Hysterectomy, complications and my biggest ever challenge – Lauraine ’ s Story

Three years ago today I had a hysterectomy which has completely changed my life. I had an automated email from a hysterectomy support group today congratulating me on three year anniversary and hoping I was having the time of my life embracing the new found health my hysterectomy had given me………….not quite my experience I’m afraid as I developed an enterocutaneous fistula. Here is my story as to why it was such a negative experience. Firstly some background – I had a stoma aged 26 for bowel disease. This restored my health and I adapted very easily to life with a ‘bag’. I then however developed severe endometriosis which blighted my life for the next 30 years. A hysterectomy was mentioned in my early 30’s but they felt it was too risky as I had lots of adhesions thanks to previous surgeries plus of course endometriosis which in itself is very inflammatory and causes adhesions.  My gynaecologist decided to treat my recurrent cysts by repeatedly aspirating them under general anaesthetic. This was done in excess of 20 times over a thirty year period and it interfered greatly with my working and personal life. In 2010 my gynaecologist retired and I was referred to someone new. After doing a routine MRI he felt a hysterectomy was now essential as the imaging was unreliable; a suspect mass had been mentioned a few times.  Whilst he didn’t think it was a malignancy he didn’t know what it was and so the safest thing to do was a hysterectomy. It took him s...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Health fistula hysterectomy stories perforated bowel post op complications Source Type: news