Anyone have a myomectomy? (fibroids)

[SusanWasHere]

hello!
i know the thread name is a little odd, lol. but i was wondering if anyone here has ever had a myomectomy? i found out i have 3 large fibroid tumors (size of a cantaloupe!!!) on the outside of my uterus. i have to get an abdominal incision to get them removed. basically, a c-section but no baby is taken out - only tumors. sounds like a ton of fun, i know. but i am yet to find or meet anyone that has had this experience. the dr. said i'd be out of work 4-6 weeks, but am hoping it won't be this long. anyone out there that could help me with some questions? i would really appreciate it! thanks!!

 

[escape]

From one Susan to another -

I hope you get other responses because I don't have any first hand experience with this. However, a friend of mine had a myomectomy several years ago. She was quite sore for several weeks. I think it took her a good month or so to recuperate so 4-6 weeks sounds about right, based on her experience.

Good luck! I hope you get other responses as to the recup time. I have some fibroids as well but none as large as what you described.

 

[plutolover]

I actually just had this done. I am on my fifth week of recovery. I had to have my ovary taken out as well. The Dr. thought it was a fibroid or a dermoid about 8 cm. It turned out to be a solid tumor. Not Cancerous -- Thank Goodness! I also had the same type of incision. (I have had 2 previous C-sections -- they used the same line) It really does take that long to recover. I was up walking the next day. I was in the hospital for 3 days. This past week is probably the first week I have felt great. I can sneeze and cough without pain! I am not able to lift anything for another 2 weeks. I do get to go back to work on 11/1/06. My surgery was 9/19/06. How long has it been since they found the fibroids? When we found the mass, I ended up in surgery less than 2 weeks. I was very fortunate that I have an awesome Dr. / Surgeon -- because I really didn't have any bad symptoms. I was just irregular -- if you know what I mean-- the past two months.

Any other ?? just ask!

Good luck to you. I wish you a safe surgery and recovery!!

 

[karynnix]

I had 2 c-sections and an abdominal hysterectomy. I won't lie to you...it's painful. The main problem that I had is that I coughed a lot after the surgery from the anesthesia. That was probably the worst part for me, because I had to hold a pillow against the incision when I coughed. The recovery will take AT LEAST 4-6 weeks. Just don't overdo it. I had to sleep in a recliner for about a month post-surgery because I couldn't lie down flat. Do you know how long the incision will be?

 

[SusanWasHere]

I actually just had this done. I am on my fifth week of recovery. I had to have my ovary taken out as well. The Dr. thought it was a fibroid or a dermoid about 8 cm. It turned out to be a solid tumor. Not Cancerous -- Thank Goodness! I also had the same type of incision. (I have had 2 previous C-sections -- they used the same line) It really does take that long to recover. I was up walking the next day. I was in the hospital for 3 days. This past week is probably the first week I have felt great. I can sneeze and cough without pain! I am not able to lift anything for another 2 weeks. I do get to go back to work on 11/1/06. My surgery was 9/19/06. How long has it been since they found the fibroids? When we found the mass, I ended up in surgery less than 2 weeks. I was very fortunate that I have an awesome Dr. / Surgeon -- because I really didn't have any bad symptoms. I was just irregular -- if you know what I mean-- the past two months.

Any other ?? just ask!

Good luck to you. I wish you a safe surgery and recovery!!

thank you to ALL of you for your responses. the surgery is nov 9th, i am starting to get really nervous. it was originally going to be oct. 12th, but due to school (i'm a teacher), parent conferences, not having a lot of sick days, i got it moved. the dr. wasn't thrilled about it, but i knew me being a wreck about work would interfere with my recovery. being out in nov will make me much more relaxed since we have more days off for nj teacher's convention and thanksgiving.

as for symptoms, i was urinating about 18 times a day, with major urgency so i made an appt to see a urologist. the day before that, i happened to go for my annual at the gyno and he found a mass. within the next few days i had a few ultrasounds and that is when they found them. i did have a lot of cramping, and lower back pain. and losing weight for no reason (that to me is not a symptom - it's a benefit!!) so the tumors are on the back, pressing on the bladder, kidneys, colon, etc. they want them out. but they did tell me that a hysterectomy could occur if the fibroids go through the uterus or the blood supply is through there. which is scary bc i don't have any children. not that i really want them - i just want the choice.

so that's where i'm at. and wow - thanks for giving me the heads up on the pain and recovery. here i was thinking maybe i'd be back to work after 3 weeks or would pop down to disney during week 3 to see the decorations and veg out there. but if it's that bad, i guess i'll be stuck on the couch. which is sooo not me and i dread. i'm not sure how big the incision will be, they said it will be on the bikini line, that's all i know. does it get more painful as the incision gets larger?

thank you again to all of you for sharing your experiences. it's amazing that i can't find anyone i know that has been through this, lol. i guess that's a good thing. how long after until you can shower? i'm assuming they put that tape stuff over the stitches. i had breast surgery last year (i'm falling apart) and i could shower after 24 hours with that. ugh, thanks for your well wishes. i hope it's not too awful for me!! i'm glad you all came through safe and sound too

 

[karynnix]

I was in the shower the next day. They actually took my bandages off and catheter out the next morning. I had staples after the hysterectomy, but only stitches after the c-sections. I made a trip to South Carolina about 2 weeks after my hysterectomy and was MISERABLE. It really slowed my recovery. Try to take it easy and don't do too much.

Good luck and let us know how you do!!

 

[DeterminedOne]

thank you to ALL of you for your responses. the surgery is nov 9th, i am starting to get really nervous. it was originally going to be oct. 12th, but due to school (i'm a teacher), parent conferences, not having a lot of sick days, i got it moved. the dr. wasn't thrilled about it, but i knew me being a wreck about work would interfere with my recovery. being out in nov will make me much more relaxed since we have more days off for nj teacher's convention and thanksgiving.

as for symptoms, i was urinating about 18 times a day, with major urgency so i made an appt to see a urologist. the day before that, i happened to go for my annual at the gyno and he found a mass. within the next few days i had a few ultrasounds and that is when they found them. i did have a lot of cramping, and lower back pain. and losing weight for no reason (that to me is not a symptom - it's a benefit!!) so the tumors are on the back, pressing on the bladder, kidneys, colon, etc. they want them out. but they did tell me that a hysterectomy could occur if the fibroids go through the uterus or the blood supply is through there. which is scary bc i don't have any children. not that i really want them - i just want the choice.

so that's where i'm at. and wow - thanks for giving me the heads up on the pain and recovery. here i was thinking maybe i'd be back to work after 3 weeks or would pop down to disney during week 3 to see the decorations and veg out there. but if it's that bad, i guess i'll be stuck on the couch. which is sooo not me and i dread. i'm not sure how big the incision will be, they said it will be on the bikini line, that's all i know. does it get more painful as the incision gets larger?

thank you again to all of you for sharing your experiences. it's amazing that i can't find anyone i know that has been through this, lol. i guess that's a good thing. how long after until you can shower? i'm assuming they put that tape stuff over the stitches. i had breast surgery last year (i'm falling apart) and i could shower after 24 hours with that. ugh, thanks for your well wishes. i hope it's not too awful for me!! i'm glad you all came through safe and sound too

Wow! Sounds very similar to what happened to me. I didn't have a myoectomy, but I did have fibroid tumors with scary symptoms like huge clots. Not to mention I could actually feel them poking through the skin!

I chose to have a hysterectomy because fibroids can grow back and I never want to experience them again! It was a tough decision because like you, I've never had children. As it turned out, I had three softball-sized fibroids and dozens of smaller ones. My uterus weighed 410 grams when a normal uterus weighs 60. That certainly explains why I felt them poking through.

My surgery was a year ago next month. It took a full six weeks to recover. If the doc told you four weeks, plan on four weeks. The worst thing you can do is push yourself too much too soon! Good luck and take care!

 

[j's m]

I had one about 14 years ago for 2 oranges and a grapefruit. I had the same symptoms as you, I was always looking for a bathroom. I was 41 at the time and still wanted a child so definitely did not want a hysterectomy.

I was in the hospital a few days, they gave me IV pain meds and I don't think it was that bad at home. I did have all three routes of entry, he was going to try to remove them v****inally, they were too large. He also did a laparascopy, too so I did have the gas in the shoulder pain. Then finally got them out by the incision. I remember my stomach was so swollen at first I needed giant underwear.

I wasn't supposed to drive for a few weeks, was only supposed to go up and down stairs once a day in the beginning. But the worst thing was I was so tired for about 6 weeks. Part may have been boredom, and the more you sit around the more tired you get. But I was working part time at home (DH's business) and then went back to work at the office part time after six weeks.

I was lucky, the doctor was great, preserved my uterus, and I was able to have a baby, now known as DS12.

Good luck. PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[canwegosoon]

My mother had one...it was the size of a basketball and was 30 lbs...she looked pregnant(and didn't believe in going to a doctor). But as I remember she was a few weeks on bed rest(2 weeks actually in bed, and about 2 weeks limited activity) and she needed lots of gatorade(my mom gets real nausea). But she was fine, back to running a hotel and taking car of 6 kids in no time(about a month or so).

 

[SusanWasHere]

wow! i am so glad i asked this question bc all of you have been able to give me so much information! i guess i'm not going to be heading down to disney now the end of november, lol! and i'm so glad i can shower after. i was so dreading the thought of not getting a shower every day. i'll def be hitting the library to get a bunch of books, i have tons of magazines here, and i have 3 photo albums (almost 700 pics!) i just filled from disney and niagara to make photo comments on. so i guess i'll have some stuff to keep me busy! thanks again for the replies and if i think of anything else, i'll def know where to go for quick answers

 

[lecach]

I had a myo in 2001. I was out of work for 6 weeks and I needed it! My recovery for the myo was longer and harder than my csection recovery in 2004. I wasn't in a ton of pain - just really sore and low on energy.

My fibroid was pedunculate - hanging off my uterus like a piece of fruit on a stem. It was the size of a large baked potato. I had no symptoms other than a swollen tummy.

 

[SusanWasHere]

I had a myo in 2001. I was out of work for 6 weeks and I needed it! My recovery for the myo was longer and harder than my csection recovery in 2004. I wasn't in a ton of pain - just really sore and low on energy.

My fibroid was pedunculate - hanging off my uterus like a piece of fruit on a stem. It was the size of a large baked potato. I had no symptoms other than a swollen tummy.

i'm hoping mine are like yours. if they are hanging on the stalks like that, the dr. said it will make removal easier. not too much rebuilding of the uterus needed and no hysterectomy. he did say that the ultrasound tech wrote down that the tumors moved, as if they were "floating". he said that was a good sign. hopefully, they've stayed that way in the time since i had that done. thanks for sharing with me

 

[ANTSS2001]

hello!
i know the thread name is a little odd, lol. but i was wondering if anyone here has ever had a myomectomy? i found out i have 3 large fibroid tumors (size of a cantaloupe!!!) on the outside of my uterus. i have to get an abdominal incision to get them removed. basically, a c-section but no baby is taken out - only tumors. sounds like a ton of fun, i know. but i am yet to find or meet anyone that has had this experience. the dr. said i'd be out of work 4-6 weeks, but am hoping it won't be this long. anyone out there that could help me with some questions? i would really appreciate it! thanks!!

did you have the procedure done? I just learned that this is the way I am goign with my fibroids by Dec. 07 and it is really scaring me. How was your recovery. Epidoral or General anesthisia? TIA

 

[SusanWasHere]

did you have the procedure done? I just learned that this is the way I am goign with my fibroids by Dec. 07 and it is really scaring me. How was your recovery. Epidoral or General anesthisia? TIA

Yes I did have it done in November and I have to say it was surprisingly easy! I was under for the operation, woke up, and really had no problems any time after! I had the operation Thursday, staples out on Tuesday. They were really the worst part of it. I went back to work the 2nd week of December even though I thought I wouldn't go back until January. I never felt any pain, never had to used the morphine drip. You can drive after 2 weeks, which I did. I would just go to stores to walk around bc I was bored. I would def start to feel a "pinch" in my lower abdomen which I knew meant it was time to go home and rest. Other than that, it was very easy fo me, painless, uneventful. My doctor was also amazing, I'm sure that helped. I did just find out I have 2 new tumors! But these are inside the uterus (my last ones were attached off the back and compressing my bladder) and so far are ok. Good luck, feel free to ask my any more questions you may have!!

 

[boardname]

I had one about 14 years ago for 2 oranges and a grapefruit. I had the same symptoms as you, I was always looking for a bathroom. I was 41 at the time and still wanted a child so definitely did not want a hysterectomy.

I was in the hospital a few days, they gave me IV pain meds and I don't think it was that bad at home. I did have all three routes of entry, he was going to try to remove them v****inally, they were too large. He also did a laparascopy, too so I did have the gas in the shoulder pain. Then finally got them out by the incision. I remember my stomach was so swollen at first I needed giant underwear.

I wasn't supposed to drive for a few weeks, was only supposed to go up and down stairs once a day in the beginning. But the worst thing was I was so tired for about 6 weeks. Part may have been boredom, and the more you sit around the more tired you get. But I was working part time at home (DH's business) and then went back to work at the office part time after six weeks.

I was lucky, the doctor was great, preserved my uterus, and I was able to have a baby, now known as DS12.

Good luck. PM me if you have any other questions.

Did you have to use IVF to get pregnant?

 

[mom2rtk]

Just a heads up. This is a very old thread.