Pre hysterectomy, looking for support – Lisa’s Story
I am scheduled for a hysterectomy in 2 days and I am freaking out! I have been doing some research, including reading stories here and often women take medication to shrink their fibroid tumors prior to surgery. I am now wondering why my doctor would not have me do the same.
My story is this, I have been having issues with heavy periods, abdominal discomfort and expanding abdomen for a couple of years now! I was feeling run down, depressed and miserable but kept putting off going to the doctor or addressing this situation, just kept saying I was not active so I was getting “fat”. Then I started to get an increase in discomfort after eating any food, even small portions and my abdomen would turn hard as a rock. Finally I went to my doctor to discuss this. She sent me to have a ct of the abdomen with contrast. The tech had me freaking out because he came back into the room with me on 3 different occasions to ask if I was “sure I wasn’t pregnant”!
2 days later my doctor calls to tell me that I have a very large fibroid tumor and over sized uterus and she scheduled me with an OB/Gyn for 2 weeks. I went in to see the OB/Gyn and she tells me that I have a fibroid tumor the size of a football! Its on front side of my uterus and is the reason for much of my discomfort and my expanding abdomen. She attempted to do a pap smear and stated that I was so “distorted” from the size of this tumor that she could not even get the pap done!
I am 46 and have had 3 beautiful children, she tells me that she would recommend having a hysterectomy and if my ovaries look ok, leaving them intact. Not only am I a 46 year old woman with this issue, but I am also a severe type 1 diabetic and have been for 35 years. I am so, so worried about this surgery, I am almost petrified. I am not sure that I can go through with it because I am frozen in fear, afraid of something going terribly wrong during or after surgery.
I guess I am looking for some support that I am making the right decision to do this surgery. Any information, experience or words of wisdom would be so appreciated.
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