Well, I had a total hysterectomy in 1986, at the age of 36, non-cancerous, but I did have an ovarian cycst and endometriosis (sp?). They took everything plus my appendix! I still went to the GYN doctor each year until about 2000. Didn't have a PAP each year, probably every other year until I went off HRT in 2005. I did have a physical vaginal exam each year (with my PCP and still do. Now they do a PAP every 3 years. Not sure where they take the tissue from but you can have endometrial cancer still. I think if you are on HRT, it would be good to continue being checked. If not, then once every 3 years shouldn't be an issue.

First and foremost -- hugs to you, Vickey, and lots of good healing thoughts going your way... I had a laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy (both of the ovaries and fallopian tubes were removed as well as the uterus) in the second week of December 1992. As the others have said, it's one of the best things I've ever done. :-) My GYN, for whom I worked for several years and I trust him with my life, said that once the uterus is removed, the ovaries have a greater tendency to "go bad," so if there isn't an overwhelming reason to keep them they should be removed at the same time. It's easier than having a second surgery at a later date to remove the ovaries (when they do "go bad"). I had endometriosis and huge fibroids. I was on Lupron injections for four months (once a month for the four months) prior to the surgery, to shrink the fibroids. My last period was after the first Lupron injection... then no more "worries." :-) My doctor had scheduled me for a vaginal hysterectomy. When he started the surgery he found that the fibroids were still too large to easily do the hysterectomy vaginally... By all rights, he could have "switched gears" and done an abdominal surgery, but his position was that he'd told me he'd do it vaginally, so by golly, that's what he was going to do. He "cut up" the uterus (internally) so that he could remove it a section at a time. The surgery took about 5 hours (but, hey, I was under full anesthesia, so I didn't know). Normally, I would have been discharged as early as the next afternoon, but I developed a slight fever, so I ended up staying in for a week. The hospital I was in had really good food (amazing, I know), so I didn't mind. :-) After I was discharged, I would tire easily, but I didn't have any pain that wasn't tolerable. I could have gone back to work after 2 weeks, but it was Christmastime, and I had more than enough sick leave hours to cover the time I was gone, so I didn't go back to work until Monday January 4, 1993. Still, I was out for less than a month. I took Premarin pills for a while after the surgery but I didn't really think that I needed them, so I stopped taking them. I've never had a "traditional" hot flash or night sweats. You really don't have anything to worry about as far as the surgery is concerned. You'll do fine. And, I'm guessing that the doctors will recommend removing your ovaries, since you have the early cancer cells. No sense in taking any unnecessary risks.

Ooh - I'm glad that yours was taken care of, rthummer. Sounds very scary! I'm fortunate in that my biggest complaint about the fibroids is my huge tummy. I have icky discomfort when I lay on my side as the biggest fibroid pulls. Some times the fibroids ache. But my doctor isn't at the point where she says definite hyst. yet. She is hoping that the fibroids will shrink (I am 2 years through menopause). I want them gone! But from what I'm reading on other sites, it seems that a lot of women get a swollen belly after surgery and sometimes it lasts for a year or more. You say yours never went down completely. I'd be ok with not completely, but this is is so darned uncomfortable and discouraging. My dr. said my abdomen would measure at about a 5 month pregnancy size.

The side effects and their intensity vary greatly from person to person. My 1st series was 6 cycles of R-CHOP. I had minimal nausea for 1-2 days after each cycle, but in general felt better and better between cycles. I'm now receiving 3 cycles of R-ICE, which is a much more intensive treatment. I'm still easily able to control the nausea which lasts about 1 week, but the fatigue is much more pervasive. Just deal with the side effects if/when they come and don't worry about them. This day and age, most are quite controllable, unless you count things like your hair falling it. Mine has...twice.