Doctor Offers To Perform An Abdominal Hysterectomy

Everyone woman will dream of never having another monthly menstrual period. However, the dream is usually realized when it accompanies something less desired than the inevitable monthly monster. Usually when a doctor offers to perform an abdominal hysterectomy, the patient discovers the need is because of cancer, endometriosis or fibroids. There are other reasons such as heavy bleeding and problems with cysts which can initiate the need for a hysterectomy too.

Abdominal hysterectomies have been about the only hope women have seen for a quick resolution to their monthly periods. Still, when the verdict is handed down by a physician, it does often accompany a much more feared problem such as surgery, recovery and other words no one wants to hear.

A hysterectomy is not something people take lightly. Couples have concerns a hysterectomy will play havoc on their sex lives and often it does. Women have a constant reminder they will never be able to have children again which is disturbing to some younger women and for some reason, bothersome to those who never had plans for more children in the first place.

The hormonal issue is a concern too. Women have to take hormones after the surgery which is another problem for women who don’t like to take the medications on a daily basis and of course, hormone pills are contributed to weight gain causing yet another concern.

An abdominal hysterectomy is painful. The best way to describe it is that it is like a c-section recovery. You will need to drink plenty of fluids and you’ll also want to get up and get moving as soon as possible after the surgery. The longer you lay in bed motionless the worse the recovery. The pain will not lessen. However, if you don’t think about it and move around, you’ll help yourself recover quickly.

Abdominal hysterectomies are not a death sentence; in fact, the truth is the old myths about hysterectomies are just that, a myth. Women in years past used a hysterectomy to gain attention and so they played the surgery and the recovery to the hilt. However, today’s woman doesn’t have time to whine about it. They just rush into have the surgery, deal with the pain, stay overnight and are home within 48 hours at the most. These super-women are career-minded so abdominal hysterectomy or not, they are back to work within 2 weeks and it’s no problem.

Yes, abdominal hysterectomies are painful and yes, there’s going to be a recovery period. However, women shouldn’t dread it because it is the one sure fire way to end the monthly menstrual cycle once and for all! This is where the abdominal hysterectomies have a one-up on all of the other procedures.

Also, something to keep in mind when having a hysterectomy is that if you don’t go ahead with this procedure, you’re likely to end up having other complications later. Forget about the myths and just do it. Then, you can live your life without any problems or periods!

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Total Abdominal Hysterectomy hysterectomy procedures

Total abdominal hysterectomy is the most common of the hysterectomy procedures. It involves removing the uterus and the cervix through an incision in the abdomen. While the reasons for having a total abdominal hysterectomy may be compelling, if there is not diagnosis of malignancy a woman may want to consider options short of this procedure.

There are many circumstances under which a doctor might prescribe a total abdominal hysterectomy; certainly the most severe situation would be cervical or uterine cancer. If cancer is diagnosed unless a woman mistrusts the diagnosis, a total abdominal hysterectomy is the only option. If a woman wants a second opinion on the doctor’s finding she should proceed with all speed; cancer of the reproductive organs can spread quickly. As a result delaying treatment could cause the need to remove other organs or could cause the condition to become incurable.

Many times, though, a total abdominal hysterectomy may be used to correct less severe maladies such as large fibroid tumors, chronic endometriosis or continued heavy bleeding. At some point a total abdominal hysterectomy may become necessary to alleviate these problems; however, before that time arrives a woman may want to consider less invasive procedures such as endometrial ablation and/or hormone therapy. Once it has become evident that lesser therapies are not the solutions, a woman may still want to contemplate having a hysterectomy in which her cervix is preserved. A procedure of this sort is referred to as a subtotal hysterectomy or a supracervical hysterectomy.

If a woman opts to have a total abdominal hysterectomy she should be prepared for surgery lasting one to two hours followed by a hospital stay of two to four days. The amount of abdominal scarring will depend upon the size of the uterus when it was removed. Often a doctor can make a horizontal “bikini line” incision that is less visible and more easily disguised. Women should realize that the extent of scarring often depends on individual skin types.

Some women feel that the loss of the uterus dampens their sexual desire and/or sexual response. Additionally, if a woman’s cervix was removed along with her uterus she may notice that her vagina will be significantly dryer. Since the ovaries are not removed as part of a total abdominal hysterectomy, menopause should not begin. However, diminished blood flow to the ovaries or subsequent ovarian failure may cause the onset of menopause at a later date. There are treatments available for any ailments which may result from hysterectomy. Do not be embarrassed to ask your doctor about these therapies. Lower back pain, pelvic pain, pain in the upper thighs and/or painful urination should all be reported to the doctor; as should nausea, dizziness, fever, swelling and/or unusual bleeding or leakage.

Once released to go home recovery from an abdominal procedure will take from three to six or perhaps even eight weeks. During this time the woman should refrain from driving, strenuous activity and sexual activity. She should also get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. After receiving her physician’s approval a woman should be able to gradually return to her normal routine.

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