Consuela, if you would like, I can ask my sister for her advice about what the differences might be between IUD and hysterectomy.

Hey!

Hysterectomy Girl here! I had mine at 35, after I'd had 1 ovary removed -- the hysterectomy took out my wonky uterus and remaining ovary, and left just a leetle bit of my cervix.

I would go back and have the op again in a hot minute, but I won't lie -- it's major surgery. I was in hospital for 4 days, and then at my folks' house for almost a week. If I had had a large dog, I would have had to have someone to be a dog walker for a few weeks. You will definitely need someone with you for 5-7 days after you go home; you will be sleeping and on good drugs that week...but 3 days post-hospital, I started taking a walk up and down the block, sans dog and slowly.

But recovery was actually pretty good (take the painkillers! Stay on the couch! It WILL take you the entire recovery time to get back on your feet) but at week 6, I went on my first date with Dan.

I started off estrogen on these very slim, clear patches you change every 2 1/2 days, but they were too pricey on our old insurance.

I had insane bleeding and pain and hormonal mood swings for years, so I regret nothing about my hysterectomy. Not. One. Second.

YUterusMV, of course.

If you have any questions, ask away!

Would they take your ovaries too, Consuela? Or just the uterus?

Looks like I've decided to push the surgery off, if I can, and just do the IUD to stay. My doctor seems ok with that, since my health is otherwise good and I don't have any other risk factors.

I had a the whole kit and caboodle removed--stage 4 endo plus fibroids. I had gotten so used to the endless bleeding and the pain and the general awfulness that it made a GINORMOUS difference. It's big time surgery--so you want someone around to fetch and carry for you for a while afterwards. Instant menopause was not my favorite thing ever, but it was still one million times better than what I had been going through. In my case, I wish I had done it years sooner.

No advice to offer, Suela, but much sympathy with the miseries and all my digits crossed that the IUD does right by you for as long as you need.

To be fair, my mom actually was diagnosed with endometrial cancer last year. And other than the stroke she had because she went off blood thinners to have surgery (um, yeah...one thing after another, she's now had four or more stents put in her? But it was a v minor stroke and she's fine and you probably don't have her heart issues!!!) she's doing well...

It sounds like now is not a good time for major surgery; here's to the IUD working out very well!

thanks, all. I think I'll be ok in the short term, anyway. It'll be nice to stop bleeding for a bit, anyway...

I am a fan of the IUD, esp the not bleeding part.