The downside for the doctor is that it takes a long time, much longer than an open hysterectomy and there is an increase risk of cutting a ureter given the lack of space makes it difficult to see all the anatomy clearly.
I arrived at the hospital at 5:00 am and left at 9:00 pm with a 1.5 hour commute each way it was a 3:30 am - 10:30 pm work day = 19 hours. Talk about tired. Fortunately you have so much adrenaline going during surgery that you do not feel the tiredness during the procedures. However about half way home the fatigue hits me like a brick wall and I have to hang on until I get home before collapsing. I should have studied for the exam at the end of the rotation but there was no way to do any studying in the dismal state of fatigue.
10 comments:
A hysterectomy is a hysterectomy is a hysterectomy. How a doctor preforms this operation has little to do with the quality of life a woman is left with sans her sex organs. We are not told of the after affects. We are not given options. We are told a hysterectomy will make us feel SO much better and that we will thank the doctor when it is finished. This is RARELY the case.
After, when we do not feel better, when we approach our doctor questioning where our sex drive, our energy, our sanity, our love for life has gone, we are treated as an oddity. We are made to feel this is the first time he/she has ever heard of this happening. We are given antidepressants.
If you ever do decide to go into the OB/GYN field I hope you will research this barbaric practice called hysterectomy further. Women desperately need OB/GYN's who are there FOR us. We put our trust in you. Hysterectomy takes away our soul.
JJ, You stated this woman had fibroids that had plagued her for years and she wanted the surgery. Had she known all the side effects and consequences which you and the other OBGYN'S neglected to tell her, she most likely would never had the hysterectomy.
The biggest risk of removal of the uterus is so much more than possible hemorrhage. The uterus and ovaries function throughout life in women who have not been hysterectomized or castrated, plus no drugs or other treatments can replace ovarian or uterine hormones or functions. The loss is permanent. There is nothing COOL about removing a woman's sexual hormone producing organs; ovaries, uterus and cervix.
Please go to www.hersfoundation.com and learn about the female anatomy by watching the DVD and then click on the "blog" button in the navigation bar at the top of the page. Read what hundreds of women are saying including myself about their life after their surgeries.
I had my surgery 20 years ago for a pea-sized fibroid and was never informed or given a choice about alternative surgeries for fibroids or cysts. Do you know the alternative surgeries JJ? On the day of my surgery, my doctor took my vibrant life from me and it has never gotten better, only worse! You never need a hysterectomy for fibroids unless you have the wrong doctor. Only CONFIRMED CANCER should a hysterectomy be done.
I am wondering JJ if you would have to be told if you amputated a leg that person would not be able to walk again. Why you have to be told that if you remove the uterus, ovaries or cervix (all sex organs) that person would never again be able to enjoy sex like before? When you cut into the vagina, then suture it shut and shortens it, that when you sever the nerves there won't be sensation in the vagina, clitoris and nipples, that when you sever the rich blood supply that there will be diminished blood flow to the pelvis, hips, legs and feet, that when you sever the ligaments that provide structural integrity to the pelvis that it really and truly damages a woman. It is hard for me to believe you are doing this to women knowing the damage this surgery is doing to a woman's life, marriage, sexual enjoyment, family life, career, health and well-being and her zest for life.
Women are having this surgery because they are uninformed and bullied into the surgery by profit-motivated doctors. Women would never consent to have their sex organs removed if they knew what they were in for. Our lives are not improved by having our sex organs removed. If the uterus is removed, the woman is damaged.
Please read 'The H Word' by Nora W. Coffey and Rick Schweikert from the Hers Foundaton whether you are studying to become an OBGYN or not. You will someday be married, or you have a Mother, Sister or Aunt that you can protect. This is a must read book that the majority of hysterectomies are unnecesary and when given one, how it destroys your life. The H Book exposes our medical community and the people we trust and what gynecology doesn't want women to know about 100 years of hysterectomy and female castration in America.
It should be criminal for doctors to perform life-altering surgery on women who aren't given the information they need to make informed decision.
Hello JJ. First, I want you to know that I appreciate your blog about your medical school experience. Your experience is probably shared by many other medical students. Your frankness is appreciated.
I’m the president of an independent, international non-profit women’s health organization, the Hysterectomy Educational Resources and Services Foundation. We are dedicated to providing full, accurate information about the female organs, their lifelong functions, and the consequences of their removal. I’ve lectured at the American Medical Student Association’s national conference, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Temple School of Medicine, and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as several nursing schools.
I was invited by the Medical Student’s Association to speak with their group. The student who arranged it met with opposition, but she persevered. A few faculty attended, though none stayed for the entire lecture or the discussion that followed. The students asked excellent questions. They stayed until their next class had actually begun.
A few days after my lecture I was advised that the students requested a meeting with the Dean of Students. They informed him that they would not assist in performing a hysterectomy unless it was a life saving surgery.
Like all second and third year medical students, you are overwhelmingly busy and frequently exhausted. But I sincerely hope that you will find a few minutes to read the Adverse Effects data about hysterectomy (they are stats that are a quick but very informative read) at www.hersfoundation.org/effects.html. Then click on the Female Anatomy DVD and the blog.
You can educate your classmates, and whatever medical you pursue, you will most certainly be aware of the many symptoms women present with that would seem mysterious to others, but you will have learned that they are the typical, well-documented, permanent aftermath of hysterectomy and female castration.
A hysterectomy is performed every minute of every hour of every day in the USA. If you are silent about what you have learned you become part of the problem. Or you can choose to be part of the solution. It is a moral, ethical, professional and human rights imperative to stop this from being done to women.
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.
--Albert Einstein
My comment was posted and removed..does anyone know why?
JJ, I read your comments. "How Exciting"? Let me comment:
It will not be "Exciting" for what these women will be facing in the aftermath of their Hysterectomies. You said the "Nice Part" is this type of surgery to not leave "Surgical Scars", the "Recover time is significantly less." Oh, my dear,
you have not a CLUE.
The "scars" left with these women will be the life altering changes to their bodies, their lives, their functioning; whether this be in forms as physically, sexually, and emotionally.
Poor doctors, to have to spend the extra time to do a vaginal Hyst., rather than an abdomial Hyst. - how sad.
How awful you had that commute after such a grueling day, and were in this "Dismal state of fatigue". You should feel embarrassed by your statements; in that, you have helped put these women into a lifetime of "Dismal state of Fatigue".
I could go on and on about not only my Hyst., how I was mislead into having one, believed in my GYN, trusted in him to tell me the right avenue with my fibroid situation, and I would "feel so much better afterwards", but millions of women talked into having a Hyst., and in all cases - unnecessary. There are options, and always must be to save a female's vital organs; i.e., uterus, ovaries, cervix, vagina, and whatever it takes should be the primary thought with any GYN. Save what is so vitally important, and not take an easy way out to make a "buck". Inform women of options. Is this so much to ask?
Three Hysterectomies in one day... I get sick to my stomache thinking about this. These poor females - talked into having these. just as I was. I hope you heed the oath of the doctors, and really, really think about this.
I want to ask you, JJ, and assuming you are a male - what would you say to a doctor who said you needed to have your testicles removed (balls), and half of your penis removed due to inside fibroids? Now, we know fibroids are benign; and doctors are only scaring women when they talk about the continued problems and only bring up 'cancer' as a scare tactic. Anyway, the doctor says, "Yes, you need to have your 'balls' taken off, and half of your penis. Oh, you will be fine afterwards. Your sex life will not change at all. You will feel so much better." You mention to your doctor about a procedure you heard about via the internet and a doctor speaking about this. He says, "Oh, no, and how dare a doctor speak about something with you when he has never even seen you? No, you need to have yours balls taken off, and your penis cut in half, and this is the only route to go."
What would you do, JJ? Would you go ahead with this surgery, or would you run (not walk) out of this doctor's office? You, cannot tell me the similarities I state here are not the same. Bologne, and this is what doctors get away with each and every day with performing Hysterectomies on females with. It is the same as cutting off a man's balls and most of his penis; except, still worse for a female. The bowels prolapsed, the more extensive for a female with nerves severed, along with tendons and ligaments are far more damaging than for a male.
JJ - you need to figure out right now if you are going to be a 'Good' doctor or a 'Bad' doctor. In order to be a 'Good' doctor, you will help stop this happening to women each and every day with this life altering operation. If you want to be a 'Bad' doctor, you will scoff off the information you have been provided with, and help continue this irreversible damage done to women. Get on board. Read the H Word book written by Nora Coffey and Rick Schweikert, and heed the words. Read the back of this book which quotes from the Talmud - "He who saves one life is as if he has saved the whole world." How many females' lives are you willing to save?
I would like to take this opportunity to possibly influence a future doctor. No matter which field you pick as your specialty, remember that with your degree comes a HUGE responsibility. You are responsible to do right. To tell the truth. To give your patients every respect and treat them the same way you would expect to be treated.
Unfortunately and amazingly enough, women in this day and age are lied to, patronized and bullied into surgery by our OB/GYN's where our sex organs are systematically removed. Removed as to "Save you from more surgery down the road". Removed because "While I am in there, we may as well clean house". Removed because "Just think, no more periods" with a wink at the husband. We are told, "Why I would GLADLY give my wife, even my daughter one". We are 'given' total hysterectomy and castration because our doctors get away with it. We are intimidated with the 'possibility' of cancer. We are rushed into surgery giving us no time to question or think. If we are given time to ask, we are patronized. Treated as children who would just not understand. Our questions regarding after effects are poo-pooed. Laughed off as nonsense.
We are told NOTHING of what to expect after. We are not told of the affects this surgery will have on our lives. On our relationships, our sense of self, our loss of orgasm and sexuality. The increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. We are not told we will age rapidly after our life blood is taken from us.
If we were men, castration would not even be an option. Why?? Why are we as women STILL treated as inferior human beings??
We are taught to trust you, our doctor. That is a huge, huge responsibility. It is time for OB/GYN's and ALL doctors past and present to wake up. To stop unnecessary female hysterectomy and castration. To give women ALL the information, materials and time we need to make an INFORMED decision.
As a doctor, in what ever field you choose, remember that women deserve to be treated with respect. We deserve the opportunity to make an INFORMED decision. Remember, hysterectomy and castration are the most abused and unnecessary surgery preformed in the country.
It can change.
Rather than responding to each comment individually I have made a dedicated post to try and address some of the comments. Please feel free to check it out. It is entitled "the dark side of hysterectomies" Thanks
Bibi,
I am a regular reader on this blog, and your comments on this post sound fanatical and, frankly, stupid. It is neither your responsibility nor your right to comment on someone else's experience. It is not okay for you to indicate that JJ should be embarrassed about his factual statement that he was tired after spending 18 hours at work and another 2 hours commuting home. YOU should be embarrassed about YOUR statements. Does the anonymity of the internet make it okay to be rude? Or perhaps this is yet another side effect of your hysterectomy?
The medical profession does not medically know or understand all of the female hormones and substances housed in and utilized by the female reproductive sex organs and how these substances affect a woman's overall health and well-being, medical fact. Some unknown human female uterine substances have been discovered as recently as 1999. Concerning the inconclusive documentation of substances and hormones utilized by the female human, for health and physical well-being, is where the medical uncertainty becomes of great concern to women's health in totality today. The fact that all hormones and substances housed in and utilized by the female human are not understood medically today is crucial to understanding the topic of the medical industries touting of the "benefits" of removing these organs for benign conditions in epidemic proportion.
The endocrine system regulates a woman's bodily function and emotions through all of the human hormone receptors. I am convinced hiding the endocrine system from women through routine gynecological exams is vital to the gynecologists female iatrogenic illness contribution to the medical industry. The Gynecologist surgeons are "handing" chronically ill woman (via: sex organ, endocrine organ amputation) to the medical industry for a life-time of various CAUSED (iatrogenic) HEALTH CARE PROBLEMS...This is what the Gynecologists are doing to women. The negligence of not informing women of the known medical facts regarding the amputation of the female sex organs including the endocrine system (ovaries) by deceit must be eradicated immediately. The known gynecological iatrogenic illness epidemic is embarrassing for the entire medical industry at this point and is "THE MOST HEINOUS ACT OF MEDICAL DECEIT RECORDED IN HISTORY-FEMALE SEX ORGAN AMPUTATION/CASTRATION BY MEDICAL DECEIT FOR PROFIT". I believe every branch of medicine would be positively affected if the biggest "best kept secret" in medical history "female sex organ amputation/castration by medical deceit for profit" is brought "out" and ended by law. Sign the HERS Foundation-Petition to add informed consent to the gynecological consent form. Lets end the heinous calculated medical de-sexing of the American Woman by medical deceit for profit together.
There are "medical ethics" blogs, moderated by experienced medical doctors, regarding hysterectomy and the Use vs Abuse of Hysterectomy.
There are endless medical documents defending what I have said today.
The uterus and ovaries are endocrine organs that function throughout a woman's life. For example, the ovaries secrete oxytocin,-the hormone of mating and maternal behaviors, a stress reducer, and a muscle constrictor. Oxytocin's man made synthetic is pitocin which is used to induce labor. It is nature's plan that women would have sex and the ovaries would then release oxytocin which causes lovely uterine contractions at orgasm. The uterine/ovarian response connection is very interwoven.
In one study, researchers measured testosterone levels of attendees going into a soccer game. The researchers next measured the testosterone levels of the audience as they left. They found that half of their subject's levels had gone up, while half had gone down. The half that had gone up were fans, both male and female, of the winning team, while the lowered testosterone levels were fans of the losing team. If you don't have your ovaries (gonads), then you can't react like that. This takes a great deal of the joy out of life. Women without ovaries (or with impaired ovaries) may not react as lovingly as before--including to their mates, including to their children. Also, testosterone, like oxytocin, is important to sexual response, a sense of well being, and to muscle strength.
The uterus is a foundation of the female pelvic floor. Removing the uterus leaves a hole in the pelvic floor. A hole that the bowel and bladder then tend to fall thru. The uterus has a huge blood supply. Nerves course with this blood supply. At hysterectomy, the uterine arteries will have to be severed along with supporting ligaments that serve as conduits for blood and nerve supply. This reduces pelvic blood flow and innervation...including the blood and nerve supply to the critically important ovaries.
Did you know that quadriplegic women can orgasm with uterine cervical stimulation? And that tells us something very important. The uterus is not just connected to the brain via the spine but also has a rare "direct connect" with the brain. Additionally, the uterus has nerves that connect it to the heart and to the female breasts. Following hysterectomy, the brain misses uterine stimulation as well as suffers from the ensuing endocrine deprivation. No wonder then that depression is so prevalent following hysterectomy. The risk of heart disease also increases greatly with hysterectomy and ovary removal.
So much of what is done to women is radical when conservative care should be offered. Fibroids are encapsulated and can be removed. Unfortunately, removing them doesn't tend to pay as much as removing the uterus and it can take longer.Further, I cannot dismiss the role that hysterectomy plays in the training of physicians.
I say, let us play this in a man's world. Tell a guy that you want to remove his testicles, prostate, and part of his penis because he has a benign, encapsulated growth (that could be treated conservatively). Or, because his organs might one day get cancer. My belief is that if it wouldn't even be suggested in Manville, then it shouldn't be a part of a woman's world, either. The medical profession routinely treats men conservatively while women are routinely, unnecessarily treated destructively. This disparity of treatment is nothing short of gender prejudice.
In conclusion, I would like to recommend the HERS Foundation for accurate information on hysterectomy and ovary removal. The HERS female anatomy video? Priceless.
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