Question for the ladies

[lbecker]

I have been diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia for which I am seeing a specialist. I have
had light vaginal bleeding with this, but it seems to be related very much to my taking the
Warfarin. The doctor has said I may need to have a D & C or possibly a hysterectomy. Has
anyone had to have either of these while being on Warfarin, if so what can you tell me about
any concerns or questions I should speak to the doctor about. I realize I will need to do a bridge
if I have surgery, I am just wondering if others have experienced anything like this and can share
their experience with me. Thanks, Laura B.

 

[njean]

Hi Laura,

I had to undergo a total hysterectomy in 1997, (at age 46), and I was on coumadin. My cardiologist and the gyno dr. that performed the surgery worked very closely together. In fact, when it was diagnosed that I had a cyst on one of my ovaries, & I needed surgery, my cardiologist was the one that recommended the gynocologist who did it.

I was extremely nervous about the whole thing being that I was on anticoagulants but both doctors, like I said, worked together with the bridging prior to the surgery & afterwards. My cardiologist was even in the operating room when they performed the surgery! Very happy about that!

Also I endured years of constant, chronic pain & horrible periods, due to the growing cyst, all because I was so terrified of having to have surgery! But it all worked out in the end! Thank God!

So if you need to have surgery, don't let the fact that you are on coumadin stop you from feeling better! Just make sure that your doctors are in close communication with one another!

Best of luck to you!

P.S. Thought I'd mention to you that in the fall of 2004, I had an accident on an ATV in which I tore up my right knee pretty bad & needed to undergo surgery then too! Again, the surgeon was in constant communication with my cardio. Made it thru that one too!

 

[lbecker]

Jean, appreciate you sharing that the doctors worked together, that would make me feel better. I will see where this goes, I may have to have a hysterectomy
and like you said I have a lot of apprehension about this, especially since I just had my heart surgery last June, not even a year ago yet. I will take it slow,
but don't want to not do something I need to just because of fear. Laura B.

 

[ottagal]

Laura,
Sorry that I can't help you with your situation but Norma has given you some great advice esp. with her experience being on Warfarin. I can appreciate you not wanting any more surgery at this point. I too am supposed to have some minor surgery and to be honest don't relish the idea of ANY surgery with not even being a year out.
All the best,

 

[Maryka]

The D&C would help in more than one way. It will clear out the area (which might help the bleeding) and the doctors can analyze what they see in there in relation to cancer. Long before I had heart surgery and went on coumaden, I had lots of bleeding, such as you do. I had had in-office endometrial biopsies (which I do NOT recommend). Then, in my 50s after I finally qualified to call myself in menopause, I had "another period". The in-hospital D&C and analysis revealed I was one level below cancer. A hysterectomy was recommended. I had a "keyhole" total hysterectomy (including both ovaries--my choice). The healing was quick and the scarring was so slight that a dermatologist later could not descern what the little round scars were--"some sort of mole?" he wondered aloud, ha ha!

 

[catwoman]

Laura:

I had endometrial hyperplasia in the early 1980s -- long before my MVR and going on warfarin. The bleeding and pain increased so that in early 1985, I was having 2+ periods per month. My doctor had tried several things, including a D&C, which did nothing. My doctor said the only option was a complete hysterectomy. I got a 2nd opinion, went with that doctor and had a complete hysterectomy in March 1985, at age 34. He also found that I had significant endometriosis.

I had significant bleeding pre-op and I was NOT on warfarin; your situation may/may not be related to being on warfarin.

FYI: When I got the 2nd opinion, that OB/GYN said, "If you were my wife or daughter, I would definitely recommend a hysterectomy." He gave me stats on endometrial hyperplasia being a precancerous condition, usual time frame for it becoming cancerous, etc.

Once I got over the initial recovery -- 4-6 weeks, this is an abdominal incision because they needed to do some exploratory and found the endometriosis and needed to clean up things -- it was amazing how much better I felt. I had adapted to feeling crappy w/out realizing it, and didn't realize how much my stamina and energy had been sapped. I had soooooooo much energy once again.

 

[lbecker]

Thanks to all for sharing your experiences. Sounds like this is something I should be proactive about and get my cardiologist involved related to my anti-coagulation. I have done
some checking about a good GYN and have put a request in to see the one that was recommended. Laura B.

 

[aussigal]

I dont know but will google afterwards to see what this hyperplasia is anyways...I had an Uterine Ablation done (as an alternative to hysterectomy) some ten years ago now...it was before my OHS but it was the best thing ever...so dont let fear stop you getting this fixed...life is so much better when these girl-things are sorted...you will wish you had it sorted years back...I dont think you should let the fear or your doctors/surgeons fear of Coumadin hinder your journey to womanly wellness.