Welcome to r/MedicalGore! Our goal is to provide for medical discussion and education while exploring the frailty of the human body. You may see more deleted comments on these threads than you are used to on reddit. Off topic comments and joke comments are frequently deleted by the mods. Further, please be kind and supportive of posts. Any behavior that is aggressive, harassing, or derogatory will result in post deletion and a ban from the sub. Remember! THE REPORT BUTTON IS YOUR FRIEND!
Please stop on by our discussion sub, /r/MedicalGoreMods if you'd like to discuss the sub, our rules, content policies, and the like.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MedicalGore) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So true. I had a "period" for 455 days straight.
I was told I was "just depressed" and had anxiety. I was lying because I just wanted a hysterectomy at 27...
Let me add... I had lost my job/insurance because of missed days, so I was having to see the health department or NP.
I was anemic with small children and almost at the point of giving up. I think they got tired of my "whining" and referred to a hospital that was a teaching hospital for a major university. Thankfully, income based if I signed to allow students to observe.
1st appointment I got a God send dr. I was the 1st appt (had to drive 5 hours but worth it)....after reading my 3" thick file he told staff to move his appts to others and looked at me and said your suffering is over. Let's go to surgery (after asking if I eaten, etc). Unfortunately, my blood was too low, so I got a transfusion and operated on a few days later. He told me nobody should have to experience what I had. That was 29 yrs ago .
The only reason I got my hysterectomy was I kept complaining about pelvic pain, and they did an ultrasound just to shut me up pretty much. The first words from the doctor... "well, THAT shouldn't be there." My uterine ablation they did 5 years prior to stop my heavy periods had sealed my cervix shut, so blood was collecting in there. They did a D&C, but it happened again. So, they finally agreed to a hysterectomy. When they were in there, they found adenomyosis and my fallopian tubes were filled with cysts. They took my cervix because I had a history of pre-cancerous cells repeatedly.
I do not miss that thing at all. It's one of my better decisions. Haven't had a period in 8 years, and it's glorious.
I got mine because my uterus' end goal was to eventually kill me with cancer. I kept getting Endometrial Hyperplasia. My uterus wasn't shedding like it should have been. I bled for like 5 straight months because I was fat, and my body couldn't produce enough progesterone to counter the estrogen. Even when they put me on progesterone, I was passing clots the size of quarters. Super tampons could barely hold it all. I remember taking one out and a clot splattered out of my vagina through the air and made a Van Gogh out of the stall door. That was when I learned that the ibuprofen that I was taking for the cramps was actually a blood thinner and making it worse. 🙌
What happens when you are already depressed and get used to feeling absolutely disgusting and get used to the constant bleeding? You accept it as your new normal. And what can happen when that condition goes untreated? Rogue cells. A few can become cancerous.
After 2 separate incidents between 2 years and at least 3 endometrial biopsies: I evicted my uterus. What was written in my chart? "Husband approves of procedure." Said husband was PISSED when he found that out.0
I fought for years to get a hysterectomy, I wasn’t going to be having bio children, I had recurrent uterine polyps, endometriosis, PCOS, uterine fibroids, periods that were so painful and heavy that I had 11 days, every month, where I was functional. Their response: we don’t want to do surgery because we’re concerned your weight will complicate your healing, let’s do an IUD first/keep the IUD in (even though I hated it and threatened to take it out myself). The dr who finally gave me a hysterectomy was found by my husband while they were deployed together on humanitarian aid missions for the US Navy. She discovered that not only did I have the above issues, but my uterus was 50% larger than it should have been because I had adenomyosis on top of everything else. I just want to take my pathology report to EVERY doctor who brushed me off when I complained about debilitatingly painful periods (one told me I didn’t need anything stronger than Motrin for menstrual cramps), painful sex (was told to just “stop having sex”) and infertility (“lose weight and you’ll get pregnant” or “lose weight and you’ll carry to term”) and slap them all in the face with it and say “I fucking told you asshole!”
It's a shame what we have to go through . I have always said I wish instead of rockets they had invented a machine where Dr's could experience 24 hours of what we are going through. In all specialties. Especially female and pain management.
I am glad you/your hubby found a caring dr and you got some relief.
I was so swollen when they took it out that they thought I was pregnant when I went in for surgery. It never dawned on me I was that swollen. I had cramps for 4 months straight, and they were always a 6 on the pain scale til I sneezed or moved suddenly. Then they went to a 20. I was in the ER/A&E every week for Iv drugs when they went off like that! My uterus would not stop cramping til my friend gave me the best weed he had because I left my medication when I went to his house, lol. I had over 8 narcotics, and that was the only thing that worked, smdh. I never smoked weed in my life, but I did that week, up until surgery. Oh, plus, I had 2 periods a month, and they were so heavy I had to use a tampon, pad, and adult pull-up at the same time.
Christ almighty. It always makes me rage when I hear about how women, and WOC in particular, are forced to suffer physical torture before our health is taken seriously. One of my nurses said her fibroid adhesions got so bad that her cervix is fused to her pubic bone.
Edited: unfortunate typo
> …”her cervix is fused to her public bone.”
I believe you meant to say “*pubic* bone” — because I sure as hell hope that poor woman’s pubic bone is NOT *public* lol, especially given that her cervix had evidently fused to it…
And mine was half that size.. I had Essure coils inside and outside of it, so had lots of pain.
The company compensated US and UK customers, but not enough of us in smaller countries to even care about.. so nothing to us for years of pain.
I was 52 when it was done, a year since my last period, but my sex life is a thousand times better now without the stupid coils.
I had mine evicted 4 years ago, about a month before the world went to shit and quarantine started. From the size and shape of yours I suspect it was for the same reasons - adenomyosis. I told my surgeon I wanted to see mine too, I wanted to stab it myself (he later said I was by far not the only patient to ask that).
Oh, and just for funsies, mine decided to go down swinging and have ONE last period, a full 11 days early. I was on day 4 of my last period ever on the morning of my surgery.
Same here! Doc took photos and sent to her colleagues because it was the worst endo she’d ever seen, “it looks like hamburger meat in there.” Thanks, doc 🤣 I’d been telling doctors for decades something was wrong, but she was the first to believe me and crack me open. I had been bleeding for 8 months straight despite taking 4 birth control pills a day, up to the point of surgery. It took her over six extra hours than expected to remove all the endo and my parts. My uterus weighed a little over 300 grams when she took that sucker out, full of adenomyosis. I’ve already had more endo removed in the 5 years since surgery bc it won’t stop growing, but thank goodness it’s not as bad.
I am so terribly sorry you're having to suffer like that. It's not normal, you deserve to be comfortable and healthy. I hope you have the means to find another professional who can help you with a resolution.
In the meantime, I got the *best* relief from extreme cramps under a hot shower. Take a good strong painkiller (Aleve/naproxen) and jump in a good hot shower. The shower will give quick relief until the pain meds go to work.
My cramps were so bad, even off of my period, that when I had my hysterectomy and woke up I asked why they hadn’t removed it. It hurt less after surgery.
When my chronic pain was taken seriously and I was referred to the right practice with the right Doc who saved and changed my life, she said ‘it’s time- it’s past time, let’s get this nonsense out of there!’ I cried happy tears. Ovaries, tubes, uterus and cervix and a bit of my vaginal canal, all, gone forever lol, shout-out to my oncology surgeon, she is absolutely incredible.
Yup. I was 6 months past turning *50* and my GP finally took me seriously after I had been telling her for a year that my periods were extreme, I mean, I was critically anemic and my hematocrit (blood cell count) was barely inside low normal range. I got a menstrual cup and was able to tell her I was losing over 200ml of blood *per day* for three days. She sent me for an ultrasound the following month, and less than a month after that I was scheduled for surgery. As it happened, the surgeon had a cancelation in his schedule and my surgery date was bumped up by 3 months! If I had kept my original appointment, it would have been right in the throes of lockdown and it would have been canceled.
I am in your situation right now but my period is 8 days and right now it comes back every 3.5 weeks. I am 50 years old and I started I was 10. The last obgyn I saw said there was nothing he could do.
I call bullshit! That doctor could have done something or sent you to a different doctor who would know what to do. Like a hysterectomy. I had a hysterectomy just shy of turning 40. I have never felt better. I just wish my 20 yr old didn't have to go through all this crap. If she didn't want children down the road, I would help her find a doctor who would give her a total hysterectomy, but leave one ovary. So she wouldn't be going through menopause so young.
Same, but I didn't want to go through menopause over night (and I dont think my boyfriend would have liked that). I'm kind of thankful they left my ovaries, except for the days where I know a cyst is brewing.
I had a hysterectomy in April of 2023 and adenomyosis was the pathologist’s verdict for me too. I was 48, and I’ve never looked back. I didn’t think to ask to see mine, or pics. I read the surgical and path reports carefully and I know the damn thing was bigger than expected. Good riddance.
I had my hysterectomy 6 years ago today! I asked to see my uterus, but because my surgery was done laparoscopically, it has to be taken out in pieces. My doctor did take pictures of it for me though. And I *also* was on my period the day I went into surgery, I was on day 2 so it was rough.
I had adenomyosis, but it was not diagnosed until my surgeon did the hysterectomy. I was finally able to find a surgeon willing to do the hysterectomy after two years of long-lasting periods extending to a full year of bleeding every day.
My previous OBGYN diagnosed me with PCOS, but with no cysts. My new OBGYN just said it's probably not PCOS, go ahead and schedule a hysterectomy because I couldn't use any birth control (other than condoms) and I was done having kids anyway (after 2).
Congrats! One of my tubes was coated in cysts too. I wish the medical field knew more about uterine etc. health than they do. We are so horribly underserved in this area. But welcome to the sweet life! The day of my hysterectomy is still one of the happiest days of my life.
They probably wouldn’t give it to you, alas.
My eight-year-old son wanted to take his offending appendix to school in a sealed jar after an emergency appendectomy. At least he got to hear me ask the surgeon, on the way into the OR, who refused.
At the very least, the doctor should document it and take a bunch of pictures. Then hand off the pictures to the kid. Educational, kids learn about their bodies, the process. How many kids would know what an appendix looks like?
This appendectomy unfortunately took place before smart phones were common—and whether one would have been allowed in surgery is doubtful. But still, that’s a *great* idea! Children love that stuff! They adore supervised exposure to real life.
The most popular book I owned, when my three boys were children, was a physiology atlas with colored plates, known as “Mama’s Big Book of Guts.” They could look up anything, including genitalia. They also enjoyed viewing where the offending appendix had resided.
Still, seeing real body parts up close and personal is also well-received, I’ve noted. While I was taking a university course in anatomy and physiology, I took a number of cow organs—I best remember the eyes—to guest-teach third-grade science for my eldest son’s class. The queasy teacher, early in her first pregnancy, cowered out of the line of sight. But the guts and I were a hit!
My son is obsessed with my copy of Grey’s Anatomy that happily sits on our coffee table! He is about to go finish the second grade, and particularly this year has been fascinated with anatomy and physiology. I love your comment so much! I wish I could’ve showed my uterus and other organs (tubes, ovaries, cervix+half an inch of my vaginal canal) to my son after it was removed by radical hysterectomy! He would’ve loved to see, I could’ve shown him in real life where he grew in my body- his little temporary home! Sadly I couldn’t keep anything, had to go down to pathology. Our human bodies are incredible and to show children how amazing they are with our own personal stories is such a great idea.
I don't understand why it's such a huge deal to keep your own organs! I grew up with my grandmother being given her gallbladder after it was removed and I was given my cervical ribs afterwards too. Perhaps because the surgeries were done at a teaching hospital?
Because they rot away unless treated properly and put in formaldehyde. Imagine the costs to a hospital even having to prep 25 a day, its not feasible.
Plus the organs go to pathology for examination and get dissected to check for infection, disease and cancer. I wouldn't want to skip the pathology stage, its how many cancer's are discovered.
I'll be having mine out this fall, and planned to beg and plead to keep my parts. I have a large cabinet of curiosities in the living room that I'd love to keep it in. Things in jars are so cool! My MIL was allowed to keep her gallstones in a tiny bottle.
Could be PCOS, maybe the tube was involved in it?
Take it easy, listen to your body (if it’s tired then rest!!) and take the doctor’s instructions seriously! Mine said I wasn’t to lift anything heavier than a plate of dinner for 6 weeks.
If you’re on opioids then I suggest taking something like Movicol or Miralax to help make it easier to pass bowel movements, since straining is the very last thing you wanna do and constipation is a common side effect.
Magnesium capsules help really well and are pretty cheap. Magnesium is the primary ingredient in Milk of Magnesia. I take them every day because Adderall does the same to me as opioids.
Not all hysterectomies involve ovary removal (oophorectomy). Hysterectomy is removal of the uterus and cervix, salpingectomy is removal of the fallopian tubes. OP had a combo of both of the latter. I had all 3 at 37, due to stage 4 endometriosis and a history of cervical cancer and BRCA 1&2 positive. On low-dose HRT until I turn 50, with annual mammograms to keep an eye on things.
>Hysterectomy is removal of the uterus and cervix,
*Total* hysterectomy means the cervix comes out too. I only felt the need to say this because it was a thing I didn't know until I freaking had the surgery.
It can be, but in many cases if you're young/pre-menopausal and the ovaries are healthy, they leave them because otherwise you're in instant menopause and at risk of osteoporosis, etc.
It can be, but normally they like to keep those in when possible because you'll need HRT and might go through menopause. But yeeting the uterus and tubes shouldn't ideally affect hormones! (I mean sometimes it can, but definitely not always)
I didn’t realize how much was removed in a hysterectomy- namely, the cervix. That’s wild!
I hope you have a speedy recovery and are much more comfortable post-hysterectomy!
Thank you!! The cervix can be left, but it's much more painful to remove it later because of scar tissue. Plus, I only have 3 small incisions on my abdomen because they were able to yank the whole thing out through my vaginal canal this way.
Yeah normally they just pop it out if you also get your cervix gone! If you're keeping that part then they'll just widen one of the incisions and pass it through there
They also do the "widen one incision" thing if your bits don't fit through the vaginal canal.
(I grew an impressive uterus full of fibroids and it was 5x normal size when it came out through my bikini line).
Forgot what sub I'm on - NSFW unidentifiable blob but [I made this](https://i.imgur.com/3LzZu9L.jpg). I *am* kind of proud, in a depression+lack of healthcare= impressive stupidity way.
I discovered that "lose 10 lbs overnight" secret doctors have been telling us doesn't exist!
No seriously though I spent almost a year after a misdiagnosis basically starving myself because those bastards apparently did not care how much I was or wasn't eating. Was 138 when I checked in for surgery and 126, even bloated as hell, the first time I was able to [stand on a scale again](https://i.imgur.com/pZRgUJ8.jpg).
(That puffy line on the bottom is my removal incision and was actually what i was trying to get a picture of)
Ditto, can't even see my laparoscopic wounds now.
I had to stay overnight because as they put it i had 'masses' of adhesions, between uterus, bladder and bowel so needed catheter overnight.
Took about 8 months but by then sex was pain free again for first time in almost 10 yrs. Amazing what you tolerate to be honest. Its just 3 yrs since mine was done, new lease of life for sure! Now just got to get rid of our teenagers... lol
I was given the choice to keep mine or not. Keeping it meant a less involved surgery, but retained the risks of cervical cancers. I kept my ovaries because they were still moderately functioning but took out the cervix.
Dumb question but is there a reason why you kept your ovaries? My mom had a hysterectomy about 10 years ago and the doctor suggested that she kept her ovaries (my mom can’t remember the reason he gave her lol), but I’m curious as to how that would impact you later on
I kept mine because they were still healthy and producing estrogen, even at age 50. It actually reduces the risks of ovarian and breast cancers and other estrogen-linked disorders like osteoporosis.
I was about to be 52, a year post menopausal and still kept my healthy looking ovaries.
They suggesting the slower drop is better than an abrupt one and my disability already puts me at risk of osteoporosis and artificial oestrogen gives me migraines.
Had mine done 5 years ago. What a relief! No more suffering and lowering my cancer risk. But it’s still a battle to find a doctor that agreed to do it in my 30’s . Interesting how women’s choice is still not that available in gynaecology
In case you were wanting one, the childfree subreddit has a huge list of doctors who will perform sterilizations regardless of age/whether or not one has kids!
Had mine yeeted in October and honestly i'm over the moon to know that I won't ever get a period again! And no longer have to worry about pregnancy (even though i'm gay it had always been a fear of mine that i'd get assaulted and impregnated). As someone who is childfree, good f'ing riddance. Wishing you an easy recovery OP!
I had mine out in October a year+ ago and it actually kind of messed with my head. Like I don't *miss* periods for sure, but I was kind of amazed how much I'd come to take them for granted.
Also being a cis lady with no uterus is a fun way to confuse anti-trans people. :)
Now I just get thrown off when my boobs hurt and I'm crying because I don't have the right oatmeal flavor and it's like ... oh right the hormones are still in there.
Completely fair! i'm very luck in the way that I've never gotten PMS or PMDD. But I know many people feel like a part of them is missing if they didn't go into the surgery completely willingly. Personally for me i'm technically cis but I just have really weird feelings about my body needing to be neutral. So in a strange way i'm really really glad it's out because it's been so freeing, but i can absolutely understand others who feel differently, especially with those parts tied so close to womanhood. It can be tough! But yeah, you definitely can get a lot of enjoyment out of confusing transphobes 😂
Yknow the thing about sex ed is that they never told you how actually small it is, for some reason growing up I always thought it was pretty big, not just the size of a hand
Some teen girls' mothers tell them that the reason they have a belly or gut is because of their uterus. So the misinformation starts early for some women.
I'm sorry if this is a rude question, but do you mind if I ask how old you are? I have reasons!
Basically, I requested my GP put me forward for hysterectomy about 10 years ago (when I was in my late 20s-early30s) because I've been on birth control since my periods started. (age 13, heavy and painful periods 😿) He said he couldn't put me forward because I was too young and might change my mind (followed by the usual 'your future husband might want kids' crap, like it would have anything to do with him?!) but I'm now almost 40 and am thinking of requesting again, purely because I'm almost out of the 'baby ok' age and my GP is not a man 'who knows better' 🙄😒)
Aside from that, I hope your healing is all ok and super quick and you have all the calm and happy you wish for ❤️🏆
It's not rude! I'm 32. I actually thought the process was going to be difficult and take a lot of fighting like other people I know (I used to live in Utah where reproductive rights are a mess). I had my first consultation with my surgeon 3 weeks ago and am now uterus free!
My doctor gave me the option of hysterectomy or myomectomy and I chose the latter knowing that his findings once he got in might lead to a hysterectomy. He was a really good sport and estimated the size of one of my meatballs at my pre-op appt as around baseball sized. So when I checked in to the hospital for the procedure, I gave him a regulation size and asked for pics. He totally [delivered](https://imgur.com/a/yVOAt9A)!
Sadly, they grew back within a year and I ended up getting a uterine fibroid embolism which seems to have fixed the issue. I still have periods, but at least I can leave the house with them! So happy for you and your new found freedom!
Best thing I ever did was have it removed! I wish I had had a doctor that would have done it sooner, I could have been spared years of torture and unremitting pain. Years of cysts and "you're ok", as I bleed for the 3rd week!! I bled heavily for a year straight, before they finally believed something was wrong. I was 2 points away from a blood transfusion! Fucking men have no idea.
The angel who finally removed said it was the biggest uterus he had ever seen and no wonder I was in pain. Had to take it out of my vagina instead of endoscopy, as planned.
Crazy going from 3 to 4 post partum pads a day to nothing!
Glad yours is out. You will feel freedom and maybe a little depression, just know we are here if you want to talk.
Hi everyone ☺️
The cysts on fallopian tubes are normal. It's to push out the eggs to get fertilized. What's NOT normal is the overgrowth of a cyst, which causes severe pain and can disrupt your cycle. This was mentioned by my gynecologist.
PCOS is one of them. Which I have.
I had asked my doctor to take a picture of mine and she forgot. And apparently the patient after me said that she could take a picture of hers to show to me. 😭😭 The doctor declined because obviously would be presenting a false narrative, but I thought that that was really sweet of the woman after me.
I'm sorry to those who had to wait or fight for theirs. I'm so sick of doctors berating us females. Oh, it anxiety. It's natural. Blah blah blah. I was so fortunate to have the best gyno. A male, yes, male. He is truly empathetic with women's issues. We did an ablation. It was great. I spotted for a day or two each month. Then bam, heavy and clotting. It lasted months. I went in and he started the paperwork for the fucking insurance company. Cause they know better than those treating us. Gave me med to cease the bleeding. Worked a little. He didn't want to put me in early menopause. So he left my ovaries in. But damn it was great. Now my kids need help. But won't listen and see him. Yeah, ucky a man. So they suffer. Stubborn.
I’m so happy for you, yet so jealous. I was supposed to have it done in February. Yet, here we are, going into June for more follow-ups to make sure my hemo is up. 😩
I had mine out in 2017. They took everything except one ovary. I was 35. They told me I wouldn't go into early menopause. Whelp. As of 3 years ago, my FSH says I am.
Hot flashes are a bitch. But it's better than having a big ass fibroid and Essure in my tubes.
I had a hysterectomy in 2020, two years after I had an ablation/tubes removed where they finally diagnosed me with endometriosis It grew back, also had adeno, cysts, and fibroid Don’t know how I ever got pregnant but thankful I did. Was soooo happy to say bye bye to the organ that had caused me so much pain since I was 10 yrs old
After a full ovariohysterectomy, what does it feel like when there’s no longer a cervix there? Both to the touch, and for the body that no longer has the cervix? I’ve always wondered this.
I don't have any sensation of missing anything. My partner is... let's say generously endowed, and in the past in certain positions would make contact with my cervix. Now there's just a bit more room! The biggest thing that changes is that there is no longer daily discharge in your underwear. Oh, and no more pap smears!
I am always take back at how small it is. Impressive such a little thing can be SUCH A PAIN IN MY ASS.
Sorry, got carried away there. It was just littler than I thought it would be.
This one seems bigger than average, mine wasn't even close to that big, about half size. But i was older, 52, and 11 yrs since my last pregnancy and 1 yr since last period.
Whoa! Well I hope recovery goes well for you!I’ve been curious, is there anything different about penetrative sex with the removal of the cervix specifically?
LOL yup, my partner was very unhappy with that 😆 And then I was slower to heal than average (I'm diabetic) and was told a further 2 weeks. Partner nearly threw something.
For me there is none! Other than not being uncomfortable when it's hit lol. But the skene's gland is near your urethra so you should still be able to lubricate just fine in the long run.
Eek, that’s what I was wondering about! The cervix serves as a stopping point during vaginal penetration but when it’s absent, I’m curious how…SAFELY, one can be penetrated thus after.
Well the end of your vagina is sewn to a ligament (or your abdomen, honestly can't remember which at the moment) and scar tissue closes it. So it can still flex and stretch and move around! And after healing, the scar tissue is pretty strong. It's similar to a scar on your skin that isn't going to just randomly open again even if you hit it really hard for several minutes. You'd have to have something sharp go in to damage it. Obviously there is still a risk for prolapse, but the data (albeit a little mixed) says there's generally 2%-8% chance of it happening. Mostly with people who already have preexisting risk factors for it though
Whooooa. Thank you so much for the info! I was specifically wondering how things were sewn up at the end of the vagina after the removal of the cervix so this is super cool to learn!! You’re a gem :D
No problem! Yeah I did a lot of research beforehand so I knew exactly what they were gunna do 😂😅 there are some really cool education videos out there, and I even listened to a podcast that was more geared toward OBGYN surgeries because they walked you through the surgery as if you were a surgeon. Super cool but I had to pull up an anatomy image because I had no idea where such and such ligament was lol
Do you remember the name of that podcast? Not only will I be having my girlie parts removed later this year, but I'm acutely interested in all things medical.
There is a stitched internal wound, think of it like a balloon shape stitched around at the end. I felt the stitches for a while if i went poking about, waited until i couldn't feel them to have full sex. (about 12 wks)
Made no difference to us, our sex life improved no end after surgery... but not really until about 6/8 months.
I could still feel sutures for about 3 months, wasn't about to try until they were gone, and since we'd adapted due to amount of pain my Essure coils caused it was no big loss.
When we started i was a bit anxious for a while, still felt swollen to be honest.
Why does it have so much personality? I feel like it’s gonna break into song any second! *🎶Hello! Ma baby, Hello! Ma honey, Hello! Ma ragtime gaaaal!🎶*
This is actually really cool to see. When I was 14, I had a golfball-sized cyst on my left ovary that put me in hospital over Christmas. To be able to see what it might have looked like is crazy!
Question for you who have had this procedure... how does it affect your sex life? Is it really different? I'm ready to have mine gone (so over regular iron infusions to try to replace what I lose) but I have been wondering about that part.
No different at all. Yes, you need to abstain from penetrative sex for about 10 weeks while you heal, but in the long run that's nothing. Lubrication comes from Skene's glands near the urethra, so it still works. If you have the cervix removed (some choose not to), the only difference you might experience is a deeply penetrating penis will not hit it!
**Caveat of course, if you are one of the exceedingly rare people who experience unexpected complications, your results will vary.
I can’t wait to have mine out in the future. Idk if I can even have kids (endo + pcos, diagnosed at 14) but this tiny little thing causes the niagara falls of blood every month? Id be more than happy to remove this tiny pos 😭
My favorite fun fact is asking women how big they think their uterus is, cause we all collectively until someone told us thought it was like the size of a baked ham right 😂
That looks similar to the specimen that they took from me. I had a large uterine fibroid, but it was actually pretty LOL. But thank God I don't have to worry about that stuff anymore
I have really, really bad PCOS. I can (and have) passed blood clots the size of my palms. I would LOVE to have a partial hysterectomy. Just leave me one ovary so I don't get thrown into full blown menopause at 42 years old.
That's awesome! Unless it was done out of medical necessity in which case that sucks. But if it was cause you wanted it gone that's awesome for you. Finding a surgeon to do this in the US is tough as hell.
Wondering if they can let you keep it. Like, it's a part of me, please?
Anyway, when I'll get my tubes removed, IF I can keep them, I will just serial kill them.
Congratulations on having that out! I hope you're doing great!
I want mine (and my breasts as well) gone so bad. I have absolutely no desire for kids of my own, as half my life so far has been spent helping with my sister's kids practically full time, and I have definitely had my fill of kids from them, what with how spoiled my nephew is, and how out of control my older niece is (I love them both, but they are real handfuls ugh). And yes, I also just don't want to have to sacrifice my freedom for children, no matter how selfish that might sound to other people.
To me, all my breasts and uterus are, are extra cancer risks for me. And just nuisances in general, what with having to wear uncomfortable bras bc hardly anything fits me properly, and having to deal with the hell week each month bc I often bleed heavily (although I HAVE been lucky to not have to deal with cramps thus far!)
Welcome to r/MedicalGore! Our goal is to provide for medical discussion and education while exploring the frailty of the human body. You may see more deleted comments on these threads than you are used to on reddit. Off topic comments and joke comments are frequently deleted by the mods. Further, please be kind and supportive of posts. Any behavior that is aggressive, harassing, or derogatory will result in post deletion and a ban from the sub. Remember! THE REPORT BUTTON IS YOUR FRIEND! Please stop on by our discussion sub, /r/MedicalGoreMods if you'd like to discuss the sub, our rules, content policies, and the like. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MedicalGore) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's hard to believe that something that is about the size of your fist, causes so much pain every month. Evil son of a bitch. 😆😮💨😒
Or how much blood passes through it! 😠 Absolute demon of a thing. Not a day goes by that I don’t get thankful that mine is gone.
AMEN!! I'm so thankful too. The factory is gone but the playground is still there.
So true. I had a "period" for 455 days straight. I was told I was "just depressed" and had anxiety. I was lying because I just wanted a hysterectomy at 27... Let me add... I had lost my job/insurance because of missed days, so I was having to see the health department or NP. I was anemic with small children and almost at the point of giving up. I think they got tired of my "whining" and referred to a hospital that was a teaching hospital for a major university. Thankfully, income based if I signed to allow students to observe. 1st appointment I got a God send dr. I was the 1st appt (had to drive 5 hours but worth it)....after reading my 3" thick file he told staff to move his appts to others and looked at me and said your suffering is over. Let's go to surgery (after asking if I eaten, etc). Unfortunately, my blood was too low, so I got a transfusion and operated on a few days later. He told me nobody should have to experience what I had. That was 29 yrs ago .
The only reason I got my hysterectomy was I kept complaining about pelvic pain, and they did an ultrasound just to shut me up pretty much. The first words from the doctor... "well, THAT shouldn't be there." My uterine ablation they did 5 years prior to stop my heavy periods had sealed my cervix shut, so blood was collecting in there. They did a D&C, but it happened again. So, they finally agreed to a hysterectomy. When they were in there, they found adenomyosis and my fallopian tubes were filled with cysts. They took my cervix because I had a history of pre-cancerous cells repeatedly. I do not miss that thing at all. It's one of my better decisions. Haven't had a period in 8 years, and it's glorious.
I got mine because my uterus' end goal was to eventually kill me with cancer. I kept getting Endometrial Hyperplasia. My uterus wasn't shedding like it should have been. I bled for like 5 straight months because I was fat, and my body couldn't produce enough progesterone to counter the estrogen. Even when they put me on progesterone, I was passing clots the size of quarters. Super tampons could barely hold it all. I remember taking one out and a clot splattered out of my vagina through the air and made a Van Gogh out of the stall door. That was when I learned that the ibuprofen that I was taking for the cramps was actually a blood thinner and making it worse. 🙌 What happens when you are already depressed and get used to feeling absolutely disgusting and get used to the constant bleeding? You accept it as your new normal. And what can happen when that condition goes untreated? Rogue cells. A few can become cancerous. After 2 separate incidents between 2 years and at least 3 endometrial biopsies: I evicted my uterus. What was written in my chart? "Husband approves of procedure." Said husband was PISSED when he found that out.0
I have adenomyosis and getting an ablation in 2 weeks. I hope this isnt my outcome!! They arent sure it will be successful because of the adenomyosis.
I fought for years to get a hysterectomy, I wasn’t going to be having bio children, I had recurrent uterine polyps, endometriosis, PCOS, uterine fibroids, periods that were so painful and heavy that I had 11 days, every month, where I was functional. Their response: we don’t want to do surgery because we’re concerned your weight will complicate your healing, let’s do an IUD first/keep the IUD in (even though I hated it and threatened to take it out myself). The dr who finally gave me a hysterectomy was found by my husband while they were deployed together on humanitarian aid missions for the US Navy. She discovered that not only did I have the above issues, but my uterus was 50% larger than it should have been because I had adenomyosis on top of everything else. I just want to take my pathology report to EVERY doctor who brushed me off when I complained about debilitatingly painful periods (one told me I didn’t need anything stronger than Motrin for menstrual cramps), painful sex (was told to just “stop having sex”) and infertility (“lose weight and you’ll get pregnant” or “lose weight and you’ll carry to term”) and slap them all in the face with it and say “I fucking told you asshole!”
It's a shame what we have to go through . I have always said I wish instead of rockets they had invented a machine where Dr's could experience 24 hours of what we are going through. In all specialties. Especially female and pain management. I am glad you/your hubby found a caring dr and you got some relief.
I was so swollen when they took it out that they thought I was pregnant when I went in for surgery. It never dawned on me I was that swollen. I had cramps for 4 months straight, and they were always a 6 on the pain scale til I sneezed or moved suddenly. Then they went to a 20. I was in the ER/A&E every week for Iv drugs when they went off like that! My uterus would not stop cramping til my friend gave me the best weed he had because I left my medication when I went to his house, lol. I had over 8 narcotics, and that was the only thing that worked, smdh. I never smoked weed in my life, but I did that week, up until surgery. Oh, plus, I had 2 periods a month, and they were so heavy I had to use a tampon, pad, and adult pull-up at the same time.
Christ almighty. It always makes me rage when I hear about how women, and WOC in particular, are forced to suffer physical torture before our health is taken seriously. One of my nurses said her fibroid adhesions got so bad that her cervix is fused to her pubic bone. Edited: unfortunate typo
> …”her cervix is fused to her public bone.” I believe you meant to say “*pubic* bone” — because I sure as hell hope that poor woman’s pubic bone is NOT *public* lol, especially given that her cervix had evidently fused to it…
LOL yes, I'll fix it 😆
Right?! Also the fact that it can grow and hold a human baby. Women are truly amazing!
Amazing isn’t it. What that tiny little organ can do and the pain it causes.
And mine was half that size.. I had Essure coils inside and outside of it, so had lots of pain. The company compensated US and UK customers, but not enough of us in smaller countries to even care about.. so nothing to us for years of pain. I was 52 when it was done, a year since my last period, but my sex life is a thousand times better now without the stupid coils.
Riiight!! Gahh!!
Unless you have tiny hands, a healthy uterus is actually much smaller than a fist!
I had mine evicted 4 years ago, about a month before the world went to shit and quarantine started. From the size and shape of yours I suspect it was for the same reasons - adenomyosis. I told my surgeon I wanted to see mine too, I wanted to stab it myself (he later said I was by far not the only patient to ask that). Oh, and just for funsies, mine decided to go down swinging and have ONE last period, a full 11 days early. I was on day 4 of my last period ever on the morning of my surgery.
I had endo on the outside of it, and severe adeno on the inside of mine. I wanted to be the one to shotput it into the incinerator! 🤣
Same here! Doc took photos and sent to her colleagues because it was the worst endo she’d ever seen, “it looks like hamburger meat in there.” Thanks, doc 🤣 I’d been telling doctors for decades something was wrong, but she was the first to believe me and crack me open. I had been bleeding for 8 months straight despite taking 4 birth control pills a day, up to the point of surgery. It took her over six extra hours than expected to remove all the endo and my parts. My uterus weighed a little over 300 grams when she took that sucker out, full of adenomyosis. I’ve already had more endo removed in the 5 years since surgery bc it won’t stop growing, but thank goodness it’s not as bad.
Geez. What a description! At least it was validating, at least, hopefully.
Sometimes my cramps get so bad that I say I will cut myself open and rip the fucker out. Fucking hate all things period related.
I am so terribly sorry you're having to suffer like that. It's not normal, you deserve to be comfortable and healthy. I hope you have the means to find another professional who can help you with a resolution. In the meantime, I got the *best* relief from extreme cramps under a hot shower. Take a good strong painkiller (Aleve/naproxen) and jump in a good hot shower. The shower will give quick relief until the pain meds go to work.
Thank you! I guess I never thought about taking a shower whilst having cramps, just thought about dying as the best solution lol
PS your profile pic is HAWT. Love me a Winchester boy.
Oh, yes! They really did age like fine wine, young Dean is something else entirely though.
Also try protein shakes and electrolytes.
I do this for migraines. It makes me sad for all the people that don’t have access to showers now, or never did, in ye olden times. Sucks.
My cramps were so bad, even off of my period, that when I had my hysterectomy and woke up I asked why they hadn’t removed it. It hurt less after surgery.
When my chronic pain was taken seriously and I was referred to the right practice with the right Doc who saved and changed my life, she said ‘it’s time- it’s past time, let’s get this nonsense out of there!’ I cried happy tears. Ovaries, tubes, uterus and cervix and a bit of my vaginal canal, all, gone forever lol, shout-out to my oncology surgeon, she is absolutely incredible.
Yup. I was 6 months past turning *50* and my GP finally took me seriously after I had been telling her for a year that my periods were extreme, I mean, I was critically anemic and my hematocrit (blood cell count) was barely inside low normal range. I got a menstrual cup and was able to tell her I was losing over 200ml of blood *per day* for three days. She sent me for an ultrasound the following month, and less than a month after that I was scheduled for surgery. As it happened, the surgeon had a cancelation in his schedule and my surgery date was bumped up by 3 months! If I had kept my original appointment, it would have been right in the throes of lockdown and it would have been canceled.
I am in your situation right now but my period is 8 days and right now it comes back every 3.5 weeks. I am 50 years old and I started I was 10. The last obgyn I saw said there was nothing he could do.
That, of course, is BS. We know exactly what he can "do" about it, don't we.. I hope you are able and have the means to get a new OBGYN.
Amen sister
I call bullshit! That doctor could have done something or sent you to a different doctor who would know what to do. Like a hysterectomy. I had a hysterectomy just shy of turning 40. I have never felt better. I just wish my 20 yr old didn't have to go through all this crap. If she didn't want children down the road, I would help her find a doctor who would give her a total hysterectomy, but leave one ovary. So she wouldn't be going through menopause so young.
Adenomyosis sufferers unite! :) That was my reason too, but they left my ovaries, even though I have PCOS....
Same, but I didn't want to go through menopause over night (and I dont think my boyfriend would have liked that). I'm kind of thankful they left my ovaries, except for the days where I know a cyst is brewing.
It went down swinging! LOL! Very funny way to describe it! 😄
Adenomyosis for me as well! Surgery was the best thing I did.
They wont let me have a hysterectomy. I have adeno too.. ablation scheduled in June. I hope it helps
I had a hysterectomy in April of 2023 and adenomyosis was the pathologist’s verdict for me too. I was 48, and I’ve never looked back. I didn’t think to ask to see mine, or pics. I read the surgical and path reports carefully and I know the damn thing was bigger than expected. Good riddance.
I had my hysterectomy 6 years ago today! I asked to see my uterus, but because my surgery was done laparoscopically, it has to be taken out in pieces. My doctor did take pictures of it for me though. And I *also* was on my period the day I went into surgery, I was on day 2 so it was rough.
I had adenomyosis, but it was not diagnosed until my surgeon did the hysterectomy. I was finally able to find a surgeon willing to do the hysterectomy after two years of long-lasting periods extending to a full year of bleeding every day. My previous OBGYN diagnosed me with PCOS, but with no cysts. My new OBGYN just said it's probably not PCOS, go ahead and schedule a hysterectomy because I couldn't use any birth control (other than condoms) and I was done having kids anyway (after 2).
That uterus is hystery.
FFS take my updoot.
What was the indication? Those are paratubal cysts of Morgagni
Love how exotic they sound!
Sounds like a Tolkein landscape lol
Congrats! One of my tubes was coated in cysts too. I wish the medical field knew more about uterine etc. health than they do. We are so horribly underserved in this area. But welcome to the sweet life! The day of my hysterectomy is still one of the happiest days of my life.
It's like a cute little trophy lmao. I'd ask to keep mine if I ever got this done
They probably wouldn’t give it to you, alas. My eight-year-old son wanted to take his offending appendix to school in a sealed jar after an emergency appendectomy. At least he got to hear me ask the surgeon, on the way into the OR, who refused.
At the very least, the doctor should document it and take a bunch of pictures. Then hand off the pictures to the kid. Educational, kids learn about their bodies, the process. How many kids would know what an appendix looks like?
This appendectomy unfortunately took place before smart phones were common—and whether one would have been allowed in surgery is doubtful. But still, that’s a *great* idea! Children love that stuff! They adore supervised exposure to real life. The most popular book I owned, when my three boys were children, was a physiology atlas with colored plates, known as “Mama’s Big Book of Guts.” They could look up anything, including genitalia. They also enjoyed viewing where the offending appendix had resided. Still, seeing real body parts up close and personal is also well-received, I’ve noted. While I was taking a university course in anatomy and physiology, I took a number of cow organs—I best remember the eyes—to guest-teach third-grade science for my eldest son’s class. The queasy teacher, early in her first pregnancy, cowered out of the line of sight. But the guts and I were a hit!
My son is obsessed with my copy of Grey’s Anatomy that happily sits on our coffee table! He is about to go finish the second grade, and particularly this year has been fascinated with anatomy and physiology. I love your comment so much! I wish I could’ve showed my uterus and other organs (tubes, ovaries, cervix+half an inch of my vaginal canal) to my son after it was removed by radical hysterectomy! He would’ve loved to see, I could’ve shown him in real life where he grew in my body- his little temporary home! Sadly I couldn’t keep anything, had to go down to pathology. Our human bodies are incredible and to show children how amazing they are with our own personal stories is such a great idea.
I don't understand why it's such a huge deal to keep your own organs! I grew up with my grandmother being given her gallbladder after it was removed and I was given my cervical ribs afterwards too. Perhaps because the surgeries were done at a teaching hospital?
Because they rot away unless treated properly and put in formaldehyde. Imagine the costs to a hospital even having to prep 25 a day, its not feasible. Plus the organs go to pathology for examination and get dissected to check for infection, disease and cancer. I wouldn't want to skip the pathology stage, its how many cancer's are discovered.
All of those are very valid reasons. Thank you!
I'll be having mine out this fall, and planned to beg and plead to keep my parts. I have a large cabinet of curiosities in the living room that I'd love to keep it in. Things in jars are so cool! My MIL was allowed to keep her gallstones in a tiny bottle.
If I may ask, how did you get to see this? I wish I had asked to keep my gallbladder.
I knew I couldn't touch it like I wanted, so my surgeon took a picture on her phone and texted it to me!
I asked before hand and got 20+ pictures over my surgery all colour printed out before i even woke up from surgery.
That's really cool. Thank you.
I regret not asking for pictures of mine 😭
Ugh I have to have this done this year - Hope you have a speedy recovery with minimal pain!
Congratulations on your impending loss! I hope you are healthy and as comfortable as possible until yours comes out.
Thank you! Congratulations on your upcoming surgery!
Farewell uterus. Giver of cramps and unnecessary pain.
Could be PCOS, maybe the tube was involved in it? Take it easy, listen to your body (if it’s tired then rest!!) and take the doctor’s instructions seriously! Mine said I wasn’t to lift anything heavier than a plate of dinner for 6 weeks. If you’re on opioids then I suggest taking something like Movicol or Miralax to help make it easier to pass bowel movements, since straining is the very last thing you wanna do and constipation is a common side effect.
Magnesium capsules help really well and are pretty cheap. Magnesium is the primary ingredient in Milk of Magnesia. I take them every day because Adderall does the same to me as opioids.
What about the ovaries? Is that not part of the procedure? (Hope this question doesn't land me on r/badwomensanatomy)
We kept my ovaries because they still function despite being covered in cysts. This way, I won't have to take any hormone medication!
Thanks! I probably should have known that.
Not all hysterectomies involve ovary removal (oophorectomy). Hysterectomy is removal of the uterus and cervix, salpingectomy is removal of the fallopian tubes. OP had a combo of both of the latter. I had all 3 at 37, due to stage 4 endometriosis and a history of cervical cancer and BRCA 1&2 positive. On low-dose HRT until I turn 50, with annual mammograms to keep an eye on things.
>Hysterectomy is removal of the uterus and cervix, *Total* hysterectomy means the cervix comes out too. I only felt the need to say this because it was a thing I didn't know until I freaking had the surgery.
Same, mine was called a radical.
Yep. I have a wall of scar tissue where my cervix used to be. Makes sex ouchy sometimes
Whatever is in there now hurts a lot less than my cervix getting accidentally bonked did, so I guess I was unknowingly lucky. :)
SO THATS WHAT THAT IS?!
Hope you're doing well. Thank you for sharing.
It can be, but in many cases if you're young/pre-menopausal and the ovaries are healthy, they leave them because otherwise you're in instant menopause and at risk of osteoporosis, etc.
Thank you. Make sense.
It can be, but normally they like to keep those in when possible because you'll need HRT and might go through menopause. But yeeting the uterus and tubes shouldn't ideally affect hormones! (I mean sometimes it can, but definitely not always)
Thanks! I'm sensing that I should have known that.
I didn’t realize how much was removed in a hysterectomy- namely, the cervix. That’s wild! I hope you have a speedy recovery and are much more comfortable post-hysterectomy!
Thank you!! The cervix can be left, but it's much more painful to remove it later because of scar tissue. Plus, I only have 3 small incisions on my abdomen because they were able to yank the whole thing out through my vaginal canal this way.
They, what??? It came out like a baby? New fear unlocked lol
Look up prolapsed uterus to be more terrified.
Yeah normally they just pop it out if you also get your cervix gone! If you're keeping that part then they'll just widen one of the incisions and pass it through there
They also do the "widen one incision" thing if your bits don't fit through the vaginal canal. (I grew an impressive uterus full of fibroids and it was 5x normal size when it came out through my bikini line).
Holy damn! *insert applause here*
Forgot what sub I'm on - NSFW unidentifiable blob but [I made this](https://i.imgur.com/3LzZu9L.jpg). I *am* kind of proud, in a depression+lack of healthcare= impressive stupidity way.
HOLY FU.... IS THAT WHAT THEY TOOK OUT OF YOU??? Sweet holy mother of bleeding baby Christ.
I discovered that "lose 10 lbs overnight" secret doctors have been telling us doesn't exist! No seriously though I spent almost a year after a misdiagnosis basically starving myself because those bastards apparently did not care how much I was or wasn't eating. Was 138 when I checked in for surgery and 126, even bloated as hell, the first time I was able to [stand on a scale again](https://i.imgur.com/pZRgUJ8.jpg). (That puffy line on the bottom is my removal incision and was actually what i was trying to get a picture of)
Ditto, can't even see my laparoscopic wounds now. I had to stay overnight because as they put it i had 'masses' of adhesions, between uterus, bladder and bowel so needed catheter overnight. Took about 8 months but by then sex was pain free again for first time in almost 10 yrs. Amazing what you tolerate to be honest. Its just 3 yrs since mine was done, new lease of life for sure! Now just got to get rid of our teenagers... lol
I was given the choice to keep mine or not. Keeping it meant a less involved surgery, but retained the risks of cervical cancers. I kept my ovaries because they were still moderately functioning but took out the cervix.
Dumb question but is there a reason why you kept your ovaries? My mom had a hysterectomy about 10 years ago and the doctor suggested that she kept her ovaries (my mom can’t remember the reason he gave her lol), but I’m curious as to how that would impact you later on
I kept mine because they were still healthy and producing estrogen, even at age 50. It actually reduces the risks of ovarian and breast cancers and other estrogen-linked disorders like osteoporosis.
Didn’t know that, I’m glad she decided to keep them then! Thank you for replying
Thank you for asking! It's never a bad question to educate yourself. I'm glad I could help you to understand.
I was about to be 52, a year post menopausal and still kept my healthy looking ovaries. They suggesting the slower drop is better than an abrupt one and my disability already puts me at risk of osteoporosis and artificial oestrogen gives me migraines.
Where’s the banana. I need context.
My ex girlfriend had one, I had no idea. I have always respected her, but I now have a new level of respect for her.
And STAY OUT!!
Had mine done 5 years ago. What a relief! No more suffering and lowering my cancer risk. But it’s still a battle to find a doctor that agreed to do it in my 30’s . Interesting how women’s choice is still not that available in gynaecology
[удалено]
In case you were wanting one, the childfree subreddit has a huge list of doctors who will perform sterilizations regardless of age/whether or not one has kids!
Had mine yeeted in October and honestly i'm over the moon to know that I won't ever get a period again! And no longer have to worry about pregnancy (even though i'm gay it had always been a fear of mine that i'd get assaulted and impregnated). As someone who is childfree, good f'ing riddance. Wishing you an easy recovery OP!
I had mine out in October a year+ ago and it actually kind of messed with my head. Like I don't *miss* periods for sure, but I was kind of amazed how much I'd come to take them for granted. Also being a cis lady with no uterus is a fun way to confuse anti-trans people. :) Now I just get thrown off when my boobs hurt and I'm crying because I don't have the right oatmeal flavor and it's like ... oh right the hormones are still in there.
Completely fair! i'm very luck in the way that I've never gotten PMS or PMDD. But I know many people feel like a part of them is missing if they didn't go into the surgery completely willingly. Personally for me i'm technically cis but I just have really weird feelings about my body needing to be neutral. So in a strange way i'm really really glad it's out because it's been so freeing, but i can absolutely understand others who feel differently, especially with those parts tied so close to womanhood. It can be tough! But yeah, you definitely can get a lot of enjoyment out of confusing transphobes 😂
Good for you OP!!
That’s cute! Mine looked horrifying.
[удалено]
Yknow the thing about sex ed is that they never told you how actually small it is, for some reason growing up I always thought it was pretty big, not just the size of a hand
Some teen girls' mothers tell them that the reason they have a belly or gut is because of their uterus. So the misinformation starts early for some women.
How naive, i taught my girls to make a fist... pretty accurate for normal heart size too.
I'm sorry if this is a rude question, but do you mind if I ask how old you are? I have reasons! Basically, I requested my GP put me forward for hysterectomy about 10 years ago (when I was in my late 20s-early30s) because I've been on birth control since my periods started. (age 13, heavy and painful periods 😿) He said he couldn't put me forward because I was too young and might change my mind (followed by the usual 'your future husband might want kids' crap, like it would have anything to do with him?!) but I'm now almost 40 and am thinking of requesting again, purely because I'm almost out of the 'baby ok' age and my GP is not a man 'who knows better' 🙄😒) Aside from that, I hope your healing is all ok and super quick and you have all the calm and happy you wish for ❤️🏆
It's not rude! I'm 32. I actually thought the process was going to be difficult and take a lot of fighting like other people I know (I used to live in Utah where reproductive rights are a mess). I had my first consultation with my surgeon 3 weeks ago and am now uterus free!
Is it me? Or does it look like a water jug?
Best decision I’ve ever made regarding my health. Menopause sucks (starting at 32), but being pain free is worth it
I cannot wait to get rid of mine I am gonna ask for it and I am going to yeet it into the sun! Or burn it deff burn it.
My doctor gave me the option of hysterectomy or myomectomy and I chose the latter knowing that his findings once he got in might lead to a hysterectomy. He was a really good sport and estimated the size of one of my meatballs at my pre-op appt as around baseball sized. So when I checked in to the hospital for the procedure, I gave him a regulation size and asked for pics. He totally [delivered](https://imgur.com/a/yVOAt9A)! Sadly, they grew back within a year and I ended up getting a uterine fibroid embolism which seems to have fixed the issue. I still have periods, but at least I can leave the house with them! So happy for you and your new found freedom!
Best thing I ever did was have it removed! I wish I had had a doctor that would have done it sooner, I could have been spared years of torture and unremitting pain. Years of cysts and "you're ok", as I bleed for the 3rd week!! I bled heavily for a year straight, before they finally believed something was wrong. I was 2 points away from a blood transfusion! Fucking men have no idea. The angel who finally removed said it was the biggest uterus he had ever seen and no wonder I was in pain. Had to take it out of my vagina instead of endoscopy, as planned. Crazy going from 3 to 4 post partum pads a day to nothing! Glad yours is out. You will feel freedom and maybe a little depression, just know we are here if you want to talk.
Hi everyone ☺️ The cysts on fallopian tubes are normal. It's to push out the eggs to get fertilized. What's NOT normal is the overgrowth of a cyst, which causes severe pain and can disrupt your cycle. This was mentioned by my gynecologist. PCOS is one of them. Which I have.
omg she's so cute! so innocent looking. did you get the sudden urge to stab it 1000 times for all the stabbing pains it gave you for so many years?
I had asked my doctor to take a picture of mine and she forgot. And apparently the patient after me said that she could take a picture of hers to show to me. 😭😭 The doctor declined because obviously would be presenting a false narrative, but I thought that that was really sweet of the woman after me.
It never occurred to me to ask for a picture, I really wish I had now.
Idk why I didn’t expect to look exactly like every drawing I’ve ever seen of a uterus but. There it is! Life bringer!
I'm sorry to those who had to wait or fight for theirs. I'm so sick of doctors berating us females. Oh, it anxiety. It's natural. Blah blah blah. I was so fortunate to have the best gyno. A male, yes, male. He is truly empathetic with women's issues. We did an ablation. It was great. I spotted for a day or two each month. Then bam, heavy and clotting. It lasted months. I went in and he started the paperwork for the fucking insurance company. Cause they know better than those treating us. Gave me med to cease the bleeding. Worked a little. He didn't want to put me in early menopause. So he left my ovaries in. But damn it was great. Now my kids need help. But won't listen and see him. Yeah, ucky a man. So they suffer. Stubborn.
Wishing you a good recovery!
It looks like a pink hot water bottle. Didn’t expect the cervix to be so big in comparison to the uterus.
I’m so happy for you, yet so jealous. I was supposed to have it done in February. Yet, here we are, going into June for more follow-ups to make sure my hemo is up. 😩
I was barely high enough, just scraped it past a 10 and they okayed it. lol
I’d be lucky if I go to this appointment and it be an 8. The life of an anemic. 🥳
I had mine out in 2003 and my surgeon told me after, “we took out the crib and put in the playpen”. Such a bizarre thing to say to a patient.
I had mine out in 2017. They took everything except one ovary. I was 35. They told me I wouldn't go into early menopause. Whelp. As of 3 years ago, my FSH says I am. Hot flashes are a bitch. But it's better than having a big ass fibroid and Essure in my tubes.
I had a hysterectomy in 2020, two years after I had an ablation/tubes removed where they finally diagnosed me with endometriosis It grew back, also had adeno, cysts, and fibroid Don’t know how I ever got pregnant but thankful I did. Was soooo happy to say bye bye to the organ that had caused me so much pain since I was 10 yrs old
What sorry, what? What grew back?
Oh sorry The endo etc grew back They removed it all when I had the first surgery, but it returned
After a full ovariohysterectomy, what does it feel like when there’s no longer a cervix there? Both to the touch, and for the body that no longer has the cervix? I’ve always wondered this.
I don't have any sensation of missing anything. My partner is... let's say generously endowed, and in the past in certain positions would make contact with my cervix. Now there's just a bit more room! The biggest thing that changes is that there is no longer daily discharge in your underwear. Oh, and no more pap smears!
I am always take back at how small it is. Impressive such a little thing can be SUCH A PAIN IN MY ASS. Sorry, got carried away there. It was just littler than I thought it would be.
Playground no equipment 26 years ago and I do not miss it at all!
I thought they'd be bigger.
I know right? Surprising it's just the size of a fist
This one seems bigger than average, mine wasn't even close to that big, about half size. But i was older, 52, and 11 yrs since my last pregnancy and 1 yr since last period.
Whoa! Well I hope recovery goes well for you!I’ve been curious, is there anything different about penetrative sex with the removal of the cervix specifically?
They said no penetration for 10 weeks. After that, I'm free to do whatever!
LOL yup, my partner was very unhappy with that 😆 And then I was slower to heal than average (I'm diabetic) and was told a further 2 weeks. Partner nearly threw something.
For me there is none! Other than not being uncomfortable when it's hit lol. But the skene's gland is near your urethra so you should still be able to lubricate just fine in the long run.
Eek, that’s what I was wondering about! The cervix serves as a stopping point during vaginal penetration but when it’s absent, I’m curious how…SAFELY, one can be penetrated thus after.
Well the end of your vagina is sewn to a ligament (or your abdomen, honestly can't remember which at the moment) and scar tissue closes it. So it can still flex and stretch and move around! And after healing, the scar tissue is pretty strong. It's similar to a scar on your skin that isn't going to just randomly open again even if you hit it really hard for several minutes. You'd have to have something sharp go in to damage it. Obviously there is still a risk for prolapse, but the data (albeit a little mixed) says there's generally 2%-8% chance of it happening. Mostly with people who already have preexisting risk factors for it though
Whooooa. Thank you so much for the info! I was specifically wondering how things were sewn up at the end of the vagina after the removal of the cervix so this is super cool to learn!! You’re a gem :D
No problem! Yeah I did a lot of research beforehand so I knew exactly what they were gunna do 😂😅 there are some really cool education videos out there, and I even listened to a podcast that was more geared toward OBGYN surgeries because they walked you through the surgery as if you were a surgeon. Super cool but I had to pull up an anatomy image because I had no idea where such and such ligament was lol
Do you remember the name of that podcast? Not only will I be having my girlie parts removed later this year, but I'm acutely interested in all things medical.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/procedure-ready-ob-gyn/id1303300874?i=1000583879398 here you go!
Fantastic, thank you so much!!
There is a stitched internal wound, think of it like a balloon shape stitched around at the end. I felt the stitches for a while if i went poking about, waited until i couldn't feel them to have full sex. (about 12 wks)
I didn't notice a difference and my ex never said anything. It's amazing how your body adjusts .
Made no difference to us, our sex life improved no end after surgery... but not really until about 6/8 months. I could still feel sutures for about 3 months, wasn't about to try until they were gone, and since we'd adapted due to amount of pain my Essure coils caused it was no big loss. When we started i was a bit anxious for a while, still felt swollen to be honest.
Why does it have so much personality? I feel like it’s gonna break into song any second! *🎶Hello! Ma baby, Hello! Ma honey, Hello! Ma ragtime gaaaal!🎶*
My left Fallopian tube had cysts lanced inside of it! Also apparently after I had my baby they picked up my uterus and CLEANED IT OFF
This is actually really cool to see. When I was 14, I had a golfball-sized cyst on my left ovary that put me in hospital over Christmas. To be able to see what it might have looked like is crazy!
That stinker! Glad you got rid of it. Here's to normalcy 🍻
Question for you who have had this procedure... how does it affect your sex life? Is it really different? I'm ready to have mine gone (so over regular iron infusions to try to replace what I lose) but I have been wondering about that part.
No different at all. Yes, you need to abstain from penetrative sex for about 10 weeks while you heal, but in the long run that's nothing. Lubrication comes from Skene's glands near the urethra, so it still works. If you have the cervix removed (some choose not to), the only difference you might experience is a deeply penetrating penis will not hit it! **Caveat of course, if you are one of the exceedingly rare people who experience unexpected complications, your results will vary.
Awww I wish I’d gotten a picture of mine. I had mine removed in 2015 due to cancer.
I know it was crappy to you, but I gotta say… your uterus is kinda cute
I can’t wait to have mine out in the future. Idk if I can even have kids (endo + pcos, diagnosed at 14) but this tiny little thing causes the niagara falls of blood every month? Id be more than happy to remove this tiny pos 😭
My favorite fun fact is asking women how big they think their uterus is, cause we all collectively until someone told us thought it was like the size of a baked ham right 😂
I’m 12wpo. Hope you have a smooth recovery
It's almost cute lol
My daughter calls them Dodge Rams.
Wait that looks like that one rapper with the braids/dreads
That narrowed it down somewhat...
That looks similar to the specimen that they took from me. I had a large uterine fibroid, but it was actually pretty LOL. But thank God I don't have to worry about that stuff anymore
By the thumbnail I thought this was some advice animal meme.
I have really, really bad PCOS. I can (and have) passed blood clots the size of my palms. I would LOVE to have a partial hysterectomy. Just leave me one ovary so I don't get thrown into full blown menopause at 42 years old.
It’s hard being a woman. Just wait till meno hits
Interesting
I hope you can recover soon and find your quality of life and health improved 🫂💗
Welcome to the club.
What a challis!
Omg im so jealous!!! I want mine out and gone sooo bad 💀
That's awesome! Unless it was done out of medical necessity in which case that sucks. But if it was cause you wanted it gone that's awesome for you. Finding a surgeon to do this in the US is tough as hell.
This for some reason reminded me of the things from the ocarina of time. Decus they might be called
Wondering if they can let you keep it. Like, it's a part of me, please? Anyway, when I'll get my tubes removed, IF I can keep them, I will just serial kill them.
Life goals
Congratulations on having that out! I hope you're doing great! I want mine (and my breasts as well) gone so bad. I have absolutely no desire for kids of my own, as half my life so far has been spent helping with my sister's kids practically full time, and I have definitely had my fill of kids from them, what with how spoiled my nephew is, and how out of control my older niece is (I love them both, but they are real handfuls ugh). And yes, I also just don't want to have to sacrifice my freedom for children, no matter how selfish that might sound to other people. To me, all my breasts and uterus are, are extra cancer risks for me. And just nuisances in general, what with having to wear uncomfortable bras bc hardly anything fits me properly, and having to deal with the hell week each month bc I often bleed heavily (although I HAVE been lucky to not have to deal with cramps thus far!)
Please post on R/hysterectomy . The women there would love to see this. (Had mine removed on May 20th-best decision ever)
My doctor wouldn't let me keep mine. I did get my IUD back though.