Emotional Support Sisters

I had a hysterectomy yesterday. It’s been in the works for almost 9 months, well really almost a year and a half now.

When crap hit the fan in 2023, one of the things I wanted was a hysterectomy just so that my period, which has been painful for years, was one last thing I had to deal with.

Fast forward to summer of 2024. My periods became so heavy that I was filling up a menstrual disc every 2 hours. I had to take extra iron, drink 20 to 30 oz above my normal 90 oz a day, and I would still feel dizzy, have a hard time catching my breath, and it was hard to do anything active. I kept hoping it would stop and just put off doing anything about it. Finally, in February of 2025 I went and saw my OBGYN and discussed having a hysterectomy. After doing ultrasounds and blood work, we couldn’t really find anything wrong or that would be easily fixed.  Because I’d already tried birth control unsuccessfully with insurance approved a hysterectomy.

My bleeding started to lessen to the point where it was less concerning about July, but the cramping was awful. It did make me wonder if I was just being a wuss and if I was having an unnecessary surgery, but I decided that the cramping,which started after I ovulated and continued several days into my period, was bad enough that it was worth it just to get rid of the pain.

Yesterday, after surgery the doctor told me that I had a mushy uterus and most likely  adenomyosis. The treatment for adenomyosis is either progesterone only birth control or hysterectomy. I do not do well on progesterone only birth control. My husband calls it my angry lady pill. So really and truly the only treatment for me was a hysterectomy. It helped me feel validated in my decision even though I don’t need to have validation to try to get rid of pain.

Recovery thus far has been pretty good. The last time I was under general anesthesia was over 20 years ago. They have since changed how they manage the medicine and coming out of anesthesia was significantly easier. It usually takes me 2 or 3 days to kick the grogginess, and I had kicked it by last night. So far the worst pain has been from the catheter and the gas bubbles that they put in to do the laparoscopic surgery. I am keeping a consistent pain management schedule with medicine to prevent any additional pain from slowing healing down.

People would ask me if I was sad about getting rid of my uterus. I would tell them I am so excited to not have to live with the pain anymore. I’m already done having kids so I’m not mourning the lost opportunities, which is what I’m guessing everyone was referring to.

I’m hopeful that I’ll be in less pain once I have healed. Also no more @#*$#@*  periods.

Missy