Hysterectomy

Okay. So you're thinking about that hysterectomy the doc insists is the only solution to your uterine fibroids. But, when you mention it to your friends and family they start asking you all kinds of questions that you don't have the answers to. Questions like:

what kind of hysterectomy?
are you keeping your ovaries?
is the doctor going to put you on hormones?

The questions are endless. It almost seems that OTHER people have more questions of you (and the doctor) than YOU even thought to think of and you're beginning to wonder just which layer of the ozone your brain has been floating in!

Women you know start throwing acronyms at you. . .better find out what your FSH is before the procedure so you can better gauge your HRT afterwards. . .by the way, are you having a LH, LAH, LAVH, TAH, or TAH/BSO?

Welcome. You've just joined The Club. All women who've been given the "you need a hysterectomy" statement by their doctor will know EXACTLY what I mean--and you will too before much longer. We're an elite group of women that number in the millions and we know that most women don't even think about us or the possibility of hysterectomy. Until, that is, they too receive the "hysterectomy indicated" statement from their doctor. We're a generous lot of women who open our arms wide when we know there's another woman stumbling through our doorway. We want to help you the best way we can with whatever collective experiences we can share. And, right now, our collective experiences tell us that if you are a woman suffering from ONLY uterine fibroids, you may very well NOT need a hysterectomy. Please turn around, go back through that door, and talk to your doctor some more. You need more answers. You need to be asking the questions that could, very well, allow you to keep your uterus and your ovaries intact.

If you find that you truly DO need a hysterectomy or you simply choose--for whatever personal reason--to go ahead with the hysterectomy, the links below will help you find information that may answer some of your medical questions about the procedure your doctor will perform. I also strongly encourage you to join one of the many support groups that are available. They can prove instrumental in helping you through your hysterectomy as many women who have lived through exactly what you're about to go through are on those support lists waiting with open arms to help you. Join before you have the procedure, if you can, because the support you need begins now. To get you started, here are the answers to some of those acronyms you've been wondering about:

Endo	endometriosis
Fibro	fibromyalgia
FSH	follicle stimulating hormone
HRT	hormone replacement therapy
IBS	irritable bowel syndrome
IC	interstitial cystitis (a bladder inflammation)
LAH	laparoscopic assisted hysterectomy
Lap	laparoscope or laparoscopy
LAVH	laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy
LH	luteinizing hormone
LHRH	luteinizing hormone releasing hormone
LSH	laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy
NHRT	natural hormone replacement therapy
TAH	transabdominal hysterectomy
TAH/BSO	transabdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo oophorectomy
TSH	thyroid stimulating hormone
USO	unilateral salpingo oophorectomy (removal of one ovary)

Link	Site Name/Author	What You'll Find
www.vesalius.com/cfoli_frms.asp ?VID=228&StartFrame=1&tnVID=388	Vesalius	Transabdominal hysterectomy. Complete step-by-step photographic discussion of the surgical procedure.
www.rand.org/publications/ MR/MR592.2/	Bernstein S, Fiske M, McGlynn E, Gifford D. Santa Monica, CA: RAND; 1997. Publication MR-592/2-AHCPR.	Hysterectomy: A review of the literature on indications, effectiveness, and risks. For a comprehensive review of potential impact of hysterectomy on your life, this is the publication to read.
www.rand.org/publications/ MR/MR592.3/	Bernstein S Santa Monica, CA: RAND; 1997. Publication MR-592/3-AHCPR.	Hysterectomy: Ratings of Appropriateness.
www.obgmanagement.com/ This article is no longer available online. Contact OBG Management for more information on how to obtain a copy.	OBG Management	Cutting the Legal Risks of Hysterectomy. Includes information on the following: • A model hysterectomy consent form • Informing the family of an inter-operative complication • How the Physician Insurers Association of America and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners assess the severity of injuries • How plaintiff's attorneys size up a hysterectomy case • Obtaining consent that will stand up in court
www.rtquatromd.com/ viewArticle?ID=25551	Raymond T. Quatro, MD, PSC	Hysterectomy in the United States: Indications, Historical Perspectives, Surgical Advances and Alternatives Excellent discussion of surgical techniques involved in the various forms of hysterectomy.
www.susanlovemd.com/ community/library/archives/ chat/chat000319.htm	Dr. Susan Love	SusanLoveMD "Live Chat" Archives March 19, 2000. Dr. Susan Love and special guest Dr. Marcie Richardson, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Copley Center, Harvard Vanguard Associates, Boston. Topic:"Hysterectomy"
users.supernet.com/jclssl/ diary/diarymain.htm#entries	unidentified	Diary of a Woman. Follow the history of one woman who underwent Total Vaginal Hysterectomy as she details the events from June through October of 1999.
www.qis.net/~pvietz/ history.htm	P.F.Vietz, M.D. Westminster, MD 21157 (USA)	Hysterectomy - Historical Perspective
ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/ laa/naist/vk/harkki-siren/	Päivi Härkki-Sirén University of Helsinki, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jorvi Hospital.	Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: Outcome and complications in Finland. Academic Dissertation, November 1999. Excellent review of historical events in hysterectomy surgery and interesting discussion (around page 60 in the .pdf file) of laparoscopic learning curve of surgeons and procedural complications from laparoscopic hysterectomies.
www.perspectivesinnursing.org/ v1n2/Smith.html	Victoria Base-Smith, MSN, CRNA, CCRN Perspectives, Recovery Strategies from the OR to Home	Anesthetic Management: Hysterectomy Continuing Education for Nursing
www.health.state.ny.us/ nysdoh/consumer/women/ hyster.htm	New York State Department of Health	Basic information about hysterectomies: the benefits, risks and alternatives.
www.members.tripod.com/ fiona_51/index.html	Unknown	Surgical Menopause. A personal story and a link to SugiPause -- a list group for women who've had their ovaries removed.
www.wel-foundation.org/data/ lavh/intro.htm#load2	University Of Teesside Department Of Academic Gynaecological Surgery South Cleveland Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, UK, TS4 3BW	Laparoscopically Assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy. Excellent pictures/short definitions.
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/drh/ wh_hysterec.htm	Center for Disease Control	Fact sheet: Hysterectomy in the United States, 1980 -- 1993. Opening page contains overview of statistics. Read the full 106 page report to truly decide whether you want to or need to join the CDC's statistical pool for hysterectomies.
www.ccon.com/hers/index.htm	HERS Foundation	The HERS Foundation is an independent non-profit national and international women's health education organization providing information about hysterectomy, its adverse effects and alternative treatments. This organization focuses on convincing women to not undergo hysterectomy and offers support for those who already have undergone hysterectomy. For uterine fibroids, HERS has a strong interest in referring women to physicians who perform myomectomies.
www.hysterectomy- association.org.uk/index.htm	The Hysterectomy Association	Support and information to women who have had or will be having a hysterectomy in the UK.
www.oxford.net/~tishy/ hystasm.html	Tishy@cheerful.com	Hysterectomy -- Women's experiences. Informed Consent: California State Codes: Health and Safety Code Section 1690-1691
www.augs.org/	The American Urogynecologic Society	The American Urogynecologic Society, founded in 1979, is dedicated to research and education in urogynecology and to improved care for women with lower urinary tract disorders (which, unfortunately, are oftentimes the result of hysterectomy).
www.obgyn.net/women/ articles/ bradley/banter_0512.htm	J. Glenn Bradley, M.D., obgyn.net	"The Pain-Less" Hysterectomy: Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
209.86.238.228/index.htm	Thomas L. Lyons, M.D., Center for Women's Care and Reproductive Surgery	Inventor of Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy
womenshealth.miningco.com/ library/weekly/aa112397.htm? pid=2839&cob=home	miningco.com Women's Health	Reasons for hysterectomy
www.hysterectomy- association.org.uk /info/hyster/hyster.htm	Dr. Linda Newall The Hysterectomy Association (UK)	What is a hysterectomy?
www.findings.net/sans-uteri.html	Sans Uteri Hysterectomy Forum Beth Tiner Findings: The Women's Healthcare Advocacy Service	Open communication between hysterectomized women and women considering surgery in an effort to ensure careful and wise decision-making about consenting to the removal of reproductive organs.
wellweb.com/ALTERN/ column/uterus.htm	Lenore Howe The Wellness Web	The Uterus vs. Hysterectomy
griffin.auhs.edu/dept/coe/ FullText/hyster.htm	Allegheny University of the Health Sciences	About LAVH
www.reproductivecenter.com/ texas.html	Carl F. Giesler, M.D.	"The Texas Approach" To Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy More procedural detail than you ever thought you would want to know! This man enjoys his work...
www.upmc.edu/minsurg/ LAVH.htm	UPMC Health System	Laparoscopically Assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy
www.hystersisters.com/	Hyster Sisters Kathy Kelley	Through the Land of Hyster Hysterectomy Recovery Stories Although this is a support group of tremendous positive magnitude for women who have undergone hysterectomy and the website has wonderful information to share with women undergoing hysterectomy and recovering from hysterectomy surgery, somewhere along the way it also became a site that seemingly promotes hysterectomy. No woman should feel guilty about choosing hysterectomy as the appropriate treatment option for her...we all do what we need to do to take care of our medical situation and the choices we make are not easy ones. Even so, I get a little uneasy at the concept of promoting hysterectomy -- something this website and the women posting there do seem to be doing.
web.dbtech.net/~suncastl/ happy.htm	"Suney"	Suney's Happy Hysterectomy Page. Suney relates her positive experiences with her own hysterectomy. Note: Suney had a hysterectomy for treatment of a prolapsed uterus -- not uterine fibroids.
209.86.238.228/faq.htm	Center for Women's Care and Reproductive Surgery Thomas L. Lyons, MD Atlanta, Georgia	Frequently Asked Questions
www.womens- health.org.nz/hysterectomy.htm	Women's Health Watch New Zealand	Factsheet, Women's Stories, Sub-total vs. Total
www.hcgresources.com/ talktodoctor.html	Heather Guidone	The Encounter: How to get Your Doctor to Listen. Although this link discusses how to communicate with your doctor for obtaining a proper diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis, it actually has some fairly sound advice that can be applied in all circumstances of potential surgery due to reproductive disease.