these meds also.
Click to expand...

That seem to me like an awful lot of drugs to be taking along with the VNS.
 
Thanks Cint,

We had a heck of a time just trying to get my seizures under control with the meds only, so that's when the neuro suggested going on the VNS. It has helped alot with number of seizures I have a month and they aren't as long and as bad as they were before I got it.

He's hoping to wean me off some of the meds when he gets the VNS moved up.
 
I had a hysterectomy when I was 35 (now I am almost 51). Gotta say, it was fantastic! Best thing I ever did. I, like you, had a lot of other issues. Clotting, month long periods, yada yada yada. Tried all of the other stuff, tubes ties, hormone shots weekly...you get the idea. I didn't realize how miserable I was until I had it done. Best of luck!
 
After hysterectomy what fills the space where the uterus had been?

valeriedl said:
I'm 34 and because of all the epilepsy meds I'm on and the seizures that I have I can't have children. I know it's really not good to be on birthcontroll for long periods of time either.

I've been asking my gyno for the last few years about having a hysterectomy and he keeps telling me that it's not a good thing to have done until you're in your mid to late 30's. I'm 34 now and I'll be going to my yearly visit in a few weeks and I'll be asking him about it again.

Can anyone give me any pros or cons about having it done? Anyone who's had one and how it's effected them. I know that you also have to take some meds after you've had one also.

Any information will be appericated, thanks.
Click to expand...
A good place to start, to make a fully informed decision, is with information about the life long functions of the uterus. The uterus is a hormone responsive sex organ that provides structural support to the bladder and the bowel. To find out what takes up the space where the uterus had been, why the vagina is shortened and how much during hysterectomy, why there is diminished sensation in the vagina, labia and clitoris, watch the short video "Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs" at hersfoundation.org/anatomy.
 
Is there anyone else out there that's had one that I could ask some questions to?

Thanks alot.
 
Other women to talk to

HERS networks women on a one to one basis. If you would like to hear from other women who have undergone hysterectomy you can go to HERS website and click on Woman to Woman Networking.
 
Hysterectomy

Hi valeriedl-

I'm 36 years old and will be undergoing a hysterectomy next month. Gotta say, I'm scared to death. My pain tolerance is through the roof and I'm going to have to be really doped up for this.

I have been on the Mirena (IUD) for the past 5 years. My gynecologist and neurologist worked together; as with most women, they noticed a pattern with my menses and seizures. The IUD was fantastic; killed two birds with one stone, so to speak. But, when I went for my annual in December, the gyno couldn't find the IUD. Several tests later it turns out that I have massive fibroids throughout my uterus and it pushed the IUD further into me.

There was the options of removing the fibroids but when I heard the recovery time was just the same and I would most likely be having this surgery in another 5 or 6 years, I said enough is enough.

I always wanted my own children but I'm not married and there is no one special in my life. Logically, I know this is the right choice: I'm 36, single, epileptic (one of my drugs is Depakote), but my heart keeps breaking over and over as I get closer to this surgery. No one gets it. I am awesome at putting on a brave face - I've been doing that since I was 17. It is just getting harder.

Sweetie, you could meet someone. Try the IUD before you go for the operation. The IUD you can remove but once you have the operation, there is no turning back.

For those of you who have had this surgery, how was it? Being an epileptic, did it complicate the surgery? I have to give my own blood before hand and have heard there is the chance for significant blood loss. How have you done?
thank you!
 
valeriedl-Feel free to talk to me anytime. I was on all of the medicines you were on (not at the same time) and I know what you mean about the emotional aspect of it. I came off of several before I killed someone. It wasn't pretty
 
Hi mypath2281976,

I'm not on a path for a hysterectomy (though I do have the Mirena), but I wanted to welcome you to CWE. You've probably researched this quite a bit, but I just wanted to offer this up: My sister had large, very painful fibroids and her docs recommended a hysterectomy or at the very least, embolization. She held off, and discovered that the fibroids shrunk on their own once she changed her diet to minimize eating red meat. She's been fine for the last few years (she's 52).

Why do the docs think a hysterectomy would be inevitable when you hit your 40s?
 
Thanks for the welcome. My mom also had a fibroid, which disappeared once she reached menopause. The docs are concerned because I'm 15 years away from menopause so they aren't going to shrink any time soon. I have a serious pain threshold but these fibroids are painful. When they saw how many of them I had, the fertility doctors at Yale changed their tune and wanted me to go for the hysterectomy.

The docs (and these are several different-I did go for a second opinion) felt that because fibroids survive and grow on blood, they would go grow back. Given that there are so many congregated in my uterus currently, while they can't predict the future, they believe that the small ones not captured in this surgery would enlarge over the next several years and I would find myself in the same situation in a few years.

I can't go through this again; it is too much.
 
I hear you. Good luck with the surgery, I hope it goes well, and that you have good supports in place for your recovery afterward.
 
Thank you! We'll see about the support. I'm nervous about that. I don't know what to expect and most people forget that I have epilepsy. I have been pretty much "seizure free" (at least from grand mals) which surprised the doctors as they thought I would be living at home most of my life.

People seeing you as a "normal" person can become a double-edged sword...what you don't see is easily forgotten. Not sure if that makes sense but I'm having a hard time handling things lately. One of the reasons I sought this web site out. I appreciate your kind words and thank you.
 
Don't be afraid to ask your friends and family for help with this. Surrounding yourself with positive things and people can make a difference, and on a practical level, you're not going to want to be running around doing errands while you recover. My sister-in-law had a hysterectomy when she got tired of carrying around a 10-pound (!) fibroid. She's a doctor, and she took plenty of time off afterwards. She had her mother stay with her before and after to help.
 
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