Hysterectomy Support Group
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, usually done by a gynecologist. Hysterectomy may be total (removing the body and cervix of the uterus) or partial (also called supra-cervical). Although there are conservative alternatives, hysterectomy is performed for uterine fibroids, pelvic pain, pelvic relaxation, heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding, and cancer.
I am facing a recommendation by my doctor to get a partial hysterectomy due to large fibroids. I believe that she will spare my ovaries and I think my cervix as well.
However I've read that loss of sex drive can occur following hysterectomy -- does this only apply if the ovaries are removed?
I have also read that even with ovaries intact, orgasm feels differently without the uterus. That the pelvic muscle contractions that occur inside the vagina during orgasm are absent.
Has anyone else had a partial hysterectomy, and did you find either of these things to be true?
I had a partial hysterectomy on 8/16 leaving ovaries and cervix. They removed a large fibroid that expanded my uterus to 3x it’s normal size. My doctor assured me that sex would not feel any differently, but I’m concerned about that as well. Right now, I’m focused on managing the sharp twinges of pain I have- been high seems to get worse at night. Is your surgery scheduled?
I'm seeing an interventional radiologist regarding the size and number of my fibroids, to see if he could treat them, and have also been referred to a prestigious fibroid clinic. I am praying that in the end there will still be an alternative to hysterectomy. They have told me a myomectomy (just removing the tumors) isn't an option if I'm not planning on having kids. I have read too many accounts of women who had hysterectomies and couldn't have the same type of orgasms any more. I am not ready to give that up.
I have not made a decision yet but it sounds like we are in a similar situation w/r/t size, I am scheduled to see the radiologist on Tuesday 11/20. My guess is he will tell me the large fibroid is too big for embolization or ablation. I am still firmly against hysterectomy, so I'm planning on finding out if I can get the big one surgically removed (it's on the outside of my uterus) and then have the small ones embolized or shrunken by other means. Apparently I have a bunch of small ones too. I am unable to have kids at this point (at least not without serious medical intervention) but I am still going to push for myomectomy for the large one.
To answer your question, they have been mostly asymptomatic except for having the "pregnant" belly which makes it hard to fit in clothes that otherwise used to fit fine. I've actually been buying maternity pants LOL. But so far the pain has been minimal and intermittent. There have been no significant effects on my periods so far.
The clinic is at Stanford University Medical Center. That's a whole new hurdle because they are out of network for my insurance carrier. So I am praying desperately that the radiologist I am scheduled to see on Tuesday will have an agreeable solution. Still I am dreading going in just to be told, "nope, no other procedure will work for your situation". I will follow up and post what he says, and what I am planning on doing next. At this point based on what I've read, I feel like I'm willing to just live with the fibroids if hysterectomy is my only choice.