I have been diagnosed with fibroids and am scheduled for a hysterectomy in the near future

I am a 34 year old mother of two. I have been diagnosed with fibroids and am scheduled for a hysterectomy in the near future. I’m really torn. At this point, there are many people in my life telling me that I should only get the tumors removed. I am leaning more towards getting the entire uterus removed. The reason for this is I have two co-workers who both had fibroid tumors. One co-worker had the tumors removed in 1998. One of the tumors weighed almost 6 pounds. Well a year later, her tumors have returned. They’re not as big as the ones that were removed, but they’re back! The other co-worker with fibroid tumors had her entire uterus removed about 3 years ago. She is doing great. She has no complaints, no depression, nothing! This is why I’m torn…..I want to feel better but I don’t want to be facing this same decision somewhere down the road. Sorry for writing a “book”, but can ya help me?!?!

Dear Maria-
In my opinion, you are far too young to have a hysterectomy!!!!!!
Your friend that had the fibroid removed is a very typical myomectomy story!!!! Her tumors did NOT come back, they were never completely removed during her surgery. Her gynecologist only removed the larger tumors and, as is common, the smaller ones grew over the next few years to start problems all over again.
We do not have that problem with our surgery. Just recently I operated on a woman who came in with 5 large tumors showing on an ultrasound and I ended up removing 40 from her uterus! If you leave the tumors, they will grow.
As far as post hysterectomy complications, there is no way to know pre surgery if you will be a candidate for these problems. If we knew this, we could spare many women future problems. If you could speak to women that call with these post-surgery problems, especially depression and sexual changes, it is very sad. There is no need for you to even take a chance, Maria. Our FAS procedure can solve your problem and allow you to keep your uterus. At your young age, please consider it.

Dear Maria:

I wish I could write a long story, but I only have limited space here to ask you to reconsider this very DRASTIC procedure. I WAS a fibroid patient for 7 years before Dr. del Junco Jr. removed the source of my problems. I had 5 opinions, including my brother – an otherwise excellent doctor, but trained conservatively – all the big H. I fought everyone, including my colleagues who are “happy” with hysterectomy (so happy that if they forget the “patch” their entire day is ruined), but they choose not to address the real issue – major side effects. I had 37 fibroids removed, some 9 cm, some as tiny as pebbles, ovarian cysts and other growths. This happened last March. I had my follow up with the doctor 31/2 months later, and eveything is CLEAR. I am 45, in excellent health and mental state and look around me – now my colleagues silently envy me, not because they are bad people, but because they did not have the benefit of FAS, like I did. I can see it in their eyes, but now they have to accept the inevitable, and I DON’T!
Before I end this long message, remember that life is a string a choices, some you can amend later, and some YOU CAN’T. I hope you will find it reasonable to give YOURSELF a second chance. This is about YOU, not other people.
I’ll be happy to give you more details, and just look at some other posts I have on Onelist.fibroids, and WEBMD.
Best wishes,

Mica