Good stories about Hysterectomy

[Ash987]

I have stage 4 frozen pelvis. I'm 43 and had my 3 children. After having several operations and issues for years my Endo specialist has suggested a full hysterectomy. He was originaly only going to remove my right ovary along with all the attached cysts but after my most recent scan he said everything, including both ovaries, are covered in complex cysts.

So, I have read so many people saying this isn't a cure and will not help. How many of you found having a hysterectomy helped and improved your quality of life?

[Lindle]

Hi - presumably you are being treated in a specialist tertiary endo centre?

A hysterectomy is considered for various reasons such as being the last resort after several excision surgeries have failed to relieve pain, in cases where the uterus itself is diseased (adenomyosis, fibroids, malignancy etc) and/or when uterine cramping and periods are unmanageable. This will be accompanied by bilateral oophorectomy when the ovaries are diseased also.

However, in the case of a frozen pelvis, the most extreme form of endo, the uterus will be stuck as if by concrete within dense fibrosis affecting other organs such as the bowel and bladder. So surgery isn't about a hysterectomy as such but of taking the reproduction organs out as part of a wider excision of all disease and fibrosis. In younger women the most highly skilled excision surgeons might attempt to separate out the reproductive organs if fertility is still an issue but it would be very high risk due to potential damage to other organs. As your family is complete and you are of an age to expect natural menopause within the next few years then it is appropriate to remove everything as part of excision of severe disease. Be aware that you would need a low dose continuous combined HRT and not oestrogen only.

With frozen pelvis even if it were possible to separate out the reproductive organs while leaving in all the disease in, the only 'benefit' would be no longer having periods so unless your pain is limited entirely to periods the pain from severe disease is from dense fibrosis pulling on structures and entrapping nerves which would still remain.

The most important requirement is that this is done in tertiary care by a highly skilled multidisciplinary team in a specialist endo centre working to BSGE standards.