posted
Have any of you had a hysterectomy since you have had Lyme? How was the the recovery?
I have had menstrual bleeding constantly since July. I have tried different hormones without helping. My cervix is scarred over, so the doctor could not get to the uterus to do a heat ablation. He is relunctant to perform a hysterectomy since I have Lyme.
Any suggetions? Hiker
P.S. I survived the hemorrhoid surgery!
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 10189 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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dmc
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5102
posted
my sister just had one two weeks ago, so far no problems. her llmd knew and said since necessary okay.
She hasn't start back on abxs yet but looks much better than going through those female sufferings. she was in agony do to the endometreosis...she's only 30.
Posts: 2675 | From ct, usa | Registered: Jan 2004
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
March 6 this year I had a complete hysterectomy and bladder repair a month before my Lyme diagnosis was made-and since the results indicated I had had lyme for a long time, it's a sure bet I had Lyme at the time of the operation.
My recovery was unremarkable except for the fact that three days after the surgery I broke out in a very weird rash-from my hips to my armpits. Lasted about a week. Doctor thought it was some kind of systemic rash-like Lupus.
A month later I was given a firm diagnosis for Lyme. I still get a rash for a week every month-but not as extreme.
My surgery was lapriscopically assisted vaginal. The largest of three incisions, about an inch long didn't want to heal and needed a bit of topical antibiotic and bandaging-but didn't turn into anything major-just a funny looking scar now.
posted
I survived it. The bad thing was they put me on FLAGYL afterward and it nearly did me in!!! That was before I knew I had Lyme.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
Yes, I had it done leaving my ovaries 12-15 years ago BEFORE I knew I had chronic lyme for 20+ years!
This may have been the surgery where I had an epidermal, and whatever female MD blastered my back with tape even though they knew I was ALLERGIC TO IT. I LOST ALL THE SKIN WHERE THEY PULLED TAPE OFF!
I've had stomach problems for 30+ years, and was so tender after that surgery too. For 2-3 yrs. couldn't even put my hands on my large tummy area; PURE PAIN JUST TO TOUCH!
So best wishes on your surgery; it will go fine.
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Yes, I had a partial 6 years ago after lyme. My female problems were spinning out of control like yours.
Mine was done vaginally so the recovery was suppose to be easier on the body. I'll never forget in the recovery room I was crying out in so much pain and the nurse asked me what my pain level was on a scale of 1-10. When I told her it was a 10, she said "I doubt that".
But the pain was horrible. I was in recovery much longer than expected. Our pain tolerance is greatly effected from the daily pain levels we experience. The next two days I ran fevers and they refused to release me. My urine also was very concerning to them.
I knew all of this was the lyme disease going nuts and tried to explain but they couldn't understand someone on abx for over a year and having obvisous infections still raging in my body.
But my recovery after that was easy. I was working from home on the computer the next week. But that was the time in my life that I refused to let any lyme thing get me down or slow me down. Eventially it knocked me down.
Be sure to take extra care of you after the surgery. It's nice to have at least a few less problems.
Take care, Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
I've had Lyme since 1984 when I was 28. In spring 2002 I had a complete hysterectomy due to 3 problems: cysts on the ovaries, fibroids that were making me bleed to the point of anemia, and endometriosis (though that was found only during the surgery as even though it was severe it wasn't symptomatic).
I would not go through it again. My lung collapsed after surgery, I ended up with severe itching (without rash) all over my body while I was in the hospital, and the pain control was a joke. It took about 1 1/2 years to even BEGIN to get some stamina back. If I knew then what I know now I'd say, treat each problem separately and conservatively.
Posts: 459 | From Connecticut - just across the river from the Lymes (Old Lyme, Hadlyme, East Lyme, South Lyme & Lyme) | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
My sister did. And she had some plastic surgery (tummy tuck) done at the same time.
They did remove one of her ovaries as well because it had a tumor (benign) the size of an orange(!).
But I'll tell you, the hysterectomy was nothing compared to the recovery from the tummy tuck! But that scar goes from hip to hip like a big smile...
If it had just been the hysterectomy, it would have been a LOT easier for her. And she doesn't regret the hysterectomy at all - she certainly doesn't miss the "bleeding like a stuck pig" for 10+ days a month (her flow was always heavy, but since the Lyme, it was downright dangerous and her doctor had to put her on iron supplements to fend off the anemia from her period).
Have a comfy recliner chair and make sure there's someone nearby to help in your recovery (and skip the tummy tuck!).
Good luck!
Posts: 369 | From Ohio | Registered: Mar 2002
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
You prolly dont wanna hear from me again as I put the fear of god into you about the hem surgery. I am SO SO SO SO SO glad that yours seems to be healing much faster and without the pain and complications that I went thru!
This just proves that everyone is different.
If you start browsing discussion boards like hyster sisters you will find success stories and terrible despair post-op. There is no crystal ball to see how your story will end. and that, is the scariest part of it all for me. If I KNEW that the full hyst would make me less symptomatic with endo and fibroids and recurring cysts, I would do it. But there is NO guarentee and many women end up worse.
Are there any alternatives? If so, what are they and how do they compare? can you take BC pills, other hormones? why is there scarring? Are there other reasons for the hyst? would it be a full hyst or just the uterus? I am not familiar with constant bleeding and scarring of cervix.
I can tell you that if you have scarring there, the chances you have it INTERNALLY are relatively high. the porblem with this is that you MUST have a very skilled surgeon. I learned this lesson the hard way this summer. I had my ovary removed and because it was adherred (scar tissue) to the pelvic wall, and the surgeon was not interested in taking his TIME, he ended up burning my ureter and I have had to have 3 more surgeries and another one in two weeks.
Yeah, I am always the worst case scenerio. But the lesson I learned here is that if your case is complicated you MUST go with a surgeon who is willing to take his/her time and do the most meticulous and thorough job.
I am sorry I keep coming up to say things that seem scary. I am speaking from my own experience. You know how when you make a mistake you dont want others to do the same thing. I am NOT saying dont get the hyst. I AM saying research your options and make sure you have confidence in your surgeon.
and check out sites like hyster sisters.
my best, trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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