Subject:  Hysterectomy at a young age.  

Saturday, October 29, 2005

I just wanted to let you know that you are offering a GREAT service of information, understanding, direction and hope for many.  I really could relate to the story regarding the fibroid and the baby!  It was nice to hear someone else share what I had gone through 15 years ago except the direction my doctor took was so very different!!!!

I am 39 years old and was faced with numerous "fibroid nightmares" Polycystic Ovaries that started showing up when I was 19 after having my first child.  The cysts would grow and would never shrink so it would always result in a surgical removal.  My condition I believe at the time was caused by hormone imbalances.  The hormone imbalance causes multiple functional cysts to develop.  Then I did find out that Endometrial causes where coming to light as well.

At the young age of 19 I did not realize that I should investigate and search out multiple doctors’ opinions.  I just thought that my Doctor knew everything simply because I knew nothing.  My doctor did not try any means of hormone treatment or drug therapies.  The only treatment he had me try was oral contraceptives.

With technology now and the ability to research information via the web coupled with my maturity at 39; I am in shock to what my doctor at the time did and did not do for my condition.  Ultimately at the YOUNG age of 24 I was left with nothing!  A total hysterectomy was his first line of defense!  They discovered a 7 cm cyst after 5 other fibroid surgical removals my doctor decided to perform a hysterectomy and said that I was infertile anyway. Well the day before the surgery I found out I was pregnant.  He wanted me to go ahead with the surgery.  I chose to keep my blessing and continue with this pregnancy.  Well at 7 1/2 months the cyst had grown and my doctor decided to remove it while the baby was still in veto.  They did an epidural and removed a 12 cm cyst and I continued to carry my baby for another month.  That was a very painful time… healing from a foot long incision and having an active baby inside me.

Well one month after delivery my doctor told me I would always suffer from these cysts and they would only get worse so the ONLY alternative would be the hysterectomy.  He left nothing, not even a sliver of my ovaries.

The main reason for my e-mail is to let women know that a hysterectomy should not be chosen as a resolve!  Only if the condition is life threatening!  This procedure at age 24 changed the course of my life!  Dealing with HOT flashes, weight issues, temperament & mood swings and everything else that comes with menopause… except multiplied by 100 because of my age.  The jury is still out regarding the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy as well.

If you could just be sure to inform younger women facing the decision of hysterectomy as the means of resolve; they need to do research and talk with women who have taken that path to get an idea of what their outcomes could be.  Because the road ahead of them is paved with MANY challenges!  I have spoken with numerous young women & the stories and struggles are all the same. 

It took me three years to get a hold of my hormone levels.  I had to demand changes in the therapy because they would not listen to me.  I was going crazy with my emotions, and the doctor just wanted to put me on Prozac.  Then finally I found a doctor that decided to test my hormone levels only to find out that I was not absorbing the estradol orally or by a patch.  So at age 27 I started giving myself injections of depo estradol to the thigh every three weeks with a 22-gage 3-inch needle.  But I finally found some relief.