Friday, April 2, 2010

APRIL 2, 2010 - MORE TUMOR STUFF

I have done a LOT of research on the ramifications of unnecessary hysterectomies, and have concluded that having body organs removed for convenience is not a good idea!

Without going into a lot of details, the uterus is still a vital organ that plays an important role is overall health until the day we die. So I am keeping mine unless it becomes a life or death matter.

Even when they leave the ovaries, it is still a cause of major health problems to toss the uterus aside.

After doing some research on Lupron, the drug that I will get shot up with once a month over the next three months, I am not happy.

Side effects that have been associated with the use of Lupron Depot frequently include hot flashes and night sweats, and less frequently palpitations, syncope, and tachycardias. Other side effects include generalized pain, headaches, vaginitis, nausea/vomiting, fluid retention, weight gain, acne, hirsutism, joint pain, loss of sexual desire, depression, dizziness, nervousness, and breast changes such as tenderness and pain.

But on the bright side, there have been no deaths directly related to therapy with Lupron Depot.

What then, only indirectly?

I give up.

Things are going south this morning surgery-wise. My hormone doc is telling me not to take the drug, and to get a hysterectomy. I am not in a good place!

I just got off the phone with my hormone doctor. He says that using Lupron could permanently damage my endocrine system, and it might not even work. He says that I will be ill for the three months I am taking it and it could shut down my ovaries permanently, causing me to experience premature menopause.

He also said I would have to get off of my bio-identical hormones. He advised me to have a hysterectomy as soon as possible.

What do you do when two knowledgeable doctors give you conflicting counsel? Get a third opinion? But what if that third doctor is wrong?

I don't know which way to turn...

I have decided that I am going to refuse to take the Lupron injections that are supposed to shrink the tumor. More research has shown the side effects to be really horrible, including not only weight gain, but RAPID weight gain! I don't think I'd have the heart for that, even if that were the only side effect.

After talking to a few people, I think I am leaning toward getting my uterus removed. This is really hard for me. I had made a vow to myself that I would not give it up unless it was life or death. No cancer - no hysterectomy!

But now it is an issue of quality of life. In the past few months, my TOM has lasted 3 weeks, with crushing pain, immobility, unable to work, serious hemorrhaging and hospitalization. I can't go on living like this.

One of the things I am scared about is being surgically placed in full blown menopause. I will keep my ovaries, but in some cases, removal of the uterus causes the ovaries to shut down, and you enter menopause anyway.

I was complaining to a friend that I did not want to go into menopause, and she said, "How old are you?" BUSTED! I guess the fact of the matter is that I would be doing that naturally in a short amount of time anyway (I am now 54), so what's the difference! That kind of took me back, but I'm sure seeing it now! LOL!

Anyway, I am still scared. On many levels. Not to mention the fact that I am the only person at my business who knows how to keep the books and do payroll.
I just went to a website about hysterectomies, and it scared me half to death! Just reading the titles of everyone's threads is terrifying, and now I am in a panic. I have been okay all day, but now I feel a crying jag coming on.

I'm almost afraid to hope that I could have the fibroid embolization. It sounds too good to be true! Right click here to see what I found out:

The first thing I will do Monday morning is to call my gynocologist, and find out if she does this procedure. If she says she does not, I will find out who does and get an appointment.

My fear is that it will turn out that this only works for smaller tumors. But I will find out!

If this turns out to be an option for me, Cowgirlsrope, I will forever be in your debt!

Why has no doctor mentioned this procedure to me? At least I have found out that Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago does this procedure.

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