Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Hysterectomy and Female Castration: the Enablers Part III

Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia

This is the third part in a series of Posts to highlight omissions of fact and misinformation about hysterectomy currently being provided to women on hospital, doctor, and medical school websites.

In Part I of this series we investigated some of the errors, omissions, and contradictions on the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s (UPMC) website. To read Part I (and comments from women around the country) click here. And in Part II we highlighted the seriously deficient online patient education product known as “X-Plain” at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. To read Part II click here.
Part III of this series highlights Emory University Hospital’s website. As you will see, Emory provides little of the basic information that women need in order to make informed decisions about hysterectomy, while directing them to visit other websites that contain gross misinformation that is potentially damaging to women.

This is a frightening trend in hospital websites all over the country. Hospitals and doctors point their patients to some other source of hysterectomy misinformation (such as the Patient Education Institute’s product X-Plain, obgyn.net, or acog.org), thereby washing their hands of accountability for omitting the requisite information for hysterectomy informed consent on their own websites. The stated purpose of these sites is to provide information to women who’ve been told they need the surgery, but they don’t inform them of the consequences that women need to know. Instead of providing correct information, they potentially put women into harm’s way.

“The Emory Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics,” they tell visitors, “is dedicated to providing health information and education to women in the Atlanta community, the region and the nation.” But we couldn’t find any hysterectomy patient education materials on their website that educate women about the consequences of hysterectomy—the most common non-obstetric surgery performed in the United States. The “.edu” suffix on their website URL indicates that Emory is in fact an educational institution, so what better place for them to do so than right on their own hospital website where they make the claim?

The reason we selected Emory, Gundersen, and UPMC as the three hospital websites to be investigated isn’t because they’re the only hospitals providing misinformation and omissions of fact. On the contrary, they were chosen because these three websites are typical of patient education information published on hospital websites throughout the country.

In the top right corner of the Emory University Hospital home page (http://www.emoryhealthcare.org/departments/), click on “SEARCH.” Type in the search term “hysterectomy” and then click on “search now.” You’re taken to a page with a long list of press releases and articles.

The first press release we came to on the list was dated June 2, 2004. It goes into great detail about how “vaginal hysterectomies are more advantageous” than abdominal hysterectomies without any reference to the consequences of removing the female organs. What they don’t mention is that many of the most devastating adverse effects are the same no matter how the uterus is removed. Click here to watch “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs” for information that every doctor and hospital should provide to every woman who is told she needs a hysterectomy.

The next link on the list takes visitors to an online article titled Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). Even the title of this article is misleading. First, it’s not the fibroid that’s occluded with embolic material, it’s the uterine artery. It’s convenient for doctors and hospitals to refer to it as UFE, because Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) alerts and alarms women that something is being injected into the artery—their vascular system. The reason doctors began calling it UFE is to make it sound more benign than UAE. They don’t tell women that the embolic material injected into the uterine artery has been found to migrate to the ovaries, uterus, lungs, and other vital organs. For this reason UAE should be contraindicated for women who want to have children. When the embolic material and/or radiation causes the ovaries to cease to function, it results in a de facto castration.

Second, it’s odd that an article that seems to want to educate women about “What are uterine fibroids?” falls under the title of one of the most dangerous treatment options. Women might expect that the patient education materials of a teaching hospital would label this section “What are fibroids?” with UAE mentioned only as a treatment option with serious potential adverse effects, including death, loss of ovarian function, necrosis (death of the tissue) of the vagina, labia, bladder, bowel, and kidney.

Further obscuring the facts, Emory tells visitors, “Symptomatic uterine fibroids trigger approximately 150,000 hysterectomies each year.” In fact it’s the fear that doctors instill in women regarding benign conditions such as fibroids, along with misinformation about treatment options, that “triggers” hysterectomies. The number of hysterectomies performed for fibroids each year in this country is more like 400,000, but fibroids can’t pull the trigger on hysterectomies. Only doctors can pull that trigger.

Finally, the only reference to hysterectomy in the UAE article is one that uses language reminiscent of the U.S. Army’s recruitment theme—Emory claims that their “goal is to help you to live the best as you can be.” We would no more recommend that you search for all that you can be on an operating table than on a battlefield. The best that you can be is whole and intact, far away from anyone who wants to damage or remove your sex organs.

Emory offers other online articles that focus on endometriosis and gynecological services, but none of them discusses the well-documented consequences of hysterectomy.

Back on the home page, if you click on “Departments” and then scroll down to the bottom right and click on “Gynecology & Obstetrics” under the subheading “Women’s Health Services,” you’re taken to a page titled “Emory Women’s Care.” On this page you’ll find the following ad:



It’s cruel irony that a website that women come to because they were told they need a surgery to remove their female organs (which they will have to pay for), are confronted with an ad offering to pay them to allow a doctor to extract their eggs. Rather than provide visitors with information about the adverse effects of the most commonly performed non-obstetric surgery in America and the fact that the ovaries will be removed from 73% of those women, they choose to give space to advertising their egg “donor” program. And here the medical euphemisms continue, because it’s nothing like a donation.

Women are paid a lot of money for their eggs because the process is invasive, risky, and often very painful. To stimulate egg production, women are given dangerous drugs to hyper-stimulate their ovaries. The side effects of the drugs range from thinning of the bones to cognitive loss. And once the ovaries are hyper-stimulated to produce an abnormal quantity of eggs, the hyper-stimulation sometimes continues after women stop taking the drugs. The result is that the drug-induced hyper-stimulation puts a woman at risk for ovarian cancer. Cancer of the female reproductive sex organs is one of the main scare tactics that doctors use to get women onto operating tables. And it’s one of the main reasons why women seek out websites like Emory’s only to be bombarded with advertisements for quick money. If women answer this ad they’ll be subjected to a procedure that will increase their risk of ovarian cancer.

People don’t get paid to donate. It’s not a contribution, it’s a business transaction, and the product is women’s eggs. It’s objectionable to disguise it as such…especially when Emory fails to provide the one thing they claim to make available to women—patient education. Why not simply ask visitors, “Are your eggs for sale? If so, we’d like to buy them. And we’re willing to pay a handsome price because it’s a frightening, painful, and potentially fatal procedure for both you and the woman who your eggs will be later injected into.”

For women who are about to have (or have had) the door shut on the option of having children, it’s extremely insensitive to advertise the hope of pregnancy and childbirth on a site where women seek information about hysterectomy.

As we said, this investigation into Emory’s website is Part III of a series. What was remarkable about Part I was that the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) website contained glaring contradictions. Although we informed them of numerous anatomical errors on their website, and although UPMC did drop one of their hysterectomy pages to eliminate the most glaring contradictions, they continue to provide potentially damaging information to women. What was remarkable in Part II of the series was the Gundersen-Lutheran Hospital’s patient education tutorial called X-Plain. X-Plain requires women to answer questions falsely in order to proceed through their error-riddled tutorial. They have ignored letters from HERS informing them of their misleading information, but they continue to misinform women with the same potentially damaging information. And now what stands out to us in Part III is that Emory claims to provide information about hysterectomy but actually provides almost none at all. What’s remarkable isn’t the startling misinformation we found on the other two hospital websites, but the extent to which Emory promotes invasive procedures while directing visitors to look elsewhere for facts that they obviously have no intention of providing to women on their own website that gushes with recommendations for surgery.

On that same Emory Women’s Care page mentioned above, there’s a list of options on the left. If you click on the fifth one titled Patient Education you’re taken to a page that claims that they provide health information, but you won’t find any information about hysterectomy, in spite of the fact that it’s called Patient Education. On the bottom of that page, visitors are given three options for information about hysterectomy:
1. the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
2. the Universe of Women’s Health
3. a phone number at Emory

1. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ website (www.acog.org) sounds reliable enough, but what do visitors to Emory’s website find if they follow the link and are redirected there? Researching ACOG’s site for hysterectomy revealed a list of links to printed “educational” materials. The first one is “Understanding Hysterectomy.” It can be purchased from the ACOG website, but the minimum order is 50…with a discount for ACOG members. Click on the link and it takes you to this brief summary:

“Understanding Hysterectomy Description"
"Hysterectomy—removal of the uterus—is a way of treating problems that affect the uterus. Many conditions can be cured with hysterectomy. Because it is major surgery, your doctor may suggest trying other treatments first. For conditions that have not responded to other treatments, a hysterectomy may be the best choice. It depends on the effect of the condition and the surgery on your life. You should be fully informed of all options before you decide."

"This pamphlet explains:
* Reasons for having a hysterectomy
* Ways hysterectomy is performed
* Risks of hysterectomy
* Recovery after surgery”
Although they may refer to women when saying “you decide,” ACOG offers almost no information to women about the lifelong consequences of hysterectomy on their website, which may leave you wondering why “college” is part of this organization’s name. In fact, their own website demonstrates that if ACOG is a college it’s a scalpel school with members who get rich by removing female organs.

2. The second option—the Universe of Women's Health—takes visitors to www.obgyn.net. At the bottom of each page of this website you’ll find pro-hysterectomy Google ads. On the “Select a Topic” drop-down menu on OBGYN.net there are three hysterectomy topics. First is the Hysterectomy Resource Center. Here, the pelvic anatomy lesson offered says:

"The uterus, sometimes called the womb, is a muscular organ located in the pelvis. It is approximately the size and shape of a pear. This is where a fetus is carried during pregnancy."

It doesn’t mention that the uterus is a hormone-responsive sex organ that supports the bladder and the bowel or that women who experienced uterine orgasm before the surgery won’t experience it after the uterus is removed. If they did mention those facts and the many other functions of the uterus then women would know that there’s a lot more to lose than the ability to become pregnant. But OBGYN.net, apparently, views the uterus as nothing but a pear-shaped baby bag.

The “Indications” link invites visitors to a page with a video to learn about the different types of hysterectomy. At the bottom of the page visitors are reassured that they’ll be in good company if they have their sex organs removed. They seem determined to make a surgery that is very damaging sound like a walk in the park—nothing to it. There is sometimes safety in numbers, but to suggest that women can feel good about hysterectomy and castration because that’s what OB/GYNs have been promoting to countless other women for years is appalling:

"It is important to remember that you are not alone. In the U.S.there are over 600,000 hysterectomies performed each year, about 1,643 a day. In fact, by the age of 60, 1 in 3 women will have had a hysterectomy. You may be feeling anxious, but remember that there are 599,999 other women this year who will feel like you. In addition, you can take comfort in knowing that recent medical advances have made this common procedure much less invasive."

Less invasive? No matter how it’s done, they’re removing female sex organs. There’s nothing non-invasive about it.

They then invite visitors to click on the link “What is a hysterectomy?” where they say:

"A hysterectomy is an operation to remove a woman’s uterus. Depending on the surgical approach and the woman’s symptoms, the ovaries, fallopian tubes and/or cervix may be removed as well. You should discuss with your physician what will be removed."

Whether the ovaries are removed or not shouldn’t depend upon the surgical approach or symptoms. A symptom isn’t a disease. OBGYN.net is a potentially dangerous website that lures women in by holding themselves out as a reliable source, but then they don’t provide the information that women need to make a decision about their own bodies. And once again removal of the ovaries is made to sound as trivial as a doctor’s whim, when in fact the ovaries are the female gonads and their removal is castration, the same as removal of the testicles is castration. The ovaries produce hormones all of a woman’s life. There’s no age or time in any person’s life when the gonads aren’t needed. It’s unconscionable that this website doesn’t mention those vital facts.

There’s also a subheading called “Conditions that may require a hysterectomy.” They then provide a list of “conditions” that should never require a hysterectomy. In fact, a hysterectomy is never required. If it was required that would mean that you have no choice, that it will be done to you whether or not you agree to it. But even if you have cancer it’s your right to say no to surgery. You have the right to refuse consent.

The link to “Patients stories” directs visitors to a blank page. This may be the best link of all, because on OBGYN.net no news about hysterectomy is good news. And the link to “Patient Brochures” has one brochure, and it’s about Laparsocopic Supracervical Hysterectomy. No helpful information there either.

There was no information about the devastating, predictable, lifelong adverse effects of hysterectomy. Many of the links funneled visitors toward the MedlinePlus website. Visit http://hersfoundation.org/docs/Medline-press-release.pdf to read the HERS Foundation’s press release titled “Medline Plus a Minus for Women.” MedlinePlus (a “service” of the National Library of Medicine) also points visitors to X-Plain which, as we have said, is rife with misinformation that is largely unsupported by anatomical fact.

OBGYN.net has far too many errors and omissions of fact to mention them all in this blog, but suffice to say that the OB/GYNs who wrote it have created a landmine of misinformation at best…which shouldn’t be surprising, because hysterectomy is the goldmine of gynecology.

3. The last option for visitors to Emory’s website who are looking for hysterectomy information is their suggestion to “please call” 404-778-7777. So HERS president, Nora W. Coffey did just that. In fact, Nora made three separate calls, during which she took detailed, verbatim notes.

The first call was made on March 20, 2008. A nurse answered the phone, but she seemed confused by simple questions like, “Can a woman have a uterine orgasm without a uterus?” The RN then put Nora on hold for several minutes so she could get some literature on the subject. When she returned, she read Nora the information that she had found on hysterectomy.

As the nurse read the hysterectomy information to Nora, it sounded oddly familiar. Some of the language she was using was uniquely HERS—it was coined at the HERS Foundation. For example, she referred to the uterus as “hormone-responsive” and referred to women who had undergone the surgery as “hysterectomized,” a verbalization of “hysterectomy” that was coined at HERS to describe the fact that women don’t get a hysterectomy the way that they get their nails done—they’re hysterectomized by doctors. Fortunately she spoke haltingly and slowly, so Nora was able to type up every word that the nurse said. This is verbatim from the nurse:

"The uterus is a hormone-responsive reproductive sex organ, and the ovaries produce the majority of estrogen and progesterone that is available in genetic females of reproductive age. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, of the 617,000 hysterectomies performed in 2004, 73% also involved the surgical removal of the ovaries. In the United States, 1/3 of genetic females can be expected to have a hysterectomy by age 60. There are currently an estimate of 22 million people in the United States who have undergone this procedure."

Most of this information is actually correct, but it slowly began to dawn on Nora where the nurse was getting this information from—Wikipedia.

Wikipedia is an encyclopedic website that is “written collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world.” They have an entry for hysterectomy, and because some other “volunteer” was supplying Wikipedia with erroneous hysterectomy information that was unsupported by anatomical fact and medical literature, Nora edited the hysterectomy entry to get as much correct information on there as the Wikipedia moderators would allow. But why was this Emory nurse, a medical professional from a teaching hospital, responding to a request for patient education information by reading from Wikipedia? It’s baffling, really. Although Wikipedia does offer some accurate information, it’s by no means a reliable source of information for anyone seeking medical advice. Even still, women who call Emory are ostensibly very likely to get information that is no more reliable than an online encyclopedia written by volunteers from around the world who may or may not know what they’re talking about.

And then, in one of her concluding comments about the impact of hysterectomy on female sexual pleasure, the nurse told Nora verbatim, “But um, uh, it’s always like in a non-medical way that I’ve always heard it’s like taking away the baby carriage but leaving the playpen.”

It’s a common refrain that women have told HERS they’ve been hearing from gynecologists all over the country for more than 50 years—“Don’t worry, I’m going to take out the crib, but I’ll leave the playpen.” In other words, you won’t be able to have children, and you won’t be able to have uterine orgasms, but a pouch will still exist for your husband to insert his penis. Thanks, Emory.

Before the end of the conversation Nora asked the nurse to send her the information that she was reading from. Two days later HERS received a package in the mail from the nurse patient-educator at Emory HealthConnection—it was a 7-page printout with the Wikipedia URL on the top and on the bottom of each page. She merely printed out Wikipedia’s hysterectomy web entry and added nothing else.

The next day Nora made her second call to the number listed under Emory’s Patient Education banner. Again she spoke with a nurse who Nora asked a few simple questions. And again the nurse seemed confused by Nora’s questions and put her on hold.

When the nurse returned she said, “Thank you for being so patient. I was just talking with Paula my supervisor and there is a certain area that I can go into and mail you information about the hysterectomy.”

“Okay,” Nora said, “but you can’t give me any information?”

“Well, it’s just that there’s so much information on it we really don’t have the time to be talking all about it. You see what I mean? We’d be on the phone for the next hour.”

“Really?”

This was a curious comment for a “health professional” to make, considering the fact that the HERS Foundation developed an anatomy lesson that is the minimum information a woman needs to make an informed decision about hysterectomy…and that video lesson is only 11 minutes and 45 seconds. The nurse then took the mailing address, after which Nora said, “But I’m disappointed that Patient Education can’t give me any information on the phone.”

The nurse’s response was a very disappointing, “Okay,” followed by, “What I’m going to give you right now is…let’s see. I’m going to ask you exactly what you would like.”

So Nora repeated her request: “I would like to know what the effects of hysterectomy are.”

Instead of Nora, the caller of course could’ve been any woman faced with the decision of whether or not to have surgery. The fact that the nurse asked Nora what she would like to know is baffling. After all, how does the patient know what they need to know? It’s like a woman asking a doctor, “Would you please tell me what the consequences of hysterectomy are?” and the doctor responding, “Okay, what would you like to know?” What’s obvious from these calls is that women need to know the answers to their questions before they ask them, which renders this Emory’s patient education meaningless at best…and potentially very harmful.

The nurse then repeated herself, saying, “There’s just so much information here,” but she never did talk about the consequences of hysterectomy. The best she could do was to define “abdominal hysterectomy” as a hysterectomy where the uterus is pulled out through the abdomen, and other self-evident information. She then said, “Okay?” as if that was all the information she had for Nora and she was prepared to end the conversation there.

As any woman seeking information from a teaching hospital might, Nora grew frustrated. She said to the nurse, “But we really didn’t talk about the consequences of the surgery!”

The nurse’s response? “Uh hm….”

Undaunted, Nora asked, “Are there any changes…are there any sexual changes…are there any other changes that are pretty common?”

“Well,” the nurse said, “I’ll be honest with you. If it was me having this surgery, I’d be talking with my doctor... A hysterectomy…takes care of any problems you may be having with your uterus… Truly it’s the surgeon’s responsibility to give you informed consent about what is going on with your surgery.”

Sure, but she’s a nurse taking calls on a number listed under patient education. So Nora said, “You know I didn’t get very many answers to my questions, which is why I looked on the website to see if you have patient education and this is the number on Emory’s gynecology website page.”

The nurse said only, “Yeah? Can you hold one second please?”

While Nora was on hold, she was subjected to ads for other treatments being advertised by Emory. Like most hospitals, Emory is about making people feel good about the drugs and treatments and surgeries they offer.

Finally the nurse returned. She explained to Nora that all women are unique, so she should talk with her doctor. Amazed that this final option on Emory’s website turned out to also be a dead end, Nora asked why, if they don’t have any information, Emory provides this number for Patient Education?

“Well,” the nurse said, “I do have information here that I’m going to mail off to you.”

About a week later Nora called the HealthcareConnection again.

The person who answered said, “Thanks for calling Emory HealthcareConnection, this is Helen, how may I help you?”

“Hi,” Nora said, “is this your patient education department?”

“Yeah…no…this is actually a doctor referral line?”

Now this was an interesting development—Nora had called twice before and was told that she had called the Patient Education number and that it was staffed by nurses. In each of those calls a nurse struggled to answer Nora’s questions, and now a week later this?

“Okay,” Nora said, “so are you aware that on the Gynecology and Obstetrics website for Emory they give this number for Patient Education?”

“Well, we answer a lot of things here,” the nurse said. “What were you trying to do under patient education?”

Nora was very soon placed on hold again. While on hold Nora listened to an ad for a free educational seminar on the effective non-surgical treatment of uterine fibroids. In other words, it’s a free opportunity for women to be told about the profitable treatment known as UAE, but none of the patient education options available to women would even mention the adverse effects of any of these treatments that have been well-documented in medical literature.

In the first two calls the nurses acknowledged that they knew that they were answering a Patient Education phone line, but now when this nurse returned to the phone she told Nora, “Well, see, we do a lot of the seminars as far as registering people who want to attend the seminars at Emory.” Then she said that health information isn’t really what they do, but, “We have information in our database where we can pull up the health library and under MedlinePlus…we can type in hysterectomies, but if women want printed information,” she said, “you know it would have to be printed off of there… Well, I mean that’s all we have to offer, apparently.” She then elaborated to say, “We’re actually under marketing… The department I’m with is the Emory HealthConnection.”

We are well aware of the fact that they heavily market their surgeries and procedures, but but Emory’s website says:

"Emory HealthConnection serves as your vehicle to access the world of knowledge and expert care encompassed within the many components of EMORY HEALTHCARE. The Emory HealthConnection staff includes registered nurses and consultation representatives who have a library of information at their fingertips and can provide you with the latest information on the services provided by EMORY HEALTHCARE."

A “world of knowledge,” they claim? The worldwide web, maybe, but you don’t need Emory’s help to wander around that endless landmine of misinformation. “Library of information,” they say? Their nurses and patient education materials couldn’t answer one simple question from Nora.

If you have undergone a hysterectomy at Emory or their affiliated hospitals after relying on information from X-Plain, contact HERS at hersfdn@earthlink.net.

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464 Comments:

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At April 3, 2008 at 3:53 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is very important for all women to read what the HERS Foundation has uncovered regarding these hospital advertising websites, the latest being Emory University Hospital. They are set up to deceive women so that their gynecologists can perform unnecessary surgery for profit. Deception and misinformation has worked well for these doctors and hospitals to pull in a huge profit and damage over 600,000 women per year, every year. To make it sound like there is safety in numbers so they can perform more unnecessary surgeries is criminal. The fact that doctors have removed the sex organs of over 1/3 of women in the United States is astronomical and a tragic and horrific crime. That has to be one of the highest statistics of all time (1/3rd of women in the U.S.). Women who still have their female organs need to know that they are being targeted by gynecologists and hospitals for profit. I would have never believed this a couple years ago until it happened to me when I went into the emergency room with lower abdominal pain. All I needed was a minor surgery to remove an ovarian cyst, but instead the doctor lied to me, deceived me and falsified my consent form and amputated my healthy uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries with no valid medical basis. I didn't know that I was a sitting duck for an unnecessary surgery. I didn't know that this type of crime goes on unchecked in the United States. I wish I would have known because I would have fled the hospital and I would probably be intact and healthy today. The HERS Foundation is the only organization who is bringing out the truth about these hospitals, doctors and websites. Every woman needs to know the truth so that she can protect herself from this indiscriminate barbaric surgery for profit.

 
At April 3, 2008 at 9:03 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome Emory University of Atlanta, Georgia. You are about to be educated by Hysterectomized and Castrated women from across the United States and even abroad.

You are supposed to be teaching women about the after-effects of this surgery, but you are going to have a lesson in female anatomy and what this surgery does to women, their husbands and their family.

Yet another clinic/hospital and university who is deceiving women into this very profitable and unnecessary surgery. The lies and mis-information you are providing women is so deceitful. Yes, it is so obvious that your intention is to lie and deceive women.

I was deceived and lied to all because of money. I had a pea-sized fibroid which could have been removed by a myomectomy, but no, Dr. Gundersen of Gundersen Clinic in LaCrosse, Wiscosin, the last enabler, took it upon himself to go in and remove my sex organs (the uterus, ovaries and cervix). I was not informed of the after-effects, only that I would feel better than before my surgery AND, SEX would better. I never had any problems with the fibroid, but once seen by Dr. Gundersen, I was made to feel like I was dying or would end up with cancer. I only went to see him for hot flashes (which by the way, never improved after the surgery).

Please listen to the women who will be writing on this blog. Do not listen to your doctor even if you trust him. Watch the 'DVD' female anatomy' then decide if you want to be castrated and end up with a life of problems that will never go away but only gets worse.

 
At April 3, 2008 at 10:40 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cathy and Gracie, my story is very much like yours. As was my innocence, as is my reaction.
When I received information on hysterectomy from Emory, I was sent dated material published by McKesson Clinical Reference Systems---printed on Emory's own letterhead! I deliberately refer to the mailing as "material" because there is no way that I would go so far as to call it information. There is so much that is factual and germane to hysterectomy that has been omitted, I can now well understand the carefully worded disclaimer that accompanies the material.
Folks, my layperson guess is that there is sound legal reasoning behind why these medical institutions are reluctant to publish their own material. It all comes down to but a single word: liability. They don't want to tell the truth but neither do they want to be held accountable for their omissions. Directing patients to selected websites is but a clever ruse to try to avoid any legal responsibility for rubbish all the while still petitioning for your "care".
In my humble opinion, the obvious answer would be to tell the truth about hysterectomy, castration, uterine artery embolization, tube tying, and all the other host of ever profitable procedures reserved for the female gender. Are not these institutions and their staff in our employ supposedly for our benefit? What right have they to parade as experts all the while shirking their sworn duties in deference to their insidious, carefully guarded
conflict of interests?
As citizens, as taxpayers, as patients, we deserve to be told the whole truth...as it is detailed in vast amounts of ancient to present day medical literature ... What justifies they're taking our tax dollars and then palming patients' educational needs off? Shame on them!
To me, truly informed consent is what is ethically required of the medical profession and it most definitely should be legally required as well! HERS has done their homework for them, they need but avail themselves-and those in their care- of it!!
Simply put, when women are not given truly informed consent, medical advocacy becomes medical assault...and women have been victimized and then abandoned by these so called "specialists" for far too long. I applaud HERS for all that they've said and wish only that I could have heard it sooner.

 
At April 3, 2008 at 4:01 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

WOW! The above bloggers have spoken well, and spoken loudly for me too!!! . I agree with everything the above bloggers have written. Thank you. I too am a victim of deceit by the Gynecologist/Surgeon who used the hackneyed 'cancer' scare tactic on me at the age of 24, and childless.

Just as long as women continue to be deceived by their doctors that they are going to be ‘fine’ after this surgery and that they are going to enjoy sex better than before surgery because they will no longer have to deal with messy, monthly, menstrual cycles etc., then this injustice and cruelty by doctors to their female patients will continue.

The longer we castrated women keep silent, the longer this will continue to be done to other women. Let us not forget that most of us still have Mothers, daughters, sisters, nieces, cousins, aunts etc. and if these dear relatives of ours are lucky enough to still have their female sex organs, they too are being silently targeted by these cruel, medical predators. These predators are just waiting to pounce for profit, with the next gyne symptom which they may have.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Let us protect those whom we love, while we still have the chance, and while they still have their female sex organs intact!

 
At April 4, 2008 at 11:46 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks ladies for educating us all about hysterectomies.

I was able to have a polypectomy for some polyps I had in my uterus recently. The surgery was done at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, Iowa. My doctor was Dr. Ginny Ryan.

 
At April 4, 2008 at 12:12 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

OH MY GOSH.. how can he get away with that? The way I am treated and the bad lies doctors get away with, ...I am going to work for the rest of my days on this earth to hold all accountable.. for how they LIE, treat and mislead. .and I know what the ethics codes say "if a professional feels it is in the patients best interest”,
(There is an old saying: "The highwayman demands 'your money OR your life', but quacks demand "your money AND your life!")
Lying to patients has, therefore, seemed an especially excusable act. Some would argue that doctors, and only doctors, should be granted the right to manipulate the truth. A physician can decide to tell as much or as little as he wants the patient to know, so long as he breaks no law. Some physicians might feel justified in lying for the good of the patient, others might be truthful. Some may conceal alternatives to the treatment they recommend; others not. In each case, a great many would choose to be able to lie.
The doctor's choice to lie increasingly involves co-workers in acting in part they find neither humane nor wise. Informed consent is a farce if the information provided is distorted or withheld. And even complete information regarding surgical procedures or medication is obviously useless unless the patient also knows what the condition is that these are supposed to correct.
Bill of Rights, their right to a truthful diagnosis and prognosis is by no means always respected
The reason why even doctors who recognize a patient's right to have information might still not provide it, brings us to the argument against telling all patients the truth. It holds that the information given might hurt the patient and that the concern for the right to such information is therefore a threat to proper health care.
I have had a hysterectomy and I have been lied to and mis-informed about my surgery. I have had another surgery 6 weeks ago and this doctor has also deceived me. I found out by getting my surgical report. Thanks to Nora for educating me and her web site, I have become more informed about my health care. I can’t thank Nora enough.

 
At April 4, 2008 at 11:20 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I remember being given a little pamphlet on hysterectomy with my pre op packet just before my surgery. As if a four page pamphlet could really have prepared me for the trauma of major surgery and the life long consequences I now face daily. I also remember how the nurse who worked with my gynecologist had to sign some form for me to be approved for four weeks off of work for a laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy and possible bilateral oopherectomy (which indeed is what he did). I remember how she laughed and said I really didn't need that long and to enjoy my "vacation". I still fume when I read about how much "easier" laparoscopic hysterectomy is. I spent three days in the hospital in constant pain and tears before I could go home. I didn't have my first bowel movement for seven days after, regardless of all the laxatives and prune juice and everything else I tried. I still have pelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction following my hysterectomy. Instant surgical menopause has been absolutely life changing.
To this day I have a very hard time trusting medical professionals and all their "sound scientific standards". I should have trusted my own instincts and fled.
Thank you HERS Foundation for reading between the lines of the bull that these medical institutions are feeding us.
Elaine

 
At April 5, 2008 at 11:25 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

A huge Thank You to Nora W.Coffey and the HERS Foundation for their insightful and enlightening revelations about Emory University Hospital.

Your efforts to help all women who are seeking truthful information before or after female sex-organ surgery is invaluable. The husbands of these women thank you also, as their lives too will be severely impacted by these surgeries should their wives be persuaded to have their female sex organs removed.

HERS, you are our only source of light and truth in a very dark abyss of misinformation and omission of material facts by those in the ‘medical’ industry who claim to want to do what is in ‘the best interest of the patient’.

 
At April 6, 2008 at 11:15 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The doctor who took away my sex organ is Julianne R. Newcomer at Froedtert hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She also has a partner now at the same place, Sumana Koduri who thinks the same way, because I have had her for a doctor also. I was not informed of the after-effects of the surgery. I asked Newcomer about sex after surgery and she said it wouldn’t be any different. Ya right! My sex life has changed. My husband says it is not the same for him either. Believe me it has not gotten better it has gotten worse.

 
At April 8, 2008 at 9:23 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you University of Iowa for saving this ladies uterus by doing a polypectomy to remove a polyp. How lucky you are to live your life with your uterus intact!

Thanks you Hers for educating women across the country.

 
At April 10, 2008 at 11:36 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mattie said...What is stopping this barbaric act of mutilation by deceit called "hysterectomy" from being headline news? It is a gross injustice perpetrated on the women of this country. Does the drug industry own the media? Hysterectomy by deceit "the biggest best kept secret in the medical community". If you are a women who is still intact you sure are on the right web site, read all of the information on this site and keep your sex organs where they belong, in your body. To all of the women suffering from hysterectomy mutilation, we will stand together to end the lies perpetrated by greedy doctors for profit.

 
At April 10, 2008 at 9:47 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

This will be the worse kind of abuse put on a person once it is out in the public and a law is passed. What could be worse than doctors taking women's sex organs when they know the effects this surgery has on a woman's life.

How cruel for doctors to do this and get by with it. I can't think of anything that is worse than being hysterectomized and castrated unnecessarily.

This crime is going unchecked and doctors should loose their license for practicing this surgery when it is unnecessary which over 90% are.

All women should be able to go back and sue their doctor for a lifetime of misery when a law is passed. Our lives have been taken from us. It is like being murdered except we are walking around without a life in our body.

We all need to do whatever it takes to make the public aware of what doctors are doing to us.

 
At April 12, 2008 at 11:15 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

after an iud was removed I have been in pain ever since. never could have children after that. i'm in pain as i set here writing this. i had everthing removed in 1999 and since then have had to have scare tissue removed. my insides have always been real tender. if i wear clothing that is a little snugged i get unbearable back aches. anyone else have these problem wearing snugged clothes?

 
At April 12, 2008 at 11:44 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a hysterictamy in dec 07 because the doctor screwed up while I was giving birth he nicked an artery in my uterus so he gave me a hysterictamy to stop the bleeding so I am wanting to know more about what to exspect and what I can do no body told me anything about it they just sent me on home and I don’t feel the same I’m not me now and sex no no no feeling

is there anything I can do to feel good again

 
At April 12, 2008 at 12:30 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Kay,
I have scare tissue from the hysterectomy. I will have surgery soon, hopefully to fix this. The doctor always says there is a chance of scare tissues coming back. Yes, when I wear clothing that are a little snug my stomach bothers me. Then the pain goes to my back and hips. Then the pain spreads down my legs after while. I am not sure why but I believe it has to do with severing the ligaments and nerves during surgery. I try to stay away from jeans. Other pants like dress pants, seem to stretch and are more flexible. I can get away with wearing these a little bigger then jeans. I have to be careful what I buy now. Dress slacks that stretch are the most comfortable for me. I am sorry for your pain. I don’t know if I helped any. I hope someone else has an Idea out there for you.

 
At April 12, 2008 at 4:13 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have lost all respect for US doctors, and especially Gynecologists.

If these US 'medical' personnel claim to be unaware of the severe, traumatic, devastating and profound changes to a woman's body, mind, emotion, and spirit after removing the two ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix then they should not be performing these surgeries or recommending them.

It is that simple.

 
At April 12, 2008 at 4:44 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous, Me too. I had an emergency c-section March 2 ’06 and my uteris was ruptured so they took it out. No Dr. answered any questions. Just like you I just wondered what happens to me now. Thanks to all the women for telling what happened to them. I don’t feel so alone now, it really helps alot. I wonder if lots of other women go to the hospital to have a baby and had this happen to them. Please write me again.

 
At April 12, 2008 at 4:57 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a Hysterectoy with Bilateral ovary and fallopian tube removal. The Dr. also removed my appendix. This was done October 2007. Iam 27 years old and this has been the worst nightmare. I had Endometriosis and I already had 5 laparoscopys. The Doctor said my ovaries were dead and I had a septic mass. I can not find a HRT that works for me. Iam allergic to some of them and others leave me with rashes, acne,and I just don't feel good. I was hoping you could please help me. Iam starting to understand that there isn’t any help because I can’t get my uterus and ovarys back. If they were dead I shouldn’t feel different without them. It’s me that’s dead without my ovaries. Don’t Doctors have to tell you this would happen to you before they remove your ovarys and uterus?

 
At April 12, 2008 at 5:36 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The trick that is not foreseen when the female patient seeks ‘Specialist’ help from a Gynecologist/Surgeon, is that after this 'expert' has removed her two ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix, with all the attached blood vessels, muscles, nerves etc. (and left her with only a vagina), the female patient will then be told by this same Gynecologist/Surgeon that there is no more reason for her to consult with him/her. She should resume her ‘life as usual’, post surgery.

The reason:
These Gynecologist/Surgeons will now claim that any post-surgery health issues their female patient has can not be related to the surgery they performed, simply because the patient only has a vagina now, so logically, how can she be having gynecological-related health issues which need their ‘expert’ attention, when she no longer has her sex organs?

See their logic? HA-HA-HA-HA-HA … Having fun yet??

The post-surgery female patient is then sent on a medical, lifetime-hide-and-seek, by the Gynecologist/Surgeon who performed her surgery. She is repeatedly told by that surgeon that they has done their job of surgery, and now it is the patient’s job to find out why she is feeling like near-death, every day of her life, post surgery, for the rest of her life.

The logic used by these ‘medical’ tricksters is that if there are no more female sex organs, then the new, post-surgery, health problems can not be 'caused' by the missing female sex organs!!


This is why I warn my female friends and family, and anyone who will listen, that they may have gynecological problems now, but post female sex-organ surgery, they will have a lifetime of much worse health issues to deal with. The trade-off is not seen till it is too late, and these medical ‘experts’ will not tell you the truth. They did not tell me the truth.

The trash being dished out by these super-gynecological monsters to innocent, unsuspecting females seeking their help, is just as low as you can get.

I am really happy I do not find myself to be a colleague among this profession. I see no future for these rascals. Their time has come, they just don’t know it yet. Thank you HERS Foundation for opening our eyes.

 
At April 12, 2008 at 6:44 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To the young ladies who were given c-sections and emergency hysterectomies. My heart goes out to you. That is just horrible. You should contact an attorney. Most c-sections are unnecessary and dangerous. Did the doctor tell you that one of the risks of the c-section was that you could hemorrhage and need a hysterectomy? I've also heard that many times the uterus can be repaired, but they just amputate it because it's easier and they make more money. You only have a very short time to file a lawsuit in most states, less than two years. It sounds like both of you may have a case that can be pursued legally, even though it's wrong what they did to you either way.

 
At April 12, 2008 at 9:24 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I recenyly had a hysterectomy on December 13th then had to turn around a have a nother surgery the 17th, due to complications. I had fibroids and endometrosis. They took my appendix also. Everysince then, I have had bad nightmares, lost sleep, had bad memory, depression,started having migraines again, and lost sexual desire. I have tried to talk to my doctor about it, the one that preformed the surgery, but all he has done is ran me through many hormone pills. I am on Premarin 1.25 now but nothing seems to help. If any one found the right hormone pills can you point me in the right direction.

 
At April 12, 2008 at 11:19 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hubby of destroyed wife,
This is my plea for somebody or someone to stop this insane butchering of the woman of this country for profit.I was married to the most loving , caring & happy wife,before some madman butcher of a so called doctor performed a completely unnecessary hysteretomy on my wife. This operation should be illegal!
Since this operation ,our whole lives have been turned upside down. My wife was the absolute sunshine of my life & I can not believe I left some lying butcher lie & do this horrible thing to my wife. Everyday I helplessly watch the pain & anguish she goes through. I want so bad for her to be well. I realize now that these doctors do not care about the woman they do this to. You tell them what has happened & they just act like they've never heard this before. We know now after talking with other people , that this is the standard response & a lie . They know full well what they are doing. Lying & ruining a womans body & health for profit. All I can say now is any man ,wether husband , father , boyfriend or brother do not let this happen to the women in your life. Men need to stand up & talk about this! We need do bring this surgery for profit to and end! Please help support the HERS foundation to bring this to an end. As for me it's to late , they've already destroyed the love of my life. I know the only way I can get back at these bastards is to work at making this operation illegal! Men , It's time to speak up !
Hubby of destroyed wife...

 
At April 13, 2008 at 12:13 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am 34 had a hysterectomy back in March. 2005. They left one ovary. I am finding I am so miserable. My mood swings are so bad I can't stand myself. People have made comments to my husband about me that I don't seem happy, or I am very grouchy. I can cry at the drop of a hat if someone tells me they don't like my hair. This is not normal for me because I could care less what people think of my hair. What can I do? What does this mean for me? Does it mean I need to be on estrogen or something? Please any information would be helpful. Please help me!!!

 
At April 13, 2008 at 7:53 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am a 40 year old, wife and mother that had a hysterectomy in January of 2000. I had a change in personality and I have been having nightsweats (at least 2 a night) for several years along with extreme fatigue, sweet cravings, weight gain from 131lbs to 192lbs, loss of interest in maintaining my household, depression, constant irritability, joint pain, I have trouble recalling things, I have trouble sleeping at night more than 4 hours at a time, then I want to sleep all afternoon, pain when having intercourse, acne mainly on my neck, jaw line and back (I had very little as a teenager), more underarm odor, always cold.

I could go on and on, but the main reason I am writing is I would like to know if anyone here knows what test my doctor should be doing? I am tired of getting the brush off and a perscription for Wellbutrin. None of these women have said what they did to get their life back. Can you help me get my life back on track please.

 
At April 13, 2008 at 8:42 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank goodness I found your site although by accident, while searching for replacement hormone therapy! I had a hysterectomy, but my ovaries and tubes were left, just before my 22nd birthday. When I went to a doctor for menopause symptoms, she asked me why I'd had this surgery done. I can only assume it was because sex was painful for me, and I had several cervical infections. I assumed the doctor knew what he was talking about, but he never explained the bad side effects.

I am now 43 years old and within the last 10 or 15 years I have dealt with severe depression, fatigue, change in personality, aching joints, loss of feeling in the vaginal area, difficulty with libido, and difficulty enjoying sex at all, and recently in the past few years bowel problems as well. I have been having horrible hot flashes, and night sweats, and insomnia for about 10 years now. I was given all kinds of different hormone pills, patches, shots, and now 1.25 mg of hormone Estratest . I am hoping this will give me some relief. I just wanted to write and thank HERS for the web site and this blog, it explained a lot of things for me. I thought I was a mess, now I know it may have been a result of the surgery, and especially at such a young age. I have several friends who also were given hysterectomy at a young age. I will pass along this information, as well as the web site. Yes it was a shame to have had this surgery at all, especially at 22 years old. I already had all the children I wanted by then, and had a tubal ligation after my last child was born.

 
At April 13, 2008 at 10:45 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am 30 years old. I am not writing to complain, I just want to know how to solve this one problem. I have had a hysterectomy and I have totally lost my sex drive. I have tried some prescription and over the counter drugs and none of them seem to work. I know there is something out there that can increase my sex drive. that is the only problem I am having. I've been like this since my surgery and I am going crazy trying to figure this out on my own. Doctors really don't try to help. Why not? Can anyone give me some information or advice on how to treat this? You talk about the problems you have but I want to know how to get sex life back.

 
At April 13, 2008 at 7:29 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, I am 46 years old, and two years ago I was supposed to have an hysterectomy to remove my "extremely large fibroid uterus".

But, thankfully, something came up and I cancelled that surgery... I am happy, because I have no pain, no bleeding, NO NOTHING!

 
At April 13, 2008 at 7:44 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a hysterectomy in August 2005, I still have my ovaries. Recently I have had a number of health concerns from arthritis to urinary incontinence to memory loss, depression, fatigue and the list goes on. I am 29 years old and consider myself way to young to be having these problems, all of which were not an issue until after the hysterectomy. I want to see a Dr., but I do not know where to start and have felt like maybe I was crazy until I came upon this blog. Any info or help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you telling the truth and being there for other women like me.

 
At April 13, 2008 at 9:57 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am 25 and had a hysterectomy in May, 2007. Since my surgery I have experienced many complications the first being a severe staff infection, at first thought to be MRSA. I was hospitalized again and agressively treated with antibiotics. During the first 2 weeks post op I had severe night sweats and insomnia, massive acne breakouts. I have never experienced any of these things before the surgery. I am terrified. I have no sex drive and so far I have not experienced any desire. I feel exhausted and scared. My doctor has said to be patient and let the hormone replacement therapy work. I don't have time. I find myself thinking that I could just walk out on my husband, our 3 yr old and baby and my husband is very frustrated with my constant anger towards him. I have never felt the way that I do now. I am desperate and I don't know what to do. Please help if you can.

 
At April 13, 2008 at 11:07 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The medical industry have expanded this word ‘hysterectomy’ and encouraged its broadest meaning and interpretation, to their distinct advantage. It helps to confuse. Confusion can be useful when you wish to conquer and/or you have something to hide.

My own Gynecologist/Surgeon 36 years ago, repeatedly referred to my ‘total hysterectomy’ and informed me this was the generally accepted term for the removal of the uterus and cervix. What is baffling to me, is why should any mention of my surgery be limited to just the term, ‘total hysterectomy’ when it was so much more than that.

The fact is, my two ovaries and fallopian tubes were also removed by this same Gynecologist/Surgeon during the surgery. Apparently there was/is no single word yet coined by the medical industry for having your two ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix removed. So, until then, ‘total hysterectomy’ will just have to do. It is a matter of convenience. After all, these medical wizards don’t have the time to be accurate. All they want is for you to be in and out of their office fast enough to meet their HMO or PPO ‘insurance’ quota for the day.

For the record, all the other approx 15 medical practitioners I have consulted since my surgery 36 years ago, also chose not to be more precise in their terminology with me.
‘Total hysterectomy’ has always been the terminology mutually used in these discussions/consultations.

If the general public is a bit ‘confused’ by the term ‘hysterectomy’ we can all thank the medical industry for this. There is a clear advantage to them for creating some confusion on the issue. For openers, the varied post-surgery, after-effects are not as clearly distinguished and separable if there is some uncertainty about which actual body parts are involved.

Like me, I’ll bet you now accept the word ‘hysterectomy’ to have a much broader meaning than it’s medical designation. The surgical removal of a woman’s uterus.

Thanks to this HERS Foundation website, we can now more clearly understand that having your two ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix amputated, is not just a ‘hysterectomy’.

The words ‘total hysterectomy’, also do not accurately describe the removal of your two ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix.

I am interested in knowing if the medical practitioners consulted by the bloggers on this site bother to use the medically accurate terminology when in consultation with their patients. Please share your experiences with the rest of us. I really would appreciate knowing.

 
At April 14, 2008 at 6:09 AM , Blogger Charmaine said...

Greetings from Australia.



I had a hysterectomy in September 2006. I have lodged a complaint against the doctor who performed the surgery citing that I was coerced into surgery to remove my uterus, cervix, left fallopian tube and ovary after being provided with misleading information about the severity of my condition (fibroids) and the non-availability of alternative treatments.



The fact that I signed a consent form is now a moot point as the general attitude is: “OK, there was no medical necessity to perform this surgery but too bad, you signed the consent form and after all, most gynecological surgery is elective and performed for non life-threatening conditions.”



I should point out here that I had a high level of private medical insurance. I earnestly believe that if I didn’t, I would never have had to endure an unnecessary hysterectomy.



I signed the consent form based on the doctor’s insistence that:



- there were no suitable or available alternative treatments for uterine fibroids;

- the uterine fibroids posed an immediate and increasingly serious risk to my health and well being;

- if I didn't have the hysterectomy as soon as possible, it was inevitable I would only end up having to have it done in a life threatening emergency situation because I could become severely anaemic and / or haemorrhage and would need blood transfusions to save my life;

- my ovaries and cervix would only be removed if they were affected by serious disease such as cancer; and

- I would feel a lot better after my operation.



The doctor was a patronising little joker who had referred to my “nasty uterus” and inferred it was a diseased and useless organ, which I no longer needed and would be better off without. But foolishly, despite my reservations about his manner, I trusted him because he was after all, the doctor. How wrong I was. Needless to say, just as I later found out that my fibroids were a benign condition, the post operative pathology showed that there was nothing wrong with my cervix, fallopian tubes or ovaries but still out they came!



Adverse after effects I have suffered and continue to suffer since the surgery include:

- Abdominal and pelvic pain

- Depression

- Fatigue

- Teariness

- Night sweats and hot flushes

- Loss of libido

- Loss of vaginal sensation

- Diminished intensity of orgasm

- Painful intercourse

- Vaginal dryness and blood in vaginal discharge after intercourse

- Loss of abdominal muscle tone (My tummy now protrudes like a barrel and I have no waist at all)

- Weight gain

- Constipation

- Loss of bladder control



And so, far from feeling better after my hysterectomy, I cried for months after the surgery and ended up having to take around 6 months off work. I’m back at work now but only because I can’t afford not to work.



After the surgery, I sought out bio-identical HRT (very expensive and negligible private medical insurance rebate) but I still suffer from mood swings, sweats and flashes and almost a complete lack of interest in sex. I still feel like a powder keg ready to explode.



Anyway, my complaint has now been assessed (and pretty much dismissed) by one of the leading gynecological specialists in my state.



In response to my complaint about the menopausal symptoms I suffered immediately following the surgery, the specialist wrote that this was not due to the damage caused to ovarian function as a result of the surgery because I was left with one ovary and therefore:



“[It] should have been sufficient for (you) to go on producing endogenous hormones and therefore have no significant effect on the onset of the climacteric (change of life). I think it would be safe to assume therefore the cessation of (your) ovarian function was imminent regardless of whether (you) had the hysterectomy performed or not.”



“There is some evidence that conservation of the ovaries is beneficial to women even into their sixth decade. As it happens [the doctor] did not remove both ovaries and therefore the climacteric symptoms which you subsequently complained of would be difficult to ascribe to the surgery which was performed”.



“[One of your ovaries] could have reasonably expected to go on producing endogenous estrogens thereby avoiding any menopausal or climacteric symptoms”. The fact that these occurred so rapidly after surgery leads [me] to believe that “(your) climacteric was imminent”.



As to my complaint that the surgery has resulted in a dramatic loss of libido, loss of vaginal sensation and diminished orgasm which has led to the loss of sexual enjoyment, the specialist stated:



“[There] is no strong evidence in the literature to suggest that a hysterectomy with removal of the cervix and conservation of one or both ovaries has any effect on libido, vaginal sensation or orgasm. It is true theoretically that orgasm may be less intense because the muscular uterus has been removed but the uterus is not the only organ which is responsible for a woman achieving orgasm. There is in fact recent evidence that uterine excision does not affect vaginal sensations”.



“Issues such as loss of libido, loss of vaginal sensation, onset of menopause type symptoms, depression etc are not usually part and parcel of a total abdominal hysterectomy especially where there has been ovarian conservation which there was in (your) case, albeit one ovary”.



The specialist’s comments regarding alternatives to hysterectomy are as follows:



Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists:

“…these are potent hormones which frequently have undesirable side effects such as onset of menopausal symptoms and development of osteoporosis with prolonged use. This precludes them for being used for longer than six months at a time therefore they are not suitable agents to treat uterine fibroids in the hope of a cure as they are not curative. They may cause the fibroids to diminish in size and control the symptoms of abnormal menstrual bleeding and therefore allow time for further consideration of other treatment options. However, they are expensive and not commonly used especially outside the public hospital system”.



Androgens:

“His comments concerning hormones similarly apply to Androgens. They have no established role in the management of fibroids.”



Mirena Intrauterine System:

“[There is] insufficient evidence in the literature that these have a significant benefit in the management of uterine fibroids especially in a woman who has a fibroid protruding into the uterine cavity which may be distorted and be unsuitable for use of this particular system”.



Myomectomy:

“…usually reserved for women who wish to preserve their fertility and indeed an abdominal myomectomy which is the usual operation performed with multiple fibroids is a procedure of significant magnitude, almost as great as hysterectomy. Hysteroscopic myomectomy performed through the uterine cervix with a resectoscope is a possibility for the management of sub-mucus fibroids but should only be performed by someone who has sufficient expertise in that procedure”.



Uterine Artery Embolisation:

“This procedure is gaining increased interest but is still only practised in the larger centres and needs more evaluation. Its popularity in the United States is on the increase and it is certainly a technique which is being used in some of Australia’s capital cities but eminent organisations like the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists believe that it should only be used in an experimental setting until sufficient evaluation has occurred”.



Focused Ultrasound Surgery:

“very new technique which is not practised to any extent at all in this country and in fact has yet to be carefully evaluated and assessed in more robust clinical trials”.



Myolysis and Cryomyolysis:

“have still not yet been fully assessed in clinical trials and further information is required about those techniques before they can be recommended for more widespread general use”



In conclusion, the specialist does however concede that:



“It would appear in retrospect that total hysterectomy and left salpingo oophorectomy was not the appropriate operation given the concerns which you now have expressed”.



But then continues:



“However, I would say that in 2006 the vast majority of gynecologists would have advised the course of action which [the doctor] advised”.



Right now, I feel as if I have been gutted again. It’s like I have been told that I am yet another ridiculous hysterical neurotic middle aged woman who is just too stupid to appreciate that having my female organs surgically removed for no good reason is a normal rite of passage for a modern woman.



I don’t want compensation for what happened to me and I have given up on getting even a simple apology from the doctor who mutilated me but I am absolutely determined to tell as many women as I can about my experience.



In the meantime, if anyone knows of any reliable evidence that challenges the so called specialist’s assertions, please let me know.



Regards,



Charmaine Saunders

 
At April 14, 2008 at 8:25 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm in the process of suing. All I want is to put the frighteners on these despicable cowards and to find out why I had the surgery done and was tricked into signing a consent form. I read on a forum www.patientprotect.org, which deals with patient problems within the NHS, that many women are used as practice specimens for less experienced surgeons. This was reported to have come from the mouth of the head of the RCOG. I have a strong suspicion that this is what happened to me.

I can understand the frustration of some of those who are posting and asking for the return of their sex life. However it's difficult to replace exactly the feelings you had pre surgery. Your body was able to do that naturally. Man (for it usually is a man) has come up with a poor alternative known as HRT. I would suggest to start with a low dose confined to the genital pelvic area. This will lessen some of the discomfort and allow greater movement and exercise. I strongly urge you to overcome your distaste of the new orgasm you are now experiencing and to keep masturbating and having penetrative sex (at first with a smallish vibrator and plenty of lubricant). The inference I'm giving is that you must use it or you lose it. You need not do this with your partner at first. It's like you are with a new body now. Give yourself time to get adjusted. If your partner is forcing you to have sex and is being impatient remember this. No loving partner should do this. Open channels of communication and tell them honestly that you dislike your new body and feel that he/she will too. If talking fails then seek professional help and ask family to help too. I hope that this helps. I'm not a medical person but then most medical people will never suffer the consequences of such a life changing surgery and so are really not qualified to give advice.

Of course what should really happen is that no woman should ever go through what the majority of those posting on this forum have. This forum is a wonderful instruction to those contemplating the surgery not to do it. The harmful effects are irreversible.

 
At April 14, 2008 at 11:45 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The loss of collagen as well as the loss of the body’s collagen making ability has been mentioned as one of the consequences of losing some or all the female sex-organs. I believe this is because of the sudden (through surgery) and ongoing loss of the major estrogen-producing organs through surgery or the ageing process.

It is reasonable to assume this loss of collagen will contribute to the thinning of the walls of the vagina, the venous system as a whole, the thinning of the walls of the digestive system, including the lining of the walls of the stomach etc. Hence the painful intercourse, stomach bloating, constipation etc. etc. Also, the appearance of thinning, dry, flaky skin to the face and body post sex-organ surgery.

I am a small to medium build so I take an over-the-counter 500MG table daily of L-Lysine, one of the essential amino-acids used to promote production of collagen which aids in the health and protection of skin.

There are many more essential amino acids we could add to our daily regime, to aid in the production of collagen. I have started with this one and found it minimally helpful.. We will not find anything to reverse our new ailments, post-surgery. We can only seek palliative aids to help us get through our most traumatic experiences.

These aids often work for a while, then lose their effectiveness. I tend to stop and start, when this happens.

Our bodies are not functioning normally, post-surgery. We will not get the same benefit from supplements etc., that a whole body would. We only have a part of our body trying to cope.

I keep trying. Good luck.

 
At April 14, 2008 at 3:47 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the L-Lysine suggestion. I have been taking the vitamin, B-complex with Riboflaven, daily,
for terrible headaches, it seems to help.
It is still impossible for me to function normally over a year and a half after being so physically assaulted by sex organ removal.
I have severe atrophy in the labia, clitoral area now, it is so gross.
Every day I struggle physically and mentally, I am not even close to the women I was.
Mattie

 
At April 14, 2008 at 4:31 PM , Blogger TQ said...

I was also looking for answers (actually the answer) after surgery. That is how I found HERS, but ladies, I think we already know the answer... and it is, there is not one. The issues we are all commonly dealing with come but from one source, removal of the female reproductive/sex organs.

We have all run from doctor to doctor, tried multiple regimens of hormones and supplements only to still find we are not restored to our pre-surgical selves. Can it be that there is some group of doctors out there that is not following the status quo gold standard treatment post-hysterectomy, that is successful in restoring the lives of women. But each of the women who have come across this blog, although we come from different cities, states, resources, etc. - just haven't found them yet.

No ladies, this is life post-hysterectomy. This is the consequence of removal of female organs. Although we came to surgery under a number of pretenses, you got to wonder - what could be more abnormal than this? Would not fibroids, or cysts, or endometriosis, all be less abnormal than removal? I know I've had eczema since being a child, but removal of my limbs would be more abnormal than
the eczema, no matter how annoying of unsightly the eczema outbreak appears.

I spent several years going from doctor to doctor, looking for answers, and looking to understand. It always amazed me when the doctor would comment on why I had a hysterectomy. When I replied "for fibroids", the next question would be yes, but why?? Initially, I didn't understand the question, but after seeing a couple of doctors, it became clear. They wanted to hear the horrifying existence I was living pre-hysterectomy with my fibroids. Unfortunately, for me, that existence didn't come until post-op.

 
At April 14, 2008 at 6:09 PM , Blogger Gracie said...

Everyone wants to know how to get their life back. I am sorry this has happened to you because you will never have the life you had before this surgery. Now you have a completely different life and body.

If your husband hasn't gone on line to read the women's comments, he needs to do that now to understand what is happening to you. They have taken the organs that we need for our well-being, mood swings, happiness, zest for life, mental and emotional feelings and our sexual feelings. The doctors all know by taking our sexual hormone producing organs (uterus, ovaries and cervix) it destroys our lives and our family lives.

I had my hysterecotmy/castration almost 20 years ago and am still sick and always will be, but you will somehow learn to live with it. I am on all herbal products (especially Omega 3) and mostly organic foods. I exercise and watch my weight. I definitely know how you feel about crying and not caring how you look, but starting today, you will get up, fix yourself up and put on a smile. Get out there and take a walk with your husband.

AND, stop going to a OB/GYN for your check-ups because they are trained to do only surgeries. Stop getting tests done because all you are doing is giving the hospitals and clinics more money. I had every kind of test there was because I wanted to know why I was feeling so sick until I found the Hers Foundation and found out that my surgery was the cause of all my problems.

I have to tell you I was also a mess after my surgery even to the point of taking my life, but I had two young boys and a very caring family and just couldn't leave them, so I do know how you are feeling, but by writing each other and taking one day at a time, we will get through this together. There are a lot of women you can talk to.

Get yourself healthy and then fight with us to get a law passed so this doesn't happen to other women and their famiies.

 
At April 15, 2008 at 11:11 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was diagnosed yesterday with a 5cm(submucosal)fibroid and told due to location(top of uterus) I have very little in treatment options. Myomectomy could be performed in two surgeries, with high risk bowel perforation. I can take BC pills to control the bleeding, not stop growth or hysterectomy leaving the cervic and ovaries. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 
At April 15, 2008 at 11:25 AM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

Anonymous with fibroids,

You never need a hysterectomy for fibroids, and you can undergo a myomectomy in one surgery, not two. I suggest that you go to the link about fibroids on this page (top right you'll find a list of links).

You can also fill out a contact form on HERS website at www.hersfoundation.org.

 
At April 15, 2008 at 1:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To the woman who was diagnosed with a fibroid. How heavy is the bleeding? What age are you? You might be going through menopause and your fibroid or fibroids will most always shrink after menopause. Sometimes you don't have to do anything, especially having a hysterectomy and castration. This is what I had. A pea-sized fibroid and was easily talked into this surgery.

Your doctor is trying to convince you that you need this surgery and you do not. I am sure you do not want to have a life like the rest of us on this blog.

How many myomectomies has he done? It sounds like he hasn't done very many that he is telling you you need two surgeries. WHY???? If you decide on a myomectomy, please find a doctor who is trained in doing myomectomies. Not many doctors are and they find it just easily to take our sex organs. Find another doctor and fast! This doctor only has hysterectomy on his mind.

 
At April 15, 2008 at 6:37 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's been over ten years that I've had my hysterectomy and I'd never thought I'd be sicker now then before. I would like to learn more about the before and after the hysterectomy so I could get a better understanding of what my body was going throw before and now after. Thanks to everyone here I finally know that it’s not just me or that I’m not trying hard enough. Nothing I do works and at least I know why now. Every single woman should tell the truth about what a hysterectomy does to your body so that it doesn’t happen to them.

 
At April 15, 2008 at 9:36 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

A year after my hysterectomy (which was October 1981) my bowels stopped eliminating. M.D.s were no help. With the help of some chiropractors, I got them working again, but they were not "normal." Now they have worsened considerably, I feel myself filling up more and more, and I don't see the earlier options open to me. What can I do? Has anyone experienced this awful problem?

 
At April 15, 2008 at 9:56 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Hubby of Destroyed Wife,
Thank you for supporting and believing your wife. This isn't easy for us, but to not have your families support would be hard. We need the men to help us fight and get a law passed. Your wife needs your love and support. Doctors need to read what the husbands are saying about this barbaric surgery. None of us deserved what has happened to us.

The whole family is affected by this surgery. We were hysterectomized and castrated without our consent and not given the information about the consequences of the surgery. We were lied to and told this surgery would make us feel better than ever and that it wouldn't affect our sex life. Women are agreeing to have the surgery based on the little information their gynecologist tells them.

Someday this surgery will be against the law and I can't wait. We owe Nora and the Hers Foundation so much for their endless work educating the public and advocating for a law that will compel the doctors to provide the DVD 'Female Anatomy' to every woman before she signs a consent form.

 
At April 15, 2008 at 10:40 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To today's Anonymous re constipation

I can highly recommend the Five-Element Acupuncture treatments, from personal experience.

Information about this type of Acupuncture is available on the internet.

I believe this type of Acupuncture may have some benefits over some other types of Acupuncture, or perhaps I just got lucky and have the absolute best Acupuncturist.

From the very first treatment I received I started having two bowel movements daily. I made no major changes to my diet or lifestyle.

This benefit also had the effect of relieving the stomach bloating and flatulence that was unbearable for about 30 years prior to treatment. No doctor could help. I spent years using over the counter laxatives and will not bore you with all the failed attempts at other options and treatments I tried, all to no avail.

I had this problem between 30 and 40 years, and it got much worse after my sex-organ surgery.

I started the Acupuncture treatments one year ago. It is like night to day, in how different I feel. I can not recommend this particular Five-Element Acupuncture treatment too highly.

 
At April 16, 2008 at 7:19 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

It has been many years for me now since I was medically mauled and had my uterus and ovaries removed in less than an hour's time. Did you know that hysterectomy is called the "golfer's" surgery? It is called that because the surgeon can do one, make a great sum for the day and, yeah, you guessed it, spend the rest of the day on the golf course.
I wish that I could say that in many years I've gotten better but, well, the truth is that I think that you just cope better. You miss sexual enjoyment less, miss the intimate bond with hubby less, miss looking at your children and feeling your very heart contract.. all less. If missing it all less sounds terribly alien, well, I'd have to agree but don't be too quick to judge me. You see, my mind knew that I loved them still even if I couldn't feel it the way that I had before. My children were young and they needed me so I made a choice to stay and fight. I've been fighting ever since.
Ladies and gents, you got to fight,too! The specialists that do this want to see us broken, see us humbled. Not now, not ever!
To that end, extended vaginal bleeding post op may be serious. Contact HERS for a competent caring medical referral if you can't find help. The legal time frame that you have to file a suit may dissuade some doctors from finding anything wrong with you.
Folks, all the financial experts advise you to check your credit reports and that is probably a fine idea but I say, first, check your medical records! You may be taken aback at what they've written about you. Seems some docs believe in "pre-emptive" strikes. Things that you're likely to complain about post op, you may be shocked to see shown as troubles pre op. Oh, and while you're at it? Review your lab/path reports with a handy medical dictionary nearby. I daresay you may come to a whole new understanding of your health.
Here's another tip. There are medical guidelines for women wanting children and then there are guidelines for those that don't. Guess which group tends to get the more conservative treatment? Yep, the women wanting children! Let me put it this way, loss of childbearing is a costly legal damage that the gyns can't counter by saying that you'll be fine on HRT and/or antidepressants,-- or that you were near menopause anyway.Today's new technologies pave the way for much later motherhood. So, in my lay opinion, there is never a good time to tell a gyn that you don't want children. And, ladies, permanent birth control has even more pitfalls- both medical and legal. You see, there are patient protective laws regarding sterilization that you lose with tube tying. The gyns actually used to use "useless uterus" (as in, no longer needed for childbearing) as a reason for hysterectomy!
Another tip, take a witness to serious medical consultations. If it is legal, consider recording everything. Better to need and have than to need and not have.
To the hubby who has written, I wish him the strength to support his wife and say to go easy on yourself. You would've protected her if you'd known there was a need to do so. You were duped by wolves hiding in sheepskin. The same as countless others. You're on the right track now in warning others.
(sigh) I do believe that hysterectomy has caused more divorces than money and/or affairs ever could. The actual cost of hysterectomy to society has never come close to being accurately measured...all for the personal "profits" of a few.
To my fellow hysterectomy victims, I again say, "Fight!"
The best way to fight is to warn others- and to support HERS.
For supplements, I use bioidentical estrogen, OTC progesterone, and Omegas 3,6 & 9.

 
At April 16, 2008 at 8:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

For those of you who have or are considering going to one of the many sites where you can rate your doctor anonymously and speak the truth about what they have done to you (and warn other women) and how you were treated regarding your hysterectomy, please be aware...

I did just this a few months ago. Last week I went back to check on the listings under my doctor where I had posted and rated him. Someone posted after me contradicting every single point I made and stating how compassionate and wonderful this doctor was and how he would never push a woman into a hysterectomy. I am 99 percent sure the person posting that was my doctor himself, to sabatoge my rating and make himself look good. But he can not erase the facts, nor anyone else who wants to try to silence me. I was a patient of his for less than one year for endometriosis, we tried only two other methods of treating the endo, and I was hysterectomized and castrated by him. I still have in his writing his answers to my questions about hysterectomy during the meeting that he persuaded me that hysterectomy was the cure for endometriosis and my best bet. If he was so freaking compassionate and would "never push a woman into having a hysterectomy", then how did I end up hysterectomized and castrated by him so quickly in the course of my treatment? If he was so compassionate and caring, why would he agree to do this to me even if I had wanted it? No morally sound doctor that really knows the truth about the damage hysterectomy and oopherectomy does to a woman would ever perform this surgery unless it was for a life threatening condition. Case closed.

 
At April 16, 2008 at 9:24 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I learned more about hysterectomies from 5mins. on this sight than in the 2 months prior to having the surgery.I now have an idea as to why I have some of the problems I have. Keep up the great work.

 
At April 16, 2008 at 9:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I HAD A HYSTORECTOMY A YEAR AGO. SINCE THEN MY LIFE HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY. I HAD MANY COMPLICATIONS DUE TO THIS SURGERY INCLUDING PULMONARY EMBULISM AND PUDENDAL NERVE DAMAGE. I TRULLY WISH I NEVER HAD IT DONE. I HOPE ANY WOMAN READING THIS WILL BE WARNED THAT YOUR LIFE WILL BE RUINED IF YOU LET A DOCTOR DO THIS TO YOU.

 
At April 16, 2008 at 9:33 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

male in mich
To the "hubby of destroyed wife" I'm sorry to hear of your plight. It is sad indeed. My wife denies that the hysterectomy caused all her health problems and simply refuses to hear about any of it. She has all the classic symtoms and I just cope. She has been in menopause for nearly six years since her surgery. I clear the house many times and live a miserable life with many days just attending to my hobby for my own benefit(sanity). What they do to marriages/relationships with this cruel and senseless procedure is criminal. I would like to castrate the doctor who did this to us. My wife doesn't see him anymore(he couldn't help her with the problems). Her new doctor can't help her either and just steals her money and gives no relief. What a circle of deception.

 
At April 16, 2008 at 9:49 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Complete hysterectomy Aug. ‘03. Cancer inside ovary, no other cancer found. No need for further treatment. Giving no information on what to expect.

Doctor at E.R. where I went for pain said all problems were from complications of Hysterectomy.Big drop in hormones causing vaginal issues. Blockages that were causing pain. etc. If I had known it was in realm of "NORMAL" would have not been so frightening.

Per E.R. suggestion I researched complications of hysyerectomy and found your site. I wish I had found you before. It has all been so frightening. The fear of dying before surgery and feeling so out of controll and sick after it. Will it ever be over? Will I ever feel normal again? What IS normal now?

 
At April 18, 2008 at 10:41 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a hysterectomy but before hand I asked my doctor if my libido would be the same....his comment, "It will remain normal and if not it will all be in your head". Well, guess what he was dead wrong!! I have been on a down hill course ever since...it took me 1 year to get over the surgery it self!! Now I am seeing a doctor (after many treatment of various hormones and several different doctors)who is using hormonal implants. My tests were so low for hormones I guess I was running on zero!! All the statements you provided me (under adverse effects data full hysterectomy are true!!).....I am not the women or person I was previous this surgery........but I trusted this man with my health. It has been a night mare to say the least. I am on a bio-identical hormone treatment plan with the pellet therapy inserted under the skin but it doesn’t help. Can you suggest any other forms of therapy that work for a person like me? If I could go back in time I would have never had this procedure done and I will tell every one who is contemplating it to get another opinion and then again another! If anyone has any resources that may be helpful to me I certainly would be thankful. I'm sure there are hundreds if not thousands of women in my prediciment,.............do you know how they have coped or what treatments have they benefited from?? I need all the info I can get.....I am very desperate for any answers!!

 
At April 19, 2008 at 7:50 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To all the ladies looking for help. Try a naturopath to get your body back in balance. I've had a lot of success with it.

 
At April 19, 2008 at 10:00 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did the naturopath help you with regaining your sexuality? Did the naturopath improve your desire for sex? I feel like a eunuch!
Or what exactly did the treatment with the naturopath improve?

 
At April 19, 2008 at 10:04 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

A naturopathic doctor can be helpful if you have the money or a cooperative insurance plan. I have neither (yes I do work for a living). I spent my life savings in one year going to a naturopathic doctor trying to get help and find answers. I spent a ton of money on supplements, nutritional counseling, natural hormones etc...I quit going because I ran out of money and my doctor left the practice. My insurance would not pay for any of it and rejected my claims (they had no problem paying for my hysterectomy though). And it did not help me much except to get my yeast problem under control. But at least they didnt push drugs or surgery for every little problem.

Women need to know that there are no easy solutions to remedy the aftereffects of hysterectomy and that it can get very expensive. Most compounded bioidentical hormones either are not covered by insurance or will not be (many women are reporting that their insurance plans are dropping coverage now for the compounded hormones due to the FDA law trying to ban the use of estriol in the USA). Many of the hormones, supplements, treatments, etc that we will need because our sex organs and important components of our endocrine system were removed, we will need for a lifetime. To women contemplating hysterectomy: Are you prepared for this expense?

 
At April 19, 2008 at 11:31 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am so glad to have found some validation as well for what I am going through approximately 1 year since my left ovary was removed due to endo. My doctor told me nothing would be removed except the endo tissue. Now I find myself feeling like a crazy person, and to make it more complex, it happens to occur right when my son is 2 and I thought it was related to my change in work/stay at home. I have been seeing a really good shrink, have seen 5 specialists, etc. and no one has seen the connection. Or mentioned it. Now I know. They have all failed me as much as the woman who did the surgery. You'd think I had a tooth pulled. I have "coped" with the CONSTANT urge to end my life by taking lots and lots and lots of pills (prescribed by these doctors), to the point where I don't even know who I am anymore. I would not be here were it not for my son, but then I wonder how much I am here anyway given all the addictions. I am trying to hang on, and have to for my son, but the anger is too much and each moment is a struggle. I am so sorry for all of you going through this. The Evil Part of me hopes each and every one of these doctors feels this same hopeless, guilt-ridden, pointless feeling I feel in their futures. Doctors have failed me over and over and over again, as they have so many of us.

 
At April 20, 2008 at 11:12 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are not alone. Many of us feel this way. I know I do. I don’t like feeling this way so much anger towards the doctor. How I feel so stupid for letting the doctor deceive me this way. I don’t know if this is a good word to use, but I think the best “revenge” is word of mouth. We need to tell our story to people and hope they understand what is all involved with these doctors. The more I talk about my problem the better I feel. So talking to someone I think will help. Writing down your feeling helps too. Write down your story of what has happened to you. I keep a journal which help me. Exercise help me to feel better about myself. Seeing you have a young son maybe you could take him for a walk in a stroller so you can get some exercise. I exercise to help relieve the physical and emotional pain I am in. When you help yourself you are helping your son and family. You are not alone feeling this way. Hersfoundation has been a great help for me seeing I am not alone with my physical and emotional pain. All the people who blog here has help me in some way. Shared there feeling or how they cope with life. It is not easy. I take it day by day. Sometimes moment by moment. I don’t know if I helped you. I hope someone else might have a suggestion out there. But this is what I do and it has helps me.

 
At April 21, 2008 at 4:48 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To add to what Anonymous of April 19, 2008 10:00am said.

The cost of one Premarin (conjugated estrogen) tablet, where I live in the USA, costs approx $1.25 (One Dollar and twenty-five cents US). This is the cheapest source I have found, after researching all other options, as I am not prepared to mail order from an uncertain source.

I take one tablet each day for each of the 365 days of the year.

Some US doctors only want to give me a prescription for 30 days, sometimes with a repeat, sometimes without the ability to repeat the 30-day prescription.

Other US doctors have given me a prescription for 90 days, and sometimes I will be able to persuade them to make it a repeat prescription. I am not always successful.

Whether I have Health Insurance or not, is irrelevant. Each of these doctors I consult, get paid for the consultation visit, each time. Most will not issue a Premarin prescription without a consultation visit. No doubt, they are doing their best to abide by the American Medical Association standard of care, etc. They are also protecting themselves against any possible malpractice lawsuits etc.

My castration surgery was done to me 36 years ago, when I was 24 years old. Do those of you contemplating this surgery consider whether or not you can afford this? You can never know before the surgery what your estrogen needs will be after the surgery. Every woman is different and no doctor can give you a guarantee on this. However, it is reasonable to assume the younger you have this castration or hysterectomy surgery, the more likely it is that you will need estrogen replacement therapy of some kind.

Why would anyone bind themselves into this outrageously expensive situation when there are better alternatives to hysterectomies and castration?

HERS Foundation gives good guidelines about trying to avoid these surgeries. There are also natural cancer cure remedies tried true and tested, along with other natural healing modalities available. Not because someone did not fully benefit from a Naturopathic practitioner, does it make this a non-viable, possible solution for someone else.

There can be many reasons why someone does not benefit from a particular treatment. One thing is guaranteed. There is no ‘cure’ for castration or hysterectomy. Those are both permanent, non-reversible medical procedures. Seeking a solution after the fact, is a total waste of time.

However, there is some minimal relief to the myriad of after-effects suffered by these castration and hysterectomy victims, to be found in some palliative treatments like Five-Element Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and also in some Dietary recommendations and treatments including lifestyle recommendations determined by your blood type, etc. etc. Many have benefited from these healing modalities and would agree it is better than taking prescription drugs for the after effects of castration and hysterectomy.

I take one Premarin tablet daily, and use Nutritional Supplements and Acupuncture and other healing modalities to help me get through each day. It is not easy or cheap. I need to keep making changes, as my body’s needs change. Our bodies have changing needs as we age.

For those who have health insurance now and feel castration or hysterectomy will ‘cure’ their current health problem(s), I ask you to think again. It may not cost you very much now, if your health insurance contributes to your castration/hysterectomy surgery. However, you can expect to have a lifetime of medical bills and discomforts, and much medical-health trauma, post surgery. I am speaking from my own personal experience. You are not likely to find an MD who will tell you this. He is likely to be male and has no personal experience from which to speak, post surgery. If your MD is female, it is important to ask them if the information they are giving you is from their own personal experience.

There can be any number of reasons why someone does not benefit from ‘Alternative’ treatments.

I am fortunate to have gained some minimal benefits, which alleviate in small measure, some of the discomforts created by my castration surgery, 35 years ago. Nothing is going to ‘cure’ me of the after-effects of castration.

I am barely alive in every respect and continue to search daily for relief of my post-surgery after effects, which are traumatic, to say the least, monetarily as well as physically, emotionally, and on every level.

 
At April 23, 2008 at 12:24 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am unable to have intercourse, it's too painful. I stopped taking estrogen six months ago, it was causing me migrane headaches. I still grieve
the loss of sexual function, I regret my surgery. Is there any hope?

 
At April 23, 2008 at 10:08 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To unable to have sex:
It is a shock to learn that the surgery you were given is a lie and has rendered you sexless. But the fact is the hormones and structure of a human body are necessary to be sexual. Male or female, we need our sexual organs, all of them, and our natural hormones to be fully sexual. How long is it going to take to make this clear to the public and have the medical industry, fess up.
After having severe migraine headaches, up to four days at a time, I started taking, Vitamin B Complex With Riboflavin, daily. Apparently it has much to do with the, Riboflavin. The vitamin B Complex With Riboflavin has helped to minimize the migraine headaches. The hormones my body has lost are another subject, it is a constant struggle almost two years after being de-sexed. I still have one ovary that the doctors swear is producing a normal level of hormones, but tell that to my body and mind.

 
At April 23, 2008 at 5:14 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mutilation, noun: 1.) deprivation of a limb or essential part especially by excision, the mutilation of a body part. 2: an instance of mutilating. (Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary.

Mutilation or maiming is an act or physical injury that degrades the appearance or function of the (human) body, usually without causing death. (Wikipedia)

Use as punishment: Wikipedia. Maiming, or mutilation which involves the loss of, or incapacity to use, a bodily member, is and has been practised by many races with various ethical and religious significances, and was a customary form of punishment, especially applied on the principle of an eye for an eye.

The World Health Organization:
Definition: Female genital mutilation comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

The World Health Organization:
"Extensive work by local, national and international actors over the past two to three decades has resulted in progress on several fronts. The practice is internationally recognized as a violation of human rights, and many countries have put in place policies and legislation to ban it." "WHO is working on several fronts to contribute to the elimination of female genital mutilation. International and national advocacy is important. Together with ten other UN agencies WHO has developed a new Interagency Statement on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation that will be launched in early 2008.
See the World Health Organization, for other: Harmful Sexual Practices.

My medical records show no medical cause for my mutilation, none. But in fact I am mutilated and it is legal in America. Can any lawyer in America tell me why I have to suffer with female genital mutilation for the rest of my dying days for no medical reason, just lies. I am suffering to the point of having nightmares that wake me up to find myself in torturous physical pain. Can't the lawyers of this country stop this?

 
At April 23, 2008 at 6:57 PM , Blogger Jane Marie said...

It has been three years since my LAVH in Madison, WI, St. Mary’s Hospital.

I still am not the same woman that I once was. I never have been since my uterus was taken unnecessarily. As I have stated before, I thought I was literally going crazy, until I found the Hers Foundation. I wish I could turn back the clock, for I would RUN out of that hospital, faster than a bolt of lightening.

Menopause is in full swing now. It has been creeping up for the last three years. The hot flashes are awful, with the lack of sleep. I cannot function some days. I went to a P. A. T. for help. She looked at me as if I am nuts. First, she says, that I cannot be in menopause. I am 48, and had a LAVH, where are these physicians and P. A. T’s getting there education? Don’t they ever research anything regarding hysterectomy on the Internet? I knew more than she did. This is a darn shame. I have come across so many articles via the Internet stating a woman can start menopause symptoms as early as their late thirties. And I had a LAVH!!! Red flag, menopause.

I requested blood work for I have so many other symptoms along with the hot flashes. I wanted to be sure that nothing more serious was going on. I wanted my TSH levels checked, a full CBC and my FSH levels. I finally got her to run the tests and have them sent to my regular physician, who by the way told me two years ago, all my adverse effects were from this hysterectomy. I could have sued. I am now past the three-year mark, the law of statues has run out. If it weren’t for all the other stress in my life, which I posted in another blog, maybe I would have had the time to find an attorney to take this case. You would have to read what I have been through, unreal and this surgery has not made my life easier at all!

All my blood work came back fine, except my FSH levels, so now on top of still suffering the many effects of this hysterectomy, I have menopause to deal with, just great! I know I am not alone here. It brings some comfort, but can’t bring my life back.

My medical records are here. Sad, there were other alternatives to this hysterectomy. My uterus was taken for Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding). No good reason to have ruined my life. I wish I had found the Hers Foundation before I had that surgery.

I am now on my own trying a progesterone crème, which I read, that some woman have had success with. I am crossing my fingers it helps taper off the hot flashes. The crème is called “Renewed Balance”. A doctor put many years of research into alternative hormone therapy. If anyone wants more information on this, please contact me on here.

Also, I am including a link I found of medical clinicians who specialize in menopause statewide. If I don’t get any relief, I may go make an appointment with one here in Madison. That should be interesting. I would love to see what she thinks of my hysterectomy. Of course, they all stick together in this money making market.

http://www.menopause.org/Portals/0/Content/PDF/cliniciansus.pdf

I am on my space and have posted bulletins to support the Hers Foundation. I used to model part-time, I just stepped down due to another problem stemming in my neck due to what should have been a fatal car crash. Sometimes, I wonder why I survived. I have many friends on there. By coming out with my story, not in full detail, for it is painful, I have received much support. If anyone is on my space. Post bulletins for funding.

I am doing all I can as time allows to bring more public awareness to this cause. I have posted flyers in elevators, on tables, magazines; I have taped flyers in woman’s bathrooms, anything to bring awareness.

I am also including my link to my space. I am set to private so if any women out there want to be added as my friend. Please send me a note with the request.

http://www.myspace.com/mariejanie

WE need to do all we can to get the “Have law” passed. To the one woman who wrote that we should be able to go back once this law is passed, and sue are doctors I totally agree with you.

WISONSIN WOMAN JOIN TOGETHER! WOMAN OF ALL STATES JOIN TOGETHER AS ONE TO GET THIS DONE!

Also, I want to once again thank the Hers Foundation and the woman who posted about doing a polypectomy to remove a polyp. I have a friend’s wife, who is going in for a D & C for a polyp was found. He has been supportive of me and the Hers Foundation. I want to do all I can to help him as well, if it is suggested for her to have a hysterectomy.

Blessing to all,
Janie

 
At April 24, 2008 at 9:19 AM , Blogger Gracie said...

Janie from Madison, Wisconsin, Not only do they take our sex organs, then the doctors tell us we are all nuts because they NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE WITH PROBLEMS AFTER THE SURGERY! We all know this is a lie.

Every woman on these three enablers sights wished they would have run out of the hospital if we had it to do over.

When you have your ovaries removed you will go into instant menopause and doctors know this BUT, remember, the less we know the better it is for the doctors.

They do not have to research regarding this surgery, they already know the consequences but, as long as they can get by with castrating women, it will continue until a law is passed.

I sued Dr. Jerome Gundersen and Gundersen Clinic of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, but, most juries will believe the doctor because HE IS THE AUTHORITY IN CHARGE.

Tell your friend a DNC probably isn't a good idea and most likely isn't necessary. My niece went to several doctors who I am sure wanted to do a hysterectomy and castration on her because none of them mentioned any alternative surgeries. She called the Hers Foundation to find a doctor close to her who would just remove the polyps on her uterus. They did not give her a DNC. It is the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, Dr. Ginny Ryan of the Women's Fertility Center. You can go online and look her up. Please go with your friend's wife to the doctor for protection. I did with my niece and my sister who I made sure didn't have this barbaric and unnecessary surgery.

You never need a hysterectomy and castration for fibroids, cysts or polyps.

Have your relatives and friends from Madison, Wisconsin, go online and watch the DVD 'female anatomy' and sign the petition to end this abuse on women and their families.

 
At April 26, 2008 at 7:35 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

i had a complete hysterectomy and a bladder tact in 2001 , now i feel use less to my self i;m divorced i do not date , i live alone no energy no sex drive, over weight, on depression pills every day living alone, is this what i should feel like at 56 years old please please help me

 
At April 26, 2008 at 8:25 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

MY mother had a total hysterectomy 2 years ago. She is not the same person. She has severe memory loss, major personality changes, she feels crazy, she has a hard time socializing, bowel changes, sexual noninterest, and this is all causing our family to fall apart. I am desperate for help. Ever since the surgery one side of her lip is droopy, and on that same side her one pupil is always dialated. Please give me some information that we could do to get my mother and family back to as normal as possibel.

 
At April 26, 2008 at 9:23 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, I had a complete hysterectomy about 10 months ago, and have been experiencing joint and muscle pain/stiffness starting 9 weeks out which has been getting worse. Is there a doctor or place where I can get information about how others have treated similar problems and their success stories? Thank you.

 
At April 26, 2008 at 10:30 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just found yet another study about the benefits of our reproductive organs beyond childbearing. Do a Google search typing "Scientists say menstrual blood can repair hearts" to learn more.
How can our bodies heal themselves when important components are being stripped away as in hysterectomy? As more and more studies prove the importance of our sex organs for health and quality of life, it will be less and less possible to argue that hysterectomy for benign conditions is not a crime...

 
At April 26, 2008 at 12:02 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

i was wondering about my past hysterectomy. why i have loss of sexual pleasure. i don't worry about pregnancy but don't have orgasms like i use to. maybe they did something to me like cut nerves or something. i'm not lubricated like i use to be. can you at least tell me what to do.see a specialist or recommend something. please please help me.

 
At April 26, 2008 at 1:18 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wisconsin has an open records law. The web site is wcca.wicourts.gov. On this web site it shows what my doctor has been charged with. There are two medical situation done by her. One is only for 163.00 dollars. But this shows that she has had people complain about her. When I look at the medical records web site it shows nothing. I don’t know what states have a public records, but there is another place to check out doctors.

 
At April 26, 2008 at 11:47 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The medical facts are clear and the medical records of 22 million women on record, don't lie.
Every women who has the medical records proving no medical cause for organ removal should be entitled to a pain and suffering settlement.

 
At April 27, 2008 at 12:46 AM , Blogger Jane Marie said...

Hello Gracie,
Thank you for your reply, I am sorry it has taken so long to reply back, been quite busy and my laptop has been acting up. I may be without the Internet for a few days here, not sure yet.

First of all, good luck with your law suit, please keep us informed. My law of statues has run out for as I had stated, I have been dealing with other personal issues in my life. One being a foreclosure on my home and some other serious problems.

Also thank you for the information regarding my friends wife. They don't live here in Wisconsin. He is a photographer friend of mine in Ohio. I will forward him the information. Her D & C is set for early June. I will make sure to get this to him as soon as possible.

I didn't have my ovaries taken out...but believe me the LAVH alone did enough damage. I have been battling symptoms of menopause for three years, along with some other health issues both mentally and physically. Now I am in full menopause.

I feel for all the women who had a full hysterectomy. I feel for all of us, for we have suffered tremendously in one way or the other whether we had a partial or full removal of our female organs.

Regarding family or friends, no family, except a husband and sadly enough are marriage has been over and we are going to be going through a divorce. Not many friends, the couple good ones I do have, already signed the petition when it first came out.

A large number of photographer friends have already signed it, for I have modeled part-time. I even posted the petition on my modeling sites. I don't know really how many off the site signed it that I don't know. But every signature is of great significance. The little family I have left is in Chicago and really all that is left is a mother, who doesn't fully understand, and a cousin who did sign the petition. The rest of my cousins are spread out and well another story. Our family isn't close anymore.

Good luck Gracie, please stay well.

Anonymous thank you. I am familiar with the Wisconsin Circuit Court site. Nothing came up. I know IL doesn't have public records available. I do remember hearing something about a site that you can look up physicians. Will have to check that out...if anyone comes across it, please post it on here.

Anonymous, I agree with you 100%! Every women should be entitled to a pain and suffering settlement. Once the "Have Law' is passed maybe this will be possible.

I am happy to announce that another woman and I have connected on MySpace. I am proud to call this woman my friend. I am also so very grateful to her for all the time she has taken to post as much information as possible concerning unnecessary hysterectomies, endometriosis etc..you name it this woman has dedicated her time to bring awareness to the many conditions woman face. And the nightmares we live with. Her information is now linked to MySpace.

Well wishes to all, this nightmare has to end. WE HAVE TO JOIN TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE, STATE BY STATE AS IF WE ARE HOLDING HANDS, ACROSS THIS NATION TO BRING THIS LAW INTO EFFECT!

I have some ideas and will be contacting Norah as soon as I can.
I also have a model friend who may be able to help raise more money for the foundation. I will hear more news on that in May.

Thank you once again.
Janie~

 
At April 27, 2008 at 10:19 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

One has to wonder what all of this says about the status of women. When in spite of the historical facts, medicine has sought to maime women either surgically or chemically for all manners of justifications.

We've gone from radical mastectomy to "preventative" mastectomy, from DES, BCP, ERT/HRT to birth control that suppresses menstration entirely. And of course, the reason we are all on this blog - hysterectomy for ANY normal variation of the female reproductive/sexual organs. Variations that don't end life, sexual/reproductive function, or the ability of balanced body chemistry as does hysterectomy. But there have/are very sound rationally articulated justifications for all of this medical castration and sexual mutiliation of women. Arguments that are seen as more logical than the experience of the women on this blog, right? Or why else would these arguments be entertained or debated.

HERS has painstakenly provided yet additional evidence of the premeditated actions of the medical community. From the specialized knowledge of anatomy, to the research that bores out the consequences, to the standard of care guidelines, to the information provided on hospital sites analyzed here, and the "Female Anatomy" video explaining the massive internal destruction necessary for removal of female organs.

Yes from HERS' work no doctor can claim ignorance or innocence in this matter. From the women on this blog, one has to ask "is it possible to receive safe medical care post-hysterectomy"?

I maintain "no", unless a doctor is first willing to go on record to admit your ills are the natural consequence from removal of your sexual/reproductive organs. So far, I have not found any woman who has had that experience. So for me, I don't plan on letting another doctor touch me for the remainder of my life for my own protection.

For the protection of other women, I will continue to work with HERS and continue to inform other women of my experience leading to and post surgery.

 
At April 28, 2008 at 8:52 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The more I learn about unnecessary hysterectomy/castration and how many women have been tricked by deceitful medical information the more I am sickened by it.
When I read things like, mimimally invasive hysterectomy, it would be funny if it wasn't harming millions of women every day.
How much money do you think the gynecologist industry would gain from hysterectomy/castration if they were forced by law to tell the truth in medical terms?

Minimally invasive sex organ removal, severing the nerves and sewing the vaginal cavity into a closed pocket, permanent loss of uterine orgasm, permanent body hormone and female endocrine system chaos.

 
At April 29, 2008 at 3:10 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

My heart goes out to each and every one of you as I have been through the same thing. While looking for something else today, I ran into this forum and my heart just sank for each one of you as I read your postings. I just want you to know that I have walked in your shoes and there is hope. Let me share a little with you. I had a complete hysterectomny is 1996. I was 42 years old. My children were 7 and 2. The reasons for my hysterectomy was my mother died from Ovarian Cancer at 52 years old but the main cause was a prolapsed uterus (very painful if any of you have been through that one before. My mother was secondary. They took my ovaries because of my Mom's cancer. So the risk was there for me. During surgery I was put on an estrogen patch with no choice. I thought I had asked all the questions. I had prayed about it, and thought it was ok. What I was never prepared for was the other side of the surgery. All was well during surgery and my recovery time was about 2 weeks more than they thought. I gained 15 pounds in 2 weeks and all I was doing was sleeping. Then the pounds mounted up to 35 which I have thankfully finally leveled out at this point and am working on getting rid of them now. About 1 year after my surgery I began experiencing some unusual symptoms to which the doctors had no clue. I felt like all the calcium had been sucked out of my bones from the birth of my last child just before hysterectomy. I begin to have panic anxiety attacks that parallelized me from driving anywhere. I almost blacked out on a major highway. I became dizzy all the time and anxious about everything. I had been under high powered stress right before out move back to where we live now. During that time as my husband had been transferred and I was left taking care of my two girls plus holding down a job and a house on the market for a year. It was overpowering for me. I know what the military wives go through. My blood sugar was bouncing for some unknown reason. I was new to the internet at that time so I began searching for answers again since no doctor knew what was going on. After a few months of searching and praying for an answer to give me back my life, the answer came. First, I looked up the side effects of the estrogen I was taking. And there were several answers right then. Rapid weight gain, blood sugar issues, and others. As I began to research more and more, and mentioned it to someone that I had just met at my new church, she sat down with me and said that she had something that might help. Wanting answers and my health back, I met with her. She helped me understand a little bit more about menopause and offered me a true gift that has given me my life back. I got some immediate results and more took longer because I was still searching for the core of the root of the problem, not masking the symptoms. It was 7 years before I really knew exactly what happened to me, but I am thrilled to have my life back. I am a high estrogen women so when my estrogen line was cut off, everything went haywire. I recovered and went back to a full schedule. The weight gain has stopped, my bone density is back in the normal range, and I run like crazy all the time. I still have a minor issue I am working on. At 53 years old, that is not bad! I just want you to know that there is hope and something out there that can help you get back on track like it did for me. Since I am new to this post, I don't think I can say what I am doing, If you would like to email me separately,I will be glad to help. Since I have been there and know where each of you is, my heart's desire is to help you restore your life too.

 
At April 29, 2008 at 4:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi June,
Where should we e-mail you?

 
At April 29, 2008 at 7:22 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

June,

It's great that you feel better, whatever it is that you are doing that has helped, as long as it is not damaging.

But this is the kind of post that rings alarm bells here at HERS.

There is no "cure" for a surgically shortened vagina, the loss of uterine orgasm, the diminished blood flow to the lower pelvis, legs and feet, the loss of sensation in the vagina and external genitalia.

There is also no "cure" for castration, the removal of the ovaries. There are no pills, patches, injections, or implants that provide the many different kinds of estrogens, progestins, androgens, and other substances produced at the time they are needed, in the amount the are needed, and then released directly into the blood stream in a pulsatile fashion. There is no cure or remedy for the 3 times greater incidence of heart disease when the uterus only is removed and the 7 times greater incidence of heart disease when the ovaries are removed.

At best it is misleading and false to tell women that you can "restore their life too" when that is as impossible as it would be to restore a man's life after his penis and testicles have been amputated. At worst your statements may make women feel that the consequences of hysterectomy are of little or no concern because someone has a remedy. That makes these statements dangerous to any woman who thinks that she will be unchanged or better after her female organs are removed. Hysterectomy and female castration are damaging, destructive surgeries. There is no remedy and it cannot be undone. The adverse effects of the surgery are permanent.

 
At April 29, 2008 at 7:40 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right. There is no way to undue what has been done. You are right, doctors are doing hysterectomies to make money. You are right about the other things too. I did not write any of these things to offend anyone or to downplay the horrible things that have been done. We live in a society of greed. That is the bottom line. The drug companies are overrunning doctors now so that they only see one side. Thank goodness some are seeing the right side. For us it is too late. I chose to get off of HRT because the evidence does not point to it protecting our bones, heart, or anything else. But I made that choice alone, not because my doctor did not try to talk me out of it. I also understand how mad you all are and so am I for what happened to me. I think about it every time the subject comes up. But I also know that I could not go on the way I was and I needed to find some answers so that I could live out the rest of my life without all the horrible symptoms on the other side of hysterectomy. Every time I see my GYN she offers me more estrogen and I tell her no. All I was saying is that I have found that some natural things have made a huge difference for me so that I could go on living my life without all the anger. I cannot live that way. All I was saying for you is that you can get relief from most of the menopausal symptoms created from this mess. It has given me my life back...no I do not have my female parts any longer but I do not dwell on that. I believe that I have a greater purpose to fulfill than worrying about what could have been. Again that is for me but may not be for you. You all have to choose for yourself. Again, I never ever try to offend anyone and I apologize if I have offended anyone.

 
At April 29, 2008 at 8:21 PM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

June,

This is an excellent opportunity to discuss the important issue of distinguishing between sharing a personal experience and the effect it has had on your symptoms as opposed to telling women that your life has been restored (your body would have to be restored for your life to be restored) and that you can help them restore their life too.

Women who are considering hysterectomy may be left with the erroneous and dangerous impression that someone, somewhere, is undamaged and unchanged by have had their female organs removed. It is an anatomical, structural, and physiological impossibility that any woman is not permanently damaged by hysterectomy.

No one at HERS is offended by your comments, we are alarmed by them. Please feel free to share a personal experience with natural remedies without promoting them as a safe or efficacious restoration of health. Your own personal experience is welcome but this site is not a platform for promoting products.

Your way of managing your feelings about having your female organs removed may be to “not dwell on that” but HERS encourages women to voice their experiences loud and clear. Every woman and man is needed to stop this from being done to another generation of girls and women. Your support of HERS legislative initiative to pass a law that will compel doctors to provide HERS video “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs” to every woman before she is told to sign a hysterectomy consent form is imperative. If you pretend this is not being done to women or that it is not damaging and destructive you become part of the problem. If you support Hysterectomy Anatomy Video Education (HAVE Law) are part of the solution. No information? No Consent!

 
At April 29, 2008 at 8:46 PM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

Nora W.Coffey, HERS

I followed my intuition about June's post and decided to follow the money by going to June's website. Here's what I found:


"When you share the life-changing BLANK products and opportunity with people, you can make money in four ways:
1. RETAIL PROFIT on the sale of products
2. VOLUME BONUSES as you accumulate PV (purchase volume) in your business
3. LEADERSHIP BONUSES — when you show others how to build a business just as you’ve done, you can also earn LEADERSHIP bonuses based on a percentage of their volume.
4. GOLD bonuses — you can earn additional, immediate GOLD bonuses, while you start to build long-term residual income.
The GOLD Program is simple: it starts with you becoming a GOLD today, then sharing the program with everyone."

Please be advised HERS blog is not a vehicle for corporate, commercial business. Like gynecology, women are their prime target market. Let the buyer beware.

 
At April 29, 2008 at 10:15 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you Nora for setting things straight! Awesome job! I too was suspicious (and taken aback) by June's post when I read the comments:

"no I do not have my female parts any longer but I do not dwell on that. I believe that I have a greater purpose to fulfill than worrying about what could have been. Again that is for me but may not be for you."

To me this is an insult to women who have suffered so much after being amputated. None of us live meaningless lives dwelling on what could have been. Telling our stories serves a greater purpose in that we are educating women contemplating this surgery about what to expect and what can happen. We are providing information that many doctors will not and did not tell us and we are not going to suffer quietly. And all of us are working very hard to find relief and some semblence of a normal life. I certainly don't sit around all day feeling sorry for myself. And I don't "choose" to dwell on what happened to me. I also have a job that does not involve deceiving others for profit. The information provided here is totally free and raw, not sugar coated with promises.

The type of language used in June's post is typical of the happy hysterectomy stories that are shoved down our throats all too often, or typical of women who think they are so positive and tough and forward thinking and have totally overcome menopause and the devastating effects of hysterectomy. Whether I ever get to that point or not (which is doubtful...at least the part about overcoming what this surgery does to your body), I will not rub it in anyone's face with snide comments.

 
At April 30, 2008 at 12:24 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow! I just discovered your web site and want to thank you so much for the work you're doing. What amazes me is how prominent doctors in prestigious teaching hospitals around the country are promoting hysterectomy for uterine fibroids--especially for women in their forties and above. This whole notion that the uterus is nothing but a 'baby cavity' (a term used by a female radiologist who examined my recent ultrasound report) and that you don't need it if you're not going to bear children is beyond egregious--it's criminal.

Do they say the same thing to men about their testicles?

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your educational video. It blows that erroneous notion into the stratosphere. What really scares me is that less informed women will believe that baloney (heck, I almost did) and proceed to the OR.

I will alert others to your site and support your work in any way I can.

By the way, if you know of a good myomectomy surgeon in the NYC area, please let me know. I met a wonderful one, but he does not take private insurance--yet another dilemma. Once again, thank you!

 
At May 1, 2008 at 7:05 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

9weeks after I had my uterus removed I have having bowel pronlems and urination problems. also, my lower stomach is tinklin and sor and numb all at the same time. I have always had a flat tummy and now my skin looks a bulge on both sides and one side is bigger than the other. Is the normal. Please can I need help?

 
At May 1, 2008 at 9:35 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

i HAVE HAD MANY COMPLICATIONS AFTER MY HYSTERECTOMY, IM HOPING TO RECIEVE HELP AND ADVICE FROM YOU WOMEN AS TO WHAT TO DO NEXT.ANY INFORMATION AND HELP WILL BE GREATFULLY RECIEVED. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

 
At May 1, 2008 at 9:47 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

In 2003, I had a complete hysterectomy/oopherectomy due to extensive endometriosis. I had agreed to only the removal of my ovaries, but awoke to find that my uterus etc. had been removed. During the ensuing months, I developed back pain. More importantly, I mysteriously had beet red hands, worse when dangled at my sides, which are constantly tingling and sensitive. I have been to a neurologist, rheumatologist and orthopedic surgeon, who each agree that I have a problem, but none of them have been able to figure how the cause or how to treat me. I attribute this condition in my hands to my hysterectomy, since I did not have it prior to surgery. The discomfort has gotten unbearable. I had been on HRT for six years, but stopped taking estradiol seven months ago due to reports that HRT may cause more heart attacks than it prevents. My hand symptoms have gotten worse since this cessation. Can you please advise if a hysterectomy can, indeed, cause the condition I am experiencing. I am at my wits end. I am desperate, I need your help. Please, if anyone else has had this happen I need to know what treatment helped you. Thank you.

 
At May 1, 2008 at 10:59 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

helen nothing about my total body health is as it was before a money grubbing liar got his hands on me and deposited my health in his bank account. I believe these surgeries are so damaging that it is a death of the person you were before. I do not trust the medical doctors of this country now, because they have not stopped this cruelty from being perpetrated on a third of the female population to date.
It sounds like you really got hit hard with the damage, so sorry. You may want to try a highly regarded homeopathic doctor to find some relief.

Damn the gynecologists, men and women who profess to be healers (MD-Mad Doctors) who are doing this to women, damn the doctors of this country who don't stand up and stop it, greedy cowards.

 
At May 2, 2008 at 1:49 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Alicia who posted about her stomach bulging out more on one side than the other. I also have the same problem. The left side of my lower abdomen bulges out further than the right side. I also get burning pain often where it's bulging. I am so devastated because of what the criminal gynecologist did to me. I only had a benign ovarian cyst, and he amputated my uterus, cervix, and both fallopian tubes and ovaries without my consent and against my wishes. This crime against women for profit needs to be stopped!

 
At May 2, 2008 at 5:49 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank You Nora Coffey and HERS Foundation for investigating the blog posts to this site made in late April,2008, by ‘June’.

How can ‘June’ or anyone else who has read many (or all) the blogs on this HERS Foundation website:

1) continue to look for a ‘cure all’ for the after-effects of being castrated and/or hysterectomized?
2) even suggest that there could be a ‘cure all’ solution for the permanent, physical and other damage done to a woman by these mutilating surgeries?

Nora Coffey has given good, solid reasoning and evidence why this is not possible.
Do you understand this better now, ‘June’?

The HERS survey results/statistics published on this website, along with the personal testimonies of so many victims of these surgeries, should help to convince anyone with an open mind, seeking the truth, that the after-effects are devastating, and ruin the life of those women who undergo these surgeries. I speak from my own personal experience, having been castrated 36 years ago, at age 24, and suffered every day of my life, since. It affects our families. It affects our local and global communities. Mutilation is not constructive. It is clearly destructive.

Believing something does not make it true.
Not believing something does not make it untrue.

Something is either true, or not.

If you have fallen victim to these surgeries, then I recommend facing the truth about it and then seeking wisdom to deal with the after effects.

I encourage those of us who have found some health aids, nutritional supplements and palliative measures that have brought us some measure of relief, to keep sharing this information, especially on this blog.

Selling ‘false hope’ for profit, however, will not help anyone.

 
At May 2, 2008 at 8:33 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have had very weird and painful symptoms since me partial hysterectomy in Year 2003. I lose my ability to walk, plus other pain througout the body and migraines.

Please help me, now that I know what is wrong with me. I feel hopeless at this point because the Medical Center in Birmingham, AL did my surgery and they get away with murder (literally) all the time. My body has shut down and I am only 38 years old. My mind goes places it should not because of all the pain and they keep trying to give me more medications, but no answers. I want resitution and help for my physical ailments. PLEASE HELP ME ASAP!

 
At May 2, 2008 at 9:15 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To all the truthfull women here, thank you. I had a hysterectomy two years ago. I could not understand why Ican not seem to get a grip on my life. I can't work, am always fatigued, depressed. I have always gotten a "second wind", was able to come up with a plan, get back into "the swing of things" no matter how bad or traumatic the setback. It's just not happening, and I thought, well, this is it, I have now completely lost my mind. Then I read the statistics on the study you conducted and saw myself there on the page; it's not my imagination, and maybe not my fault, that I appear to have lost myself and my life. Noone, not the doctors, other women, anyone around me, told me that this could happen. In a way it was a relief, to know that the state I'm in and how I am relating (actually, not relating) to the world is physiological. At the same time I really feel doomed to this sentence, maybe I'll never get my life back, although, somehow instinctually I knew when I received the news that I needed the surgery that I was going to lose a much larger part of me than just my uterus. Not to even mention how this has affected how I feel about my womanhood and the aging process, which has now fallen over me and crushed me like a ton of bricks. The worst thing of it all is that I have had no one to talk to about any of this (or would participate in a conversation with me), have fallen into deep debt since I got sick, and since I can't seem to get it together enough to work, am drowning in that and all the crap that accompanies it, so I can't even afford to pay someone to talk to me, or help explain this stage of life to me. I am very interested in your organization and this amazing blog, and welcome any information and help anyone has to offer. I would be immensely grateful just to hear from other women who know what is happening to me and empathizes. I think from things you’ve said here that some of you feel the same.

I've had a hard time dealing with everything that has happened to my life since my hysterectomy. Maybe it also included other issues with aging, but, a forty-five year old woman was not old, so old that I have, in many ways, been changed from a vibrant, intelligent, spunky woman who was as sexual, somewhat charasmatic (or I've been told) and excellent employee and a quite socially adept person. This is not who I have been since that time. I've not been able to find employment, not less hold it. All in all, it's just been a general nightmare.

I have no interest in relationships, sexual and now even personal these days mostly for lack of energy, self confidence, depression and poverty - who can go out and enjoy themselves with friends when you don't have a cent, and your twenty-five thousand dollar credit card limit is maxed, each of them, to within tweny dollars of their limit!. This is not the perosn I was before this surgury - and, just as I thought I was coming into the prime of my life - my daughters and son were now grown and going in a positive direction and I was absolutely free - to go and or pursue anything I wanted to. The career and projects I've had to put off until this time - I was exilerated and excited . And then, this happened.

Sorry - but I've had noone to share this with for all this time either - and I still believe society still remains far to hushed about it. Sometimes I just a shoulder to cry on about my "lost self"?

I guess I too did not want to believe this could be the primary reason why my life had taken such unbearably nightmarish turn for the worse. I can not remember the last time that I actually I had a GOOD time, really done something I enjoyed and wanted to do. Enough time goes by like that, you start to give up hope that anything will change. Scared I will never dig myself out of this whole if I don't start facing down what happened to me - and I'm sick and tired of a society, especially when it's groups of wormen, that will not talk, instruct, comfort and support each other. As far as I'm concerned, we are still in the dark ages with all of this...If you could help direct me, maybe I could find a way to get back on my game, and up on my feet again.

Thank you, and for any information you could give me. It looks like we are going to have to do this ourselves, one woman at a time. The one thing I have found so amazing is how women can stil lie so to themselves, to each other, and keep harming, damaging and sometimes it appears, intentially sabotage or try to undermine anothers woman's vulnerbility for their own gain. Do they not think that this will, one day, happen to them as well? And, the audacity they display when they do this to a "sister", like rubbing salt into a wound, or not to sound overly dramatic, like retraumatizing a victim - it's like, is this ever going to end? Is there a sympathetic person left out there - and the biggest insult and degradation I feel I have stuggled with - the lack of , or the inability, of others to treat one another with dignity. I have felt I have had my dignitity denied me since my surgury so frequently it has gone beyond habitual - it seems like a chronic state. What is wrong with this society? Has it become the norm to deny each other this fundamental right? God forbid that my daughters and their friends would have to face the reality that in a very short twenty or so years - they will be us too!

 
At May 3, 2008 at 2:05 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Joan,

You described how I feel so beautifully! I used to be a writer but have lost my way with words due to this neverending brain fog I am swimming through daily. I can totally empathize with you! I had this done when I was 33 years old. I feel as if my life was fast forwarded 30 years to 63. I feel robbed of what was supposed to be the most productive years of my life. I too have very little energy to work with. I am holding down a part time job but just can not do any more than I am. I have over $800 in medical bills out of pocket unpaid right now, all related in some way or another to my hysterectomy and the damage it has done. It really is hard when you have no money at all to go out and have a normal social life. Even paying for groceries is a monthly nightmare. I understand the depression, lack of motivation, loss of self confidence and esteem.
I am just trying to redefine who I am and am trying to let go of fighting to get back the person I was before because there is no way she is coming back. I even cut short my long thick hair. It felt like a symbolic act for me. I continue to experiment with various hrts, supplements, vitamins, exercise, etc. trying to find a way to function, but my sensuality, my sexuality, my ability to connect with others has been sorely diminished. At times, I am ashamed to admit, I have to pretend to laugh or react to things people say to me at work or in social settings. I just don't feel anything. It's frightening.

You are so right about the lack of dignity. It truly is hard to find anyone who empathizes with what we deal with and who treats us like human beings. It's quite sad. There just is no room in this society for vulnerability.

Thanks everyone here for sharing and speaking out! It helps when others can put words to what we are experiencing.
Elaine

 
At May 6, 2008 at 7:58 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

JOAN, ME TOO! MY SEX LIFE HAS GONE DOWN THE TUBES AND I HAD A HYSTERECTOMEY 4 YEARS AGO--HAIR NOT GROWING RIGHT--DRY SKIN—-ANGRY—-TIRED--AND JUST PLAIN "HELL" TO LIVE WITH.

 
At May 6, 2008 at 8:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I RECENTLY HAD A HYSTERECTOMY, BOTH OVARIES REMOVED AS WELL. MY DOCTOR SAID I WAS PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULTETTE WITH MY LIFE. THE LAST FEW DAYS, I HAVE FELT AS THOUGH A DARK CLOUD HAS DROPPED ON ME, DEPRESSION, LETHARGY. WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING NOW. I WAS A VERY VERY ACTIVE, EXTROVERTED 47 YEAR OLD MARRIED FEMALE. WHAT IS IN STORE FOR ME? VERY CONCERNED AND WONDERING IF I DID DO THE RIGHT THING.

 
At May 6, 2008 at 9:59 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Having sex for me after having a hysterectomy, what sex? It would be like my huband trying to have sex in a wound. I care for this vaginal wound every day of my life, I suffer every day with severe redness, pain, atrophy and my lost sense of identity.
Oh, that's right I can't tell the doctors who deposited my sexual organs in their bank account by deceit, they dismissed me as a life-long patient within eight weeks after the sexual organ amputation, by certified mail.

 
At May 6, 2008 at 10:48 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi my name is carie and i had to have a hysterectomy when i was 16. i am now 20 and i am on estrogen i hate having to depend on a drug. is vaginal dryness a side effect ? my other question is i have recently gotten married and i have always wanted to experience pregnancy. have you ever heard of a uterus transplant? if anyone had a hysterectomy at a young age like me i'd like to know if you thought about a uterus transplant? thank you for listening to me and if you could please respond to me i would greatly appriciate it.

 
At May 7, 2008 at 11:29 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Carie, why did you have to have a hysterectomy at 16 years old?

 
At May 8, 2008 at 12:54 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

This latest installment about the failure by major hospitals to provide women with real answers about the impact of hysterectomy just adds to my outrage.

When I was told about 15 years ago that the only way to cure my nearly constant and severe bleeding was a hysterectomy, I suspected that the procedure would affect my sexual pleasure. My doctor, of course, despite being a woman, said nothing about that, but presented the surgery as my only option.

Sure enough, the uterine orgasms that I had enjoyed disappeared. I was smart enough to be sure that I kept my ovaries, but my sex drive also diminished.

I don't know if I really had much choice other than the hysterectomy so many years ago. But women should be told what will happen. Imagine if 600,000 men every year had their testicles removed. No, I can't imagine it, really. It would never be allowed.

 
At May 8, 2008 at 7:15 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Francis,
Since you are an accomplished writer perhaps you can shed some light on why and how hysterectomy by deceit has dodged the main stream media? and dodged the law.
T.V. shows like Dateline sensationalize the lowest of the low for ratings.
As a writer what is stopping hysterectomy by deceit from being blown out into the light of day. This is a life-saving story, why isn't the media jumping on this one?
Thanks

 
At May 8, 2008 at 8:47 PM , Blogger Gracie said...

Ms. Whittelsey, Yes, you did have a choice 15 years ago. We all had a choice even 25 years ago. They have known about Myomectomies and other alternative surgeries many years ago, but somehow giving a hysterectomy/castration is much easier for them. Thank you for supporting these very important issues that we all have to live with the rest of our lives and for being honest about your own surgery. Please have your family and friends go to the Hersfoundation site, watch the DVD 'Female Anatomy' and sign the petition to pass a law so no more women will be left disabled by this surgery. This surgery not only destroys her life, but affects her family, her career and her friends. Every woman who has written on here has been deceived into thinking she will be much better off without her ovaries, uterus and cervix. The Hers Foundation seems to be the only organization who is telling the truth what really happens to a woman after her hysterectomy and
castration.

 
At May 8, 2008 at 8:54 PM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

Frances,

I agree with you, it’s impossible to imagine 600,00 men castrated every year in the USA. If it were done to two men there would be a revolt. I can imagine a thunderous hue and cry of the masses protesting in the streets against something so outrageous and unacceptable being done to men.

But this can be done to women without inciting a hue and cry and in fact it flies below our radar because the female organs are internal and their functions are not visible. No one would need to tell a man that if his penis was amputated he would no longer be able to have an erection. No one would have to tell him that if he was castrated everything about him would be changed, including his body shape, his vitality, his very identity.

Removal of the uterus without removing the ovaries results in a change in body shape, loss of uterine orgasm, loss of the integrity of the pelvic structures, compromised support to the bladder, loss of support to the bowel, and a 3x greater incidence of cardiovascular disease.

It is difficult for any woman to fully appreciate what the loss of orgasm means until she experiences it. She soon discovers how sexuality and sensuality are part of the way she communicates and affects everything from the way she engages with someone she’s attracted to, to her sexual energy and vitality.

Kudos for your terrific work in the public interest, and particularly in giving voice to issues that are imperative for women.

 
At May 8, 2008 at 9:34 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you Frances, I clicked the link to your blog, I'm glad a writers giving this attention. I had a hysterectomy and since then I have developed Fibromyalgia (severe), severe depression, sky high cholesterol, as well as high blood pressure. Those are just the main things. This dr. did not tell me of ANY negative effects of having this surgery done. I am unable to work at all, (let alone function very well most days). I had planned on going back to school and now I am unable to do any of these things.

I feel like my life has been taken away from me.

 
At May 8, 2008 at 9:51 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please help me. I am a 40 year old woman who had a hysterectomy with removal of both ovaries and my uterus in 2006. It was the worst decision I have ever made. I am sexually impotent, and it is ruining my marriage. I am currently taking sublingual bio-identical testosterone, and topical tri-est gel. I take low dose estrogen. It helps a little. I grieve for the healthy sexuality I had prior to surgery. Please help me. I am desperate. Thank you.

 
At May 8, 2008 at 10:09 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Carie, I am sorry for yours, I am young too so I am interested in what you say. I am writing on here because I am very confused and scared. I am 20 years old and I live in a small town in France. I had my both ovaries removed a few months ago, due to torsioned cysts. The surgeon didn’t tell me anything about this surgery except that I won’t menstruate and I won’t be able to have children. Now I have learned from the net there is much more with this surgery than what the doctor told me. Last week I went to see an endocrinologyst. After I described all my symptoms (insomnia, nightmares, hot and cold sweats, crying out of nothing, lack of energy) she said that all these "are normal after castration". I was so shocked I could hardly breathe. She then explained me very technicaly that the removal of ovaries is female castration. Until then I wasn't aware of what realy happened to me. When I returned home I cried for hours.

Now I am really desperated and angry. My right ovary had some cysts, was somehow torsioned, and gave me excruciating pain, but my left ovary was functioning quite well. Then why did the doctor remove them both? Why? He is a doctor and he knew what was doing to me, so why did he do it? Then why didn't he tell me the truth? I had a normal sex life and I am very worried. What about nightmares and insomnia (I have a lot since the surgery)?

I am becoming more and more desperate, as day after day am feeling worse and the doctors here are either not taking me
seriously or they are completely idiots and don't know how to treat my condition (horrible nightmares, insomnia, cold/hot sweating, no more desires, a feeling of emptiness, etc). Please help me out!

Sophie

 
At May 8, 2008 at 11:47 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Frances Cerra Whittelsey of May 8, 2008, 12:54 pm

WOW! Thank you for your recognition and support for this vital issue. Your frank and honest admissions about your own sex organ surgery takes great courage and strength. I admire your truthfulness and openness which can only help bring more attention to this cruelty to women being perpetrated by the medical profession.

I consented, at age 24, to having my two ovaries and fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix removed because I was not told the truth about the real after effects, by my doctors or surgeon.

36 years have passed since my surgery, and I wish that I had died during my surgery and avoided the nightmare which I have had to endure since this was done to me. My quality of life and the effect on my family etc. have been devastating. I would have chosen death before putting everyone who knows me, through all of this trauma.

At age 24, I was not focused on medical issues and had no reason to investigate the functions of my organs etc. I relied on my doctors and surgeon for their truthful disclosures, before the surgery that they were recommending, because they claimed to have had the necessary education, training and medical experience in this area of health expertise, and to boot …were charging me for their ‘opinions’!!!.

Today, I am convinced I could give them a real education on this topic, having experienced the after-effects of this surgery and done some of my own investigation into this subject.

I will be happy to join with you in any public support of the HERS Foundation and all that they do, especially in promoting their (HAVE) Law, Hysterectomy Anatomy Video Education and by encouraging everyone to sign the HERS Petition found on their website.

When we have a law that compels the medical profession to more correctly inform (by using the HERS Foundation 11-minute DVD) before seeking consent from their female patients for these surgeries, we will begin to see less women consenting.

Congratulations on a great post at your own website today, on this topic!

I clicked on your name at your above blog post and found it was a live link to your webpage. Great work and a great website! THANK YOU.

 
At May 9, 2008 at 12:08 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

As one reads this blog and takes in the information provided by HERS, the individual women stories - can one really get a sense of the enormity of this issue.

That out the gate, women are being misled about a very serious surgical procedure and eventually denied choice. That this surgery takes an unimaginable toll on one's health with the loss of many functions.

I think about one of the days post-surgery when I discovered blood in the toilet. I had developed hemmoroids and a fissure, as I layed on the floor begging God "please, no more".

You see I had never had hemmoroids before and this affliction had come in succession after a long list of bewildering new issues after surgery. It has come in spite of my valiant trek from doctor to doctor and humiliating lecture, insults and dismissal after another.

It had come on the heels of my family's silence in response to my situation, my increasing difficulties at work, my inability to return to school, and probblems taking care of my home. It had also come after difficulties with bladder and bowel function, lower back pain, weakness including brain strength, disminished sexuality and sensation.

It had come after an indescribable feeling of drained nutrition, constant nausea, new body odor, and body changes. And it was also after a desperate call to the surgeon.

But because of the deception of the medical community in addition to all that is written on this blog, women must then suffer through the indignities of trying to find support (financial or otherwise), explain to employers, families, friends, lawyers, agencies, let alone, trying to make themselves as comfortable as possible.

As long as nothing is done, it continues to be the perfect crime for doctors and an inescapable death and nightmare for women.

 
At May 9, 2008 at 12:28 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am 40 years old and chose to have a hysterectomy because I didn’t want to risk pregnancy. My periods were painful, I had no intention of having children, and I was sick of going through it every month. But I have lost all sexuality- I can't even masturbate anymore- if I'd known that I would not have had it done. Why is this a cause of a hysterectomy? My sexuality was an important part of my life and I was so sad to see I am unable to orgasm anymore. Orgasms used to relax me if I could not sleep, pleasurable during sexual intercourse, and I just can't get it back. Thank you for any information regarding this.

So I will be a 40 yr old woman who will have to fake it with every man she beds. I won't enjoy the pleasure of masturbation and the calming way it made me feel. Will I have clitorol orgasms? I wish I'd never had this hysterectomy. A spinster at 40. Great.

 
At May 9, 2008 at 12:29 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

When reading this blog, the HERS analysis, and the posts, one has to wonder whether the enormity of the issue is realized.

First, medical information for a major surgical procedure is being denied to all women. Because of this denial, no woman can truely have choice or informed consent and doctors appear to have a conflict of interest. Informed consent is a basic right.

Second, the consequences of a major surgical procedure are denied. Because of this denial women are left vulnerable to the attitudes and judgements within the greater society. Because of the aggressive denial inflicted on women by the medical community, any efforts to seek out additional treatment is risky.

And lastly, because of denial of disability from lost functions, women find many barriers to obtaining support post-surgery (financial, legal, family, etc.)

This becomes the perfect crime for doctors and a living death/nightmare for women. I remember after surgery lying on the bathroom floor as I had just discovered blood in the toilet - I had developed hemmoroids and a fissure. I had never had hemmoroids and this latest development had come on the heels of a quick succession of other new conditions. I pleaded with God - "please, no more".

 
At May 9, 2008 at 1:51 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would like to say a heartfelt, "Thank You!" to Frances Cerra Whittelsey for both her post and her own excellent web site. Women need more women like you!
The blog is also popping with smart women's questions about the media's own role in hysterectomy. Recently, in the business section, my local paper profiled a new CEO, a cardiologist, no less, taking over a group of nonprofit hospitals. I was shocked and dismayed to read within this feature a blatant advertisement for the robotic da Vinci equipment and for the supposed ease of hysterectomy. A $*$%$! gyn was actually quoted as saying,"...It saved her pain and suffering, with a better outcome."
Naturally, I emailed the paper's editors in protest. I explained that nothing could be further from the truth! I explained how hysterectomy is most often unnecessary and that the procedure itself is inherently harmful. I told them that the uterus is not just a reproductive organ but also a sex and endocrine organ as well as that the uterus is an integral part of a woman's pelvic floor!
For validation (something we all struggle to find!) I directed them to what The American Heart Association notes on its' web site, "Women who had a hysterectomy have more cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, which makes them prone to heart disease and stroke," researchers* reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
I closed with a statement that they owed their readers better than this insidious misrepresentation and blatantly underhanded endorsement. Especially originating from a cardiologist--- who should know better! Ditto the surgeon/gyn!!
Sadly, I never got a reply. Sadder still, this is but one of many, many times that I've seen these tactics used. Sometimes, its more subtle. Remember, "About Schmidt?" Kathy Bates plays a woman whom the story makes a point of having had a hysterectomy. Only to next show Bates' character as a woman with an over the top sex drive intent upon seducing Jack Nicholson's wary Schmidt.
You see, the media itself is playing a large and largely unnoticed role in all of this. Prior to surgery, most of us thought of hysterectomy as a benign procedure. While a great deal of that false comfort came from medicos (I don't like to call them doctors), some of it came from images absorbed unknowingly thru the years. Think about it.
I asked myself, "but why?" and the answer came to me swiftly. Again, it$ money! The profiled CEO will no doubt be buying much advertisement for the hospitals and for the medicos from this newspaper. After all, they've done his dirty bidding. As to the Bates movie, I can only guess that someone paid dearly to have the script written as it was.
What I would have you take away from this is that we all need to be more aware of what is going on within the various media. Personally, I now think that ethics is a scarce commodity for both medicine and media.
Once your antennae are up, you'll be startled at how much of it you see. I'd ask you to not let it go unchallegned. I'd ask you to alert others. Carefully placed comments on a piece or site can undermine their intent-- and actually strengthen your position. Just like HERS has done with various so called expert health sites (kudos to HERS!). Turns out, the door to suspicion is easily opened. And don't you wish that someone had done that for you?
Yet another incredibly important avenue to take is to lobby for the HERS HAVE Law.
*lead author, Barbara V. Howard, Ph.D, of study of 90,0000 women which found hysterectomy led to a 26% higher risk of cardiovascular event.

 
At May 9, 2008 at 2:39 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Everyone,

It has been awhile since I have posted or caught up on reading the
posts on the blog site. I have been up most of the night taking
care of/helping with a newborn
kitten. This is a story I will have to share. Believe it or not,
it is related to all of this. I
read the blog
posts and there were some 
recent heartfelt messages. Tears filled my eyes.
 Frances, I thank
you for your post and site, and
doing what you are to help with this issue.

I have not even gotten through two
days worth of recent blogs, and I
began to cry; as I was reading the
posts by others. It is just so
amazing, yet should not be; that
just about everyone of us share the
same problems; whether physical,
mental, or related world around us,
i.e., our sexual lives, family,
friends, doctors, health care -
post hysterectomies, and even
financial issues. That so many
of us heard the same thing from
the doctors who did the hyst. on
us. "You will feel so much better
after the surgery. Your sex life
will be the same if not better.
This is the surgery you need. Hey,
while I am in there, I might as well take your ovaries. Your not
planning on having anymore children, so why not?" "Hey, while
I am in there, why not remove your
appendix, to save you from any
complications with that?" (My
doctor actually said this: along
with wanting to remove a small piece of skin on the outside of
my labia. Sound familiar? Cha-
Ching, Cha-Ching, Cha-Ching...)

I have said, as many others have
posted also; it is so SICK that
if this was happening to men with
600,000 being castrated each year,
well, it just would not be. This
would have stopped after the 2nd
man had it happen (as someone else posted). It would be a CNN high
priority topic. Can you picture the headline? "Men castrated
unnecessarily by surgery when
alternatives were available." It
would be a crime for the doctors
who performed these surgeries, and
how the doctors deceived them.
And how the poor men would talk
about their sex lives being ruined - "Heaven Forbid" that for a
man! Might as well give him that
so called "towel" to throw in...

I am not the same person. My life
has been ruined. I was so active
before. What crushes me is that;
my son, who is now sixteen, will
remember me as this weak, fatigued,
frail mother. He was ten when I
had the surgery. I feel he won't
remember the vibrant person I was.
His memories of me will be the person this hyst. has made me now.
(I am crying...)

My husband and I had a FANTASTIC,
I mean it, FANTASTIC sex life before the hyst., and now I can't
remember when we made love last.
I have posted before about this...
the French Maid outfit has cobwebs.

It may sound awful to state, but I
would not be surprised to hear if
a doctor's office does not wind up
being blown up someday from a woman
who just got too devastated to handle the crime committed to her.
People got head strong years ago
about abortion clinics. Well, this
is just about as bad with mentally
and physically 'killing' a woman
and her insides. We cannot go this
far, but I would support anyone
standing outside a doctor's office
with a picket sign.

The answer is education for women,
and just what the Hers Foundation
is promoting with putting this
law into effect; that women be
informed as compared to not informed and being SO MISLEAD (as
I was, and all of you).

The recent posts I have read are
women who are desparate for help.
I am also. I bring this up for
two reasons: one is - why should
women have to feel this way? Two -
we are the stronger sex...we are.
We have to keep believing there
are answers for help...post hysts., and this blog is a step.
We can share and help each other.
It has done me a great deal of good just to know I am not alone.

I do not know where I would be if
it wasn't for the Hers Foundation.
I am so grateful to Nora and her
band of angels.

Well, I have vented a lot. Thank
you everyone out there for listening, and "Hang in there". I
am trying to...I also do not know
what I would do without the small
unit of family and friends who do
believe in me. Some family and
friends do not contact me anymore,
but in actuality; they have shown
their 'True Colors'. 

On a final note...every female I
do come in contact with...I share
my story to get the word out. I
give them the Hers Foundation site
to go to. I have tried to convince any family and friends to
contribute to the Hers Foundation
rather than helping build a well
in Africa. Hey, it would be great
to contribute to both, but first
things first...

My love and blessings to all of you, "Belle"

P.S. I wanted to share the new
baby kitten event. I got a kitten
last year, but could not bear to
have her spayed at the time. She
got pregnant and just had a kitten
several days ago. I will get her
spayed now, but I just could not
do it before...all has to do with
what happened to me - call me crazy, but that is how I felt. (We
also had homes for any kittens born.)

P.S.S.

A doctor now wants me to take a
drug called Mirapex. Anyone ever
tried this? He feels I have
Fibromyalgia. He started me out
with Xanax. I did not like that
at all and quit it after three days. My post hyst. problems are
being called Fibromyalgia now...
Help!!!!

 
At May 9, 2008 at 7:48 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I went to see a Doctor in Fort Smith Arkansas for some female problems due to heavy periods. What I did not undersdtand was that he would advice me that I needed a Hesterectomy and a complete one at that! +Thius Doctor is doing this to milk the medicaid insurance companies/ I never did deseve to have this done to me. At the time I did not understand what this would mean to my over all health and how disabled it would leave me in the long run. Dr, Bruman did not explain anything to me about this surgery at the time and he did not tell me that I would have to take medication{ HRT} for the rest of my life also. I thought since he was a Doctor then he knew what he was doing and that it was best for me. I now know that I did not have endomeatriosis at the time and have never had that to this day! This Doctor lied and fooled me into a surgery that would change my whole life. Please do not let a Doctor do this to you. These Doctors that do this to women for the insurance money ought to be charged for a crime because it is a crime to lie about someones health and take the insurance comapny for thousands of dollars.Dr. Bruman in fort Smith Arkansas made up a lie and used it to do a hesterrectomy on me! It happens. Please be very careful of A Doctor that is in a hurry to take out your female organs. I think that they should and better have a good reason for doing this procedure.I wish that I had of gotten a second opinion. Because this Doctor lied to me and then after the surgery he sent me a letter and told me that I could not come back. This man is not a Doctor but a monster! Thank You very much.

 
At May 9, 2008 at 8:25 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is it normal to feel insecure and depressed after a hysterectomy? Ovaries were left. Most of my endometriosis was removed. I feel very sad and that my husband does not love me anymore, even though I know he does. Do I even make sense? Does anyone else feel this way?

 
At May 9, 2008 at 8:39 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I GUESS IF YOU WONDER IF YOUR QUESTION MAKES SENSE I CAN ASK MINE TOO. IF YOU'VE HAD A PARTIAL HYSTERECTOMY (REMOVAL OF UTERUS STILL HAVE OVARIES) IS THERE ANY TYPE OF SURGERY YOU COULD HAVE TO EVER BE ABLE TO HAVE A CHILD AGAIN?? THANK YOU!!

 
At May 9, 2008 at 9:04 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would like to know if there is any research and whether there is information available for weight loss strategies for women who have had hysterectomies? I have tried everything except starvation. I get plenty of exercise but no matter what...I cannot lose weight...as a matter of fact, I have gained 15 pounds recently. The funny thing is I am totally dedicated to exercise 4-5 days per week over an 1 hour! I have not lost a pound, an ounce or an inch! Help! Hmmm...is anybody else complaining?

 
At May 9, 2008 at 10:21 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is my story about my emergency hysterectomy following induced labor. The story still haunts me today and I continue to live with problems resulting from it. I havent spoken about my story it is very hard. I am trying to find courage. I have filed a complaint.This is the letter and timeline I wrote to state medical board.
I suffered PPH Aug 1, 2006. I am writing you asking for your professional opinion. I need to know the standard and proper care of an obgyn caring for a patient with PPH following a normal delivery. Please if you could take the time to read my information. I am asking our State Medical board to review my situation. It would be wonderful if I could get your help or any suggestions that you have.

My complaints encompass five areas of concern as they relate to physician care:

1). Lack of early recognition of the large right broad ligament hematoma along with the active bleeding from the right uterine vessels which was obviously a life-threatening condition.

2.) Delay in treatment. Taking several hours in instituting a plan of care which should have included an immediate transfer to a large tertiary center and timely consult with physician.

3). Abandonment. Leaving my care during the night in the hands of an interventional radiologist while Dr. Carlson found it more appropriate to go home and go to bed while being fluid resuscitated.

4.) Wasting even more valuable time insisting that I be transferred to Mayo vs. Sioux Valley, certainly realizing that the additional miles would delay my treatment even further. I very much appreciate the initiative taken by the flight nurse to insist on S F transfer.

5.) Ignoring advocacy roles in addressing my immediate post-partum needs.

Because of the deficiencies in healthcare provided by Dr. C, I now suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, Headaches, Irritability, Loss of Fertility, Menopausal Symptoms, Constipation and Irregular Bowels, Difficulties with Concentration, Night Sweats, Insomnia, loss of appetite, rectal bleeding, stomach pain, muscle tension, pain with intercourse, profound fatigue, loss of energy and stamina, dry skin, dizziness and continued outpatient counseling, physical therapy, and reconstructive pelvic surgeries due to hysterectomy. Vaginal and bladder prolapse and small rectal prolapse. Abdominal hernia with repair. Multiple Dr. visits, lifting restrictions that were placed after surgeries. I developed High Blood pressure and now take medicine. I have trouble remembering and recalling information due to being resuscitated and extreme blood loss and shock. Possible Sheehan Syndrome. On Jan. 15, 2008 a Radiologist found a tumor on my Pituitary Gland which could be a result of everything I've gone through. I believe I will live the rest of my life with many of these problems and I'm young, we have no idea what will happen to my body in the future.

I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and four beautiful children. The fear and emotional suffering my children have went though this past eighteen months would bring tears to anyone. My children grew up way too fast and this took away much of their innocence.

Recent data shows that 1:3 obstetricians will be sued in the course of their careers. If this is the level of care being provided by most, I now understand why the high numbers.


Time Line
8:45 Patient lost conciousness
9:15 Dr. C at bedside ordered consult with Dr. W
B/P 64/32
Ct scan ordered at 9:20
9:55 taken to CT
B/P 34/20
10:15 ct taken
10:45 ct showed large retroperitoneal hematoma
wait for surgical consult
11:30 Dr. W surgical consult arrives wont do surgery told Dr. C to do surgery who also says no, Orders radiology consult
12:00 radiology arrives says this isn't for him. should be surgical. no one wants to do surgery so it is left in his hands
12:00 obgyn goes home radiologist is upset obgyn left him with his unstable patient
4:00 am out of radiology unstable and critical placed in ICU
New Ct showed bleeding is critical
call Dr. back to hospital
5:40 call made to see if plane available
6:00 am Dr. talks with family if should transfer
7:20 flight team arrives No pulse
Flight paramedic wants change orders to fly to closer hospital, no Dr. available to sign changes husband made executive change.
8:00 flight team leaves hospital
Hysterectomy completed in Sf



Please describe your complaint in detail:

Eighteen months ago I delivered my fourth child at Avera St. Lukes Hospital in Aberdeen SD. I am writing this letter to tell you about the events following my birth on August 1, 2006. My delivery was induced due to increased high blood pressure. My induction started at 7 am and Joseph was born at 4:11pm. It wasn't until 8:45 pm that I began to feel uneasy and short of breath. And my side had a sharp intense pain. The baby and I were the only ones in the room, somehow I reached for the call button for help. My blood pressure dropped 64/32. It feels like yesterday. I have had both spiritual and emotional growth this year. I will never forget the twelve hours of pain and emotional suffering I had to endure. I survived the unthinkable. The fear and pain was something I wish onto no one. I believe the Lord was watching out for me and my family. When I was holding my baby boy for what I thought was the last time I saw the strength of my family fighting for me. I spent a great deal of that night talking with the Lord. The Doctors had left and I had to accept that I had no control over the circumstances, I had to let go and hope that the Lord would answer my prayers. I was in so much pain. My body would go numb when darkness overcame me, which happened many times that night. I begged the Lord for him to send someone to help me. I lost consciousness several times and everytime I thought as my body began tingling would I would wake up this time. I am learning to let go of all the negative feelings I have and I want to do something about Dr. C who was suppose to be there for me. He knew early in the evening that I was suffering from a hemmorage. I don't understand why he waited, watched, and went home. The care, treatment and conduct of Dr. C was below the standard of care of a competent OBGYN. Not only did he have a duty to refer me to another facility when he knew he did not have the required skill, or the proper facilities to treat me and my medical condition. He abandoned me. I believe a more favorable result would have been more likely obtained by another specialist or at another facility. Dr. C went home to bed. I suffered unbelievable amount of blood loss. I was given 21 units of blood products. I was continuously resucitated the entire evening. I felt what it was like to lose control of my breathing and reach out for help. To be awoken my nurses yelling in my face. This began at 8:50 pm until the flight team arrived the next morning. I remember the four hours in the cath lab with the radiologist. The pain in my belly and body never got any better. And the slightest movement would drop my blood pressure. Then the hospital ran out of blood products so it was inevitable that I would need to leave ASL. The wait was unnecessary and unreasonable. A patient should not have to wait an entire evening for one to get care. Dr. C left the hospital and went home to sleep. He was never with me even when upon the insistence of the head flight care nurse when I was discharged to the flight team. We had to make a decision where to go S F or Mayo Clinic, The Dr's at the hospital said earlier to go to Mayo. The flight nurse said he didn't think I would make it to Mayo because I had little to no pulse. Dr. C was no where to be found. My husband made the decision to go to S F. Enclosed is a copy of notes we made that evening and I hope you take the time to read and picture what my evening was like at Asl. I don't want anyone to go through what I did and there needs to be explanations as to why the treatment was so bad. I face many health problems from the inadequate medical diagnosis or misdiagnosis and lack of treatment, which I will carry the rest of my life. It has also affected my family. My 6 year old son Matt, started having night terrors. We find him around the house sometimes curled up in the fetal position crying, sometimes running down the hallway screaming. We put bolt locks on the top of our outside doors so he can't reach them and have taken many other measure to insure his safety. Most of his dreams are about me dying. He is tuned in to every conversation. When the radiologist called today and said I have a tumor on my pituitary, he picked up on the conversation and immediate needed to know about everything. My husband and I have still take turns laying in my oldest son's bed to help him go to sleep. He try's to be very strong and grown up for 8 years old. The conversations have been, if mom die's Dad can't get remarried because we never want to forget out mom. If mom dies I want to die also. Why would Jesus let mom die? My 4 year old daughter, on the way to S f for a check up with Dr. L she said to me, "Mom, you look beautiful in that dress, is that what you are going to wear when they bury you." Lilly has had a very difficult time understanding everything and has had many deep thoughts for a four year old. My youngest son Joseph, when the flight team came to get me, a nurse brought him to say good-bye. I held him and knew I had to fight but also knew this may be the only picture he will ever have of his mother. We have hundreds of stories of how this has effected our children, what they have said, the tears we share, the pain, and not just my husband, my children, and myself, my entire family and my husbands family share our pain. I believe I have thousands of people praying for me right now. I have had nurses from the hospital come up to me, hug me and cry with me. People who don't know me call me or bring us food, even today they still do. Doctors share their stories and nurses share theirs. The nurse who was with me that night feels extreme guilt because no one did anything to help me. She said she would be willing to tell her story anytime. She even asked me to forgive her for not doing more. I will follow though as an advocate for women and am willing do and spend whatever it takes to right the wrong.
I am seeking an explanation from the committee as to why Dr C, a board certified health care provider in SD, should be allowed to treat me with such insignificance and unimpotance and still have a license.

I wanted to add this note from my father after he had read my complaint.
Heather,
This looks very good; I know it was difficult to face all of those memories and feelings and to then put them into words and onto paper!
I know I still question my own disbelief in hearing Dr. W say, while Dr. C sat behind the intensive care desk with a blanket wrapped about his shoulders, “we need to send Heather out—we will need to have someone clean up our mess”! Hearing this from the doctor when you have placed your life and trust in them to care for you, is so very hard to understand?
Anyway, I believe that proceeding with this process is an integral part of your healing process! God is giving you the strength to deal with all of this, just as He provided you the strength that night to fight for your life and make it through the ordeal that continues for you yet today.
You are certainly right when you mentioned that many are still continuing yet today to hold you up in prayer.
I love you Heather and am so proud of the person, the woman, wife and mother you have become.
Dad

I am emotionally tired of dealing with this traumatic event that I had. Thank you so much for reading. I need help on what to do. If you could help or put me in contact with someone I would be very thankful.

God Bless
Heather

 
At May 10, 2008 at 2:42 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Everyone,

I apologize for my last post and
all of the 'squares'. It was strange; in that, it came back when
I sent this post, that it did not
go through. I even sent it again.
Anyway, sorry about this.

To Anonymous who posted stating your doctor did not want to see you
any longer... Did you communicate
to him you were unhappy about the
surgery? What did you say to him?
I am curious. Sounds like a "Wham,
Bam, Thank You Maam - now be on your way." How dare him not to at
least provide avenues of help after
your surgery and be responsible. My doctor basically did the same
thing. He just scratched his head,
and said, "I have never had anyone
have any problems after a Hyst", and said I should go for a second
opinion. I did...a second, a third, and a fourth. Not one GYN
offered any help or direction. This is what really amazed me. I
felt these doctors (three practicing in the same area) were
in 'Kahootz' with each other; e.g., like police officers not talking ill of other police officers - like an alliance, and
no wrong doing could be within this alliance group.

I told Nora I had prepared a letter to send to the GYN who did
the Hyst. on me. I did not send it
yet; as I ordered some books to research first, and quote perhaps from these books. Two are written by Dr. Stanley West. One is called "The Hysterectomy Hoax". I
also will send this letter to Nora
and Rick for their approval, and any other comrades at Hers for input before I send it. I want so
much for it to be an impacting letter so he will truly realize what he did to me. I also want to
ask him to step to the plate and
see if he will respond to my letter. I will also ask him to have any of his patients he suggests to have a Hyst. first view the Hers Foundation DVD; thus, sending my point that his
patients truly make an 'informed
decision'. If I help save even one patient of his from doing what
was done to me; it will be so very
monumental.

It really is incredible with so many of the posts I have read here;
where the doctors who performed the
Hysts. on them, have passed them
off. Do these doctors think of us
as 'dust', and can 'sweep us under
the carpet', so to speak?

I read the post by June. I am so
thankful you are so insightful, Nora, to have picked up on this. I
guess, if I am assuming right, June
is using this blog to promote a
product? I did understand what you
were stating with June not posting
something to the effect that all will be well after a Hyst., if one
does not 'dwell' on it. I do not
believe any one woman here posting
wants to 'dwell'. When something
changes one's life physically, mentally, financially, and expands
to affect family and friends...it
is only by grace we post to want
to expand our tools of reaching out
for help, input, and guidance. To
use the word 'dwell' - it is not
in the vocabulary regarding this
subject. All of us who have been
through this have every right to
be so very upset, and continue with
being just this. I do get back to,
if this happened to men...oh my
gosh...want to talk about 'dwell'..
Of course, this just would not be
happening to men.

I would like to hear from anyone
if they have been prescribed the
drug, "Mirapex" As I stated in my
previous post, I was referred to a
doctor who is a specialist with
Fibromyalgia. He feels this is my
problem with my abdominal pains,
back pains, and every other symptom I have had since my Hyst.,
and first prescribed Xanax to help
me with sleep. I could not take
this. He has now suggested this
Mirapex. I would appreciate any
feedback with doctors applying
Fibromyalgia as the problem, and
also these two drugs he wanted me
to take.

Also, what about HRT? I have never taken anything. I still have
my ovaries, I think...another thing I should have confirmed, but was adamant they stay in with the surgery, and told by the doctor they were not removed. Gosh, has anyone ever found out later that their ovaries were removed when they requested they stay in; only
to find out later they were taken
out? I remember having an ultra
sound after my Hyst., and the tech.
who did the study said she could
not see the ovaries in me, but this
was not uncommon. I would appreciate any input with this too.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone. I
wish all of you, most sincerely,
a continued year of every hope of
feeling better. I just got off the
phone with good friends visiting from out of town from Seattle. They want to see me tomorrow. I
used to be the type to jump at a
chance to see them. Now, I have to state, "Let me see how I will feel." Isn't this sad? For this,
I would love to call the GYN who
did this to me, and tell him how
I feel right now; not being well
enough to visit with these close
friends from out of town. It is
so true...ever since the Hyst., my
life has changed to this point, and
this is just one of many that hurt
so emotionally because of the physical impairment.

Once again, thanks for letting me
vent...

Belle

 
At May 10, 2008 at 5:30 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ladies, go to www.PBS.org and tell them what you would like them to air under their "Question of the Day". Near the top of the page, it says: "PBS Engage". Just below that, click on "Now Tell Us What You Think". You will then see a form to fill out telling them what you would like to air. Make sure you link them to the HERS Foundation also.

 
At May 10, 2008 at 1:23 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

O.K. then, "Dirty Bidding"
"Dirty Bidding"
The media is staying silent about the hysterecmy by deceit of 1/3 of the female population in the U.S because of Advertising Money. The hospitals, doctors-surgeons and drug industry pay the newspapers, magazines and television media millions for their "dirty bidding" - Medically impossible lies perpetuated for profit by a well honed medical industry on the female U.S. population regarding their sex organs and amputation of them.
I pondered this and came to the conclusion that....sad but true....my sexual organ amputated by deceit for profit is paying for the medical industry to advertise the amputation of more women's sex organs by deceit.

If you add up all, 22 Million, women involved, the Uterus's, Ovaries and Cervix's surrendered by deceit, for profit, add up to a hefty sum. I am including the money involved for the medical industry after the women's body is ruined, too.

It isn't the quality of the surgery or the medical facts regarding the sexual organ amputation, it is the quantity of misleading surgeries they perform.
Oh, I get it now, the medical industry needed my sex organ, my well-being, my endocrine health and my non-existent uterine orgasm, to advertise for more women to be tricked.
And the media needed my sex organ to print the lies for the medical industry.
If I feel I can not go on in the life altering conditon I am in now, who cares. On to the next one please, step right up, you are not significant in the United States Of America, you are a uterus for profit-a female sex organ-not necessary for sexual function or health.
Hey medical industry, OB/GYN'S, are you secretly saving the eggs in the amputated ovaries? Come on now, are ya?

 
At May 10, 2008 at 5:54 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymous of May 10: 1:23pm

Great post!
You have said it like it is.
You have spoken for me too!!

Thank you.

 
At May 10, 2008 at 7:29 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

collagen estrogen

A quick search on the internet using these two words (together) is quite enlightening.

Estrogen is used in the production of collagen.

There are many types of estrogen and there are many types of collagen.

It is so sad that most females think the loss of estrogen affects their sexual functions mainly.

Too many doctors give this impression when discussing estrogen with their female patients. Certainly this has been my experience.

There is a whole BIGGER story that needs to be told.

Because of the resulting loss of collagen due to the loss of estrogen after sex-organ surgery, literally, the fabric of your whole body is affected. Collagen may also be described as the ‘glue’ which holds the body together.

First Reference:

A story appearing in the November 14, 2005 print edition of U.S. News & World Report, titled ‘Skin Deep’ by author BERNADINE HEALY, M.D. and posted on 11-6-2005 mentions that:

1) sex hormones shape the skin and

2) estrogen increases collagen and skin moisture and promotes wound healing

therefore

3) estrogen-deprived skin thins, loses collagen, and slows down its cell renewal



Second Reference:

Wikipedia:
‘ … Collagen is one of the long, FIBROUS STRUCTURAL PROTEINS whose functions are quite different from those of GLOBULAR PROTEINS such as ENZYMES. Tough bundles of collagen called collagen fibers are a major component of the EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX that supports most tissues and gives cells structure from the outside, but collagen is also found inside certain cells. Collagen has great TENSILE STRENGTH and is the main component of FASCIA, CARTILAGE, LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, BONE and TEETH. Along with soft KERATIN, it is responsible for SKIN strength and elasticity, and its degradation leads to WRINKLES that accompany AGING. It strengthens BLOOD VESSELS and plays a role in TISSUE development. It is present in the CORNEA and LENS of the EYE in CRYSTALLINE form … ’


First of all, no synthetic or so-called ‘natural’ estrogen ingested into your body after surgical removal of your estrogen-producing sex-organs is going to identically replace the lost estrogen (many types) in the exact manner and method and timing etc. as normally produced by your own sex organs.

These doctors who keep telling their prospective (ching! ching!) hysterectomy patients that they can take a pill after the surgery to replace their lost estrogen,and all will be well, need to provide these prospective (ching! ching!) patients with PROOF of their much touted, blatant nonsense!!!!!

Let’s begin to get real.

 
At May 10, 2008 at 9:28 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To add to the above
‘estrogen collagen’
post today, I hope others will mention any helpful things they have tried, which may have helped them cope with this estrogen collagen connection.

I have recently started taking the (over-the-counter) amino-acid nutritional supplement, L-Lysine. It has helped me in some small measure. I plan to introduce some more amino-acids gradually into my daily nutritional supplement regime and will keep you all posted on my progress. I suggest we all seek a reliable product brand as inferior brands may possibly do more harm than good, as with any nutritional product. I also strongly recommend self-education on these issues along with ‘reliable’ professional advice before self-medicating.

I tend to shy away from quick-fixes like collagen injections or promises from even more ‘doctors’ of renewing youth through their plastic surgery procedures, expensive potions etc.

I believe the estrogen collagen connection makes sense.

It would explain so many health issues which usually, (gradually or sometimes suddenly) develop after sex-organ surgery. These few possibilities below, are just those that come first to mind. The list is never-ending, and many more still remain unknown:

Increased loss of bladder control and extreme urgency (which often leads to loss of sleep and/or interrupted sleep which gradually leads to chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue, if left untreated, may be fatal in some cases). The structural integrity and the muscles of the bladder are likely to be affected due to the loss of estrogen collagen

Stomach and digestion issues including flatulence, constipation, acid reflux issues

Painful intercourse

Eyesight difficulties (sometimes leading to detached cornea etc)

Headaches and possible ‘senile purpura’ issues, strokes etc. due to weakened blood vessels

Neurological difficulties

Muscle difficulties and weakness

Skeletal problems including the teeth

Weakened immune system due to malfunctioning of the endocrine system

This is not even a scratch on the surface of the many issues created by removing several sex-organs from the body by one surgical procedure. Not to mention also having your vagina sewn into a pocket along with the structural vacuum left in the pelvic floor where your organs have been removed thus creating dislocation of your remaining body parts and skeletal structure etc.

For those who want to believe, having their sex-organs removed was ‘the best decision I ever made’, please provide some tangible evidence for your new found enthusiasm for hysterectomy surgery. What could you possibly find so very wonderful about the above facts?

 
At May 11, 2008 at 8:56 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am 5 weeks post op of total hysterectomy. I have a lump on the end of the right side of my incision. Sometimes it burns and hurts so bad I cry. after the pain leaves I am very aware of loss of feeling down the right side of my pubic area. I called my doctor and she wanted me to put warm compresses on the incision. I have no fever but honestly I felt better 4 weeks ago physically than I do now. Is any of this normal? or should I really
push my doctor for an answer?

 
At May 11, 2008 at 12:14 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am not able to take hormones because it gives me bad migraines, but i really need something that helps with my sexual appetite. I have no sexual feeling. I have totally lost it and I really don't like that. Please help!!!

 
At May 11, 2008 at 11:08 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

No alternatives were told to me when a hysterectomy was recommended. The doctor first encouraged me to allow her to perform a bilateral oopherectomy in addition to the hysterectomy. I refused. She continued to pressure me. Finally, she said that I was at very high risk of ovarian cancer because someone in my family died from cancer. After she continued to badger me with the cancer threat, I finally agreed to the oopherectomy.

My problems began almost immediately following the surgery with a terrible reaction to the hormone therapy. Since that time the list of compounded and bio-identicals endless, including weight gain of 50 pounds, high blood pressure which caused severe nose bleeds, high chloresterol within one year of surgery, when I had had very low chloresterol up until the surgery, chronic fatigue, chronic depression, headaches, muscle aches, rashes, itching, hair loss (particularly pubic hair), thinning of my skin, memory loss, irritability, mood swings, constant hot flashes which have lasted until the present time despite my taking hormones, worsening of Rheumatoid Arthritis, loss of self-esteem, itching of the skin, brown spots, my fingernails became thin, brittle, and developed vertical ridges, and more.

Worst of all, I cannot get rid of the anger over what the doctor did. Therapists think I’m over reacting, they don’t understand at all. This web site and blog saved my sanity and maybe my life. Please help me.

 
At May 11, 2008 at 11:39 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I found this by accident, like so many others. I have never trusted doctors in general or the way that "medicine" is practiced, particularly obstetrics, and this certainly doesn't encourage me to change my mind any time soon!

But I do have some heartening stories to tell. I am extremely lucky to not have gyn problems *knock on wood*. My mother on the other hand is not so lucky. She's battled lupus most of her adult life and it has attacked her reproductive organs severely. She has endometriosis and fibroids. She hemorrhaged and nearly died a month ago. She may have has a miscarriage, but tests were inconclusive. She is undergoing a DNC tomorrow to have necrotic tissue and tumors (most likely not cancerous but caused by the endometriosis and scar tissue) removed. I was actually searching for information about that procedure when I found this site. Doctors have been telling her for years to get a hysterectomy. Her mother-in-law who had a hysterectomy some years ago tells her to do it. Nurses who claim to have had it done to themselves tell her to do it. They all say, especially because she's 46 and has given birth to 5 children, that she should get a hysterectomy because 1.) she's had all the kids she could want and 2.) she could go through menopause at any time anyway (although, there are no signs that she's even premenopausal yet - women in our family have been known to continue menstruating as late as 60 years of age). But she won't allow a hysterectomy. She knows what it might and likely will do to her if she does. And thank God! I cheer her on in her perseverance. She has stopped seeing doctors and found new ones several times because they've told her she has no other choice but to have it done. She is currently seeing an internist doctor for most of her lupus related issues, in conjunction with a obgyn. Apparently, they both are very understanding. They think she's a little crazy, but they're very willing to respect her wishes, her obgyn in particular. He knows she feels very strongly about it and has never tried to convince her otherwise. I don't know his name (I've never happened to have asked), but the practice is Women's Health Care of Sumter in Sumter, SC. My mother says that at that practice they are doing every thing they can to make sure that she will always have other alternative ways of managing her medical problems so that she can avoid a hysterectomy. Every time she goes in and sees someone new (doctor or nurse), she's said first thing (due to all the doctors and nurses who have insisted it's the "only way" in the past), "Whatever it is this time, I don't want a hysterectomy!" before they even say a word, and every doctor and nurse she's seen has said, pretty much the same thing: "Well, then, you won't have one. There are other things we can do for you to help you feel better and manage this, so let's discuss the possibilities." She also had a ruptured ovarian cyst two years ago which forced her to go to the emergency room at Tuomey Healthcare Center (which is also in Sumter, right next to Women's Health), where she was told she required emergency surgery. The internists and obs who worked on her there promised her that they would do everything they could to avoid a hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy (at the time she went under, they did not know how extensive the damage was because blood in her abdomen was obscuring the ultrasound too much to tell - it was that bad!). After working on her for five hours to clean up the mess, they were successful in that and she made it out of the surgery with everything intact, thank God.

I pray that this kind of attitude, which puts the health and life-long well-being of women before profit or the convenience of doctors, becomes the norm of medical practice very soon.

 
At May 12, 2008 at 12:47 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

It will take passing a law to stop the predator ob/gyn surgeons from attacking women for profit. This is proven by the fact that one-third of the female population in the U.S.A, has had their sex organ amputated by hysterectomy.
Sign the Hers Foundation Petition, to end un-consented hysterectomy by deceit.
Have a lawyer draw up your consent form before having any female surgery, to make sure you leave the operating room and hospital with your sex organs.
Do not forget there is a loop-hole in the current consent form for female surgeries in the U.S.A. The loop-hole is clearly written on all female surgery consent forms. The loop-hole allows surgeons to amputate healthy female sex organs at will for profit, which many do, if you look at the statistics.
Informing women of the "female anatomy", will stop ob/gyn surgeons from robbing women of their health and well-being by deceit for profit.

 
At May 12, 2008 at 6:43 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have already had a total hysterectomy at the age of 29. I need help to feel normal again. What can I do? I want to find an alternative to replace the ovaries and their functions.

 
At May 12, 2008 at 7:02 PM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

Alert! Although you may get an error message when you click "Publish Your Comment" your comment will still be posted.

This problem has been reported to blogger, hopefully they'll have it fixed soon. In the meanwhile, ignore the error message and keep posting!

 
At May 12, 2008 at 7:17 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Do you have any information on teen age hysterectomies; and the physical, mental, emotional affects on the person. I was 17. I’m 22 now. Thank you.

 
At May 12, 2008 at 9:00 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was trying to find out if there are any drugs FDA approved to help women regain their sex drive. I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago and was never informed of the possible adverse effects. My sex life is ruined and I can't live like this anymore. I need serious help. Please help me. I have one ovary.

 
At May 14, 2008 at 4:29 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

For hundreds of years women have used, Cinnamon Oil and Ground Cinnamon, to curtail heavy periods. Read a good herbal healing book for other good female tips.

 
At May 14, 2008 at 4:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The bottom line for any medical treatment is that it is an individual decision based on the medical facts of the INDIVIDUAL case, as well as the INDIVIDUAL woman's tolerance level for symptoms, goals and preferences for her lifestyle. OBJECTIVE factual information from A VARIETY of sources is the best means to evaluate any medical decision. Blanket statements that claim to apply to everyone are nearly always wrong for some. The fact is, for most women's medical issues, studies are limited and information is conflicting, often colored by political motivations on both sides. A responsible medical recommendation cannot be obtained from someone who is wholly committed to a specific agenda. Hysterectomy has a legitimate place as a medical treatment; but embracing or rejecting it outright, without respect to individual differences as well as presenting facts on a website that are, actually, opinions is irresponsible.

 
At May 14, 2008 at 5:57 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Eight years after my total hysterectomy I am still very emotional, irrational at times and very grumpy – uh, very irritable, very very irritable. I have been fatigued for a couple of years. The rest of the symptoms have just recently began. I am ashamed to say I am a nurse because I should know better but I didn’t.

Thank you for doing what you do.

I was 26 yrs. old & my uterus and ovaries were removed because of excessive uterine bleeding. I am embarrassed to say I had no idea, the doctor did not tell me anything at all except that I would be a new woman. He didn’t tell me the new woman wouldn’t be a fraction of the old me. If you’re even thinking about a hysterectomy, think again. And again. And again.

 
At May 14, 2008 at 7:57 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow...this really sheds some light on my questions. I was 17 when I had one of my ovaries removed. I am 38 now and I have noticed over the last several years, I forgot a lot of things. I even forgot my kids names at one point for about 5 minutes. I read something and cannot recall what I read right after reading it, the list goes on and on. Any advice on what type of doctor I should see, this is really becoming annoying.

 
At May 14, 2008 at 8:08 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just recently found your website and it is absolutely wonderful. I underwent a partial Hysterectomy about 2 years ago in January of 2006. They left my ovaries there but took the uterus. Last year, I started experiencing very frightening racing of my heart and fainting. The racing heart got worse and I actually thought I was having a heart attack. I have severe Anxiety disorder which is gradually becoming worse. It was a few months after I had experienced the racing heart rates that I started developing a vertigo. Almost as if waves were under my feet and a sort of balance problem. Now I experience this vertigo on a daily basis and it is very difficult to live with. I am unable to stand for long periods of time or walk much. It feels better to lay down. My doctors cannot figure out what is causing the vertigo and I was wondering if this could be related to the hysterectomy? My doctors had told me that it could be caused by an inner ear problem but I found out that this was not the case. They found nothing wrong with my ears. I have also suffered all my life with migraines and they too have became worse.

I was just wondering if all this could be linked to the hysterectomy and menopause. I am 32 years old. I certainly thank everyone very much for your posts, it is greatly appreciated and I am so happy to have found your wonderful website.

 
At May 14, 2008 at 10:07 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymous of May 14, 2008, 4:32pm

You sound like someone in the medical field, and more specifically, someone who will benefit from hysterectomies.

We hysterectomy victims who post on this site tell our personal experiences, including the fact that we were NOT given the facts by our doctors/surgeons before being given a consent form to sign before surgery. Some of us declared loud and clear we did not want the surgery, and it was given anyway, on the whim of the surgeon….

You do not appear to have read many of the blog posts here because you say:

‘A responsible medical recommendation cannot be obtained from someone who is wholly committed to a specific agenda.’

This blog exists because we victims were not given ‘A RESPONSIBLE medical recommendation’ from our doctors/surgeons. Now that we know the truth, post hysterectomy surgery, we are exposing the facts, and our experiences to the world! Get it???!!!!!!

You have some nerve, saying,

‘Hysterectomy has a legitimate place as a medical treatment; but embracing or rejecting it outright, without respect to individual differences as well as presenting facts on a website that are, actually, opinions is irresponsible’.

My doctor told me as a ‘fact’, all I needed to do was swallow a pill every day for the rest of my life, post surgery, and, in a nutshell, everything else should be as it was before, except I would not be able to have children, and I would no longer experience my monthly periods. How’s that for ‘facts’ , and ‘ responsible medical recommendation …’

Only someone who is benefitting from this cruel mutilation of women could make the irresponsible comments you have.

Smartbutt!!!!!

Time for you to butt out!

 
At May 14, 2008 at 10:30 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous,

To make a decision about a treatment or surgery recommended by a doctor people need full disclosure of information to determine if they have a medical problem, the treatment options, and the known adverse effects. Objective factual information, if complete, cannot come from a variety of sources because the facts are the same from any and all sources, or they are not in fact, facts. Opinion, on the other hand, will vary from person to person and may be based on the individual’s vested interest or a conflict of interest. For instance, a doctor who stands to gain financially or by elevating their status by performing a surgery that increases a hospitals bottom line may have an opinion that is self-serving rather than factual.

The only legitimate hysterectomy is one that is life saving and only if the woman has been fully informed of the adverse effects of the surgery and consents to removal of her uterus. The vast majority of hysterectomies are not life saving, and they are unwarranted and unconsented. Information is requisite to consent.

It is no more a matter of individual differences when removing the female organs than it is when removing the male organs. So you have a discharge from your penis. Do you want children? No? Well, what do you need it for, I’ll cut it off, why be bothered with all that messy discharge. You’ll be a new man, better than ever. Sex? Oh, that will be the same or better. And since you’re 40 years old it’s standard procedure to remove your testicles so that you don’t have to worry about testicular cancer. I’ll give you a little testosterone pill, dear, and you’ll be as good as new or better.

Sound ludicrous? I think so too. Yet that’s what is being told to women in doctor’s offices every day, all over the country. The excellent questions women ask are trivialized, and women are often bullied into surgery.

Another woman’s female organs are removed without her informed consent every minute of every hour of every day in the United States.

The women who post on this blog anonymously do so because their bodies and lives have been damaged and their health destroyed by doctors who did not disclose the information they needed to consent to hysterectomy and female castration. And some of them went into operating rooms for diagnostic procedures and were told that “possible hysterectomy and BSO” was on the consent form in case they found a life-threatening problem, and they were assured their uterus and ovaries would not be removed otherwise. They were lied to. They were hysterectomized and castrated even though a life-threatening condition did not exist. They prefer to remain anonymous because they have suffer the hideous consequences of a mutilating surgery. It does not make a person feel good to say “Hi, I’m Jane, I was hysterectomized and castrated and now I have no sexual feeling, I’m dead in bed. And that’s not all, I have joint pain, I’m in pain if I sit, stand or walk, I can’t sleep, I’m always exhausted, I’ve lost interest in a social and work life, and my vitality is gone. Oh, and did I mention that there’s no uterine orgasm without a uterus and that my poor husband is so sad that this was done to me and that it’s destroyed much of the life we enjoyed together?

If you believe that what you have said is credible please stand behind your words by giving your name.

The objective factual information about hysterectomy that every woman needs is in the video “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs” just before the comment section of this blog. No HERS anatomy video? No consent!

 
At May 14, 2008 at 10:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymous who posted at 4:32 p.m. You are correct that "A responsible medical recommendation cannot be obtained from someone who is wholly committed to a specific agenda." All you have to do is follow the money trail of hysterectomy surgeries for doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to see that there is nothing objective about hysterectomizing and castrating over 600,000 women per year, other than profit. Women are being deceived and bullied into this surgery. It is totally legal for a doctor to amputate a woman's uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and cervix without any medical basis and without her consent. I know this from first-hand experience. There is no law to protect a woman when she is under anesthesia. Informed consent laws are not enforced in the United States. This status quo will only change when there is a law in place to force greedy doctors to give women the correct information when they recommend hysterectomy and castration surgery. The medical community is not working towards saving female organs, they are only coming up with faster and less invasive ways to remove female organs because the faster it is done, the higher the profit margin. I never consented to have my female organs removed, but woke up with my healthy uterus, ovaries, cervix and fallopian tubes amputated. I never knew anything about this surgery until after this was done to me without my permission or consent. I find it mind-boggling that this is allowed to go on in the United States. I thought I lived in a free country where women have rights, but I learned a very difficult lesson. I learned that when women are put under anesthesia for a pelvic surgery, that they have no rights and that doctors can remove all their female organs without consent and without any medical justification. The United States has the highest hysterectomy/castration rate in the world, and even though studies have shown that there is no medical benefit, the yearly quota of over 600,000 hysterectomies continues. Any logical reasonable thinking person can see that there is something very wrong going on. You can see on message boards all over the internet that women generally have no idea why this surgery is recommended. Some are told it's a "mess in there". Some are told "you have a tumor, so it all has to go." Some are told they have a "bulky uterus". Some are told "you have an ovarian mass", so the uterus has to be removed. Doctors are so accustomed to removing female organs with no medical basis, that even though their reasons sound ridiculous, they continue to get away with it. If doctors were amputating kidneys of over 600,000 women per year every year because they had a cyst or a benign tumor that could just be removed, there would be riots, but the medical community treats female organs as if they are throw away and not needed unless the woman wants children. Even when a woman wants children, a greedy doctor will still legally amputate them. Even though there is no hormone replacement therapy that can replace the hormones that ovaries produce, doctors are quick to amputate ovaries and give a woman an estrogen pill. Even though it is totally illogical that a pill would replace the intricate workings of the female ovaries, doctors continue to do it and get away with it. You should be ashamed of yourself for promoting this surgery while ignoring that it is being done to women at alarming rates without their informed consent. The fact is that even when the HERS video becomes mandatory to show patients who are told they need a hysterectomy, it will not stop a woman from getting a hysterectomy or take away her right to do so, it will only give her the information that she deserves to know so she can make an informed decision. Only at that time, will women be given back their rights as U.S. citizens. When un-consented hysterectomy is ended in the Unites States, the HERS Foundation will be out of business, yet that is their goal. The HERS Foundation has no monetary goal like the medical community. The doctors, hospitals and pharmaceuticals will lose a huge income, but their goal isn't to stop something that is wrong, it is their goal to keep the money rolling in even if they have to perform harmful and unethical surgeries. Hysterectomy only has a place when a woman is fully informed of all the possible risks and complications and damage it does to their health. It should be a woman's right to decide, not a doctors decision when he derives most of his income from the surgery (while the woman is under anesthesia). Even the most ethical doctor would be tempted to perform unnecessary surgery when his very income depends upon it. "Healthcare" for women in the U.S. is an oxymoron. There is simply nothing healthy or caring about amputating over 600,000 female organs per year without proven medical benefits and when less invasive alternatives are readily available but are kept secret from women by the doctors they trust.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 1:09 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Everyone,

I read what you posted "Anonymous"
at 4:32 p.m. today. I will respond
to this shortly here.

I do want to shout "Yeah! and good
for all of you who have responded
to this already. All comments are
so well put. Nora, once again, you
show me the caliber of the woman
you are. Bless all for responding
to this. Keep them coming.

I agree, Anonymous who posted at
4:32 p.m.; let us know who you are.
Come out, Come out, whoever you may
be, and I would like to know if you
are a man or a woman. Have you ever had a Hysterectomy?

Well, the women posting here have.
I am one of millions. I was so
mislead by my GYN. I was talked
into a Hyst. when I did not need
one. There are alternatives which were never told to me. There are
horrific consequences to a Hyst. which were never told to me. I now live with a body that is ruined. My life will never be the
same. It is ruined, and to the
opposite of what my GYN said it would be.

If you are a man, I would only give
you credit to voice if you first have your penis cut off, and your testicles removed...then I would listen to you with feeling you are 'walking in our shoes'. If
you are a woman; then have your
uterus removed, and your ovaries
cut out (oh, and make sure it is
an abdominal Hyst. so you can feel
and look at the body scar daily;
then again voice here. Otherwise,
tell us where you conjur up your
thoughts and opinions; because this
is what they are. You do not have
the facts as all the women who have
posted here do. These are facts from women who have personally been through a Hyst., and can state with utmost credibility what is wrong with women being subjected to this insane and inhumane act. I have lived it, have you?

The problem with the Hers Foundation is one thing: All the
hard work and efforts to stop this
deceitful practice by doctors is still not reaching the women who are set up to have a Hyst. now. This is the reason to have what Hers is fighting for; to have a law put into effect so women can view even one short video to understand the consequences of having a Hyst., and this, Anonymous is called being INFORMED.
I was not informed by my doctor. Had I watched this Hers video, I would never had my Hyst., and my life would be so much to the better. "NIGHT AND DAY" better. What is wrong with a woman viewing this video? I know you do not have a valid answer to this as to why not. It could mean the whole medical institution be upset and where will these doctors and hospitals make their easy money?

Also, why don't the doctors and hospitals call it what it is on their consent forms? "I agree to
have my body castrated and amputated for no valid medical basis, and there are alternatives to this surgery. I am agreeing to
this unnecessary surgery." Let's
make sure that is on all Hyst. consent forms because that is exactly what will be happening.

I am a Hyst. victim, and suffering now; have no alternatives; i.e., cannot reverse this surgery, and
will never be the same. I approve
of this message. (Oh, my husband
approves of this also. Our sex
lives are ruined. We once had a fantastic sexual relationship. How dare my doctor tell me it would be the same if not better.)

I could share all that I physically have to suffer with now, but just read all the other blogs, Anonymous at 4:32 p.m., because obviously you have not. These are the facts from women who do not just talk about a Hyst., but have experienced one, and now
live witht the horrible and cruel
aftermath.

Nora, You GO Girl! How dare anyone put down this foundation!

Anonymous at 4:32 p.m. - again, who are you? I tell you if you tell me. I will even happily give you the name of the GYN. who ruined my body.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 2:14 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello again,

I just had to make one more comment with regards to Anonymous's at 4:32 p.m. final words: You wrote, "Hyst. has a legitimate place......as well as presenting facts on a website that are, actually, opinions is irresponsible.

This comment is ridiculous, and once again, you have not read all the posts by people here (including men). Facts have been presented on this website. How much more factual do you want it when you can read all the women who have posted here factually stating what they have 'first-hand' experienced by having a Hyst., and how they were mislead by their doctors?

You don't get it either with what the Hers Foundation is trying to do. They are trying to let women be informed with both sides of the whole picture. Women are not by their doctors. This is what needs to be changed, and changed yesterday. It is like buying a home. A salesman can say, "You must buy this home. It is the only one for you." Well, I would like to know my alternatives before making a decision. Wouldn't you? A home is a very huge investment. Once we sign those papers, we are into this investment for a long time. I only wish having a Hyst. would be like buying a house. At least I can sell a house and get another one. I can't get another uterus...

You sound as if you think the Hers Foundation is one sided. You are the only one with this attitude. To imply Nora and the Hers Foundation wonderful people are irresponsible makes me so angry!

Shame on you for even stating this. I am so thankful if they have saved even one woman from having an unnecessary Hyst. performed on them. My wish is that the word gets out of this Foundation to even more women. I am only sorry I did not have the knowledge of it before my doctor deceivingly pushed me into having mine.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 5:45 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have not read the posts for awhile, and catching up now. I want to comment on Anonymous's blog on May 11th @ 11:39 p.m.:

Bless your mother for being adamant about not having a Hyst., and please tell her to keep with her faith there are alternatives.

From your post, it sounds as if she has been through so much already, but, heaven forbid, she have a Hyst., and faced with even more and worse issues. If she ever questions it; just have her read these posts by other women at this site. I am happy to hear the doctors she does see 'back off' from trying to persuade her to have a Hyst. - darn...a doctor lost out on adding extra income to his bottom line. She has saved putting out extra income for the aftermath of seeing doctors for the problems after a Hyst.

I just touched on a very valid point with women after they have had a Hyst., and what doctors make and profit from this. It is not just what the doctor(s) makes from the Hyst., but all they make from the women who continues to see the doctor because of problems post-hyst.. An example:

I kept seeing my doctor who did my Hyst. for a year. He made extra money from this. Then, I dismissed him and saw three different GYNs to get help for problems after my Hyst., and all profited from this. I paid thousands of dollars. I do have insurance, but think about the Co-pays I made to the doctors, to the hospitals (for CT Scans, ultrasounds, etc.), and I went out of town to see two doctors. That cost me money, e.g., gas, motel rooms, food expenses and such. Everyone profited from my Hyst. except me (and my husband). Oh, and I spent $900.00 to go to the conference in November of this last year to attend the Hers Foundation conference. Don't get me wrong. This was so worth it. It is just that I would never have attended this, had I not had the Hyst., and hoping I could gain help and insight by attending. I did; of course. I barely made it down there. I had a horrible ankle infection at the time, and I suffer with RSD. I could have really hurt myself by just traveling there to Pasadena. I hope everyone understands my point here. The after expenses of a Hyst. should also be figured in with everything. I am not financially well right now. Do you know how great Nora and the people at the Hers Foundation are? They waived my conference fee. It was more important to Nora, and thinking of me to get down there; she did whatever she could to accomodate my financial worries. (My mother and father-in-law helped with the trip expenses also.) I get angry when I think of that trip. I get angry with the GYN who did the Hyst. on me with this trip alone. I could have really jeophardized my leg with the open ankle wound with this trip to Pasadena. When I write my letter to him, I will be sure to mention this. This was my Christmas present and birthday present to do that trip. I could have spent it on my two children. Again, I hope everyone understands my point here. That conference was such an uplifting thing for me. I learned some things I did not know about. I met other women who shared with me, and this made me feel I truly was not alone with my plight. One person I met was just 28, and had a Hyst., and she was devastated she did it. She was so upset at that conference. She felt she was pushed into the Hyst., and she said she cannot have anymore children; which really has hit her emotionally hard to find out she did not need the Hyst., but there is no going back. She really made an impact on me. She does have a five year old son, but truly wanted to have more children. How awful is this for her to find out after her Hyst. there were alternatives for her? I feel I have almost more animosity towards her doctor than my own.

I got some good information from that conference. I had never seen the picture diagram of the nerve
system they provided at the conference. This really got to me; in that, I have RSD. For those of you who don't know what RSD is; it is a nerve disease/syndrome. Here is the sickest part about me and the doctor who did the Hyst. on me...

He knew I had RSD. Why would a doctor do a major surgery on a person with RSD, knowing he would be severing nerves on me, and could further damage me with my disease (which I have been told that is most likely why I do have some of the symptoms I developed after the Hyst. and relative to RSD spreading). Pretty sad, huh?
When I heard this at the conference, I had to get up and walk out for a short time, and cry. Again, this doctor knew this; yet, he continued with doing a Hyst. on me. And then...get this...

I dismissed this doctor, and went to see another GYN. for help after the Hyst., and asked if she would do a Laparscopy on me to check my insides to see what was wrong. She said she would never do a Lap. on me because I have RSD, and could further damage me because of my condition. Now, isn't that amazing this doctor considered my disease, did not want to cause further nerve damage to me, but that doctor who did my Hyst. had no problem doing a much more intensive surgery on me? If that is not a thoughtless, greedy, and inconsiderate doctor, I do not know otherwise.

Well, there I vented. Any out there who do have RSD, and who have considered having a Hyst., do not do it for just this reason alone. Of course; anyone thinking of it should consider the nerves which are severed with this operation. This diagram picture which was provided at the conference should be enough for any woman to not want to have one.
How come doctors don't show these pictures to women who they recommend having a Hyst.? How sad!!!

To all, take care, and good blessings upon you.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 6:35 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hysterectomy is a damaging, dibilitating,destructive surgery for non cancerous conditions. This surgery ages a woman rapidly and prematurely, and is not a natural aging process. Many women loose firmness/strength in their muscles, ligaments and tissues.There skin becomes a problem. They become incontinent. Blood pressure rises. They develop rapid osteoporosis, shrink in height, are at a greater risk for heart attacks and strokes. Many have tinitus, lack of libido, insomnia and depression. There teeth decay rapidly and their eyesite gets worse with floaters or earlier cataracts. The list goes on and on. Hundreds of thousands of women who were formally healthy before hysterectomy become unhealthy rapidly after it. Their life span may be shortened. They spend millions on their health care. If hysterectomy ceased for benign conditions, we would be a wealthier and healthier nation. Stop unnecessary hysterectomy now!

 
At May 15, 2008 at 8:13 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hysterectomy should cease for benign conditions. It is a criminal, barbaric major surgery. Women die from this surgery. Women suffer short term complications from this surgery. Women suffer life long health problems from this surgery. More hysterectomies are performed in the USA than any other country in the world. No wonder we spend more money on our health care per capita than any other country in the world and are less healthy than many other countries! Many women that have hysterectomies suffer health problems the rest of their lives after this major surgery. 90% of hysterectomies are for benign conditions and are unnecessary. Health care expenditures would go way down if hysterectomies ceased for benign conditions. Women would be stonger, healthier, happier and lead more productive lives if they aged naturally and in tact. The 1991 US senate hearing produced a 200 page booklet, "Unnecessary Hysterectomy", which could have saved women from this devastating surgery which causes premature aging and many, many other health problems. Instead, the gynecologists manipulated the research in their favor to justify their bread and butter at the expense of our womanhood. They will never give up this lucrative practice as long as they have a willing, cooperative, worried, frightened woman who has a good insurance policy and has not gotten the proper education/information of the importance of aging intact and naturally or has not been informed of the damage that this surgery can/does cause, long and short term. Women need to value their reproductive organs as men value theirs. A man would never dream of giving up his reproductive organs for benign conditions. Cancer of the uterus is less than 4% and of the ovaries, less that 1/2 of 1 percent. A woman is much more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke. The odds are with women that most women will not get cancer of their reproductive organs. Women need to wake up and value their reproductive organs. Women need to stay away from gynecologists. It is no wonder that their malpractice insurance is so high and that they are going out of business. They should go out of business. Women can see an internist or GP for exams, pap smears etc. Women need to stop worrying and stay away from gynecologists!

 
At May 15, 2008 at 8:21 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymous, who posted on May 14 at 4:32am:

The fact is, the incidence of cancer in the male and female organs is nearly identical. What other "treatment" deserves a "legitimate place" in medicine that is unwarranted 98 times out of a 100? As the surgeon Dieffenback said more than 150 years ago, except in extremely rare life or death situations, "According to my opinion, an indication for this operation does not exist. The attempted extirpation of the womb partakes more of the character of murder tales than of curative surgical operations." All anyone who debates these issues needs is a medical textbook like Te Linde's Operative Gynecology and Netter's anatomical drawings, because the facts of female anatomy that are the same for all women are all that's needed to demonstrate that the information on the HERS website is based in anatomical certainty. I would welcome a public debate with anyone who thinks otherwise.

Sincerely,

Rick Schweikert

 
At May 15, 2008 at 12:21 PM , Blogger anonymous said...

Unfortunately I found the Hers Foundation way to late to help me, but I will not rest until all women are told all the potentially "rare complications" they don't tell you about. I am now 42 years old and had a total abdominal hysterectomy at the age of 39. I have 4 children and had had a tubal ligation after my fourth child. However, years later I started bleeding irregular and went to the doctor's office. He did an endometrial biopsy and called me a few weeks later and said it was fine. I said OK great now what I keep getting my period every 2-3 weeks and the bleeding is getting worse. I was told wow that sucks for you. Not kidding either those were his exact words.
Great, now what. I did suck it up for a month or two, but the bleeding was becoming more frequent and heavier and taking its toll on me. I was working almost full time and taking care of a house and 4 kids and a dog and a husband. I then went for a second opinion to a woman gyno. I figured she would understand a lot better. She took the history, did an exam ordered some blood work and an ultrasound. I did all that and about 2 weeks later she called and said that the uterine lining was extremely thickened and that I should start Provera 10mg for ten days a month for four months, this should take care of it. Okay great atleast I'm not crazy. I did that and by the fourth month I was bleeding continuously for a whole month, none stop with clots. I called her and she said to come in. She did an exam and then said you need a hysterectomy to fix it. Okay anything else available I asked. Well, we could try an endometrial ablation, but it would only bide you a couple of months. Well, you won't get me twice on the operating room table. I asked her what her professional opinion was to do, because honestly I didn't know what to do. She said " you need the hysterectomy to rectify the situation sooner than later" Okay she said she would schedule it and call me. I was scheduled 2 weeks after that visit, for the operation. I went to her a few days before for a pre-op visit. I asked her what the complications were and when I could resume going back to work. I was told 6-8 weeks the most off from work. Complications are: Blood clots, pneumonia, infection, cardiac arrest, hemorraging, and death.
I asked how will my sex life be after. I was told"Better than ever".
"You are young and healthy and don't worry about it everything will be great" That is the biggest bunch of BS I have ever heard.

I had the surgery in September 2004,and my husband and I were told everything went great with no complications. We lived an hour from the hospital. My husband went home later on that night to take care of the kids and get some rest.
15 hours after the hysterectomy, my right kidney shut down and I was in severe pain in my back. I was whisked off for a CT scan to show that my right ureter was damaged during the hysto and I would need to go back into the OR at 2:00 am. My husband was called a drove probably like a crazy man, because we were told they would try and put a stent in, but if they couldn;t do that then I would have to be moved by ambulance to another facility to put in a nephrostomy tube. I didn't even know what that was. Thank God that didn't happen. I was recovering in the hospital and finally my Foley was removed 2 days later and I spent the entire night trying to pee and couldn't. I finally called the nurse to tell her that my bladder is about to burst and I can't go. I was trying for about 5 hours. She said to drink more and she would call the doctor. Gee thanks. I was finally able to go, but just overflowed 1000 cc's after that the nurse finally came back in with another foley to put in, but said oh you could go, good just give it time. I told everyone there that I can't go when I have to go I can only go when its so full it has nowhere else to go but out. The doctor, nurses, and urologist all told me don't worry it can take time and sent me home on a prayer.

Well, I sucked it up all weekend, not able to go unless it was completely full, which was usually only in the morning and then nothing until the next morning or if I was really lucky a few drop here and there. I went back to the doctors for a check up and told her about it and she put a foley in and drained another 250cc's out and told me to keep the foley in until I saw the urologist next week. I went to him the next week and he took out the foley and told me it should be fine now go home and rest call me if you have any problems. Fine, I went home and a few hours later called him and told him I can't go. Just relax and take deep breaths. Hang in there and give it a day or two.
I gave it a day and called him in agony, I can't go. Like I was bothering him he told me to come in and he would check the residual. It was 256cc. Put another foley in for a few days. The back pain was horrible, the foley was horrible. I went back again a few days later and he took it out again only to be put back in again a day later. This went on and on he took the foley out 6 or 7 seven time only to put it back in again. I tried getting another doctor, but noone and I mean noone would see me, because I was " a problem case". After the sixth or seventh time of taking the foley out, the urologist said to leave it in until the stent comes out. Okay, three weeks later the stent was removed, but the ureter collapsed again, so he had to put another one in. I woke up with severe flank pain and the foley still in. I had to stay overnight in the hospital, because the pain was so severe. He came in the next morning and explained about the stent and how it would have to stay in for a few weeks and that the foley would have to stay in until I was off pain meds for 48 hours, because supposedly they affect the bladder. About a week later I got another UTI and just got it in my head that I would get off the meds and get rid of the godforsaken foley. I did that and just to find out I couldn't pee again. I was in tears, what the hell went wrong. I went back and was given the option of another foley, meds, or both. We talked for a while and decided that the foley would be placed again to protect my kidney because the stent was still in and I would be put on meds to try and stimulate the bladder. I took the meds and finally the foley was removed 7-8 weeks after the hysto. The meds were working a little but still had residual left over. Its working don't worry these things take time. It was now December and he decided to take me off the meds and lets see what happens. Well, it all started up again. I went for an IVP and Dec. 13 ten days after stopping the meds and it showed I was retaining again. I had a visit with him and he said yeah but now you were able to go. I told him yeah, but I had to stop 4 times to your office and by the time I got here my bladder was so full it had to release somewhere, he said well you have to learn to relax. I tried to explain to him time and time again that it is not normal to have to pee and than not be able to go. Oh well, give it time. I did that, I gave it another 2 weeks and ended up with the nastiest kidney infection, shaking chills, fever and the worst back pain ever. I called him and went in and he said OK lets put you back on the meds. I was finally getting the picture that I needed to take my health care into my own hands. I think I was brought up with what the doctor says is gold. Well, no more. I insisted on testing to find out what the hell was wrong and then my worst fear came true. We did the testing and it showed nerve and muscle damage. Not sure if it is permanent I was told. Take the meds and we will just watch it. I did that and I was miserable. I was still retaining. Finally, in January 2005, I was taught how to self-cath. Nice huh!!
After a few weeks he wanted to take me off the meds again and see what happens. What the hell am I a guinea pig. No I said. I did alot of research and went to my GP and finally found the most caring, understanding urologist who would take the case on. I went to her and she did some testing first to check the ureter out and make sure that it was open and then the bladder testing again. Thankfully, the ureter is ok, but I still suffer from right flank pain chronically. This I'm told is either due to the bladder pressure, nerve damage, muscle damage, or its chronic ureterectasis, which is my understanding is spasms of the ureter.
March 2005, bladder testing done again and showed a neurogenic bladder. Nerves were completely sheared or burned and never coming back. I had three options: 1. stay of meds forever. ( not an option I didn't tolerated them well and was literally in the bathroom 18-20 times a day and still having to cath. 2. Cath everytime for the rest of my life. ( I don't think so, I absolutely hate it and it makes me angry everytime I have to do it now) 3. Try interstim. These are electronic medical devices implanted that are attached to the sacral nerves to stimulate the bladder and help you go. ( okay let me research that and meet with medtronics and discuss the procedure and device.

I met with medtronic in April 2005, and my husband and I decided to give it a try and see what happens.
I had the trial first for two weeks and then the permanent device inserted. I was a success for a short while. It had to be redone because I took a fall and the wires moved. I was getting electrical jolts from the metal detectors in the stores. I had it redone, and it was somewhat successful I still had to cath, but not as often. This lasted for about a year and the wires moved again and it had to be redone. This time the doctor talked to me about having two devices, one on each side of my buttocks to stimulate both sides of the sacral nerve. Okay we tried the trial first, and then it was successful, so we inserted both devices in June 2006. I was good at first, but quickly waned, we finally figured out that for some reason my body gives off alot of electric energy and with the stores detectors is was causing a malfunction of the devices. So medtronic told me to avoid the detectors at all costs. This sounds easy enough, but let me tell you it is not, the stores are not very receptive about letting you bypass them. The bright side is I have gotten very good at ordering stuff online. I can never have diathermy, or MRI's. I must shut the devices off for Xrays, mammos and other medical procedures. And still get jolts if I move to quick.
As far as my sex life, I really don't have one. I mean we have intercourse, but I have never been able to have an orgasm since the hysto and just have no libido whatsoever. ( I'm still hopeful on that one) I'm trying to figure it out. I still have to cath on average 1-2 a day, but its better than all the time.

The real kicker of all of this is that it is obviously under litigation, but we can't find one single doctor to say that this is malpractice. They say wow that really is terrible but it is just a maloccurrence, she didn't do anything wrong. Are you kidding me?
They say it is a MINOR RARE COMPLICATION that noone tells you about. I can't begin to tell you how angry this makes me. My life, my kids lives and my husbands have forever been changed and I just get OH WELL. I am fighting this until I have nothing left, because if it is a minor complication, than all women should be told,because if I was told I could possibly end up not being able to pee for the rest of my life, and somewhat disabled and in pain almost all the time I never would have done it and I would have just continued to bleed, eventually it would have stopped. I don't even know what my future holds. God forbid, I have a heart attack and need a pacemaker at some point in time. You can't have both the neurostimulators and a pacemaker. So I would have to choose. Or if when I'm old my insurance doesn't cover the operation to redo the devices when the batteries deplete, which could be every 5 years or every 10 years or they don't cover them when they have to be reprogrammed which is 600.00 a pop. Or if I ever need an MRI. Or if the devices have to be removed and for some reason I can't cath myself. I would need a suprapubic catheter. Gee won't that be nice.
If I ever get to trial you can rest assured that I will let my voice be heard and HERS voice be heard and get the video played during the trial.

Lets not give up on this and we have to stop the insanity that is going on with our bodies.

If anyone wants to talk or has had similar experiences with not being able to pee forever after a hysto kindly let me know if there is anything else out there to help. If I can help anyone at all, let me know and will do what I can. Sorry it was so long, it is my first posting and I really want to help women avoid this nonsense if I can.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 3:59 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To the women above who has the horrible urinary damage and side-effects from a damaging hysterectomy.
I have a suggestion for you.
Find a, homeopathic doctor, who is an MD. They do exist but are rare.
I believe a homeopathic doctor could help you.
My insurance covers my homeopathic doctor because he is an MD. But they wouldn't if he wasn't.
I had to drive to the next state to find one, it is worth it. The homeopathic doctor will try to heal you.
I am so sorry you were damaged so severely and that a female gynecologist lied to you, how cruel.
Let us know how you are doing.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 4:15 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am in the middle of a decision due to possible cancer. I have several friends that have had hysterectomys and were miserable until they began a biogenetic hormone therapy. They say they feel almost normal again. Have any of you tried the natural hormone therapies? What were your results?

 
At May 15, 2008 at 5:04 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

HERS Foundation is doing an excellent job informing and educating women about the "truth" concerning Hysterectomies. I only wish I knew about the organization before I had my hysterectomy.
I remember it as if it were yesterday, February 14, 2003. My doctor (a female gynecologist) performed this surgery after discovering benign ovarian cysts growing in glusters the size of quarters on/in my uterus, cevix, and both fallopian tubes. I was given various medications to shrink them, some did, but then grew back the sizes of a Kennedy dollar. Because of this, I was told the best cure was a hysterectomey. My doctor amputated my uterus, cervix, and both fallopian tubes. My ovaries remained intact because as I was told, they weren't as badly affected as the other organs. Yes, I was told I would not have children after the surgery, no periods, and still would experience menopause. I was NEVER told about the other side effects. My doctor only suggested that I seek a therapy group with other women who experienced having a hysterectomy. After my surgery, I was in pain, felt reproductively inadequate, ugly, depressed, and less than desirable. To make matters worst, during my recuperation period I was placed on the maternity/nursery ward. It was as if the doctors and nurses didn't give a damn about how I might feel being on a floor where I had to walk everyday pass the nursery and see those beautiful angels in every color, shape, and size. I could even hear them crying in the nursery each morning and night, and even in their mother's rooms. I saw ballons, flowers, family and friends, and all congratulating the new mothers and their new arrivals.
My life has changed quite a lot since that surgery, I don't really have any regrets in my life but I regret having a hysterectomy. To the HERS Foundation and the may women on this blog, and elsewhere that have lived through a hysterectomy, and still are,
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.-- Dylan Thomas

 
At May 15, 2008 at 7:05 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Possible Cancer is not a disease. Read all of the medically correct information on the Hers Web Site. Listen to the women telling their stories of lost sexuality and health on the Hers blog.
A woman lied to me before extensively and told me the truth after. Women are embarrased by the fact that they can no longer experience a uterine orgasm, they lie to protect their self-image.
No hormone treatment can replace the natural hormones and functions of the uterus and sexuality of a women, they may help, but they don't compare.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 8:42 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To the woman asking if anyone has tried natural (bioidentical) hormone therapies), the answer is yes. Most of us here probably have, but speaking for myself, I have tried compounded bioidentical testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen (estradiol, estriol, and estrone) going on three years now. I have also spent a fortune on supplements, nutritional counseling, homeopathy, etc..and none of it has made a huge difference, although it has helped slightly. I am still on some of the compounded hormones and supplements. I have tried them in troche, cream, sublingual drop, vaginal, and pill forms. Nothing can replace what the ovaries, cervix, and uterus do so automatically and naturally for a woman. The ovaries adjust and compensate for the various stresses and environmental factors in our lives that require more or less hormones to function properly at any given point in time. Hrt is manual and static and generally made for women who still have functioning ovaries but are in natural menopause. The uterus also secretes hormones and chemicals that can not be currently replaced by hrt. Just recently a study involving menstrual blood repairing damaged hearts was successfully conducted. This study discovered that menstrual blood, which comes from the uterus, has important immune cell components that are not present in other blood cells of the human body.

Also keep in mind that if you have a hysterectomy for cancer or "possible" suspected cancer of the reproductive system that very few doctors will be willing to prescribe hormone replacement. As it is you have to pull tooth and nail to find a doctor who will work with you and prescribe bioidentical and compounded hormones, especially progesterone or testosterone. My insurance will not cover most of these and these hormones are not cheap.

Even if I had cancer I would try every other more conservative route first before consenting to this again. As it is now I am at much higher risk for breast cancer with the hormones I am on but without them my osteoporosis would become much worse and I would not be able to function at all (I tried no hormones for three weeks).

 
At May 15, 2008 at 9:37 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymous who posted about the urinary problems:

I did not experience any of this after a hyst., but wanted to post this to say to you, I am so very sorry you have experienced all that you have. You must have a good husband and family who support you; however. What an ordeal! It is so true what you said; in that, we believe our doctors' words to be 'gold'. I have certainly found out differently; as you must feel now too.

There are so many like me and you who post this statement: "I wish I would have known about the Hers Foundation previously." This is why we have to continue to support getting this made law for doctors to be required to have women view "The Video", and consent forms changed with wording. I get so upset about what happened to me, and what I have been through, and live with now. To hear this from so many other women is more ludicrous. It is almost as if we are living still in a dark age. It parallels to back when women were not allowed to vote. It took numbers and voices from women to change this. This is what needs to happen here. I wish this could be remedied tomorrow. It must happen, and the sooner; of course, the better to save anymore women from this criminal action. So, write your congress people, get the word out to friends and family, and share, share, share. We should not be embarrassed to talk about why we have no more libido, why we seem to be "not the same person". We should "SHOUT" it from our 'rooftops'. "I am mad, and I do not want to take it any longer" (to see doctors getting away with this). Do all of you know how badly I want to sit in front of my doctor's office, who performed the Hyst. on me, and talk to every patient of his before anyone walks through his door, to enlighten them? Who knows, maybe I will someday. You may see me on CNN. I will be the one being carted away by police with a poster in hand which states, "No more criminal castration to women! Stop Hysterectomies Now!" I may be put in jail for the very first time in my life, but boy, will I feel great about that, and be smiling all the way, and if one, even one of his patients took heed to my point, and changed her mind about doing this surgery; then I accomplished a great deed...

 
At May 15, 2008 at 9:40 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous who posted at 4:15pm,

If you don't mind my asking, what kind of "possible cancer" does your doctor suspect you might have? What diagnostic tests have been performed to evaluate your condition?

HERS can help you determine if you've had an appropriate evaluation of your symptoms, and if you have not, we can help you obtain the appropriate tests. We can also go over test results with you. To discuss these issues with a HERS counselor please call Irene at HERS at 610.667.7757 or email her at hersfdn@earthlink.net to arrange a telephone appointment.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 9:51 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I JUST HAD A HYSTERECTOMY I AM 33 YEARS OLD. HOW DO THEY DO THE SERGERY AND WHAT MAKES THE HOLE INSIDE? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AFTER? CAN YOU HELP ME I HAD ENDOMTOISS? AND AFTER THEY DID THEY SAID I DID NOT HAVE IT AT ALL!!!!! PLEASE HELP WITH THIS PLEASE.

 
At May 15, 2008 at 11:57 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am 52 years old. I have been experiencing abdominal pain, bloating, digestive, urinary and bowel problems since my hysterectomy. I no longer trust my gynecologist. He perforated my bladder during the surgery which resulted in a 6 ½ hour surgery by a urologist. I desperately need a doctor that understands my complaints, but I haven’t found one. Can you please help me?

 
At May 16, 2008 at 12:05 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Everyone,

I would like to know if anyone out there has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia which may have come about from having a Hyst., and if so has anyone ever heard of taking Mirapex, and done so? I posted previously that my PCP thinks I have Fibromyalgia, and sent me to a specialist for this. This doctor has prescribed Xanax, which I said I did not like at all; so he now wants me to try Mirapex.

I would appreciate it so much if anyone can share with me about this, and also anyone who has been told they have Fibromyalgia stemming from a Hyst.

Blessings to Everyone.

P.S. Great post, Rick. You provided some excellent points. I would love for you to debate 'Anonymous at 4:32 p.m.'. It is interesting to me, we have not seen any feedback from him/her. I gather the people here who responded to that post, enlightened him/her, and found he/she was the only one with irresponsible opinions/thoughts...

 
At May 16, 2008 at 12:09 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I found this information in regard to spaying female dogs. Since they know this about dogs, why are they still doing it to human females?

• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
• increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by
a factor of >5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many
associated health problems
• causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs
spayed before puberty
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

 
At May 16, 2008 at 12:23 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I suggest no female undergo a hysterectomy unless her life depends on it. Three years ago, my total hysterectomy (due to fibroid) left me emotionally and physically devestated. Within 3 months of surgery, my hair and skin severly dried. Sleep was sporatic and sex was immpossible due to no desire, dryness, and no sensation. Within 6 months, I had severe joint pain, intestinal and bowel problems and weight gain. By the end of year one, I developed both arthritis and osteoporosis. I had to leave my job and now can barely work parttime. I am too fatigued for interest in anything. My skin is sallow, severly wrinkled, and I look 15 years older than I am (50). It's now year three and I'm barely able to walk - the bone pain is so severe. My scalp is nearly visable due to hair loss - yet I grow facial hair at a rapid pace.


No female should endure this suffering.

 
At May 16, 2008 at 5:52 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

In the last year and a half since I was castrated and hysterectomized against my will and without my consent, I have experienced joint pain, dry skin, urinary incontinence, bowel urgency, increased skin ailments, lower abdominal pain, bloating, protrusion on the left side of my stomach with pain, post traumatic stress, anxiety, muscle weakness, extreme fatigue, severe hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia. I cannot become sexually aroused and only have feeling on one side of my clitoris. When and if I can actually have an orgasm, it is over quickly and it has considerably diminished (I only have about 30% of the feeling I used to have). I often get sharp pains in my vagina. I never could have imagined such damage when I was an intact woman. The horrible effect that it has had on my sexuality is indescribable. I could never have imagined how it would feel to not be able to become aroused or have orgasms. It has been a nightmare and sheer torture to learn that women with no ovaries or uterus have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, sexual dysfunction, dementia and Parkinson's disease, and many other health problems. How can they keep doing this to women without telling them the basic truth?

 
At May 16, 2008 at 6:31 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To CT and Jill who just posted:

I can relate and have so many of the same symptoms you have spoken of. Why can we not be heard? If so many women have these problems after a hyst., how can this continue to happen? Thanks for sharing the post regarding the spaying of female dogs, CT. I have been posting of recent because of the "Anonymous at 4:32 p.m." (I call it), but also to ask a few questions, and just reading the recent posts, as from you both, just gets me so angry. It is an awful thing to say to someone, good to hear you feel the same. but the points I make are two: One is it is not in our minds; not with all the women who post here, and Two is if we continue to speak up; someone will have to listen to our cries. I do mean by stating, "good to hear" is
that I don't feel alone. My symptoms are not restricted to just myself, and I can go to any doctor and state this.

I had an ultrasound done this morning on my upper abdominal area. The doctor felt he saw some higher level in blood work just done which sparked having the ultrasound. I said, "If you are questioning anything with my bladder, kidneys, gall bladder, and/or liver; could this stem from my hyst.? He said "No". I wonder about this, and would appreciate any feedback regarding any of you having problems with these organs after a Hyst.

Now, I certainly know a lot have had major problems with their bladder and urinary tract, but would love to hear from anyone about this and other organs.

I will dearly love any and all replies.

Have a great weekend everyone.

 
At May 16, 2008 at 7:33 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous of May 14th 4:32pm

You suggest this HERS website is acting irresponsibly because you say they are presenting as facts, what you say are actually ‘opinions’.

You also say,
‘…OBJECTIVE factual information from A VARIETY of sources is the best means to evaluate any medical decision…’

As you appear to be well acquainted with the medical field, please let us hysterectomy victims know where the medical profession get their ‘OBJECTIVE factual information’ (which they convey to women who seek their professional help) by telling us victims before hyst. surgery that,

1)
‘sex will be better than ever after the surgery!’

2)
‘just take some estrogen replacement, or possible combination of hormone replacement, and that will get rid of any of the possible after effects.’

SUGGESTION:
Any woman being touted this nonsense by her doctor before surgery should ask her doctor for the necessary ‘OBJECTIVE factual information’ to substantiate these ‘facts’ being given to her. Even more important, ask the doctor why so many women posting to this HERS blog feel so very different after these sex-organ surgeries than they were told by their doctors, they would feel.

I would sooner believe the personal experience of several women who have lived through these sex-organ surgeries, than listen ONLY to some male or female doctor who has only read books on the subject. What can a male doctor possibly know about this subject other than what he has read and heard and is now repeating to you, his patient????!!!!

A medical license does not come with an automatic guarantee of compassion, honesty and integrity.
BUYER BEWARE!

Too many of these medical license holders ignore all the natural cures for cancer and continue to use the cancer scare tactic to rush their prospective (‘ching! ching!) hysterectomy patients into surgery. They peddle pills for all ills and wonder why each pill prescribed needs another pill to counter the side effects of the previous pill.

I am totally convinced that the many and varied hormones prescribed for me by my doctors during the 2 years leading up to my castration and hysterectomy surgeries at age 24 was the CAUSE of my developing a sudden Ovarian Cyst. They were treating an irregular-monthly period syndrome. Bingo! Not one of these bozos made the connection of their botched treatment of my simple health concern, which led to their recommendation for radical, major surgery at age 24, to an otherwise previously healthy person!

Too many hyst surgeries are recommended by doctors after they have spent several years treating all sorts of simple ills, with pills. Had their treatment been successful, surgery would/should NOT have been necessary. How can a doctor claim to have successfully treated a patient, when the end result is surgery???!!! Hello!
BUYER BEWARE!

I am a true believer in the Alternative health treatments available in preference to putting my trust in these legally licensed ‘pill pushers’ for the huge Drug companies.
BUYER BEWARE!

Thanks Rick for a great post. Very informative. Good luck with your invitation to a PUBLIC debate on this topic. I am all ears.

 
At May 16, 2008 at 9:20 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is no gynecologist who will publicly debate this issue, and we all know why.

 
At May 16, 2008 at 11:22 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had my hysterectomy in July due to an unidentified tumor. Since then I have had frequency in urination, minor incontinence, undescribable bowel issues, pain with intercourse and complete numbness in the abdomianl region. I know other women that have had hysterctomies and they said/say it will go away, well almost a year later I still have these issues. Who do I follow up with?
What recourse do I have, if any? My doctor says she’s never heard this before. Well thanks to all of you I know that’s not true. I think other women told her but she wasn’t listening!

 
At May 17, 2008 at 12:47 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gynecologists know what they are doing to women, but will never admit it because hysterectomy is the gold mine of gynecology. Please take a few minutes of your time and read the following.

My father was an eye, ear nose and throat doctor, not a gynecologist, thank God. I have his medical school textbook, "Clinical Endocrinology of the Female" by Mazer-Goldstein, July 1932, published by W.B.Saunders Company.

Here are a few excerpts which are horrific.

Introducition: Pg. 11 P.3 " The outline of this volume closely follows in sequential order the functional phases of the human female-puberty, menstraution, pregancy, lactation and menopause. These physiologic phases are mainly governed by the development, and later decline of ovarian function, which is, in turn, controlled by fluctuations in function of the anterior pituitary lobe AND OTHER RELATED GLANDS OF INTERNAL SECRETION". The purpose of the book is "to describe first the structures and actions of the internal secretory glands individually and collectively before taking up the consideration of the NORMAL AND DISTORTED PAHSES OF THE WOMAN'S SEX LIFE".

General considerations: Pg.17 P3: "THE SOMATIC AND PSYCHIC PHENOMENA FOLLOWING CASTRATION OF HUMEN MALES, PRACTICED BY ORIENTAL MONARCHS ON THE SUBJECTS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO GUARD THEIR HAREMS, WERE KNOWN FOR CENTURIES."

(Castrated women are no better off than these poor eunuchs. We need to be aware that our nervous systems have been shot by taking away our precious reproductive organs that have given us so much. God gave them to us and the gynecologist takes them away. Do they think they are God? They know full well what this does to us. The proof is right here in one of their medical school text books!!!!!)

The text book goes on to talk about the interplay of the hormonal systems and the human female Nazi-like experiments, only these were done before WWII. Read on.

Pg. 18: P2 "The first experiment in human endocrine surgery was made by Robeert Baltey, in 1872, who removed healthy ovaries for the relief of neurosis in nonmenstruating women"

Pg. 18 and 19: P.5: "Though the endocrine glands are intimately connected with the vegetative nervous system, Cannon and Riddle have proved that the gonads can exert their influence independently of nervous control. Clinical observation, however, shows the tremendous psychical influence of the central nervous system upon the gonads."

P.19: P.3 : "The products of the endocrine glands are either synergistic or antagonistic in action to one another. An excessive or diminished function of one gland almost invariably affects the structure and function of one or several in the endocrine glandular chain. For example, the anterior pituitary body, the ovaries, the thyroid gland and the adrenals are decidedly synergistic in their action: the oxytocic principle of the posterior pituitary gland is antagonistic to the lutein hormone of the ovary and to insulin."

(AS ONE CAN SEE, THE HORMONAL SYSTEM IS VERY COMPLICATED. WHEN WOMEN HAVE PANIC ATTACKS AFTER HYSTERECTOMY, FAINT, ETC., AND THE DOCTOR TELLS THEM TO SEE A PSYCHIATRIST, IT IS A FARCE. THEY KNOW DAMN WELL THAT OUR BODIES ARE IN SHOCK: OUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS HAVE CHANGED, OUR CORTISOL, INSULIN, THYROID, WE NO LONGER HAVE THE SYNERGISTIC PLAY OF OUR HORMONES, ETC. THEY ARE ALL SCREWED UP FROM THIS RADICAL, SUDDEN,SHOCKING, ABNORMAL, INHUMANE, UNNATURAL CHANGE. THE GALL OF THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY TO INFLICT THIS HORROR ON US AND GET PAID FOR IT NO LESS! IT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SINS ON EARTH.

Now for the atrocity experiments:

Chapter 1: Pg.29 P.2 "Methods of the Physiology of the Mature Ovary.-Our knowledge of the female gonads was obtained through many years of earnest endeavor on the part of clinical and experimental investigators. As a result of numerous castration, transplantation, and ablation experiments, and the injection of potent ovarian extacts, valuable date were accumutaed concerning the minute physiology of the ovary.

Pg.29 and 30 #1. Castration: There is no authentic record of the effect of extripation of the ovaries in the human female before or shorlty after the age of puberty. (NOW ISN'T THAT JUST TOO BAD-GRRRR). In young adults, bilateral oopherectomy was, until recently performed frequently(HORRIBLE THAT IT WAS DONE THEN, BUT THE FACT IS,IT STILL IS BEING DONE!) by gynecologists. The most prominent EFFECTS OF THIS OPERATION ARE THE CESSATION OF MENSTRUATION, AND ATROPHY OF THE UTERUS, VAGINA, CLITORIS AND BREASTS. (I might add the entire body atrophys, turning to sagging, aging, cellulite no matter how thin! The ligaments turn soft and weak). In certain instances, the latter organs actually increase in size due to the obesity which often follows the operation. In the female libido is usually not influenced, in fact, it is accasionally even accentuated.(Some joke! What about the eunuchs of the Chinese monarchs????? Are castrated women any different?????).IN ADDITION, THERE IS A TRAIN OF SYMPTOMS INDICATING HYPEREXCITABILITY OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM. The basal metabolisim is appreciably lower."(thus weight gain.)

(This is the worst, and there is much more that I will not go into.)

Pg. 30 P.2 Transplantation of ovarian tissue in HUMAN BEINGS....HAS RESULTED IN ADVANCING OUR KNOWLEDGE VERY MUCH IN THE ENDOCRINOLOGY FIELD. GRIGORIEFF IN 1897 RECORDED 2 CASES IN WHICH THE OVARIES WERE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSPLANTED FROM ONE WOMAN TO ANOTHER. THOREK RECNTLY REPORTED SUCCESSFUL TRANPLANTATION OF OVARIAN TISSUE FROM THE HUMAN FEMALE INTO THE CASTRATED MONKEY." (Can anyone imagine doing this with a healthy ovary? I wonder what the hospitals do with our healthy ovaries at present? Do you think they extract the eggs and sell them to fertility clincs? Is there a black market for them? Is there a transplant hot line or egg clinic hot line? It boggles the mind.)

(Did the Nazis get their ideas for removing women's ovaries and transplanting them into monkeys, rats, or whatever from experiments as the ones I mentioned above? The book does not say what country these experiments have been conducted in, but one can assume that plenty have been done in the USA.

The former chapter goes on to talk about implanting human female ovarian tissue in rats.

I think most people are more concerned aobut animal rights than human female animals that are being hysterectomized and castrated every day by the hundreds. This is truly a sin. It is a moral and human rights issue. All religions should speak out against it. The Catholic religion is against birth control. Why don't they condemn this surgery, 98% of which are unnecessary? You would think they would consider this the greatest crime of birth control or abortion.

For centuries, the medical industry has been fascinated with human female reproductive organs and our intricate hormonal systems which are a miracle of nature and the most sophisticated in the animal kingdom. Why don't they leave us alone and stop these experiments, studies, inventing all sorts of damaging surgeries, endometrial ablations, endometrial resections,fibriod embolizations, having collusion and conspiracy with pharmaceutical companies(For example, printing patient propoganda pamphlets about hysterectomy and interjecting in the pamphlet: "women who have had hysterectomies do not need to worry about getting cancer of the uterus if they take estrogen) etc. etc. etc.

To all women out there, be aware of what is going on. We live in a capitolistic country/society where everyone is vying for the female expenditures/dollar. Don't expend your reproductive organs plus pay for it with insurance but mostly pay for it by sacrificing your woman hood! Buyer be ware!

 
At May 17, 2008 at 12:51 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Orgasms are gone now bluntly stopped and no sexual fullfillment because the skin is so damaged and my sex organ is gone. I have not enjoyed one day of my life since this was done to me. I am in serious pain in my crotch and I feel like dying.
I am very tired, all of the correct medical information is evident and in print in this country. We are not bitches, look at what it is doing to the bitches. I think the doctors who are doing this to women laugh about it, they are very brainsick for counting their money while they blatently attack women and ruin their bodies by deceit like it is a sport/hysterectomy/torture.
The entire practice of gynecologist doctors responsible for my maiming are mentally unstable to the point of mutilation by deceit.
We have blown their cover, but it continues. Those who are covering each other's professional status, the medical facts are clearly available and we have found them. It is not a mystery that amputating a persons sex organs causes physical and sexual dysfunction it is a medical fact.

 
At May 17, 2008 at 12:58 AM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1210901106123140.xml&coll=7&thispage=2
The artist’s rendering tells all. A pair of shoes, a cane, wire-rimmed eyeglasses. Ashbel S. Green, a writer at the Oregonian, reports that a 45 year old woman was seen jumping off the bridge. The cane sends a chill up the spine of everyone familiar with the destructive nature of hysterectomy. We know the story before we set eyes on the words.

There was nothing left to identify her but DNA, a body-briefer, a pelvis emptied of female organs.

The time line that night advances important clues:

Nov. 17, 2001 Barbara Schmunk attends a function with her
husband, David. A photographer snaps a picture of them. This
picture is later given to the detective.

Nov. 17, 2001 Barbara Schmunk
disappears. Her husband calls 9-1-1 to
report his wife missing.

8:30 p.m. Nov. 17, 2001 An eyewitness sees a woman jump off the Ross
Island Bridge and calls 9-1-1. Emergency response teams search the river but
the woman is not found.


Perhaps the strain of a social function, a heroic attempt at normalcy, was more than she could bear. Attempting to girdle in the typical post-hysterectomy pounds, the need for a cane to navigate, loss of sexual feeling and sexuality, loss of ability to make small talk and socialize, back pain, leg pain, foot pain, fibroisitis, and fibromyalgia, loss of short term memory, and profound fatigue are a few of the typical experiences of women whose female organs were taken from them, unaware.

There need not be another girl who grows up to be hysterectomized. Be part of the solution, take action now.

Join women and men everywhere who are signing this petition to put female anatomy information into hysterectomy informed consent. Support HERS Anatomy Video Education (HAVE) Law by signing the petition:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saynotilyouknow/

No HERS anatomy video? No consent!

 
At May 17, 2008 at 9:31 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

to 05-14 4:32p anonymous, your failed attempt to grab the higher moral ground leaves me pondering who exactly it is that you are trying to fool. You argue that hysterectomy may be medically required. HERS has never said that there are not cases where it is medically required--only that 98% of the time, a hysterectomy is not medically required.
As for hysterectomy's being an individual decision, again HERS has never said that it wasn't. What HERS has said is that the playing field must be leveled. Let the patient know what the physician knows. Let patients see the HERS video.
(sigh)I've known HERS for too long a time now. In all that time, I've never known HERS to advance anything but careful consideration for the rights and equality of all. Turns out, actually taking the higher moral ground has proven to be a position of strength.

Whereas your vain attempt makes a mockery of medical necessity and a sham of individual decision-- all the while robbing humanity of human dignity. That is quite the concept, isn't it? That you cannot take human dignity from someone else without losing a like measure yourself. Your remark relegating true life experiences as mere opinion bears evidence only to your own moral bankruptcy.

I'll take my thoughts one step further. Compassion cannot reside without human dignity for its' cradle. Today's medical community has largely lost both a long time ago.

 
At May 17, 2008 at 3:38 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymous who copied from her father's medical book. Great information, thank you for posting it. Yes, they know what they are doing to women, that's why they won't openly debate it. It would be the end of their cash cow. They are cowardly criminals who terrorize and mutilate women for profit.

 
At May 17, 2008 at 11:23 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The inability to lose weight is having a tremendus effect on my willpower to do so. Please, is there anything I can do to make this process a little easier? I was told that it will take years to be able to lose weight again after having a hysterectomy, is this true? I really need some kind of answers or help. Thank you.

 
At May 17, 2008 at 11:47 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

What have you tried to lose weight after the hysterectomy? How much weight did you gain?

 
At May 18, 2008 at 12:14 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm embarrassed to tell you but I gained 30 lbs. I tried everything, weight watchers, South Beach diet, Jenny Craig...a few others.

I hardly even eat and I'm gaining.

Very frustrated.

 
At May 18, 2008 at 12:54 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Have you tried,
natural radiance natural progesterone creme plus herbs, transdermally?.
What hormones have you tried?

 
At May 18, 2008 at 2:39 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have been reading some of these heart breaking stories of my fellow sisters and my heart bleeds for all of you. Thank you all for sharing your stories, and responding so eloquently to the Dr. that posted his/her lousy comments on May 14 at 4:28 pm.

This blog is really a wonderful resource for networking and also, hopefully, for saving some of our fellow sisters from meeting the same, horrible fate we have met. I am so happy when I save a woman from this debiltating, criminal surgery.

I was victimized 17 years ago when I was 51 years old and had not stopped my periods which were regular and normnal. The surgery, performed by a female gyne, was supposedly for fibroids. I did have a large fibroid uterus, but if only I had waited. When I asked my Dr. if they would shrink, she was doom and gloom, and shook her head from right to left, and said, "there is no way of knowing". My female gyne had a hysterectomy and used herself as an example for talking her paitients into having one. I heard latter from one of her patients that she had said to her " What are you afraid of, I have had one". So she used this tactic to sell her trade. I think she was jealous of all her young, thin beautiful patients. She had once been young and beautiful as I had known her for many years. Ond day I went into her office, and said, my, is this the same woman? She had gotten terribly heavy and was no longer pretty at all and so aged. I see so many women her age that are still beautiful. It is obvious to me which women have been hysterectomized. I can usually tell just by looking at women who has and hasn't had a hysterectomy. When I had the panic attacks, fainting spells(nervous breakdown) etc. 6 weeks after the surgery, she passed me off to the shrink, and said she never heard of anyone having problems like this(as I now know that all gynes say this). She also said my uterus was so big, she was afraid I had sarcoma(!) -the rarest form of uterine cancer.

With Nora's wonderful help and attending conferences, reading books, attending National Institutes of Health Conferences(a waste of time but learned what the medical industry does to promote the surgery with their atrocious studies slanted in their favor), I put the pieces of the puzzle together and realized what had hit me and why: I had been under life's stresse which had built up over a life time and did not realize that I was experiencing burn out and some premenopausal psychological changes which women need to be aware of at this age, especially. I now believe in the mind body connection and psychosomatic symptoms. However, before the surgery I did not realize this, the gynecologist scared me, played on my worries and hypochondriasis, and before I knew it, my mid life crisis was taken out on my uterus and ovaries. I have now lived with my changed life for 17 years and fortunately, I am still alive with no serious physical crippling effects-but I am emotionally crippled. My worst problems are insomnia, severe skin problems from cancer to benign tumors to red patches and keritosis(formerly peaches and cream complexion) boarderline osteoporosis, stress incontinence and leakeage, rapidly decaying teeth(although I have good teeth hygiene), and the premature aging due to the loss of collagen. I am very weak in my ligaments and had a shoulder problem for a year. So far, no broken bones, and I am holding my breath. My blood pressure has shot up, BH(before hysterectomy) it never changed and was very low. My hair is very thin and greying(BH had no grey hair) and I have floaters in my eyes and am am developing cataracts. BH my eyes were fine although I did wear glasses. I have become less sociable. I have constant tinitus(ringing in the ears). And of course, I have no libido, but do find that a massage wand helps. I took various estrogens after the surgery for a few years off and on, but they did nothing for me. 6 weeks after the surgery I had a nervous breakdown. I slept 3 hours a night for 6 weeks. I was suffering from post hysterectomy and permanent physical damage syndrome. I was a wreck, and could not eat. I had no saliva. I was detached. It was just horrible. I did not know what had hit me. I always had such energy and accomplished so much.
The hysterectomy was the straw that broke the camels back! I took some antidepressants and tranquillizers for a short time and finally got back on my feet after about 6 months. Now when I can't sleep, I take a minimal dose of Klonopin, a benzodiazapene which is in the same family as vallium and zanex. It has a longer half life and stays in the body longer and helps me to stay asleep longer. Now I only take a very small amount of Klonopin if I am nervous and can't sleep. I always hated pills, and was petrified to take them after the surgery when I was having the nervous breakdown.

Yoga and exercise help a lot. I did yoga for 10 years. Now I am doing weights and some exercises to build up my body, but it is a struggle. Walking is very good to if you are able to push yourself to do this.

To the woman that has a lump on your incision on the right side, I hope that is better. Did you go to the Doctor? Maybe it was a stitch that got infected? I had staples and don't know if they even use stiches anymore.

For the woman that has nerve damage to her bladder, that is one of the worst stories I have ever heard and I am so sorry you have had to endure this horrible outcome. I hope you win your law suit. There is a good lawyer in New York city that Nora knows. Maybe she can help you find a good mal practice lawyer where you are located.

There are so many horror stories out there. In the overall picture, I can not complain.

I appreciate the comments on collagen/estrogen. That explains the rapid aging. Before the surgery at 51, I looked so young for my age. It is hard to recognize me now, 17 years latter.

For those of you out there that are suffering, I hope with time that it will get better. It is a bitter adjustment. Women endure so much. The medical industry's inhumanity to women is beyond comprehension. Young women need to be educated in women's studies programs in universities. If you can go to your local universites, and meet with women's study program heads, perhaps you can make a difference. Nora's patient education DVD should be distributed to every university/college in the country. You can make a difference, like women getting the vote. Let us stand up in any way that we can for human female sexual rights and pray that change will take place soon and save our daughter's, sister's and future generation from this plunder of women's reproductive organs.

 
At May 18, 2008 at 7:17 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you so much all women here who are speaken out.
I posted already some times and I often read the comments here and so many women are thinking at the same way than I do- I too experience a lot of all these horrible consequences for the body and the soul.

One of the hardest things for me is to realize what they have REALLY done to me and that all this is LEGAL!

I am writing from Europe and since my surgery I don't feel well in my home country- I have lost all my confidence to the government and health providers- They don't do anything to protect women against this barbaric procedures!

I feel homeless now!

rosa

 
At May 18, 2008 at 8:01 AM , Blogger RareSong said...

I wrote my feelings below as a story. After reading several of the blogs posted here I know for certain I DO NOT WANT female castration . . . if anyone has suggestions for someone on a county medical program who needs to find another doctor please let me know. I'm limited by financial resources. The doctor told me one week ago that I need to have a hysterectomy or be miserable with my very large tumors which will eventually cause death. He said a hysterectomy was my ONLY choice. I'm 37 years old and I have no children (yes I still want them). I live in Fontana, CA and I don't know what to do. I have an appointment with the doctor on Thurs. and he said I must decide by then . . . PLEASE HELP if you can.

May 6, 2008 11am



“I’m sorry. I know you do not want to hear this but, we are recommending that you have a hysterectomy (a removal of my uterus).”



The doctor seemed to almost whisper her medical advice, but I heard her loud and clear. Two weeks earlier I had explained to her that I still wanted to have children, even though I was suffering from symptoms of fibroid tumors. Our discussion today was suppose to be about the different options I had for treatment, but it sounded like she was only offering me one.



I didn’t understand why, but I felt embarrassed by the tear that escaped from my eye which was followed by others. I tried to speak but I seemed to have lost my voice . . . how could I, a poet, lose my voice? The room was silent for moments and all we could do was look at each other.



“I’m going to go and get one of our gynecologists so he can give you his professional opinion as well.” As I watched her leave the room my mind became tormented with “I don’t want” thoughts . . .
I don’t want to lose a part the part of my body that can sustain life . . .
I don’t want them to cut me . . .
I don’t want the choice of having a baby taken away . . .
I don’t want to give up hope . . .
But yet a part of me did at that moment . . . a part of me was losing hope as I whisper to God, “why?”



Minutes later another doctor entered the room and introduced himself as he asked me to lie down so he could feel my stomach. He felt around the large mass inside as he began spouting off reasons I certainly needed a hysterectomy and I heard him in pieces . . . “I had multiple fibroids . . . one was extremely large . . . I could lose too much blood if they tried to remove the tumors and they wouldn’t be able to get them all, my uterus would be so damaged I wouldn’t be able to have children anyway . . . it would be too difficult to repair afterward . . .”



He showed me how they would cut me and I was horrified as he made a vertical line that started just below my breasts down to my naval, basically indicating I would be cut in half. When I asked why the cut would be so long, he looked at me with slight irritation as he explained again that the tumor inside of me was very large and they couldn’t get something large out of a small surgical cut.



I tried to remain attentive as he continued explaining why my only option was the removal of my uterus . . . he even called it a “dumb organ” that really is only needed for reproduction and my chances of having a child at “my age” were almost gone anyway because I’ve been cycling so long that I don’t have many eggs left. Okay . . . maybe he didn’t use those exact words, but that’s what I was hearing.



My initial doctor seemed to notice I was upset and they both agreed I should get a second opinion. She gave me a sympathetic look and encouraged me to meet with their fertility doctor (who I have an appointment with in the morning). I ended my appointment and walked out of the office/hospital no longer caring that others could see me cry. My heart was exploding with horrific emotions and the releasing of my tears was the only reason I was able to keep from screaming.



I got in my car and started to drive. Instantly I decided that I couldn’t return home where I would be alone until my roommates arrived. I needed some time on the road. I yearned to see my mother. I began to cry even more and pray. I kept driving pass my residence and one hour later found myself parked in my brother’s driveway.



My mom was surprised to see me, but also happy and seeing her smile (especially after she recently suffered from a stroke) made me feel better instantly. However, her smile soon turned into a look of concern because my mother knows me well, she knew something was wrong. I explained what happened earlier at the doctors and she began to preach. Didn’t I know how powerful God is? Didn’t I teach her not to trust in man, but in God? Didn’t I believe in miracles? My pastor and mentor who lives in Colorado had prayed for me earlier as well . . . one of healing and talked about having faith for a miracle as well.



I knew they were talking right, but at that moment I couldn’t receive it. I was angry. My stomach was all poked out and hard like a woman who is seven months pregnant. I didn’t have medical insurance (but was on a county medical program for single women), wasn’t working full time because pain kept me away from work too many days (you can only take so many sick days) and my ministry basically stopped because of my medical condition as well. By now I was suppose to be working on my TV show and finishing up my project as I wrote dozens of additional poems . . .



I felt all the good things in my life stopped because of the fibroids and although I didn’t want to lose my uterus, what other choice did I have? At least that was what the doctor was telling me . . . that I had no other choices. I wanted my life back but was that the price I had to pay?

 
At May 18, 2008 at 1:43 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

to rare song, thanks for sharing your classic story of how these doctors lie and deceive women. You definitely need to find another doctor. Your doctors are clearly only skilled at amputating a uterus, not removing fibroid tumors. Like most of these doctors, they are deceiving you by telling you that you "need" a hysterectomy. Hysterectomy is an elective surgery. Women who have found out later that they did not "need" a hysterectomy are then told by their doctors that they could have refused if they wanted to, that no one made them do it. Yet your story clearly shows how these doctors manipulate and pressure women with scare tactics telling them they HAVE to HAVE a hysterectomy. I'm so sorry for what you are going through right now with this and the financial issues, but you need to run far away from any doctor that tells you that you need a hysterectomy. I've never heard of a fibroid tumor killing anyone, but 500-1000 women die per year because of hysterectomy complications. I hope someone can help you find the help that you need.

 
At May 18, 2008 at 1:57 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is a lot of information on the internet describing natural menopause together with surgical menopause which is completely inaccurate. Surgical menopause is not natural and the effects are far more extreme. I was not having menopausal symptoms before I was castrated, but now I have continuous hot flashes where I am dripping with sweat and I wake up in a pool of water. I was so soaking wet when I woke up today that my sheets had water spots all over them, and there was a big soaking wet circle on the sheet underneath me which looked like someone dumped a cup of water in my bed. My pillow was wet and my hair was soaking wet stuck to my face and my neck. I actually need to have a towel on my bed so I can dry myself because I wake up soaked almost every day. I have to change my clothes quite often because I am dripping with sweat. Castration has caused me miserable and severe hot flashes and night sweats. For about eight months I took estrogen and it did not help, but instead gave me severe neck and head pain which forced me to stop taking it. And even though I thought the hot flashes and horrible sweats couldn't get worse, they became even worse. It is mind boggling how a doctor can amputate a woman's healthy organs and then hand her an estrogen pill as if that fixes the damage they just did. It's completely insane.

 
At May 18, 2008 at 6:42 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is it that these licensed amateurs don’t tell their (‘Ching! Ching!) prospective hysterectomy patients to visit a Health Food Store and browse among the large assortment of autobiographical books written by people who have actually recovered from cancer and just about all the other major illnesses, diseases etc. ???????

I have personally encountered people who have shared their personal recovery experiences with me.

One possible source is through the Hallelujah Acres website where the Christian Minister, George Malkmus shares his own Colon Cancer recovery story. He has an online website ARCHIVE full of personal testimonies from many of his readers.

Many authors of these ‘self-healing’ books, invite contact with their readers. You are then able to share first-hand information, with someone who has gone through the healing process of a specific health issue. I personally value this type of information very highly.

Many of these ‘self-healing’ authors mention they were diagnosed and told they needed to have one or more of their body parts removed and others were told they needed Radiation and or Chemotherapy treatments etc. etc. When many of these authors carefully investigated and evaluated their Alternative health-care options (beyond their licensed amateur’s office), they often found healing by adopting a totally different recovery route to that suggested by their licensed amateurs. This is always a personal choice, and needs to be an ‘informed’ decision, and one very carefully made.

George Malkmus's healing was many, many years ago and he has never had a recurrence of his colon cancer. Now that is someone worth speaking with!!!!!!

I do not believe one size fits all when it comes to healing, even with the healing of the same ailment.

A healing method that worked for one person may not work for another. One interesting reason given for this, can be found in the book titled
‘Eat Right 4 Your Type’ by Peter D’Adamo.
This 2nd generation Naturopathic Practitioner thinks a person’s blood type plays an important role in selecting recovery methods (he mentions Cancer specifically) and he gives some good reasons why blood types play a role in recovery methods.

There are other very good reasons why we need individual recovery methods, and some of these are discussed in the book titled,
‘Healing With Whole Foods’ by Paul Pitchford.

I agree with that author, that assisting our bodies to better cope with, and ultimately recover from illnesses, is the key. We need to know a lot more about how our bodies work, and specially about our own bodies, in order to aid and assist in our own recovery, no matter what the ailment. He discusses extensively, why shared symptoms do not always indicate an identical healing method for everyone.

We are all individuals, and in my opinion, the better we understand ourselves , and our own body’s individual needs etc. the sooner we will be on our way to recovering from all sorts of ills. Unfortunately, after removing any body parts, we are being unreasonable in expecting our bodies to function ‘normally’ afterwards. This is not logical. Just because ‘science’ has not yet proven the ill effects of removing some of our body parts, this does not mean their removal does not have devastating results.

To the lady above who needs a quick solution to her uterine fibroids, my suggestion is to call HERS and make an appointment for a phone counseling session. They always have good advice.

I would never encourage anyone to have a hysterectomy, however, some people do not want to take the time and effort and personal sacrifice necessary to obtain their healing. Too may of us are caught up in this ‘quick fix’ mentality where we need instant recovery etc. This is why hysterectomy has become such a good ‘sell’.

Faith works when it is combined with accurate action. I will not presume to tell anyone what they should or should not do. I only suggest one acts upon their faith by seeking a ‘perfect’ solution. A solution which will not leave you more distressed after surgery, than before. May good fortune be yours, always.

 
At May 18, 2008 at 11:41 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

This trickery by gynecologist surgeons is legal insanity.
Women are going to gynecologists every day for care, they are letting a serial mutilator (with legal clearance) deliver their child, a mentally unstable attacker is delivering their child and the women don't even know it. A serial mutilator delivered my child and I didn't know it, how gross.

 
At May 19, 2008 at 11:09 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The human body works in unison, and as a whole unit, together.

First line of defense should not be to amputate body parts for common ailments. That should be an absolutely very last resort!

To suggest amputating a malfunctioning part of the body is so gross!!!!

If these gynecologists don't know how to fix the problem, they owe it to their patients to say,
'Sorry, I do not know how to help you to reverse this condition or to prevent it.' This will allow the patient to seek real HELP elsewhere, where it is more likely to be found!

Instead, they recommend you amputate your body parts. Sure this MAY aleviate SOME of your immediate symptoms. However, they are not honest enought to tell you that you will inherit more severe health issues after amputating your sex organs.

My logic told me this and my mind and spirit told me this, when my own gynecologist recomended castration and hysterectomy etc. for one ovarian cyst, when I was 24 years old, unmarried and childless.

I was made to believe my life would be in jeopardy if I did not have the surgery soon. (this proved untrue). Within 3 days I was on the operating table and the deed performed.

Hindsight is 20/20 vision.

I now understand more clearly after living the past 36 years without my two ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix, and also having my vagina sewn into a pocket, that I was thrown into a living nightmare which I was not forewarned to expect, by anyone, not even the gynecologist-surgeon who did the surgery.

Do not expect to be told the truth about what to anticipate after these mutilating surgeries by the average gynecologist. This HERS website proves that most if not all of them do not tell their prospective (Ching! Ching!) hysterectomy patients what to expect after these surgeries.

BUYER BEWARE!

 
At May 19, 2008 at 7:43 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago at age 44. My ureter was nicked during the time and I underwent several repair surgeries and procedures.

I have had one complication after another, all originating from the hysterectomy. I am about to begin physical therapy treatment now to the pelvic floor for the residual problem. I’m accumulating tremendous debt after losing my business because of this error. This complication is common and is accepted as an error. However, 2 years later and still undergoing the ramifications and suffering monetarily. I am over my head in debt now. I am so overwhelmed by debt and so tired of fighting a battle and getting no where. It warms my heart to know someone cares. Please keep telling everyone about this nightmare called hysterectomy. Thank you.

 
At May 19, 2008 at 7:58 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a partial hysterectomy with a bladder suspension, I'm 24yrs old. and think my life is over. i've had nothing but problems and pain. my doc says it takes time to heal. its been 7 months...is it enough time? After 7 months I think that there will never be enough time for it to heal, it’s healed and I’m in constant pain. I can’t live with this much longer.

 
At May 19, 2008 at 11:30 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have checked posts daily lately; reading posts from women who have posted before, but also new participants, who find this site and share their personal stories of how they have been mislead by their doctors, and now suffer with what most of us have as the same issues, problems, and wanting help.

This is so SICK!!!

I write this now due to Anonymous who just posted on May 19th. You are only 24 years old. You state your doctor told you it will take time. It has been seven months as you stated. I heard the very same thing from the GYN. who performed my Hyst., but he actually said it could take a year to a year and a half for me perhaps due to my RSD; a nerve disease I have, and had prior to the Hyst. operation. I know now he was passing me off by making this statement. Talk about having faith in a doctor...

Okay, point here is...yes, I am sick of reading all of these statements. Anonymous, who I refer to who just posted. My heart goes out to you, as with everyone here. Just do not think your life is over. You are too young, but D--- the doctor who put you to this point. I have a daughter who is only 22. This has happened to me; the damage done by having a Hyst., but something about your post sparked me. I thought if this happened to my daughter, I would be even more furious. I feel I am already, but, the mother in me would come out, and that would be that! I hope it will never come to a point a doctor do this to my daughter because his career would be over. A doctor may get away with doing this to me, but not my daughter. My motherly wings will spread, and heaven help the doctor who even tries to do this to my baby.

Don't give up, Anonymous at 24. Don't give in to this doctor, either. Get mad at him/her, and demand answers. I think so many doctors feel we women will just 'cave' in, and put up and shut up. Women have done this for too long.

I also would ask all of you out there to write to the Oprah Winfrey show. I have tried three times, but no response. If we did it in numbers, to ask for them to air a show regarding this, it just might happen. We need to have Nora and Rick on there; along with some of us who also can first hand share these stories we have to confirm what doctors are doing to women. How about it, everyone? Write to Oprah, and I hate to speak for Nora and Rick, but I can only imagine they would be only too happy to speak on national T.V.
One voice may not be heard, but in numbers, we may get response. I am sending an email tonight. Please do the same asap. Write your congressperson also asap. This is getting to the point of the "Twilight Zone" with these unnecessary hysts. being performed. How dare this doctor do it to you, Anonymous at 24..., let alone all of us who have had it done at ages 25 and above. My heart went out to the 28 year old female I spoke with at the Hers Foundation conference in November of this last year. She was so sad that she could not have anymore children. She found out after her hyst. that it was not necessary. I did not know this woman at all, but in a matter of ten minutes, during a break, we shared a deep understanding with each other of how this has devastated our lives, and we were already great comrades in a kindred spirit. We were there for the same reasons. We wanted to find hopefulness with this tragedy of our bodies. We were begging for answers to help heal our physical and emotional wounds.

We all should be (and I am sure all of us are) so very thankful for all the time and efforts Nora, Rick and comrades put into this cause. If there is a stronger word for 'Saints', I would use it here. In the meantime; accept my humble reference to you, Nora, Rick, and others at the Hers Foundation. I am one of many who do not know what I would do without this Foundation; as I said before...because I know I am not alone.

Take care all, and take care Anonymous at 24. Hang in there, Girl! We are here to listen! Write Oprah!!!

 
At May 20, 2008 at 5:44 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To: RareSong

I am sorry I did not read your post earlier. Do not, I repeat, do not listen to those doctors who you just saw. Run...as fast as you can away from them; especially, the second doctor who came in to examine you and gave you a disgusted look when you asked your questions. How dare him! That alone should be enough for you not to trust what he says. Oh, and the vertical cut - Hah! Is this doctor for real? Please, oh please, do not have a Hyst., and I had fibroid tumors, and did not need a Hyst., and I was told the same thing; that they were so large, and had to be removed by taking my uterus. There are alternatives. You must research, and even go outside your vicinity to find a good doctor. I hope you will heed this advice. Listen to all of the women who have posted here. Do you really want to end up like one of us?

As far as having children and your age...you are fine. God gave us these bodies. We are a fine working machine, and if we still have monthly cycles, we can have children, and that is how nature is. Stupid doctors to even state that to you. I mean it - how dare that doctor relay that to you. I had my second child when I was almost 37. My mother had her fourth child when she was 41. A close friend of mine had her third child when she was 43. All of us are just fine, and so grateful for these beautiful beings we helped bring into this world. Tell those doctors you saw to take a hike...to you know where...

What you most likely are experiencing with the fibroid tumors are heavy periods and painful ones. There are solutions for this. What you want to concentrate on is not getting too anemic right now; so watch that, and get on a good iron supplement for starters, and a good multiple vitamin, and plenty of fluids. I recommend a multi-vitamin that women usually take when pregnant. Then; as I said research for another doctor to see you to help you with alternatives to your fibroid tumors. Knowledge to the alternatives is the key here. By all means, save your uterus. Please heed these words. Above all, get rid of at least that one doctor who looked at you that way. That is just awful!!! Any doctor who would give me a disgusting look and attitude when I am asking questions about a life and body altering surgery is a doctor who should not be practicing medicine. Sorry, but this really, really angers me. Actually, I should not say 'Sorry', but Hallelujah you have come to this site to gain insight and help making much more wise decisions than these doctors are providing you with. Thank goodness you have not gone through with what they said.

Good luck with your research, but do not give in to a Hysterectomy. I am sorry for your financial burdens. I can truly relate, but you might face more financial woes after a Hyst. than by not having one. I know I have. There is no going back after having your uterus removed. There are alternatives to alternatives; however. I am not a doctor. I am not one to give medical advice, but I am one to share with you what I experienced, just as so many others have here what they now experience and have to live with after this surgery. You are hearing it 'first hand' from us who are, in a way, the experts of unwanted experiences. Oh, and I left out 'unnecessary' experiences also.

It gladdens my heart when someone posts here who has found this site
who has not had a Hyst., but told she needs one, and feel we might save her from doing it. Have you watched the Hers video yet? Have you researched all the areas of this website? Have you read all the people who have posted their stories yet? I wish I would have known about this. I would have bolted out of my GYN's office.

Take care, RareSong. Research, research, research, and take the vitamin supplements to help you right now. You really are a target by these two doctors; it truly sounds like this; at least with that one doctor.

I am having a 'Great' day knowing I may have touched you with words to help you stop from having a horrible injustice done to your body and your life.

 
At May 20, 2008 at 6:43 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

By the way, it is Belle who just posted to 'RareSong'. I hope you will respond, and let us know how you are doing with your endeavors.

 
At May 20, 2008 at 12:50 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymus May 19, 7:58pm

I was castrated and had my uterus and cervix removed at age 24. So you and I would have been the same age at the time of our surgeries. That was 36 years ago.

I must have had a good surgeon because I did not suffer from any apparent ‘surgical errors’. Within 6-WEEKS (not months) I would say I still felt just a little soreweak inside, but nothing that did not gradually heal within the next few months. It was nothing I would call pain after 6-weeks, as it was so very vague.

In my opinion, 6-MONTHS is FAR TOO LONG for you to be still in 'pain' since your surgery.

I did not have a bladder suspension, and my guess is that adding the bladder suspension may be contributing to your post-surgery problems and pain. This ‘foreign’ matter is now inside your body, and you may be going through some body-rejection to this new sling. Also, you may be experiencing some reaction to any additional medication you may be taking for having this 'foreign' matter inside your body. Just a thought.

In my opinion, these gynecologists/surgeons suggest additional procedures to the sex-organ surgery so they can blame something else going wrong, when you find out after your sex-organ surgery, that your life has turned into a nightmare. They also probably do this to try to protect themselves from possible legal action for doing this to you. I mean, creating something else they can blame, 'the sling'.

Also, it just means extra (Ching! Ching!) money in their pockets if they can persuade you to do as much surgery as you are willing to agree to. Just my opinion.

It it were me in your position, I would not delay, I would begin by discussing your details with the HERS Foundation. I would also seriously consider taking legal action against your surgeon etc. There is no good reason for you to be suffering and in pain 6 months after this type of sex-organ surgery, and especially if the doctor did not forewarn you (before the surgery) to expect to suffer and be in pain 6 and more months after the surgery.

When these doctors do not tell you to expect the outcomes that you end up getting, after sex-organ surgery, sue, sue, and sue again. These are nothing more than criminals in disguise.

Their actions reveal what they truly are, despicable creatures!!!

 
At May 20, 2008 at 10:22 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

male in mich.
have been away for a while and returned here to read accounts and see if anything can help me with my wife. My wifes hyst. was 51/2 yrs ago going on 6yrs. Even though she had what they termed a partial (ovaries left)she started menopause symtoms within a 6 month to year period. Now her menopause symtoms continually getting worse. This is an example of how she is treated by her doctor: They are giving her estridiol(estrogen cream). No relief or worse results. She follows the doctors advice like a manual of health. I have argued she needs something else. Should menopause symtoms last 4 or more years. I think she has other issues. She has no thyroid but heaven help me she is not getting much help from the quacks she's seeing. I know she has a shunted endocrine system but she is getting old fast. At mid 50's she should be more active. Just gets less and less interested in doing things she used to enjoy. I'm more depressed than I was a year ago. She has no feelings for intimacy, no energy, lack of social interaction desire, the list goes on and on. I recommended NHRT and she basically told me to "fly off"(kinder use of words) My sex drive is in overdrive yet and she can't get it out of neutral(I now understand her fate because of surgery). I've said it before, men suffer too, especially husbands and boyfriends. Guys, if your wife or girlfriend is contemplating this hysterectomy thing become proactive and STRONGLY do the homework. PERMANENT emotional damage to your relationship is very likely.

 
At May 21, 2008 at 6:45 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have been using estring now for about a month. I love it. It has given me back a little of myself. I feel more lubricated and the constant dull pain in my vulval and vagina has now gone. I insert the ring and forget about it. I was on vagifem but was depressed by this as the insertion of the tablet twice weekly was a bitter reminder of what was done to me. I have no ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, or cervix - bar one ovary - all removed though the pathology report stated 'healthy in appearance'.

Mich. You could suggest to your wife to book some massage (aromatherapy massage is lovely). It really does re awaken the senses in the largest organ in the body - the skin. Perhaps give it to her as a present - but check first she may not be happy to be touched. There are many other areas of massage - Indian head, foot, reflexology, hand; it doesn't have to be full body. But I strongly recommend them.

As I do the estring. BTW on intercourse (yep I never thought I EVER say that again) my husband can't feel it. Plus the pain at the top of the vagina has gone as well. It's worth checking out.

 
At May 21, 2008 at 11:01 AM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

Regarding recommendations such as estrogens,

Although it's good to know what can help in any way with the adverse effects of hysterectomy and castration please investigate the known adverse effects of drugs and devices before trying them. Sally may realize using Estring increases her risk of stroke, deep vein thrombosis, dementia, gall bladder disease, retinal vascular thrombosis, and impaired liver function, but the women to whom she strong recommends it may not.

Again, I urge you to comment about your own experiences, good and bad, with any drug or device, not to make recommendations to others to do what you have chosen as the right thing for yourself. If they knew the actual risks they might well make a different choice.

These are only the known adverse events that Pfizer is compelled by FDA to reveal to the public. After receiving full disclosure of the known risks some women may decide those are risks they're willing to take for any improvement with the problems they are experiencing. Others may feel they're risks they are not willing to take. As with hysterectomy, No information? No consent!

 
At May 21, 2008 at 9:04 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have been so tired and I can't sleep very well ever since I had a partial hysterectomy. They took everything but my overies. Is this normal to be so tired and no energy after 11 months?

 
At May 21, 2008 at 9:18 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a hyserectomy with BSO last year. I was only 26. I had to have complete recontrcutive surgery alsmot a year after that. The new dr thinks it is from the hysterectomy. I am not sure what to do. I have no sex drive, no energy. I am on hormones, but we can’t find the right dose. I have hot flasshes and major mood swings. I am just looking for some kind of information that might help me.

 
At May 21, 2008 at 10:14 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a hysterectomy for endometriosis over a year ago. A full hysterectomy. I am still having pains in the same place I had pain before. I don't know if the endometriosis is back. There should be nothing there to attach to. I don't know if there is any scar tissue or not. I just want to know if anyone else has had this happen after surgery. What can I do about the pain?

 
At May 21, 2008 at 11:14 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a hysterectomy for endometriosis over a year ago. A full hysterectomy. I am still having pains in the same place I had pain before. I don't know if the endometriosis is back. There should be nothing there to attach to. I don't know if there is any scar tissue or not. I just want to know if anyone else has had this happen after surgery. What can I do about the pain?

 
At May 22, 2008 at 5:22 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To "Man in Mich.":

It did my heart so good to see a husband posting here. It sounds as if you have before. Good for you, for your concern and love. You just have to be one supportive man. All of us who suffer after a Hyst. need more men like you out there. Never give up on your wife. She suffers greatly, and needs...as I feel which you are already doing, someone to understand her; especially you!!!

If the tables were turned, and you had your penis cut off and testicles, would your wife still be there for you? I don't know you, but I imagine she would. This is the problem with some men with their spouses/significant others, after their women go through this...they cannot relate. I put it bluntly to my husband. I said just that..."How would you feel if you had your..."
That was all it took. He was supportive before, but did not quite understand; as he said his mother had a Hyst. (years ago), and she was "okay" after it. Hmmm, I wonder if she doesn't realize that the aches and pains she has complained about with her back and legs over the years are because of her Hyst., plus her insomnia, her loss of hair, her skin problems, etc., etc. She was
in a different generation when she had her Hyst.; however. Heaven forbid a woman complain in the 1960's about a female problem after a Hyst. - it would be all in her "head". She did tell me she had a horrible time after her Hyst. back then with moodiness, and a lot had to do with the physical pains and felt no one was listening to her. She had to put up and shut up. She had a very forceful mother too; who felt she was just being 'soft' and whining; and her mother would tell her that she needed to concentrate on her four children and keeping house, and move on. I am sorry for any woman who had a Hyst. prior to the nineties; because, I do believe women were supposed to do just this. Oh, and how about; as I said, living and being a woman in the 60's, having a Hyst., as my mother-in-law, and being told this...by her own mother!!! It is ghastly now what we women still go through, but can one imagine dealing with this back then? I do not think I would have survived having four children to take care of, a husband, and a home; and to feel the way I do now...(might as well just pointed the way to the "Funny Farm"...)

Again, "Man in Mich." - I commend you, I admire you, and if there is a Heaven; you will be there at those 'Pearly Gates', and that keeper of the gates will highly likely let you in, because of this alone...

Give your wife a hug...have your wife give you a hug...you deserve it!!!

 
At May 22, 2008 at 9:40 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just read the facts on ur website,and I'm horrified I was never told none of these facts,if I were do u think I would have went threw with this.I hate this,I think this should seriously be banned,I never knew I'd loose my hair,I can't take the HRT so they say I need,I don't know what to do,I need help with this,I feel like I'm going crazy.I'm glad I found this site,It is very imformative, it helps to read what happened to other women.I need to no what HRT should I take for my skin.nails,hair,I 'm scared to go to a doctor,I had so many different hormones the he put me on ,he said he had to figure out what one I needed, I need something I want my hair back,my skin,my nails,sexual drive I want the pain to go away,can u please please help me.

 
At May 22, 2008 at 11:00 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was also shocked and horrified when I read the facts on the HERS website. To learn that hysterectomy/castration increases your risk of heart attacks is a nightmare. How many women have been told that by their gynecologist before he performed this barbaric surgery on them? How many women knew that their vagina would be shortened and sewn into a pocket? It is so beyond disgusting and criminal and just really hard to believe that this is continually allowed to go on in the United States.

 
At May 25, 2008 at 9:59 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am so glad I found your site. I have gyno problems and am seeing my gyneacologist in 10 days. I have pain and heavy bleeding and all my friends are urging me to have a hysterectomy and my SIL thinks I am out of my mind because I am resistant to this. She recently had a hysterectomy and says she has never felt better and many women who she has nursed (she is a nurse) tell her that they are so happy that they had their hysterectomies done. Sites like these are the only places where you get other information.

I just want to have a laporoscopy to see what is causing my pain. I have cysts on my ovaries, fibroids and scar tissue due to having 3 c-sections. My main concern is pain on ovulation, during menstruation and rectal bleeding that occurs during menstruation.

What can I do to make sure that my doctor doesn't undertake any unauthorised procedures during my laporoscopy?

I want to keep all my bits and pieces but how do I manage the pain and blood loss I am suffering from now. I use a progesterone cream which is wonderful and has helped a lot. I am 41.

Thank you to all those ladies who are willing to share their stories so that people like me can make informed decisions about our bodies.

Warmly, Mrs MacKenzie

 
At May 25, 2008 at 1:41 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Mrs. MacKenzie, I'm so glad you found this site too! Now you can find a doctor who will preserve your organs and actually help you. You should call the HERS Foundation on Tuesday at (610) 667-7757 to get information about your condition, and help with finding a doctor in your area. You are smart to ask how you can avoid any unauthorized procedures because it's very scary to know that a doctor can amputate all your organs while you are under anesthesia without your consent. I authorized a doctor to do a minor exploratory surgery to remove a cyst, and woke up with all my healthy organs amputated. It's just been a nightmare, and these doctors are doing this to women all over the United States. Run far away from any doctor that suggests a hysterectomy. Hysterectomy/castration causes extensive damage to your body. It's a horrible barbaric surgery. Keep us posted and let us know how you are doing!

 
At May 25, 2008 at 2:20 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am a 32 year old woman with a fibroid tumor, I have have constant irregular very heavy periods which can last for up o 3 months at a time, and sometimes I will be without a period for up to 4 months. Just resently my period came on and I have been passing huge blood clots quite often which I haven't experienced before, I mean I have had clots before but never this much. Is this normal?

 
At May 25, 2008 at 2:38 PM , Blogger HERS Foundation said...

April,

The only cause of passing very large blood clots is a fibroid that's submucosal, one that is located in the inside layer of the uterus, in the endometrium. A submucosal fibroid that is 4cm. or smaller can be shelled out with a hysteroscope, a surgery that is performed vaginally. If it's larger than 4 cm. you would need a myomectomy, a surgery that would require a horizontal incision just above the pubic bone, and the fibroid would be cut out and the hole created in the uterus would be sutured back together in layers.

The first step is to ask a doctor (it can be a gynecologist, but it can be any doctor, such as a family doctor or internist) for a written order for a pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound. Then call the best hospital near you, ask for the Radiology Department, and tell them you have a written order from a doctor for a pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound and they will schedule an appointment for you. The radiologist's report will be sent to the doctor who order the study. You can call the secretary and tell her you'd like the report sent to you. Then contact HERS at 610.667.7757 to ask someone to review the report with you so that you can discuss it with your doctor with sufficient information in hand to know your treatment options.

 
At May 26, 2008 at 3:49 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To April who just posted:

I had the same symptoms you are experiencing. My GYN told me I had Fibroids and MUST HAVE a Hysterectomy as soon as possible due to the heavy blood loss each period. I know the people at Hers cannot advise you and say NOT to get a Hysterectomy, but please, oh please, my dear...read all who have posted here and what they experience now after a Hyst., and there are alternatives to fibroids. I wish I would have known. The complications you very well may experience after a Hyst. are much worse than anything you have going on now. Listen to what Hers has advised you thus far, and be sure to get other opinions as directions. Just make sure you read all these posts, and make your wisest decision then. I thought with the heavy bleeding and blood like clots coming out of me back then (before the Hyst.) I surely could not continue on that way, but I would rather have taken that, then what I experience now - after my Hyst., and I could not be more sincere with this statement.

Take care, April - wish you the best.

 
At May 26, 2008 at 8:46 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To April,

Please take HERS advice very seriously and go to one of there recommended gynos for a second opinion. I wish I had found HERS long before I had my hysto and totally ruined my life. There are many "rare complications" that the doctors don't tell you about and evidently are not required to tell you about even after they happen until they are halled into court. Don't let this happen to you. Don't take their word as Gold. Do all your research first and then more if you have to. If I can just stop one women from experiencing the pain and anguish of what I am going through everyday it would make life just a little easier. Let us know how you make out and good luck.

 
At May 27, 2008 at 2:12 AM , Blogger TQ said...

One poster commented that "hysterectomy was a valid option" in resolving female benign pelvic conditions.

The problem with this belief and the reason for the HERS video and petition is that the details, risks and consequences of the surgical procedure hysterectomy are not readily shared with the public.

Each INDIVIDUAL woman should not have to rely on a private discussion with her doctor in order to find out this information as it has left much room for doctor's to sway and/or coerce a women toward hysterectomy - when it's suppose to be each woman's choice and an option.

No, what women have experienced instead:

- individually being told her condition is an emergency
- individually being provided hysterectomy as the only option
- individually not provided informed consent
- individually having complaints ignored or denied
- and, individually being dismissed

While this is unacceptable and I believe no reasonable woman or man would want women's option and choice denied - this has indeed been the order of the day. Confirmed by any medical website, hospital website, and the posters here.

The consequences of the surgery are quite horrific and while the medical community attempts to lull the public with arguments and logic to the contrary - these arguments don't hold up to any true test of basic reasoning.

We live in a society that attempts to treat female imbalances with drugs and surgery, two things that will never support female balance. Apparently, there are those who are desperate to separate women from their reproductive/sexual organs, no matter how many women are harmed in the process.

HERS has pointed out that these are women with benign conditions, in no danger of death. And if these conditions were properly addressed, these women would go on to live out their natural lives. Instead we remove organs and tell women its the same as menopause (why is it not the same as puberty?), we tell women that a uterus (breast, ovary, etc.) does not make a woman, and we tell women nothing has changed.

No matter how many "replacement" vitamins we stuff into a Twinkie, it will never contain the power and quality of an properly grown apple. Why would we not think the same holds true for the bio-chemistry of a woman??

Hormones are primarily the result of life processes, not their cause. A healthy female body will produce the amount of estrogen best suited to her constitution. (Bertram von Zabern, MD)

Women and men alike have all been duped by the medical and pharmaceutical industries for their own personal gain and probably even less dubious reasons. But we can all join with HERS and put an end to this for the lives of the women posted here, for the lives of women all the generations before us, and for the lives of the women to come.

Women should have the option to live out their natural lives, free and intact, if that be our choice.

 
At May 27, 2008 at 4:51 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Mrs. MacKenzie,

I just read your post. I find you have valid questions. I would hope you be sure to get valid answers from GYNs, and be sure to get as many opinions as what makes you feel comfortable. You need to be sure to write out what you do and do not want to have happen with any type of surgery. The Hers Foundation is of great reference for help to guide you for answers on researching with your questions.

As far as the people you have heard of who have done well after a Hyst.; well, I think that is great, but when you take into account, after reading all the women who have posted here with their horrific experiences; would it not lead you to believe the surgery is questionable? My big statement to you is this: THERE IS NO GOING BACK, once you have this operation. Please research all alternatives. Make this the last resort; not the only; as what my GYN told me. It is great these people you have heard of have come out well after a Hyst., but I guarantee if you check the percentages of women who feel better after one...you will be amazed of the higher percentage who suffer rather than feel better.
Ask yourself if you want to take this chance...I wouldn't, had I known....

My mother-in-law pushed my husband into pushing me into a Hyst. also. This might be an awful thing to say, but I think she wanted me to be in the same boat, so to speak, she has been in for the last thirty years. I feel she wanted me to feel her anguish she has not been able to announce herself. She has some significant physical problems; which I guarantee stemmed from her Hyst., but this was thirty years ago. Who would listen to her back then?

I highly recommend to relish in all these posts as women (and men) reaching out to help, and imploring other women to refrain from this insane act by doctors. We may sound "one-sided", but I am one to stand tall and state there could be nothing further from this as being "one-sided".

Good luck to you. Be wise with your choices. I am so happy you found this site!

 
At May 27, 2008 at 5:07 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

For those who find it difficult to support HERS in their quest to provide women with the factual education of what one is agreeing to when they consent to hysterectomy and then the consequences - I wonder how many female lives it will take to give you pause. We live in a time where women are drugged for a good portion of their lives with estrogens (BCP, HRT). How have we changed the way healthy women age.

If the present rationales are acceptable, when the number affected goes from 600,000 to 1,200,000 and then to 1,800,00 will we still say that women's conditions are complex - and then seek to reduce the very complexity that defines them as a woman.

Will the conditions that are commonly treated via hysterectomy lessen as time goes on when more and more treatments and drugs come out directly for the female reproductive system.

When there are women in greater numbers affected will it be easier to have one's complaints heard and disabilty accepted.

I think not.......

 
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