Avoiding Surgery

Body: 

It's good to see this kind of stuff in "main stream media."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/07/27/healthmag.surgery/index.html

Hmmm, very interesting.

I may be imagining it, but I think there may be more women coming to this site with stories of doctors who do not recommend surgery for prolapse. I hope I am right.

Cheers

Louise

Thanks for sending this, Jean. My husb emailed it to me too. I guess I wasn't too impressed because the alternatives (for uterine bleeding and fibroids) suggested are almost as bad. Many women lose their uterus anyway in the years following ablation. Probably an equal number begin to have serious problems with their ovaries after embolisation. These both are really horrible procedures.

Actually, how many women do we hear of anymore who have undergone D&C? This is because, once again, industry has gotten into the act and come up with a tool that rolls around burning off the entire inside layer of the uterus. I mean, they've LONG SINCE stopped burning amputated stumps of arms and legs in hopes of better sealing them. How totally barbaric that somehow it's okay to do that to women? And what is wrong with us that we can't see the horrible trauma that comes with such a procedure?

The author of the article was surgically treated for colon cancer so you can bet he is deeply embedded in the system. I was not impressed that he couldn't research gentle alternatives, but was very glad to see him point out some of the long-term results of episiotomy, the biggest mother-wrecker of them all.

Christine

Christine,

I agree with you about the alternatives suggested for fibroids - pretty nasty stuff. There has yet been little mention in mainstream media about one of the latest non-invasive techniques for fibroids which utilizes MRI and focused ultra-sound. It's very expensive and insurance carriers in the US do not cover it - I think because, unlike hysterectomy (which is usually covered) which permanently eliminates fibroids, the new technique carries a risk of recurrence. Quality of life, post-op, doesn't seem to figure into the insurance coverage scheme. I was just glad to see that the medical establishment is at least beginning to acknowledge the scandalous over-reliance on hysterectomy as a solution to so many women's medical issues.

Your reference to episiotomy as a "mother-wrecker" is right on. I attribute my prolapse to this routine procedure. Like the 73% of women surveyed, I never realized that I had a choice regarding this surgery. I am embarassed to think how naive and trusting I was at the time - I am an intelligent and well-educated person - and I never had any reason to mistrust the expertise of my doctor who was the chief of ob/gyn at the highly regarded hospital where I delivered my two wonderful daughters. Live and learn.

As always, thank you for establishing this website and forum, for sharing your wisdom, knowledge, experience and compassion with so many women - and wishing you continued success in your Whole Woman enterprise.

Jean

Louise,

I hope you are right too. Unfortunately, my (former) gyn last year immediately suggested surgery upon confirming the diagnosis of cystocele (which she had missed during my previous exams) resulting from a pelvic/abdominal CT scan that I had. She promoted it very enthusiastically and assured me that my condition was progressive and would certainly become difficult for me to deal with. I had also been diagnosed with an asymptomatic uterine fibroid. Not knowing anything about fibroids at the time, I asked her what would be the treatment for it if it became symptomatic. Her immediate reply, "At your age, we would do a hysterectomy." My age at the time was a very pre-menopausal 46! It was very shortly after this as I searched the internet for info. on all of these issues, that I discovered WholeWoman.com

My new gyn is all about learning to manage prolapse without surgery - unless a patient insists on having surgery. For the medical establishment, a step in the right direction.

Jean

All I can say is I had several surgeries, 2 anterior posterior repairs plus hystrectomy. Not all women have the same body elasticity but if you do go through this surgery, do yourself a good favor and ask the doctor to make sure he gives you packing to go home with and use it inside your vagina to prevent fuse of the vaginal walls, and stand off your feet for at least 6 months this is important. i was never told about the side affects until its too late.. please read what happen to me i posted this is my life, damage.

good luck

Hi Jacqueline

So glad you have found this site where we can all learn so much and support each other.

Unfortuately yours is a common story. My heart goes out to you as you live in your changed body. Do tell others of your experiences so they can see a fuller picture than your doctor obviously gave you, and hopefully they will try managing their prolapses without surgery. Doctors often seem unable to see beyond the scalpel, not all doctors, but it sure is hard to find the ones who are happy to leave the scalpel as a last resort!

It is only women who have experienced the different ways of dealing with prolapses who can enlighten other women, and hopefully before they embark on irreversible body changes.

Cheers

Louise