I need a hysterectomy? NOT!!

SWEET!!! Just a few years ago we were all told the same thing. The climate has changed considerably (women have been sending their doctors to WW for almost six years!) but there are still many out there who are blind to the winds of change. Before too long their blindness will be indefensible. :) Christine

I have to respond to your post because the exact same thing happened to me. I am 20 years older than you, had three children, and have had prolapse symptoms off and on for around ten years. Then last year, the prolapsed bladder began to protrude from my vagina. This totally unnerved me, and I went to see my family doctor of over 20 years. She told me I would need a hysterectomy and immediately sent me to a gyn. I told her I didn't want this, but went to see the gyn anyways to see if he had some good ideas for my situation. He was rude, rough, arrogant, and angry, and he told me I would need to see a urogyn. I didn't have the opportunity to ask him for information, because he told me he only wanted to hear "yes" or "no" to the questions he asked me. When I look back at this, I can hardly believe it.

Anyways, I went to the urogyn, and by this time the prolapse had moved back up and I was feeling pretty good. By the way, prolapse is still up. The urogyn just wanted to book my surgery, including some sort of mesh slings. It all sounded very invasive, lots of risks, long recovery, and no promises. There was no conversation about alternatives or even the fact that everything was okay now - or the fact that I have a completely healthy uterus and no incontinence.

Not one of these doctors even suggested that maybe the prolapse would improve or some alternatives to abdominal surgery. At that point I searched the Internet and found this site. I realized that I wasn't going out of my mind and also have learned that surgery is a very lucrative practice for doctors. Boy what an eye-opener. I wonder how many hysterectomies have been unnecessarily performed in order to pay for doctors' mortgages, etc.

I found it very interesting that your experience with doctors was the same as my own and believe this is happening in towns all across North America. I am from Canada. I have ordered the book and DVD, but like I mentioned, I'm doing okay. I think the protrusion problem I had last year might have been due to severe constipation or perhaps some very heavy lifting. Why couldn't the doctors have discussed that with me. I was panicking and they took advantage of the situation.

Hi Rural

See my story in the Members' Stories Forum. Nearly five years later, and having had all the usual perimenopuause bleeding and ups and down, I'm still whole, and plan to stay so.

Louise :-)

I'm still fairly new to the WW site, where I've found like minded women and incredible support and understanding.

Natural / Holistic has been my path for years because of other situations I would go to md's for. I'm mad right with you. I have shared the following twice in the past 2 wks. with friends. I must still be angry. In my early 20's, I was having pelvic pain and one dr. told me I should get married and broaden my horizons. I thought he was crazy. (I lived in GA back then). Another time, a different gynecologist did a laparoscopy on me for pelvic pain - when I called to discuss it after the procedure, he put me on hold, came back and said, we need to get you in here for a laparoscopy. Yikes! I said, you just did one. That was the end of that. I work in natural health and have for many years - the stories I hear from people re: md's are awful. There are a handful I know of, who are more open to natural. Anyway, glad you found WW. It's a great place. Dreamer8

Kitty, I wondered if you could tell me a little more about how your cystocele went back up. Mine is still hanging past my vaginal opening just like it did 5 months ago when I first noticed that uncomfortable bulge. How long did it hang down? Did you do anything other than WW posture and exercises? I am always interested in others prolapse recovery stories to see if something might work for me. Thanks for any help, Connie

Hi Connie,

Not a simple answer. For ten years I had fullness in the vagina, off and on, sometimes worse than others. Then, as mentioned, last year there was an actual protrusion outside the vagina. I didn't mention this in my first post, but my family doctor gave me a prescription for Premarin vaginal cream when I first saw her about the protrusion. I used the cream because my vagina opening had become sore and chafed due to the protrusion. I immediately read up about Premarin on the Internet, and what I found out really scared me. Premarin can promote uterine cancer. So I used the smallest dose (0.5), and I stopped using it after three weeks and have not used it since. About one week after I stopped using the Premarin, I noticed that my vagina, etc. was back to normal and the bladder had "gone up". Now I'm not sure if that small usage of Premarin helped, but I somehow think that it might have.

It seems to me that whatever my prolapse problem is and has been, it seems to always come and go. I noticed a wee bit of a problem recently (not quite protruding), and realized I had been a bit constipated and was doing more lifting than usual. I stopped the lifting and got regular, and I am completely fine once again. Oh yes, I had been raking a lot too, and lifting bags of grass.

I have just received the book and dvd, and have not started those exercises yet. However I am a fairly active person who walks, does yoga, and some small weight lifting on a regular basis. I'm not sure if that helps, but I think that keeping fit can't do any harm. I am also only about five pounds overweight, and I think that helps too. I do plan to start the Whole Woman exercises.

Also, there are the odd times when I feel more of a bulge within the vagina, and I push it all back over with my finger - and it seems to stay over. I have been thinking that if it ever all hangs out again, I just might use a bit of the Premarin over a short time to see what happens. I would talk to my doctor about getting the lining of my uterus checked out if that is the case, just to ensure against uterine cancer.

Have you thought about trying those sea pearl sponges? I haven't used them, but think it might be good if things go bad again.

By the way, I just saw a book in a second-had store today called The Hysterectomy Hoax, written by a gyn. He mentioned that only 10% of hysterectomies are necessary - due to life or death or cancer situations. I didn't get the book, but it was heartening just to see it.

My September surgery booking is looming over my head, but I'm almost positive I won't have it done. I guess I'm just waiting to see if I will totally fall apart before then, but that is just fear speaking.

I have often wondered about using a hormone cream, I have read positive and negative results with regards to helping a prolapse. I know mine had been there for awhile, no symptoms though until I squatted in a bad position then almost immediately I started feeling the bulge. I had a couple of real good days recently, but the bulge returned with a vengence. I have such a heavy feeling too that drives me crazy. I recently started a new job where I am on my feet much more, maybe that is the reason. I have tried sea sponges and super tampax, both are ok for several hours then they slip down and pinch. I do try to use one or the other if I am going to be on my feet alot, I guess I feel the cystocele needs the support. Thanks for your story, I might re-think using premarin cream for a short time. I wonder if there is any natural products that would work similar to the premarin? Connie

Hi Connie and Kitty

Sadly, Premarin owes its success, and its risks, to its oestrogen content. Whether or not the source is 'natural', oestrogen is oestrogen, no matter how you look at it. Introducing it into a low progesterone body will always have the same risks. They say the effect is only local, but I am not convinced of that. It is a nice selling point but ...

The alternatives we have discussed are the vaginal moisturisers, eg Replens, which one trial at least has shown that it does build vaginal epithelium, and the lubricants, eg KY, Sylk and WW Bliss Balm, which just make the vagina and vulva more slippery.

Just making the vagina and vulva more slippery sounds simplistic, but the effect can be more far reaching than that. Slippery means less friction, which means less irritation, less inflammation, and less potential for bugs to get a grip. It also means that mechanically the posterior and anterior walls of the vagina can move freely over each other, accommodating the movement of organs behind them, in the same way as a younger vagina would do. So what comes down *can* move up again more easily.

Search "vaginal moisturiser", "vaginal moisturizer" and "Replens" to see the discussions we have had to date.

Cheers

Louise

I was on top of the world back in May. I figured my prolapse was completely under control and believed it could be managed if it came back. In July, I canceled my September hysterectomy surgery and felt quite confident. A few days after canceling, my prolapse came back. It was different - harder, and protruding more, and uncomfortable. Although a bit leery, I began to use the Premarin cream again - hoping this would resolve the issue as I believed it had in the past.

About mid-August I began to notice a watery pink discharge, and in mid-September I had my first show of real blood. I began to regret canceling my surgery and called to make a doctor's appointment. I was not able to see her until end-November. In the meantime, I was showing a slight bloody discharge daily. I had a biopsy taken and found out yesterday I have cancer in my uterus. The good news is it is stage one, caught early, very good prognosis.

I am now scheduled for complete hysterectomy, and in a way I'm glad that I won't have to deal with the prolapse anymore. Of course I'm concerned about the surgery, but now I have no choice. I believe the Premarin (unopposed estrogen) may have stimulated the lining cells of my uterus; however, the doctor tells me that the Premarin did not cause the cancer.

I'm sure my situation is a bit unusual, but I now regret that I canceled my hysterectomy surgery back in September. I am writing this update to warn about Premarin, particularly in post menopausal women in their sixties. In some ways I wish I had never found this website and become so gung ho against surgery, but Whole Woman really did give me a lot of encouragement and support when I was struggling with prolapse despair.

C'est la vie. It is what it is.

Kitty

Oh Kitty, i am so sorry to hear this. I do not know enough about uterine cancer to know about the stages etc, but sounds like it was caught early which is great news. but please try to let go of regret--we make the decision that is right for us in the moment-- in that moment you were doing what was best for you. you are now armed with amazing knowledge, and can look after your body post surgery to hopefully prevent any further problems.

Do take care and let us know how you get on.

Kiki

Kitty, so sorry about your diagnosis! I agree you should not regret not having the hysterectomy earlier. As a matter of fact, it might be better that they know about the cancer prior to the surgery, because now they will know to check everything thoroughly, and probably take biopsies of other tissues to make sure it has not spread. In fact, you might want to consider getting a gynecologic-oncologist to do the hysterectomy.

Best of luck to you, this must be a terrible thing to go through.

Dear Kitty:

Back when you were first dealing with the uterine prolapse, you made the best decision for what was apparent at the time. Since then, following a diagnosis of disease, you have made a different decision. In my mind, the two are distinct, and each was appropriate for the circumstances.

I really doubt that brief usage of Premarin caused the cancer. Sometimes, stuff just happens. As for delaying the hysterectomy, no one knew at the time that the uterus was diseased. Please try to let go of feelings of regret. I have them too---what if I had never done X, Y, or Z? Could I have avoided a prolapse? I can't know, and it doesn't matter. I have to deal with what I have now.

As an encouraging note, my mother had a hysterectomy because of a huge fibroid, at the age of 43. She's 88 and physically active--athletic, even. She has remained a kind, gentle, witty, and generous soul, and she has lived for decades without any complications. Here's hoping for the best possible outcome of this for you!

Blessings, prayers, hugs, and all kinds of good wishes.

Saddleup

Hi Kitty

Wow! Sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but so happy that you didn't ignore your symptoms and bury your head in the sand, which would have been easy to do.

Regret and blame are normal parts of grief, and you sure have a good reason to have a grief reaction. I imagine the next few weeks will be difficult in more ways than one, and that you will experience the full range of emotions, positive and negative, before and after surgery. Take care. Hope all goes well. Let us know how you go.

Louise