Having worked as an assistant to the administrator of a large hospital, I learned very quickly to pick my physicians with extreme care. Having thoroughly read this physicianÂs website, it immediately strikes me that he is narcissistic as he minces no words in telling readers how wonderful he is  a trait that many more male than female physicians seem to have. (Motives can be prurient, ego centered or monetary. I once walked out on a pediatrician who was telling me there was no way my child had a strep throat and who started to berate me for wasting his time. I knew my daughter and knew she had a strep throat. After, that we changed doctors  to a good old GP whose philosophy was that I knew my child better than he could ever hope to.) Further, I would never even think of asking anyone to take time off from work to accompany me to a medical appointment even if any of my friends lived close enough to me to be able to do so. ThatÂs selfish and inconsiderate. I have also learned that there would seem to be an unspoken agreement that GYNÂs in this area will refer their patients to this particular physician prior to surgery. IÂm not certain that is done with the best interest of the patient in mind but rather has more to do with garnering patients for research purposes  and IÂm not a guinea pig. Your argument about physicians and children does not apply, as a parent is always present when a child is being treated. And finally, your post convinced me to not have this testing done as I would never drive 80 miles round trip for any kind of post-op "therapy", therefore making any testing both a waste of time and money  especially the insurance companyÂs money. ItÂs bad enough that I have to make the trip to the hospital twice before surgery let alone do it on a somewhat regular basis for therapy.

I just had a vaginal hysterectomy about 12 days ago - a cake walk. My bladder was tacked back up and is working just fine. Find out what kind of repair will be done a tack, a mesh repair - and be aware that, unfortunately, at this point in time no bladder repair is forever, but it should buy you some time. Interesting about the weights - I continued to use my weights up until the night before surgery, sit ups, too. The only thing my doctor advised was no sit ups for a few months and to halve the weights and double the reps.

Hi all. The hysterectomy Monday went great. He was able to do the whole thing with no incisions -- all through the vagina! Not even any small incision for the laparascope. I don't know how he managed, but he said he just cut away at the uterus and the big fibroid and got them all out. Ovaries look great and stayed in place. I feel pretty darn wonderful. Spent one night in the hospital and came home before lunch Tuesday. I did have trouble in recovery -- apparently my blood oxygen level dropped and they couldn't give me any more pain meds for fear it would drop further, so I did hurt there for about five hours. The floor nurses gave me meds after I got up there and I felt better. Only mild nausea, and they gave me meds for that. No catheter upon waking, so I got to get up and go pee. I really think this is the way to go -- I do already feel "lighter" in the abdomen, not so squishy and heavy. My advice is ask your girlfriends and find a surgeon who's done a good job for someone you trust, and sign on with him/her. That's what I did and I'm not sorry. Then tell your surgeon your concerns, even the ones you think might be asking too much, like "I don't want a catheter when I'm awake." I did have some severe constipation, probably from the Vicodin pain pills. I took only two a day, but I suffered for it. I'm not taking any more and I don't hurt at all, just a little sore and tired. Oh, and don't try pushing the silverware drawer closed -- even that is too much of a push/pull action. They really mean it when they say NO PULLING ANYTHING. NO PUSHING ANYTHING. It will surprise you what muscles you use for that. He took my cervix, so sewed a flap at the end of it and sewed that to the muscles that used to hold up the uterus. Those muscles are attached to the back muscles. The big fibroid was fist-sized and pressing hard on my intestines. Gee, that explains the irritable bowel syndrome, eh? I swear to God, ladies, I feel so much better. Of course, I was really suffering there for about three years, and my body did me the favor of starting one last period last Friday just before the surgery. :) So yeah, bottom line, hysterectomy, regardless of how much it might have been abused in the past by the male-dominated medical profession, is sometimes exactly what a woman wants. Best wishes to all of you as you take good care of yourselves and one another, and research your options. You've been a great comfort and help to me. sincerely, Stony

I don't know anything about the bladder lifts, but I've had a complete hysterectomy. After the surgery they put a hormone patch on me. After a couple of weeks I took it off so I could see what the hot flashes, etc., were like. lol. I didn't get ONE symptom of menopause! Still haven't and it's been 6 years. I have heard that the organic hormones are fantastic though. What I do know is you need to find a bed in the house that's easy to get off of. I slept in the guest room. Get a LOT of bed pillow and especially one to help you lay on your side & one to put against your tummy when you need to cough. Sleeping is uncomfortable the first week or so, even with the pain meds. Buy a couple of inexpensive "house dresses" so you won't have anything putting pressure on your tummy. They were a life saver! It took me 4 weeks before I could wear elastic shorts! OH..the most important thing I can tell you is to buy a gentle laxative like Phillips Milk of Magnesia. The worst pain I had for days was gas, and I finally bought some and boy was I "relieved." hee.