Which procedure should I have?

[look4advice]

Hi, I'm 42 yrs old and just seen my spec for a grapefruit sized 'lump' that has been found outside of my uterus,attached to my left ovary. It is pushing my uterus out of place and pressing on my bladder, making my life quite miserable. He has said it is neither a cyst or a fibroid but it is also not cancerous which is a relief. He has given me 2 options. 1 is to detatch the lump via by belly button and then make a bikini line incision to remove the lump. The 2nd is to perform a hysterectomy via an incision to my bikini line and leave my right ovary intact. The recovery time is exactly the same which made me feel a hysterectomy is my best option but now I'm having second thoughts. Can someone advise me?  

[look4advice]

I'm confused as the 'lump' is neither a cyst or fibroid, he said it was a tumour and when I heard it was benign, I was so relieved I didn't take much in after that. I have my pre op tomorrow so will ask more questions. The lump is outside my uterus and rapped around my left ovary so whatever happens I will lose my ovary, I think, another question to ask. I'm so confused i don't know what is the best option :(

[AnnieBrooke]

If it is an ovarian cyst, the presence of the uterus would not have caused it or affected it, and the absence of the uterus wouldn't help.  So I sure wouldn't remove the uterus without a better reason than "while we're in there."

[look4advice]

Hi
Many thanks for your help. I know I will certainly lose the left ovary as the lump is wrapped around it so hysterectomy or not, I will still only be left with my right ovary :(  You are right though, I should check what the chances are of this lump growing back if I choose not to have a hysterectomy. I'm having pre-op tests next week so thanks to this site I have some good questions to ask.
Thanks again

[look4advice]

Hi
Thank you so much for your reply, I've had 2 other similar replies saying I should only have the hysterectomy if medically needed so it has given me food for thought. My left ovary will have to go with the lump so I know I will lose that but i will now ask my spec what the chances are of the lump growing back if I only have that and the ovary removed.

Really appreciate your comments :)

[AnnieBrooke]

It sounds like the lump and the ovary are entirely entwined.  If it is possible to take the lump without the ovary, I'd recommend that too, but I got from the o.p. that she was saying the ovary associated with the lump has to go.

[nixmandy]

seeing as how you are 42 now I would say take the lump itself. when menopause starts you are going to want to have all hormones you have to stave it off. you take one ovary you have half your hormomes.
I would only take the hysterectomy if the doctors thought the lump could come back and create more problems.

[AnnieBrooke]

I would take out only what is necessary to take out.  You sound certain you won't need your uterus again, but what if something that you don't expect happens in your life?  I had my first child when I was older than 42, and at 42 I would not have believed it was going to happen.

In your situation, I would ask them to take out the darn lump, and just the ovary it is attached to (not the other one by any means!) and then see what is what.  They can biopsy it, figure out what the cause was, and so on.  Don't take the uterus until you know you have to.

Good luck.