SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

HF, I hope you are resting and taking it easy. Don’t overdo anything, even if you feel up to it, because you will be more sore! Hystersisters helped me understand the healing process and know what to expect moving forward. Take care.

DH, I understand your concern, but I don’t believe any doctor or hospital in the USA can perform a hysterectomy without an indicated medical necessity, risk abatement or chronic pain management issue. Otherwise the insurance provider will not approve or pay for the surgery. I don’t think there is anything sketchy happening here, we just don’t know all the details. For me, after two decades of painful issues and early menopause, I wanted my female organs gone and was relieved to finally have a medical diagnosis that allowed me to have it done. No regrets, no pain, no more biopsies and no more uterine/ovarian cancer worries.

Oh I don't think anything is sketchy I'm just amazed at the differences in medical care being given.

I have asked more people I know (fb friends and elsewhere so not alwsys people I know in person) and while a few have had hystorectomies I have also been told that some were denied despite being past menopause and having pain, cysts etc.

I spent a few hours going down a rabbit hole of statistics. I found an average count of 600,000 hystorectomies annually in the US compared to 41,000-42000 performed in Canada. Seems like a huge gap unless you take into consideration population. One Canadian study on hystorectomies was done to look at cervical cancer screenings. Not sure if you have those in the US.

I went a few years without having a pap done and got a few letters from Health Canada stating I was past due for screening.

The study was so indepth. Age in ten year blocks, social economic status, province/territory, type of hysterectomy, technology used etc. Their conclusion was that there would continue to be a decline in hystorectomies unless due to cancer or emergency.

I'd assume it's less of an option here based on that and that I've never had it recommended.

Dragn, my ob/gyn suggested a vaginal h in my middle30s. We were not planning more children so I agreed. My periods were so heavy that for a week a month I could not leave the house except to take kids to school or groc shop. Thank goodness my H’s income allowed me to be a SAHM because I could not have kept a job. I kept my ovaries but because I lost my mother to O cancer another dr recommended mine out in my mid 40s. He already had me on estratest, which I love because it helps with muscles etc. As I have gotten older he and I agree to estradiol except 2 days a week on estratest. Those with uterus have to have progesterone, but I don’t.

There was a discussion about the use of hormones before, during and after menopause and the new idea is that it helps with aging. Of course any woman fighting cancers it becomes a conversation between patient and dr.

I want to thank everyone who offered me support, and advice on this thread. I was terrified. Your calm words helped me so very much.

HellFire

Will you need to be on any horomones or does having the one ovary prevent that?

Hellfire, I'm glad the surgery is over for you and wish you a quick recovery!

A bit late Hellfire but you seem to be on the mend. Thankfully you got surgery to deal with all of this and now over. And don't think you can do more earlier than med team told you!

Dragn Heart: I can't see where US does this much more often than Canada. Be thankful you've never had an issue that suggests this is best route for You.

dontsaylovely

I can actually site resources for my general numbers as well as specific studies if you'd like to continue the discussion in another thread.

HF hope your healing is going g smoothly and you aren't getting stir crazy yet.

Drgn as a rule one ovary is enough to give your the necessary hormones. However even with just vague hyst you tend to go into menopause earlier. I was DONE with it all by 50. I had my uterus yanked for my 32 bday. It was the best gift I could give to myself.

Tush, thank you. I was wondering if one ovary was enough to avoid hormones.

Is it true that if you haven't had a period in a year then you've officially started menopause?

Yes drgn no period for 12 mis equals menopause which means you are done. Some women however will go 9-11 mos and then bleed badly for a while and this can happen. Multiple times before being fully done.

Hi, hope you are well recovered by now. I was just going back to see how things went. I felt a lot better by week 2 and by week 4 I was good to go except for running!

As for the removal of the uterus when the ovaries are a problem... Mainly because at our age, the uterus doesn't function in any way, doesn't contribute to hormones at all. But it can be a source of cancer, and uterine cancer is awful. Testicles removal for prostate cancer isn't a thing but they do give men drugs to suppress testosterone, it's called chemical castration. Testosterone fuels certain prostate cancers. In my particular case, I was pushing for surgery for a year and I got a lot of pushback from my doctor, who was a wait and see guy. Even after one of my ovaries ruptured. I ended up seeing another doctor who specialized in endometriosis who started scheduling a surgery right away based on the pictures taken from another surgeon during an emergency appendectomy who was very concerned about my female parts. I had been suffering YEARS from unexplained abdominal pain and I was told that a hysterectomy was too invasive by that doctors. When I finally had a total hysterectomy + ovary removal done, there were multiple surgeons involved and my new doctor said it was the worst case of endometriosis she's seen in years. Thank god all pathology came back negative. There are cases and cases of undiagnosed endometriosis, women's pain is often ignored. And yes, insurance will not pay for a hysterectomy unless there is a reason.

I know I’m late to this thread (and male ), I just saw it, I don’t venture into Off Topic very much. So I will just say I wish I could have given you some messages of good health and prayers, and I’m terribly glad to hear that you are recovering well.

Hellfire - so sad to read of your situation - I just was surfing around SI (TV boring and I don't have a new book, yet, to read!) and saw your post.

My Wife is 76 and had her tubes tied (she likes sex!) when late 20s!!! So I don't get the comment hard to get tubes tied.
Wife and I got together in her early 30s.

another thing - wondering if female urinary tract "different" or ??? than males? I find a catheter insertion not pleasant but after it's in - don't notice (much) and not pain. Just uncomfortable having to put up with it in.

Anyway - I hope your recovery is quick and as easy as can be.

Yes drgn no period for 12 mis equals menopause which means you are done. Some women however will go 9-11 mos and then bleed badly for a while and this can happen. Multiple times before being fully done.

Oh just wait. I'll be one of those woman who go 12 months with no period then all of a sudden bleed for 2 months straight. I've never had a normal cycle.

wondering if female urinary tract "different" or ??? than males? I find a catheter insertion not pleasant but after it's in - don't notice (much) and not pain. Just uncomfortable having to put up with it in.

Female tract is shorter so takes less to get it in but I already was numbed before they put mine in. Now taking it out didnt hurt but it felt funny for sure. I had them for my c sections. The first time I didnt even know it was still in until the nurse came to remove it and that was after the epidural had worn off.

I'd be fine with an indwelling catheter at this point. Ever since my uterine suspension in '06 I have leaked and it's only gotten worse. I can go to the bathroom, come out sit down then get up and piss myself. It's awful.