can u help me if I had uterine cancer/hyst

Body: 

I had a hysterectomy a year ago for uterine cancer. I found this site while looking for info on prolapse. I am doing very well, but have lower back pain, and my right leg does not bend Indian style as it used to. I am very active, walk, lift weights on machines and feel good. I am having a few symptoms occassionally. A little pressure and some bulging tissue into the vagina upon bowel movements. None of which has caused pain or anything too weird -yet.
Is there hope for us who had no choice but to remove their uterus?
DO the food, posture, exercise rules apply. I will never have surgery unless it is cancer... Thanks for your work in this area. It is a little unsetteling to read of your prognosis for those who have had hysterectomy. I wish I could find more positive feedback as I have already been through enough.. Katrina

Hello Katrina, and Welcome,

Thanks much for writing and for the opportunity to shed more light on this issue.

Regardless of how "simple" and "minimally invasive" hysterectomy is being sold to us (they are now grinding the uterus up and sucking it out through the belly button), the truth is hysterectomy is radical surgery that (1) removes a major organ integral to sexuality (2) removes the keystone of the internal support structure of the pelvis (3) permanently changes the biochemical nature of WHO WE ARE (4) permanently alters the musculoskeletal system, resulting in conditions of pain and limitation such as you are experiencing.

There is always hope for us and we really can work with anything. True and lasting happiness and peace are born from the inside out. My 25-year-old daughter made an observation a few months ago that I found startling. A violinist since the age of 5, she said very matter-of-factly that life for her would still be worth living even if she were deaf, dumb, blind and totally paralyzed. This is because she has lived so intensely in another dimension that the musical plane would now be enough. All the world's wisdom traditions teach a similar concept.

Back to the physical plane...I believe all of the same "rules" still apply. Remember, we are all working with what we have. It is nothing less than the highest spiritual work to give the body all that we can toward health and stability.

How can I say otherwise than you are now at risk for additional untoward effects of having lost a major support structure of the pelvic girdle? Does this mean anything other than you can have a long, full, and meaningful life? No!

We must look at the truth, however, and understand that your body has been compromised just as if you had lost part of your colon, stomach, breast, or lung to cancer. The appropriate response is to encourage and nurture you back to the highest state of health possible.

What is NOT appropriate, nor just, nor even sane is to apply radical pelvic surgery to anything other than life-saving situations, unless women really have been given the full story and cannot see any other way. Women have NOT BEEN TOLD how vital an organ the uterus is, nor given, in Dr. Christiane Northrup's words, "The information they need to reclaim, honor, and protect the areas of our bodies that have too often been disowned and sacrificed." This is the core message at WholeWoman and one I hope we can all benefit from.

Wishing you well,

Christine

p.s. One of the most astonishing omissions I've found (or not found!) in researching this issue are studies looking at post-hysterectomy de-stabilization of the hip joints, which would most certainly have to be the case. We know over 90% of elderly patients occupying hospital beds with broken hips are women. I'm interested to know how many are missing their uterus. Contrary to popular belief, osteoporosis is a disease of men and women and one that has its roots in childhood.

It's just an idea, but if I were in your position, I would settle into a style of clothing that included a fairly wide belt worn low on the hips to give additional support to your hip joints. This may also relieve your lower back pain. ck

While I agree woman are having unnecessary surgeries and doctors are not telling the whole story and that losing a major organ is devistating, etc.- your reply did not seem very empathetic. From your response, I guess I am in for a life time of problems although I was saved from cancer. My uterus is gone, as many women have lost theirs via cancer and through doctors with untrue promises. I think reading this type of stuff is more dangerous to our mind/body connection and healing than if we stayed off the internet. I am glad if you are helping people... but perhaps you are not aware of how modern medicine can help also...

Dear Katrina,

I apologize for my tone. There are so few of us working to balance a situation that has caused tremendous grief and pain to untold numbers of women. It is within that framework that I responded to you.

I tried to be explicit in the intro to this forum that the work is really for women who have not had surgery. This is because I don't know how trying to work with the posture will effect the body post-hysterectomy. I don't mean to sound hopeless.

The problem is, although hysterectomy has been performed for over a century, we are only now bringing forth effects that either have never even been considered or else dismissed and omitted from research and literature. Women still don't know what they are signing up for when offered surgery for benign conditions.

You are blessed that surgery was able to save you from a terminal disease. This is a true and appropriate justification for removing a very vital organ from the body. I believe there are many alternative therapies that will help you and I hope you will contact the HERS Foundation for further guidance.

Again, my humble and heartfelt apologies,

Christine

thank you for your reply and apology. I am determined to find a way to keep my health and activity level and I believe positive thinking and belief that our bodies will heal if we take care of them-guided imagery, etc and lots of prayer and faith. Hopefully women's health issues will improve over the years and there will be more options for us. just a side note, my aunt had hyst over 30 years ago and is still kicking with no problems thus far. However, I do believe it is a great failure for our society to not be properly informed and that doctors have not given us the full story! Just the grief alone in losing the uterus is a long road. thanks for your work.. I just want women who have to have this done to live in fear- that is no way to face each day. thanks katrina

I meant I don't want women to live in fear/ to correct the last statement from above.. woman should not be in fear.. correction.