When we last left my story, I was a couple of days out from my surgery to remove my uterine fibroid. The fibroid was partially intramuscular and subserosal and was pressing on my bladder. The pressure was so bad that I had to sleep sitting up. This helped, but I still had to get up several times a night to go to the bathroom. So, I decided to have a myomectomy. I was told that a laproscopic procedure would put me at higher risk for complications (due to potential bleeding) and the other option I was considering, MRI-guided ultrasound, was not covered by my insurance.
The procedure I decided to have done is very similar to a c-section. Since I had a c-section, I sort-of knew what to expect already (although it’s amazing how much one forgets in three years about this sort of thing!). My doctor told me she would go through the same c-section incision line, and I should expect that my recovery would be similar to that of my c-section.
One thing I had to do with this surgery that I did not have to do with my c-section was my colon cleanse. Honestly, the cleanse has almost been the worst part of the whole thing. I wound up doing a 2-day milk of magnesia cleanse (I was going to do the one-day Fleet’s Phospo-Soda cleanse, but that product has been pulled off the market due to kidney-related health concerns). The first day wasn’t too bad, but I had extreme nausea and a massive headache the second day. It got about 70% better by the morning of my surgery, though.
The morning of the surgery, I was thirsty (I couldn’t eat or drink after midnight) and nervous. In retrospect, though, I really freaked myself out when I didn’t have to. There was very little pain involved before the surgery.
The worst part was the needle they gave me before they put in my IV line. The anesthesiologist came in to talk to me after they put in my line. I told him that I was still a little nauseous from the colon cleanse & he told me he would administer some anti-nausea meds during the surgery. I was so happy – I didn’t even think about that!
Then my doctor came in to talk to me. I was so glad my husband was there (for many reasons, obviously). He thought to mention to my doctor that after I had my c-section I had an immediate burning pain on my right-hand side. My previous doc said it was from “the knot” – where they tie the suture off at the end. She said that I must be sensitive to that and she would be very careful as to how she sowed me up. Minutes later, they started wheeling me down to surgery…..and that’s all I remember! The next thing I knew I was in post-op and trying really hard to keep my eyes open.
I was pretty out of it for the hours after the surgery, but nice and drugged so everything seemed pretty ok to me.:) My doctor came in and told me everything went really well. The fibroid did not go all the way through the uterine wall, so there was less repair needed to the uterine wall than there could have been. The fibroid turned out to be a little bit smaller than a tennis ball in size. There were also some additional smaller fibroids that she removed. I also found out a couple of days later that my biopsy results were negative.
I was in some pain after the surgery, but all I had to do was let the nurse know and they gave me more morphine in my IV. I slept a lot in the next 24hrs. Eventually, I didn’t need morphine anymore and started on pain pills instead. I was in pain and achy, but doing ok. I started to become more mobile and took my first small walk on the second day (I think, I can’t remember for sure). It was painful, but not as painful as I remember after my c-section. I also needed help going to and from the bathroom. I wasn’t in the mood for that much in terms of food, but I managed to eat a little more at every meal.
I had my surgery on a Thursday, and I decided to leave Saturday night. My almost 3-year-old daughter was having a hard time without me at home – especially at night. So, while it may have been a little better for me to stay until Sunday (when I expected to leave), I felt as though I needed to come home Sat. night. She was really happy to have me home and the only way we could get her to sleep was to have her sleep in the bed with me. She slept so soundly that night & I knew then that I had made the right choice.
Since then, I have been slowly recovering. Each day is a little better than the next. It has been hard to do things like bend over and I haven’t been able to do things like drive or pick my daughter up until recently, but overall the whole surgical experience was not that bad. I still have to watch what I do for about another month, but I just try to not push myself.
If anyone out there is reading this and wants to know more about what I went through or has any questions at all, please feel free to contact me. I would be happy to help you. I was able to talk to someone who had already had the procedure before I made my surgical decision, and I know having this kind of resource at your disposal is invaluable. I would really like to be able to help someone else out who may be considering this procedure so I can pay it forward.
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HELLO MY NAME IS MIA AND IM EXPERIENCING SOME DISCOMFORT ,,WILL BE GOING TO SEE MY DOCTOR TO DISCUSS OPTIONS REGARDING REMOVING MY FIBROID..NOT BLEEDING A LOT JUST FEEL LIKE IVE GAINED ALOT WEIGHT AROUND MY STOMACH AREA AND ITS UNCOMFORTABLE AND I JUST WANT THEM OUT SO I CAN GET MY LIFE BACK IN ORDER ,,I AM ALWAYS TIRED AND LAZY ,,NO SEX LIFE AT ALL ..NEED HELP AND WILL I LOOSE THIS WEIGHT AFTER SURGERY..
July 10, 2019 - 6:18amThis Comment
Hello Mia
July 10, 2019 - 3:37pmIf your weight gain is directly due to your fibroid issues, you may lose the weight again. Unfortunately once a woman is over about the age of 45, she needs to eat less and exercise more, simply to stay at the same weight. Very unfair and a lot of us are going through it.
Your doctor will have lots of advice to give you and this kind of surgery is very helpful to many women so we wish you the best.
Susan
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Thank you for sharing your story. I'm glad your doing better and recovery was easy for you. I am going to get a partial hysterectomy on April 19th. I have multiple uterine fibroids covering my entire lower abdomen. My periods are unbearable and my last period (yay!!!!! lasted two weeks). I am on birth control too so I am very very happy to be getting this procedure done. It will be hard on me emotionally as I never had a child but made a mature decision at 44 to get this done as to no longer be in pain. I tried getting different opinions and reading on different options but will get the partial hysterectomy as this is common in my family and don't want this to grow back. So my Uterine fibroids are multiple like clumped together 13x1 (3!!!!! like the size of a honeydew watermelon). I will be so glad when this gets out of me. Again, thanks so much for sharing as I am getting anxious and scared but I know I will look better and feel better. I won't have to worry about any more heavy periods or painful cramping and my stomach hurting. I can wear white too! whoo hoo!!!!!!! best to you and your little one :)
April 1, 2017 - 2:59pmThis Comment
I am most likely going to have an open ab surgery at the end of the summer due to two large fibroid tumors. I am terrified of the pain and the severity of the scar. I am only 30 years old, so hoping that'll help with healing quickly. Do you have any warnings? Any 'OMG' moments of pain? I'd rather know ahead of time, than be surprised.
Thanks in advance.
June 3, 2016 - 11:26amThis Comment
Hi Joana,
October 25, 2012 - 1:52amAm back to work after surgery. Its been 5 weeks. I had undergone c-section surgery on 18/09/12.
I am fine now, but my periods are still painful.Don't know why??i feel very weak also as my Hemoglobin count is also low. Otherwise i have slimmed down also after surgery.
Lets hope for the best now!!!
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Hey, is there anything in particular that you recommend eating after the surgery (granted you didn't eat much at the beginning) that could help in any sort of way??? My sister is due to take the surgery at the end of the year. Other websites that I've visited mentioned red meats for iron deficiency or flax seeds for its general health benefits. My email is [email protected]
October 22, 2012 - 5:45pmThis Comment
I had the surgery on 10th July. very similar experience, but not painful at all as they injected me with morphine in my abdomen (ultrasound guided injection on both sides of my abdomen, apparently this is a new method) the recovery has been slow but pain-free except in the exact spot where the fibroid had been removed. I still get some pains and aches (nothing intolerable but I feel it) did you get the same? I went back to exercise 6 weeks post surgery (I do 5-6 hours a week) and I am thinking maybe I didn’t take enough time to recover.
October 1, 2012 - 5:35amThis Comment
I have had two c-sections and had a myomectomy a week ago. I don't know if this is your first abdominal surgery or how old you are (or if you're still having this problem!), but I had my children at 24 & 25 and am now almost 37. I still get a shape pain in that area every now and then. My abdominals are what they were before kids and surgery and I didn't expect it to be.. I don't know if you'll feel that on and off from now on or not, but for me, if I turn to fast a certain way, bend too fast or much, or really work out my abdominals, I get the pain. I also get muscle spasms. I'm sure age, multiple close pregnancies that were c-sections, and myomectomy (along with all the complications of fibroids.. Anemia, heavy bleeding, severe cramping.. Etc.. You know.) didn't help matters. Hope this is able to help anyone else who stumbles upon this in the future!
August 21, 2017 - 4:00amThis Comment
Hello.... im having my surgery on thursday.... feeling a little nevous
September 18, 2012 - 5:10amThis Comment
Hi Joanna,
September 11, 2012 - 3:47amIts me again Also tell me how many days you require for post operative surgery.
Thanks & regards
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