LAVH for Fibroids and finally I can start living again! Sarah’s Story
I’m 46 years old, work full-time, have one daughter who is 20. I’m married to an Italian and live in Italy. I love sport. I am one of those people who is never ill! I’ve never taken one day sick in my life.
About 4 years ago I started having really bad menstrual problems, hemorrhages and if you’re on holiday it’s not funny. After becoming anaemic I finally decided to go to a gynaecologist who told me I had big fibroids and the best thing was a hysterectomy. I managed to convince them to implant a IUD that released progesterone and the bleeding reduced.
Unfortunately in the last year my lifestyle has been extremely limited. No sex for pain, constant spotting for months, inguinal pain, drop foot, abdominal swelling in the morning due to a large fibroid behind my bladder and in the last months I started hemorrhaging again.
Finally I decided to have a LVAH (Laparascopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy) for fibroids on 16/05/2013. 5 hours in operating theatre due to adhesions to the bladder and intestine due to endometriosis that I didn’t know I had, then a cystoscopy to control my ureters. Everything OK. no complications.
That evening I was practically drugged and vomited several times but the day after they removed my catheter and made me get up. I urinated normally almost immediately. Maybe the worst thing is the swollen abdomen because they fill you with CO2, but I didn’t want anymore painkillers because they just make you feel worse.
That day they made me walk and walk until I passed wind which happened at about 9.00pm. The next day at 8.00 they let me go home. First I went to the supermarket and then in the afternoon to the park about a 2km walk. The first night I had problems sleeping but after two days I was back to normal.
To avoid problems with bowel motions I drink at least 2 litres a day, including pear juice and eat dried prunes, pears, vegetables and yogurt. The abdominal swelling gradually went down and by day seven it was practically gone.
Now I’m at day 13 post op. I’m doing practically everything except picking up weights. I walk about 4 -5 km a day. I get a little tired so I just rest. I can’t wait to be able to start running and go to the gym and swimming and not have to worry about absorbents anymore AND have a normal sex life.
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