Post Op Infection

my mother who’s 51 had a complete hysterectomy(due to fibroids and heavy bleeding) 2 weeks ago today. She was due home a week after the operation, but developed an unbearable pain and remained in hospital for a further week. She got an infection of some sort which the doctors couldn’t tell her what it was. The infection came out of her body in the form of a vaginal discharge. She was given a course of antibiotics which she thought were working. She came home because she thought she’d recover better with her family around her to care for her. With the result she is, still very bloated, has diarrhoea, in alot of pain, still has the discharge. and still no answers from the doctor. did the surgeons nick something or is this a common result after a hysterectomy. Is there anything she can take to ease the pain and stop her from feeling nauseous. she is takin hrt, panadol for the pain, but this is not helping. please help

Dear Amy-
These type of symptoms(pain and vaginal discharge) can occur after hysterectomy…this procedure is often not without long term sequelae. We have no way of knowing if complications occured during your mothers surgery…she should continue followup with her doctors until she is feeling better.

I am a 49 year old woman with one child. I was diagnosed with fibroid tumors 12 years ago. Recently, I went to the doctor for a check up. I had upper back pain. I had a traditional ultrasound and a vaginal ultrasound which revealed a 7.5 cm fibroid the size of a baseball in the left uterine wall. The technician could not visualize my left ovary but my right ovary revealed a cyst. My symptoms include dull back and abdominal aching, a feeling of continuous pressure on my left side, and menstrual pain before and during my menses. I saw a gynecologist for an exam. He did a pap smear and an endometrial biopsy in the office which were negative. He advised me to have a total hysterectomy because my fibroid is so big and said he would do some type of repair for my bladder because I have had stress incontinence since giving birth . He said my ovaries will be none functioning in about 2 years so it’s best to take them out. He said I would be started on estrogen and need to stay on it for the rest of my life. I’m concerned about the side-effects of a total hysterectomy and the side-effects of hormone replacement afterwards. My doctor feels I’ve been putting this surgery off for too long and now my fibroid has almost doubled in size over the years. He scheduled me for surgery within the next week. About five years ago this same doctor suggested a myomectomy to remove my fibroid when it was smaller with preservation of my ovaries. Do I really need a total hysterectomy because the fibroid has gotten bigger? I now wish I would have had the myomectomy to remove the fibroid 5 years ago.

Dear Jan-
Thank you for this email..you are like so many other women out there!!!
You absolutely do NOT need to have a total hysterectomy..you are the exact type of patient we are trying to help. You are being given the same old traditional gynecological opinion..remove everything to solve your problems.. chances are this will only create new ones. You are very correct in worrying about post operative issues and hormone replacement therapy. All the new studies recommend women NOT be on these formulas for the rest of their life.
Removing the uterus and ovaries will produce immedidate menopause..you will be required to go on HRT for sometime, but you may also develop sexual dysfunction..meaning libido changes and also no physical response to sex, early osteoporosis and heart disease.These conditions have no treatment options…we have emails and calls to this office monthly from women who have been permanently changed since their hysterectomy and wish they had never gone through with it.
You simply need to have your fibroids removed and your uterus saved….the ovaries and uterus both continue to produce hormones for years into menopause. Removing the entire reproductive system suddenly, is a real shock to the body.Our FAS procedure is perfect for you…most of our patients are in their 40s, and we have removed tumors the size of watermelons and have taken out 138 tumors from one patient….size and location does not effect our outcomes. There is also the possibility that your urinary incontinence maybe effected by the weight of your tumors…many women report relief from urgency once the uterus is lifted off the bladder and the weight of the tumors is gone. You may not need a bladder suspension depending on its severity.
I would not be scared into surgery so quickly…I strongly recommend you do your research on the effects of hysterectomy. That surgery is permanent and irreversible.
I know we can help you, please give the office a call if you are interested in FAS.