well NotSoInnocent you're not so alone either-*warning* icky girly stuff

[BlaqueKatt]

so yesterday I got to have an ultrasound due to having issues with containing the "red tide"(we're talking super+ tampon w/overnight pad backup changing every hour and still end up in blood soaked clothes)

Got the news from the nurse today-they found uterine fibroid tumors...which wouldn't be so bad unless you know that my great-aunt, grandmother, both regular aunts, and possibly my mom(not sure she refuses to get checked) have all had them, had them removed and 5-10 years later had them come back with a vengeance-as in cancerous. So that leaves the only females in my family without uterine cancer being my sister, my cousin(who died of Breast cancer back in november at age 38), and me-who now has what everyone else started out with.

Talked with my mom first(she's a retired RN-hence not wanting to know herself, she'd rather be semi-healthy to the end than miserable with worry and possibly chemo-I respect that decision, as a nurse she knows the consequences)-she doesn't want me to take a chance like that-especially as I had my tubes tied years ago, and I'm still young and healthy enough to recover from surgery rather quickly-I'm not a gambler, so now I get to make the appointment to tell my doctor-just remove it, it's a ticking time bomb now and I would rather it didn't go off....

I'm 34, I really don't want to be making this kind of decision

It's not fair!

So NSI you think we should start a club?

[Plaidman]

Oh man I'm so sorry girl...

Ya never told me.

[NotSoInnocent]

*hugs hugs and more hugs* Had the same Aunt Flo issues... but without the fibroids. Instead I get told that my ovaries are enlarged. Ovarian cancer killed a couple of family members and is impossible to diagnose in pre-menopausal women.

It was sheer luck that they found my mom's. They went in to remove a cyst on one ovary and saw that the other was completely consumed by cancer.

Want to schedule yours for May 25th? We could "celebrate" together.

Just think, though... No more bleeding. No more cramps. No more period panties. No more changing the sheets every night of a period. You'll even be able to wear white undies if you want!

*even more hugs* I know how rough it is emotionally. (Breakdowns are normal. You can do this.) Just remember that there is a good reason for the surgery and you are -not- less of a woman because some of your parts won't be there.

*great big tight hugs* PM on it's way.

[lupo pazzesco]

Two bouts with uterine fibroids here, ladies. I feel ya, I'm petrified every yearly visit they're going to find more and tell me the dreaded C word.

Positive energy and thoughts going your way. I'm so sorry, I wish I could do more.

My mom had the removal surgery almost 3 years ago, and rejoices that she no longer has to suffer from the issues though. In fact, that following Christmas? Yeah, my "presents" included, I think, 7 boxes of tampons, I just know it was a lot. (She'd grabbed a bunch on sale, discovered she'd needed surgery about a month later and didn't know what to do with the excess. Bonus being I didn't have to buy my own supplies for a little over a year!!)

<ahem> Hugs to you both!

[42_42_42]

From your post, it sounds like you've already had children? At least you got to do that before your lady parts went haywire. (There's always a silver lining).

[tropicsgoddess]

No words except for....

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I've got one of the bastards even as we speak. I had a lemon sized one removed about six years ago. That's the bad news.

The good news is that I am in the early stages of menopause.

Which means the bastard will probably shrink on it's own.

I dunno if the fibroids themselves are what is causing the women in your family to get the big C, or if you ladies are just prone to not only fibroids but also cancer. However, I can see why you don't want to take a chance.

[RootedPhoenix]

*offers lots of hugs* It sounds awful, and scary. Be patient with your sadness and fear. It's okay to be sad and scared about all of this.

Wish I could make it go away though.

[Der Cute]

Hugs to everyone who's bound for Ute Surgery Land.
Do you have to keep an eye on your overall endocrine system due to factory removal?

Cutenoob
PS Hugs, lots ..I mean metric fucktons...of chocolate, and lots of kitty bonks.

[NotSoInnocent]

Hugs to everyone who's bound for Ute Surgery Land.
Do you have to keep an eye on your overall endocrine system due to factory removal?

Cutenoob
PS Hugs, lots ..I mean metric fucktons...of chocolate, and lots of kitty bonks.

Oh yeah. Those of us who have our ovaries removed in the surgery have to make decisions about hormone replacement. And trying to make decisions about what hormones to replace, how much to replace them with, what the dosing schedule should be, or even if it's safe to replace them at all is just a ton of stress.

Patches, pills, creams, herbal supplements, single hormone, multiple hormones... even trying to get the basic information on these is hard because medical opinion changes all the time.

Ever tried to weigh the pros and cons when each side has some -very- serious side-effects? "Let's see... Do I want to have the possibility of developing hormone receptive breast cancer and deal with taking pills forever? ... Or do I want to have the possibility of developing severe cardiac issues and early bone loss while going through surgical menopause?" Not a fun choice.

[phantasy]

My family has a history of unterine, cervical and ovarian cancer. When I was 17, I had a small (lime sized) cyst removed from my right ovary, but I still get them, even two years later. They grow and rupture, and then grow back next month.

My doctors told me to take BC just for the hormones, so they would give me a regular dose of hormones each day, and I wouldn't get super-bad periods and the cysts wouldn't be so big. It worked, until I ran out of insurance and decided to buy the cheapest birth control I could find here in Peru. Now they're back.

I have no personal advice for pre-menopausal women, but my aunt had her cervix removed due to cancer, so she doesn't get the periods anymore. She still has the mood swings though, on top of being a heavy smoker, alcoholic and general psyco.

Hugs, chocolate and lovin' to everyone here! *goes off to munch on a solid chocolate bunny on steriods*

[trailerparkmedic]

***hugs***

[Seshat]

All I can say is .. *hugs*.

Well, I can say other stuff, but it's all been said already. So big hugs.

When I was diagnosed with PCOS, I suddenly desperately wanted kids even though I'd never wanted them before. I figured out that what I wanted was the CHOICE.

So I sat down, and made a conscious choice about whether or not I wanted kids, with all the pros and cons marked down on paper and everything. And then I felt fine to make the PCOS decisions based on what was right for ME, not for 'me-and-maybe-having-kids-some-day'.

I strongly recommend doing that. Even if you think you know how you feel, sit down and lay it out on paper (or a computer screen, or whatever), and make a conscious decision.
If you decide you want kids (or 'more kids'), you can talk with your medical team about how long you can risk leaving the factory in place, or whether adoption is fine to you, and whatnot.
If you decide you don't, then you can go ahead and have the removal, but with a clearer mind about it, and happier about it.