SURGERY

Submitted by Christine on February 7, 2007 - 11:15am
Body: 

Hi Everyone,

We really need to once again clarify a point that I’ve been making throughout the life of wholewoman. There is a world of difference between the woman who has her uterus and the woman who does not, since the uterus forms the central hub of pelvic connective tissue. There is also a huge difference between the natural pelvis and a vagina that has been narrowed front and back, and suspended to the spine. There is serious difference between the woman whose back vaginal and front rectal walls are surgically fused together. Ditto the front.

I did not have “extensive” surgery, but the fascia around my bladder neck sutured to the musculature of my abdominal wall. This pulled my front vaginal wall forward and caused an immediate and severe uterine prolapse. I have done everything in my power to blow out those sutures and stretch things back toward normal. The fact that I was only slightly injured (relatively) turned out to be of great benefit in cognizing the workings of the pelvic interior.

At the center of wholewoman philosophy is the assumption that at our core we are a lot more alike than different. When a forensic anthropologist finds a pelvis he knows immediately whether or not it is human and male or female. Likewise, pelvic surgeons talk about how “remarkably” similar the pelvic interior is from woman to woman.

This is why we can say to the woman who has not had surgery that she will most likely stabilize and improve with this work. Most women here are getting very similar results and I think the major difference is between younger and older women. Younger women can’t stand the “full” feeling that older women become very accustomed to.

We just cannot say the same thing to the post-surgery woman. In fact, it is possible the very things we are doing to stabilize our conditions could cause a full-blown vault prolapse in the hysterectomized woman. I so wish this was not the case, but we just don’t know yet. If it were me I would probably stop wherever I happened to wake up along the surgical continuum and opt for palliative measures if possible. Yet, if I was experiencing uncontrollable symptoms I might be forced to choose surgery. Having one’s uterus removed is every bit as serious as other surgeries commonly considered “catastrophic”.

The woman who edited this edition of STWW is dealing with an elderly mother in a nursing home who went down the same dark surgical path I describe in the book. After umpteen surgeries and a totally carved out pelvis, her major issue remains a horrendously prolapsed bladder that can now only be treated by continuous catheterization.

Btw, I’ve written "the sisters" TWICE asking if they would please list wholewoman as a TRUE surgical alternative, and they did not respond. If any of you feel like sending them a message requesting the same, perhaps they might take the hint. They say they are impartial to hysterectomy, but NO ONE there is standing at the edge of the cliff suggesting to the endless queue of pre-op women that they might want to take a closer look at the bodies below before jumping.

Christine

MeMyselfAndI

February 7, 2007 - 11:42am

The Problem is - Some women make it right in their head because they so desperately want their truth to be the correct one.

The thing that scared me in these places - Was nothing they wrote - No words stated - It was all in their 'siggys' - They list in their siggys how many ops they have had - And you think - OMG - You have gone through ALL THAT!!! - It just goes to show that for me - Surgery is not an answer - But a road to further problems or hassles.

If i ever got to that - I would wish I had done nothing.

I think it serves women best to have ALL the knowledge - The mere fact that they do not allow your name to be mentioned on thier sites and they do not allow their women to make an INFORMED choice speaks more volumes than any library could hold!

Personally I want ALL the info before I go under the knife - But they are making out like Surgery is a good thing - And they are doing a HUGE dis-service by not letting their women try any other way than Surgery.

To me - THAT is criminal! And very very sad for the women :(

Sue

Therese

February 7, 2007 - 12:23pm

I cannot count the number times I have heard a woman say to me that she would LOVE to have her uterus removed. She would then go on to list the menstrual pains etc. she has and other inconveniences and or problems...maybe I am wierd but as I said I cannot count the number of women who have expressed that to me. I always inwardly thought no! Why?
When I suspected prolapse and before I went to the Dr to confirm it-- after having to push my bladder (I know it was the bladder now--didn't know what it was then) in after doing stomach crunches...my first thought was "I hope it is a Uterine prolapse so I can just have it removed and get better and not have this problem" and until I read what your have written Christine I was disappointed it wasn't my uterus that had prolapsed. Now I know better--but my whole experience in life to the age of 42 told me that it was okay to have a uterus removed--that I was probably a bit strange to instictively want to always keep mine until death since so many other women would tell me they wanted theirs gone...If we are led to believe that our cycles are inconviences or tools only in child bearing won't it be hard to re-train ourselves--I mean in a collective way, that the uterus is necessary for our complete well being?
They have commercials now advertising for a pill that shortens the mentrual cycle to three days...but side effects of stroke and death right? In what other area would people choose that?
There is an obvious disconnect it seems.

MeMyselfAndI

February 7, 2007 - 1:22pm

My mother always said - If she had any cancer down below - She wouldnt wanna know - Cos she wants to leave this Earth a woman - with all her parts...

i am glad she has changed this feeling now, tho I can understand it...

I feel if I had cancer and there wa sno other way I would do it - But if there is another way to live my life and get to grips with this 'thing' There are bad days - But every life has it's challenges...

Nobody ever said life would be full of roses - And it definitely isn't

But - I think to fight a good fight is the way I will go - I am a very 'adamant bull in a china shop' type person - I like to give as good as I get - And - I will fight this thing ;)

Every woman has her own choice to make - But the ultimate point STWW is trying to make - Is that there is a non surgical way - If you decide dAFTER you have tried this way to go under the knife - Then that is your informed choice.

Websites that only sell you one view are in all effects conning you into believing their side without letting you even test any other view - THAT is the ultimate in lying (In my opinion)

And I believe that any other website that refuses point blank to let women have informed choices - Are NOT in any way caring for the life well being or freedom of the woman. They are in their own being running a 'God Complex' And taking away decisions that are not their to take!

I hate the fact that other sites do not let women mention the sites they deem below them. Who are they to choose ?

I would hope and pray that all women search the non surgical approach - And that all women will stumble across this site.

Unfortunately - not everyone does :( That is what saddens me most.

Personally I would like to see Christine on Oprah (Watched by oh so many women) And shows like that - Get the word out!

Maybe we should all track down the email addioes of all these kind of shows and get Christine on to spread the word>

Hehehe :)
Sue

bigmomma

February 7, 2007 - 1:23pm

Hello guys,

I just wanted to comment on what was being said about having your uterus removed. Every woman I know over the age of 50 has had a hysterectemy including my Mom, mother in law, aunts and grandmothers. I just assumed one day I would too. After having children, though, something changed in my mind. I knew that even when my childbearing years were over, my uterus would not be useless.
Although I have not heard of any problems these women have due to the surgeries, I have to wonder how many are suffering in silence and how many will develop problems later. It has always seemed odd to me that it was such a routine surgery that seems should be reserved for extreme cases (cancer, etc). It really makes me sad that there are not more doctors willing to discuss non-surgical treatment for prolapse, fibroids, heavy bleeding , and other reasons this is done. Thank goodness we have people like Christine to share in our belief that we don't HAVE to. I also saw that commerical for the 3 day cycle pills, what is up with that!? spooky.....

Havasu06

February 7, 2007 - 2:22pm

So am I reading this right? Because I have had a hysterectomy all the exercises and diet will not help me, so I should consider the surgery? I had to have the surgery I had a fibroid the size of my head in my uterus and endometriosis everywhere. I was hoping some of you had had hysterecomies and this was helping you.

Tina

granolamom

February 7, 2007 - 2:56pm

I think the diet can definitely be helpful to you. In terms of the posture and exercises, there really is no way to know. The philosophy behind the posture is mechanical. to sum it up (the way I understand it at least) first we position organs over bone instead over the vaginal opening, then we pin them there with intraabdominal forces (ie breathing). This works when all of your organs are still inside of your pelvic cavity and no one has altered your muscles and fascia with cutting and suturing.
another by product of the posture and exercises in a woman who has not had surgery, is that over time the fascia, muscles and ligaments begin to resume their natural shape and go back to supporting the pelvic organs as they should. this is largely dependant on the uterus, as the broad ligaments attach to the uterus and the uterus is attached to the vagina which has attachments to the bladder. see where I'm going?
I honestly do not know what you can hope to gain by trying this work post-hysterectomy. my question is, what have you got to lose? I'm not a dr, so I don't know. what's the worst that can happen if you put off surgery a bit?
the next set of questions for your doctor would logically be what's the worst that could happen if you DO have further surgery? unfortunately doctors are not always upfront about that, so in addition to asking your dr (and getting multiple medical opinions) I'd continue to research that and see what you learn.

I wish I had more optimistic news for you, but in truth this body of knowlege is still relatively new. we are the ones charting the course and there haven't been many women here post-hysterectomy.

I hope you do find acceptable answers.

Christine

February 7, 2007 - 5:52pm

Dear Tina,

I want to believe there is much of value in all my products for the post-surgery woman as well. We carry (or should carry) most of our intestines toward the front and if it were me I would certainly be utilizing the posture.

Some of the most well-known reconstructive pelvic surgeons place no restrictions on the post-hysterectomy pelvis and perhaps I’m being overly cautious. It’s just that we don’t know for sure, as the basic stability of the system has been altered. I’ve had to leave it to each individual woman to use her best judgment, as well as providing the necessary precautionary statements.

Christine