February surgeries

[Fiveft4]

This is to all of you wonderful ladies who are facing surgery in February. I'm back at work again and can't remember everyone and their specific surgery, but I know there are a number of you and I don't want you to think you aren't in my thoughts and prayers. Ireno - I know you're one of them and remember you because you're an Oregonian, too! Prayers for positive outcomes, Ladies, and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Sharon

[Carol139]

Hi there!  My mom calls her breasts "cherries" as they are so small.  Her hula girl would not do the slightest jiggle for the doctors!

Mine are more the size of apples.

Daughter - well, she is growing watermellons!  Must be from my inlaws side.  :~)

From what I understand, the V-dot is a patch - it is a 25mg form he is going to start me with and if I need more, he can put a bigger dose on me.
Not sure how often it is changed yet, I think it is a patch a day  (me - not asking - that is my problem.  LOL)
vivelle dot patch   is the full name

Supposed to help with hot flash control, estrogen will help prevent bone loss.

He said he has good luck with that, so trusting him. He has a caring personality and is on top of the newest studies.
He was the first doctor I ever went to that actually took my hand, sat down, looked me in the eye and said, "Carol, I'm here for you, you don't have to rush out that door, if you have a question, ask."  
Some doctors have their hands on the door knob ready to bolt as soon as their exam is done.
Some don't look right at you.
Some don't even know your name until they look through your chart.

My mom had one that she saw 20 times or more for the same problem (chronic ear infections) say to her, "So, what brings you here?  Is this a new problem?"  She left the exam room without answering him and got a new doctor.


Good luck to all Feb Surgeries!!!!    

Carol

[coogeegirl]

I wish all of you having surgery in February successful surgeries and a good recovery

Hugs

Jenny

[hatgal]

Thanks so much;  you got it - I can't wait to dance again!!!!  I actually can't wait to be a functioning member of society again (but I could be dangerous - LOL).  Yeah, today is a bit better.  It's like Saturday night though and geez .......... we own a bar with really good dance bands and I haven't been there in sooooooooo long!!!  And, my favorite all time band will be there on Feb. 16 - do you think I'll be able to get my groove on by then??  Naw, didn't think so.  They'll be back and they will miss me on the 16th - I'm their No. 1 fan (LOL)!

I'll keep ya posted  and I know you and everyone else will be there in soul on the 6th.  Bless you all.... Elizabeth

[dian07]

Hey there, girl!  You are going to be fine and so glad after your surgery because you are going to feel so much better!  I had everything removed, including the cervix, and I am still here to talk about it......you will be up and dancing before you know it!  Hopefully today is going better for you .....take a deep breath and find your way to see that whatever is going on is going on and worrying won't change that.....after your surgery you will finally know exactly what is going on and then you will be able to creat a plan of action to deal with it.....the "unknown" will be "un-masked".....I wish I could be there with you but you must know my heart and soul are right there beside you.  Hang in there kidd and keep us posted.  I will be watching and listening for you.
Peace.
dian

[ireneo]

You have a great imagination and sense of humor. I doubt that my chest will be exposed this time around unlike my heart procedures. I should have done it then. But my little doorbells don't do the hula very well.

I'm glad your appointment went well. It's kind of a letdown, get all geared up to go see the doctor and he just asks if you have questions. I've seen the term V-Dot mentioned but I have no idea what it is. Would you mind explaining?

[Carol139]

Hi all,
My doctor appointment yesterday was uneventful. He just asked me if I had any questions. Which I didn't.   He is going to start with the V-Dot and see how I take to it.
Only 3 days left!  
Ireneo, if you want to entertain that anesthesiologist awake, put a hula dancer drawing on your chest - so when he is watching your heart dance - your breasts shake - the hula girl can do further entertaining!

Best to all!!
Carol

[butterflytc]

Best wishes to all of you ladies, for a fast and healthy recovery. I admire the strength you all show, and hope you keep that strength while going thru scary, difficult times ahead. Your in my thoughts and prayers.
butterflytc

[hatgal]

Thanks for your kind words.  I am getting very nervous for mine - Feb. 6 - total hysto (even cervix).  From my meeting with doc yesterday he thinks things may be stuck to other things - great!  I think this is going to be a mess of a surgery and I'm so afraid I won't pull through; just a feeling I have I guess because of how sick I feel.  Today is a very, very, very bad day for everything.

Hope all the rest of the Feb. surgeries go well for everyone.

Best........ Elizabeth

[ireneo]

Yeah, I thought staying busy would help too. But what did I do? I semi-retired from my job so I'd be free for the surgery and recovery. How stupid is that? Let us know how your appointment goes today.

I have arrhythmia problems and lately some chest pains. Not a big deal really but my cardiologist didn't want the anesthesiologist to get too worried if my heart started dancing. He even made a bad joke about it, said at least it will keep the anesthesiologist awake. Ewww, naughty.  

[Treebee]

I wish all of you good luck with your surgeries and speedy recoveries.
You will be in my prayers!
Teresa

[Fiveft4]

Good luck to you :-) I will be praying for you and sending good thoughts to you on the 4th. Bask in the love and support of your friends and family. Keep us posted. Love, Sharon

[gma718]

Good Luck to everyone having there surgeries...I will pray for you. Gia :)

[Brownie3321]

Thank you ladies, that means a lot. I am scheduled for a colostomy reversal and 2nd look surgery Mon. Feb 4th. I am nervous but very excited to be done. Please keep me in your prayers for a clean bill of health and the least amount of pain possible. =)  I have all you other ladies having surgery in my prayers...you all stay strong!! Let's try and update the forum either by family member or us if at all possible after the surgeries. With love, Deandra

[tweety68101]

My Doc didnt want me on hormone replacement after my surgery . He actually put me on an estrogin blocker . and then he gave me Effexor xr which is an antidepressant but one of the  side effects is it controls hot flashes and the anti depressant controlled the mood swings
I t was great and after about 6 months I quit taking the medicine and dont have mood swings and very rarely have hot flashes.

tweety68101

[lilbubba]

Good Luck to all of you. I hope the best for all the surgeries this month.

[Carol139]

Hi Irene!    I am getting anxious. It is so hard to concentrate on work - I have a ton of audits to write up before monday and then more people to audit on monday and then write them up before I am officially on leave.
Stupid me over-booked thinking it would help - but now I just can't seem to keep focused enough to do the write up at home on the numbers I gathered!!!

Why are you having the cardio checks?  Hope they check out fine.  Stay positive.  
The 21st -  2 days before my 48th B-day!    I'll pray for you.

[ireneo]

Thank you so much for remembering. I'm trying very hard to forget about it. I just mailed in my heart monitor yesterday. It was a very long 30 days and I have the rashes and raw spots to prove it. Yuck. I get a week off from doctor stuff. Then I see the gyno next week, the cardio the following week and finally the surgery on the 21st. Will this never end? So this week is my vacation.

Carol - I have you written down for the 5th. That's just around the corner. How are you feeling about it? As for those hot flashes, since I'm menopausal I certainly get them. I think they're kind of funny. All that tingling and waves of heat coming off my body like a sidewalk in the summer time. It doesn't hurt; it's just strange. Hope everything goes smoothly for you and let us know when you get home.

[justscore]

I had a partial hyst 2 years ago with wound separation that lasted 12 weeks. Last April had the ovaries removed again w/ wound separation that healed in 12 weeks.  YIKES!!  I am 38 and the surgical menopause symptoms hit me right away and I am on the lowest possible hormone dossage.  Good Luck to you!

My best friend will undergo surgery a week from tomorrow to remove an ovary and a huge unidentified mass.  The Oncologist wasn't very sure what it may be............I am scared for her and it brought up so many familiar, scarey feelings.


GOOD LUCK to everyone and I am wishing y'all a swift recovery!!!!

[Carol139]

Thank you! I am writing down anything that worked for anyone and see where my doctor wants to start.

Talking to him at 10:45 tomorrow morning.   He is going to give me a quick once-over to be sure I am healthy enough to get the anesthisa on Tuesday - and discuss hormone options.  
I am hoping that the more I know, the less I won't know.   :~)

Happy thoughts!
Carol

[Fiveft4]

I  remember your situtaion now :-) Yes, I started with estrogen replacement only and that did a great job taking care of the hot flasehes and night sweats, but I wanted to try estrogen and progesterone since that is what my ovaries had been producing. I've been using the 'Nuvaring' for 2 weeks and amplease with the results. I feel more alert and my mind seems to be more connected. With the estrogen only I felt more in a brainfog. Both items I used are vaginal rings, so I don't have to even think about it. The estrogen only would have only needed replacement every 3 months. The Nuvaring every 3 weeks. It's actually used for birthcontrol and fertile women use it for 3 weeks and take it out for 1. I never actually sweated during a hotflash - just felt hot from the core out! Night sweats is where I would sweat from head to toe in my sleep - but, it would wake me up...I only had a few of those and that was enough for me!

Keep me posted and best to you!

[Carol139]

Hi Sharon,  Thank you for the kind words!    SO glad you are doing well. From what I am hearing, I will be better off.
What type of hormones are you on?   Or- did he give you anything?  
Going to ask him about the V-Dot -

I had a total hysterectomy June 2006 - but he left my left ovary in.

Thought it was in fine shape then!

But, it has a 12cm cyst on it - some smaller ones -  the smaller one popping is what set off the UTI / bladder infection - which is the only reason I went to the doctor.  The internal exam was so painful, I almost kicked the poor doc.
He did a cauterization in the office there and then sent me for the internal US -
He said with the size - my coming of age to go into menopause anyway - safer to remove it.


Medical menopause.  I guess I am worried about sweating more than the mood swings.  Or should I be worried about both?  I am a highly good natured person.  Just hate to sweat in front of people.  LOL

Thank you again!

Carol

[Fiveft4]

Are you having both ovaries removed? I just went through that...and I was scared, too! It hasn't been that bad :-) I feel better than I have in a long time. Best to you! Keep us posted on how thigns go for you :-)

Sharon

[crecco]

  I also want to wish all of you successful surgeries with nothing but the best results and very speedy recoveries. You are all in our prayers.
                                                                                   Love, Chris

[Carol139]

Thank you!   Good luck to others!

Carol