Hysterectomy--seems very common post BC

Being advised to do it
Right now I have 3 opinions for (onc., 2 gyns) and 1 opinion against (gyn). Will be making up my mind very soon. Just a little on the fence about it. Going to talk to my PCP also to see if he thinks now is a "good" time.

Jennifer

disneyfan2008 said:

I had thickening of uterus
I had thickening of uterus and bleeding after 3 yr post meno...my gyno called my oncologist gyno to talk about my issue. AT first my Dr suggested to leave my ovaries..I said take everything since YOU will NOT be getting me back in again (for suregery)

This month is 6mths post surgery..

Denise

I will be having everything
I will be having everything out very soon, just waiting on my date. I have had to fight to get this done, however i feel its the best thing for me. I am a little scared about the pain, but the 3 to 4 day hospital stay is welcome .... vacation lol

disneyfan2008 said:

mine was done on Tues
out Friday am...PLEASE watch about constipation! SERIOUSLY..I ended up in the ER two days in row due to total IMPACTMENT...it was terrible...compared to surgery. ALL from the Pain killers (hydromorphine or something like that..) never had it before and I have had Many suregeries..I had to go to ER and have enamas etc..and manual deimplaction (sorry to be graphic) worse thing I have ever had...so try to do better then me with drinking LOTS of water..I THOUGHT I had been cautious with my eating etc..but ..............terrible..

Denise

Interesting, you all are
Interesting, you all are talking about much longer hospital stays for your hystertectomies. My surgeon is planning on sending me home the next day. What kind of surgical procedure are you or did you have?

mzl0ve said:

Ty for the heads up, they
Ty for the heads up, they will be using my c- section scar, so no new scars, like that matters lol. oh well ty. I do believe im going to go crazy waiting for the date

Indeed
My gyn onc told me it's not uncommon for a women to have both breast cancer and endometrial cancer over the course of her lifetime. The risk factors are the same, and if ER positive, endo cancer often loves estrogen, too (mine did). Add to those normal risk factors, if you're taking Tamoxifen, in spite of it keeping estrogen from breast cancer cells, it acts like estrogen in the uterus and this can cause endometrial cancer, so they watch out for that. If you have one of the BRCA genes, you're likely to get ovarian cancer. And then there's Lynch syndrome that links several other cancers, primarly colon, endometrial, ovarian, breast. My med onc said she was glad my ovaries were gone because now they didn't have to worry about me getting ovarian cancer. I have no idea why she said that.

Like breast cancer, there are many types, stages and grades of endometrial cancer. The most common is endometroid adenocarcinoma (like IDC is the most common BC) and if caught early enough it is usually cured by surgery alone. If not, it can be really nasty stuff.

My totally non scientific theory is that as women are ageing with reproductive organs intact (hysterectomies are no longer common in younger women for non-cancer menstrual problems), we're going to see a lot more endometrial/uterine cancers because we still have the uterus to grow it in! If it's not there, it can't happen.

So yes, it is not uncommon for breast cancer patients to also have had or need hysterectomies.

Suzanne

I have been on Tamoxifen for
I have been on Tamoxifen for just over a year now. I had my annual gyn appt in March, and they did the endometrial biopsy then. Doc said he wants to examine me every six months because of the Tamoxifen. I had second exam and biopsy in September. I have a hysteroscopy and d&c scheduled for Nov 18 because he found polyps in the sample. I don't know if that means more trouble to come, and I'll end up needing a hysterectomy? I thought something was going on because of how my periods changed (I still get it even on Tamoxifen. I'm 45.) My cancer was ER+, PR+

Yippee!

35 yrs old, BRCA1+, was
35 yrs old, BRCA1+, was advised by my oncologist, gynecologist, and family doc to have it all removed. Had the Davinci robotic assisted surgery about 6 weeks ago and other than these damn hot flashes I feel pretty good!
*hugs*
Heather