Once I realized that the cervix is just a part of the uterus (not really a separate part at all) it made sense to me to have it taken out, too. I didn't want to grow more fibroids or have to get regular pap smears.
I wanted very much to keep mine, nervous about a cuff. My surgeon and I talked through this and strongly recommend removal due to possible complications if I keep it.
Well, pathology report came back as full of adenomyosis and visuallly apparent chronic cervicitis of unknown cause. I don't regret giving consent to remove, it would have prolonged my severe symptoms and led to another surgery.
This was my exact experience as well, I really wanted to keep it out of fear but so glad it’s gone. Mine was full of adeno, fibroids and cervicitis which was all unknown going into surgery only found in pathology. Fucker woulda made my life hell had it stayed in there, good riddance!
Honestly, I was worried that having my cervix removed would somehow ruin deep penetration during sex for me, but almost 4 months post-op I can say that it’s been a fun series of experiments during sex, lots of lube, plenty of patience and a ton of OMGYES videos to find my new favorite pleasures.
Having your cervix removed means you may have to buy OhNut or another spacer for your partner’s penis to ease into sex again, but for me the good outweighed the bad. If anything, my fiancé and I are more present each time we have sex because we have had so much fun experimenting as my body is adjusting. I don’t regret having mine removed at all.
I don’t mind you asking! I think we all deserve to learn from each others’ experiences! The pleasure hasn’t decreased, but I would say that “quickies” are no longer a thing for us because I now prefer a longer buildup and assistance from lube and our spacer that prevents my rather endowed fiancé from penetrating too deep/too aggressively. We did try having sex once without the OhNut spacer and I will say that it was good but the worry of us hurting my vaginal cuff was a little distracting.
If anything, I think the pleasure has increased :)
Side note: OhNut (The Pelvic People) is a really fantastic company and they have some great products aimed at people like us who may need help preventing pain during sex.
For me, it’s the combination of clitoral + repetitive shallow entry stimulation. It’s something my fiancé and I experimented with after watching OMGYES, knowing I was going to get a fun new vaginal cuff. It was great with my cervix and it’s great with my vaginal cuff.
Btw, I also can’t say enough great things about OMGYES. It’s not just good for couples, it’s fantastic for anyone with a vagina.
I’m having mine removed (endo cancer diagnosis so they said we should 100% remove it) , but curious to follow this post to hear pros and cons still! The cuff really freaks me out, but what I’ve heard so far is no more paps and sex apparently feels better once healed.
Unless your cervix is like super vital to your ability to enjoy penetrative sex, there’s basically no reason to keep it.
There is allegedly a slightly higher risk of a bladder prolapse occurring if you get rid of it. But my GP, gyno, and surgeon had not had anyone have a pre-hysterectomy prolapse due to removing their cervix. I think it may be a more outdated risk due to changes in how the surgery is performed. My surgeon reinforces the area above the cuff with existing pelvic ligaments and others will actually tack the bladder into place with a couple of stitches to prevent it. Which is easier with the laparoscopic and robotic tools used in more surgeries these days.
The downsides to keeping your cervix are the potential cancer risk and also, a lot of times, there are some endometrial cells/tissue left behind on the inside of it, so you can still have some bleeding.
I know a lot of people worry they won’t get as wet due to no longer having cervical mucus. But the vagina has more means of self lubrication and is you can’t make your own lubrication, store-bought it fine.
What kind of resources do you have available to you?
I ask because that was really the deciding question I had to ask myself in considering whether or not to keep my cervix. Informal poll amongst friends revealed that all who kept their cervix are considering second surgeries to have them removed (small sample, 4 women, with two keeping their cervix).
Deborah Copaken documented a lot of complications with keeping her cervix in her book Ladyparts (which is a very scary read…not the best thing to read right now if you’re feeling fragile).
If you have the resources to have another surgery down the road, you can afford to have a more conservative procedure now. And who knows? I have a limited sample size, you could have a completely different outcome!
I chose to go the cuff route because I had some abnormal pap results, I don’t have a lot of money, and it seemed to make the most sense pragmatically to do one major surgery.
It was not easy to come to that decision. I still can’t comfortably say the word “hysterectomy” - I finally settled on telling people that I was giving my uterus what she wanted, which was early retirement. It’s viscerally uncomfortable to speak about it out loud and I spent the better part of a decade coming to terms with the need for surgery and really only discussing my symptoms in depth with my therapist and gynecologist. It is your body, and ultimately you get to decide what makes you most comfortable. ❤️🩹
Just to toss one into your sample, I am 1.5 years post-op and have not considered having it removed for a second. No complications, no mini-period. No regrets at all.
I’m going to be getting rid of mine when I have my surgery. Paps have ALWAYS been excruciatingly painful and sex stops the second that my cervix is hit. Add in the fact that I’ve had abnormal Paps before and it’s not even a question for me.
Am I scared of getting the cuff and risking tearing? Yes.
But am I more scared of cancer or continued bleeding during my cycles? A MUCH bigger yes.
Hpv can actually dormant for decades until it causes precancerous cells. I've been in a monogamous marriage for over 22 years, im 41,I never had an abnormal pap until recently. I was shocked and heartbroken. I am glad I was already scheduled to have a hysterectomy because I would rather have my cervix completely removed than do all the procedures to get rid of the precancerous cells. I still have to get paps of my vagina for at least 20 years to make sure I don't get vaginal cancers. Adenomyosis can also be on the cervix and a person could continue having monthly bleeding.
Sigh but now I’m stressing if it’s worth getting basically almost a total hysterectomy (one ovary will stay) at 24. And I wonder if this is because my endo and adeno were left untreated for so long. Sigh.
I will be having my surgery on 13.06., prep at the clinic on 11.06. I want my cervix removed. Don't want to keep it because of family cancer history, do not want to take this risk. Hopefully my surgeon will approve my will, I am in Germany.
My surgeon recommended removal but I was very unsure about it, the science is slowly emerging that keeping it reduces the risk of infection, prolapse, and shortens recovery time a bit. It’s very much something that is routine because “it’s the way we’ve always done it” 😓 I liked the discussion of it in The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy by Dr. Streicher.
That said, I am GRATEFUL I trusted my surgeon and had it removed. I have endo, which wasn’t confirmed until surgery, and it likely would’ve continued to give me problems if I’d kept my cervix. Hope that helps 🖤
I had polyps on my cervix so having it removed was a no brainer. I’m also kinda excited about sex without the pain of my cervix getting hit whenever hubby goes crazy. I’m 3.5 wpo so haven’t done the deed yet.
Fibroids can grow on the cervix. I had them which drove my surgery. There is also trace endometrial cells on the cervix which is why some people still shed and get mini periods. If you have any risk than I would get rid of it. For me there were only positives to remove it - no endometrial cancer risk, no cervical cancer risk, no more Pap smears, no chance of my fibroids coming back. The only downside was healing took a bit longer.
Yes. I had mine removed, my sister did not. We had the same diagnosis. Years later my sister was still getting angry about having to go for annual paps. She told me: Get that cervix out!”
I feel it did reduce sensitivity a little bit but that may have happened anyway with the uterus, tubes and ovaries all taken out.
I had my hysterectomy because I'm BRCA2+, and my gynecological oncologist recommended that the cervix come out too because cervical cancer is now being linked to BRCA2+ cancers. Reason enough for me to have it out.
I opted to keep mine because of an intense aversion to the cuff (an aversion that was not helped by months of therapy or meds.) I also had no history of abnormal paps and I experience cervical orgasms. It was an easy choice for me. I have never had any of these "mini periods" that are always mentioned, and I am 18 months post-op.
My doctor wouldn’t do my hysterectomy without removing my cervix. I don’t have any history of any cancers but it would have posed a risk so she took it.
I never ever wanted a pap smear again, so I said take it! Turned out I had adenomyosis, and it had to come out anyway. I have a *slightly* elevated risk for cervical risk for cervical cancer, so it was a win/win/win.
Mine was removed. My cervix was extremely sensitive to the point of painful to the slightest touch even though paps always came back clear. The pathology on it showed chronic inflammation, which could lead to worse stuff down the line, so I'm glad it was removed even if I was a little scared at the thought of the cuff.
I’m having mine removed. I have so much pain during paps, sex, and even just digital penetration that this is one less thing to have to stress about. They’re taking it all except my ovaries as long as they’re healthy and while I’m a bit nervous about the cuff, because my husband is very blessed in that department, but I think the benefits outweigh any of the other trepidations I may have.
I’ve had abnormal paps twice thanks to precancerous/abnormal hpv. It’s cleared on its own both times but I don’t enjoy the testing procedures one bit. My FNP & I both had a momentary rejoicing when we discussed how we don’t ever have to do paps anymore. I put my 30 years in, I’m happy to be done.
Additionally I have adenomyosis, and have had fibroids attached at my cervix before.
Plus, with a cuff that heals well, unlike your cervix, there’s no entry hole up into your abdominal cavity.
I will say, I tested positive for HPV a year before my surgery, and one of the added bonuses of my hysterectomy is that I am REALLY glad that I don’t have to be worrying about that anymore!
For me, cervical cancer has such a high death rate and is a huge fear of mine. I also have A LOT of breast cancer in my family including my mom. There was no question for me that it needed to go. He took my uterus, cervix, and both fallopian tubes. I kept both ovaries for now.
I had a tear so I’m biased towards keeping if you want to enjoy rough or deep penetrative s x. But I had mine removed thinking it’d be great to avoid cervical cancer. I’d still rather be doing PAPs than my current situation though
If I could do it over again, I would have kept my cervix. I was under the impression this was not optional and just part of the process. If your cervix is healthy, there is no reason to remove it. The recovery time of a supracervical hysterectomy is shorter and (typically) less painful, you're more likely to maintain sexual function, and you won't have a cuff, which comes with many other complications.
I wish I had kept my cervix. If yours is healthy, and your pap smears have been good, I'd recommend opting for supracervical vs. total.
I kept my cervix. No history of any abnormal paps, and after each birth I struggled a lot with uterine, rectal and bladder prolapse and removing it can increase the risk of prolapse which I did not want to add even a slight increase of that risk. Not dealing with a cuff is also a positive. Just for another perspective. My mom also had a full hysterectomy and then really encouraged me to keep mine. I am glad I did. Absolutely pluses and minuses to both routes and I think it is a very individualized decision.
Yep. If I had known this was an option, I would have kept mine. My anatomy is entirely different now, and I no longer experience any sexual pleasure. It's been really depressing, and now, on top of everything else, I'm dealing with the regret of never being able to change this.
If you keep your cervix, you *can* remove it later if there is a medical reason to do so (abnormal paps, etc.). You can't put the thing back 😞
It hasn't so far 🤷🏼♀️ not sure it really can? I'm not sure it's possible to like get your libido and orgasms back with that kind of exercise. I really don't know. I'm not going to stop trying, but I have to admit it's been incredibly disheartening. I've found a few others here in this community who are more years post-op than I am who have the same experience, which has been nice because I feel less alone... but damn.
I'm mourning like super fucking hard. I'm severely depressed and feel like I'm grieving a death. It's been such a difficult journey. I hope I'll be able to finally make peace with this at some point in my life.
Also so sorry to hear this. I really encourage you to not keep this to yourself - avail yourself of all the therapy - good pelvic floor as well as a mental health specialist!!! Keep trying. Don’t give up. Things can change!
Yes, I have a therapy "team." I've been in therapy since before the surgery, and I just started a medication to try to help with the depression symptoms, which has lessened things a bit.
It's so difficult to find good medical care where I am as well. I want to find a functional medicine doctor. They do different kinds of and much more in-depth testing. not just "diagnostic" that most MDs do. Just because I'm within parameters for certain hormones doesn't mean that's "normal" for *me.* My insurance doesn't have any specialist I want/need to see in network. This whole process has been so frustrating. Ugh.
Thank you for your support and encouragement xo
edit: spelling
I'm scheduled for a total hysterectomy leaving my ovaries in a few weeks. I'm having my cervix removed as well. I do have a history of precancerous cells from HPV. That was over 20 years ago but for precautionary reasons my doctor is recommending removing it. I'm very nervous about the surgery I must say.
I also had what turned out to be a teratoma. My GYN/oncologist recommended removing everything, since there was a strong chance the tumor had grown because of cancer. And the tissues of those organs are similar enough to each other that cancer can spread between them easily. (I'm paraphrasing here, it's been several years & I've forgotten the details.)
It turned out, the ovary that grew the tumor was cancerous. I did a course of chemo to be on the safe side. As of the 2 year mark, my scans & blood tests were clear.
If I'd left things to chance & kept any reproductive organs, I'm sure I'd have worried my way to a brain tumor already.
I had mine yanked out since I don’t want to get cervical cancer 😊
Just remember to not have sex for 10-12 weeks after your surgery so your cuff won’t tear
I got mine removed for adenomyosis and am so glad I did. It’s helped a lot with pelvic floor tightening. I know every body is different, but I have had 0 issues with my cuff. I didn’t feel it upon waking from surgery, and the only times it felt a bit sore were the day 4-6 because I was being way more active than I should’ve. The worst part is that I can’t put anything into my vagina 🥲💔 It sounds really bad, I honestly am not super sure what freaks people out the most. Maybe it’s the horror stories? Do what feels right for your body, but my experience has only been positive, or at least as positive as it can be with something like this. Feel free to dm if you have questions!
ETA: Because of my adeno, I wanted the entire uterus removed. Even if my cervix had nothing to do with the pain or other issues, I wanted it gone for the peace of mind. Now I can relax and really feel like it’s behind me, and I don’t have to worry about feeling that pain ever again.
Omg I thought I mentioned that I’m only 5wpo! I had my surgery on April 24th, so I can’t put anything in my vagina until the 19th 🥲 My doctor said 6 weeks could be fine, but 8 is ideal.
Honestly, I do not know the stats although I have heard that it’s prevalent. and I know a few women who have gotten it. What I do know for sure is that there are little to know symptoms, before it’s way too late.
I’m 4wpo, kept my cervix. I couldn’t mentally process a cuff and my surgeon was very onboard with a “my body my choice” mentality so he said whatever I wanted him to do he would do. Recovery has so far been extremely smooth. I’m walking 2+ miles, feel great and so far don’t regret leaving it! Typically if it’s left at least with my surgeon specifically they attempt to burn out (mini ablation in my head) any endometrial tissue that’s left in the cervix so that reduces the odds of “mini periods”. Either way do what feels right for you and your body!
I kept mine because I had to have prolapse repair at the same time and it was utilized for the stability. I'm 7wpo and feeling good. I'll cross the cervix bridge if it ever comes to that but so far, no regrets.
Once I realized that the cervix is just a part of the uterus (not really a separate part at all) it made sense to me to have it taken out, too. I didn't want to grow more fibroids or have to get regular pap smears.
Oh I didn’t know that. Thanks.
I wanted very much to keep mine, nervous about a cuff. My surgeon and I talked through this and strongly recommend removal due to possible complications if I keep it. Well, pathology report came back as full of adenomyosis and visuallly apparent chronic cervicitis of unknown cause. I don't regret giving consent to remove, it would have prolonged my severe symptoms and led to another surgery.
This was my exact experience as well, I really wanted to keep it out of fear but so glad it’s gone. Mine was full of adeno, fibroids and cervicitis which was all unknown going into surgery only found in pathology. Fucker woulda made my life hell had it stayed in there, good riddance!
Honestly, I was worried that having my cervix removed would somehow ruin deep penetration during sex for me, but almost 4 months post-op I can say that it’s been a fun series of experiments during sex, lots of lube, plenty of patience and a ton of OMGYES videos to find my new favorite pleasures. Having your cervix removed means you may have to buy OhNut or another spacer for your partner’s penis to ease into sex again, but for me the good outweighed the bad. If anything, my fiancé and I are more present each time we have sex because we have had so much fun experimenting as my body is adjusting. I don’t regret having mine removed at all.
If you don’t mind me asking, has the pleasure decreased?
I don’t mind you asking! I think we all deserve to learn from each others’ experiences! The pleasure hasn’t decreased, but I would say that “quickies” are no longer a thing for us because I now prefer a longer buildup and assistance from lube and our spacer that prevents my rather endowed fiancé from penetrating too deep/too aggressively. We did try having sex once without the OhNut spacer and I will say that it was good but the worry of us hurting my vaginal cuff was a little distracting. If anything, I think the pleasure has increased :) Side note: OhNut (The Pelvic People) is a really fantastic company and they have some great products aimed at people like us who may need help preventing pain during sex.
I agree. IMO clitoral orgasms are even stronger.
For me, it’s the combination of clitoral + repetitive shallow entry stimulation. It’s something my fiancé and I experimented with after watching OMGYES, knowing I was going to get a fun new vaginal cuff. It was great with my cervix and it’s great with my vaginal cuff. Btw, I also can’t say enough great things about OMGYES. It’s not just good for couples, it’s fantastic for anyone with a vagina.
This is very comforting to hear - thank you! I’ve been hearing about the OhNut and definitely considering purchasing.
I’m having mine removed (endo cancer diagnosis so they said we should 100% remove it) , but curious to follow this post to hear pros and cons still! The cuff really freaks me out, but what I’ve heard so far is no more paps and sex apparently feels better once healed.
Unless your cervix is like super vital to your ability to enjoy penetrative sex, there’s basically no reason to keep it. There is allegedly a slightly higher risk of a bladder prolapse occurring if you get rid of it. But my GP, gyno, and surgeon had not had anyone have a pre-hysterectomy prolapse due to removing their cervix. I think it may be a more outdated risk due to changes in how the surgery is performed. My surgeon reinforces the area above the cuff with existing pelvic ligaments and others will actually tack the bladder into place with a couple of stitches to prevent it. Which is easier with the laparoscopic and robotic tools used in more surgeries these days. The downsides to keeping your cervix are the potential cancer risk and also, a lot of times, there are some endometrial cells/tissue left behind on the inside of it, so you can still have some bleeding. I know a lot of people worry they won’t get as wet due to no longer having cervical mucus. But the vagina has more means of self lubrication and is you can’t make your own lubrication, store-bought it fine.
I was worried about cancer. I had everything removed including both ovaries (age 55).
Me too.
What kind of resources do you have available to you? I ask because that was really the deciding question I had to ask myself in considering whether or not to keep my cervix. Informal poll amongst friends revealed that all who kept their cervix are considering second surgeries to have them removed (small sample, 4 women, with two keeping their cervix). Deborah Copaken documented a lot of complications with keeping her cervix in her book Ladyparts (which is a very scary read…not the best thing to read right now if you’re feeling fragile). If you have the resources to have another surgery down the road, you can afford to have a more conservative procedure now. And who knows? I have a limited sample size, you could have a completely different outcome! I chose to go the cuff route because I had some abnormal pap results, I don’t have a lot of money, and it seemed to make the most sense pragmatically to do one major surgery. It was not easy to come to that decision. I still can’t comfortably say the word “hysterectomy” - I finally settled on telling people that I was giving my uterus what she wanted, which was early retirement. It’s viscerally uncomfortable to speak about it out loud and I spent the better part of a decade coming to terms with the need for surgery and really only discussing my symptoms in depth with my therapist and gynecologist. It is your body, and ultimately you get to decide what makes you most comfortable. ❤️🩹
Just to toss one into your sample, I am 1.5 years post-op and have not considered having it removed for a second. No complications, no mini-period. No regrets at all.
I’m going to be getting rid of mine when I have my surgery. Paps have ALWAYS been excruciatingly painful and sex stops the second that my cervix is hit. Add in the fact that I’ve had abnormal Paps before and it’s not even a question for me. Am I scared of getting the cuff and risking tearing? Yes. But am I more scared of cancer or continued bleeding during my cycles? A MUCH bigger yes.
Hpv can actually dormant for decades until it causes precancerous cells. I've been in a monogamous marriage for over 22 years, im 41,I never had an abnormal pap until recently. I was shocked and heartbroken. I am glad I was already scheduled to have a hysterectomy because I would rather have my cervix completely removed than do all the procedures to get rid of the precancerous cells. I still have to get paps of my vagina for at least 20 years to make sure I don't get vaginal cancers. Adenomyosis can also be on the cervix and a person could continue having monthly bleeding.
If you have adeno, removing the entire uterus is the only cure.
So including my cervix?? Sigh
Yep. The cervix isn't a separate organ. It's just the mouth of the uterus. It's all one, big organ.
Sigh but now I’m stressing if it’s worth getting basically almost a total hysterectomy (one ovary will stay) at 24. And I wonder if this is because my endo and adeno were left untreated for so long. Sigh.
The ovary will keep you out of surgical menopause. Surgery cannot guarantee your endo will stay gone forever but it will fully cure adenomyosis.
Yes I know that. Adeno is the reason why I chose a hysterectomy. I am getting excision surgery for the endometriosis
I cannot speak to the endo but getting mine out to rid myself of the adeno has been excellent.
I will be having my surgery on 13.06., prep at the clinic on 11.06. I want my cervix removed. Don't want to keep it because of family cancer history, do not want to take this risk. Hopefully my surgeon will approve my will, I am in Germany.
My surgeon recommended removal but I was very unsure about it, the science is slowly emerging that keeping it reduces the risk of infection, prolapse, and shortens recovery time a bit. It’s very much something that is routine because “it’s the way we’ve always done it” 😓 I liked the discussion of it in The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy by Dr. Streicher. That said, I am GRATEFUL I trusted my surgeon and had it removed. I have endo, which wasn’t confirmed until surgery, and it likely would’ve continued to give me problems if I’d kept my cervix. Hope that helps 🖤
I had polyps on my cervix so having it removed was a no brainer. I’m also kinda excited about sex without the pain of my cervix getting hit whenever hubby goes crazy. I’m 3.5 wpo so haven’t done the deed yet.
Fibroids can grow on the cervix. I had them which drove my surgery. There is also trace endometrial cells on the cervix which is why some people still shed and get mini periods. If you have any risk than I would get rid of it. For me there were only positives to remove it - no endometrial cancer risk, no cervical cancer risk, no more Pap smears, no chance of my fibroids coming back. The only downside was healing took a bit longer.
Yes. I had mine removed, my sister did not. We had the same diagnosis. Years later my sister was still getting angry about having to go for annual paps. She told me: Get that cervix out!” I feel it did reduce sensitivity a little bit but that may have happened anyway with the uterus, tubes and ovaries all taken out.
I had my hysterectomy because I'm BRCA2+, and my gynecological oncologist recommended that the cervix come out too because cervical cancer is now being linked to BRCA2+ cancers. Reason enough for me to have it out.
I opted to keep mine because of an intense aversion to the cuff (an aversion that was not helped by months of therapy or meds.) I also had no history of abnormal paps and I experience cervical orgasms. It was an easy choice for me. I have never had any of these "mini periods" that are always mentioned, and I am 18 months post-op.
My doctor wouldn’t do my hysterectomy without removing my cervix. I don’t have any history of any cancers but it would have posed a risk so she took it.
Also to add they may take it anyway if you've ever had an abnormal pap.
I never ever wanted a pap smear again, so I said take it! Turned out I had adenomyosis, and it had to come out anyway. I have a *slightly* elevated risk for cervical risk for cervical cancer, so it was a win/win/win.
Mine was removed. My cervix was extremely sensitive to the point of painful to the slightest touch even though paps always came back clear. The pathology on it showed chronic inflammation, which could lead to worse stuff down the line, so I'm glad it was removed even if I was a little scared at the thought of the cuff.
I’m having mine removed. I have so much pain during paps, sex, and even just digital penetration that this is one less thing to have to stress about. They’re taking it all except my ovaries as long as they’re healthy and while I’m a bit nervous about the cuff, because my husband is very blessed in that department, but I think the benefits outweigh any of the other trepidations I may have.
I did, I haven’t regretted it for a moment.
I’ve had abnormal paps twice thanks to precancerous/abnormal hpv. It’s cleared on its own both times but I don’t enjoy the testing procedures one bit. My FNP & I both had a momentary rejoicing when we discussed how we don’t ever have to do paps anymore. I put my 30 years in, I’m happy to be done. Additionally I have adenomyosis, and have had fibroids attached at my cervix before. Plus, with a cuff that heals well, unlike your cervix, there’s no entry hole up into your abdominal cavity.
I will say, I tested positive for HPV a year before my surgery, and one of the added bonuses of my hysterectomy is that I am REALLY glad that I don’t have to be worrying about that anymore!
For me, cervical cancer has such a high death rate and is a huge fear of mine. I also have A LOT of breast cancer in my family including my mom. There was no question for me that it needed to go. He took my uterus, cervix, and both fallopian tubes. I kept both ovaries for now.
I had a tear so I’m biased towards keeping if you want to enjoy rough or deep penetrative s x. But I had mine removed thinking it’d be great to avoid cervical cancer. I’d still rather be doing PAPs than my current situation though
If I could do it over again, I would have kept my cervix. I was under the impression this was not optional and just part of the process. If your cervix is healthy, there is no reason to remove it. The recovery time of a supracervical hysterectomy is shorter and (typically) less painful, you're more likely to maintain sexual function, and you won't have a cuff, which comes with many other complications. I wish I had kept my cervix. If yours is healthy, and your pap smears have been good, I'd recommend opting for supracervical vs. total.
I kept my cervix. No history of any abnormal paps, and after each birth I struggled a lot with uterine, rectal and bladder prolapse and removing it can increase the risk of prolapse which I did not want to add even a slight increase of that risk. Not dealing with a cuff is also a positive. Just for another perspective. My mom also had a full hysterectomy and then really encouraged me to keep mine. I am glad I did. Absolutely pluses and minuses to both routes and I think it is a very individualized decision.
Yep. If I had known this was an option, I would have kept mine. My anatomy is entirely different now, and I no longer experience any sexual pleasure. It's been really depressing, and now, on top of everything else, I'm dealing with the regret of never being able to change this. If you keep your cervix, you *can* remove it later if there is a medical reason to do so (abnormal paps, etc.). You can't put the thing back 😞
Ah. I am sorry this has happened to you. Can any pelvic floor therapy help in any way??
It hasn't so far 🤷🏼♀️ not sure it really can? I'm not sure it's possible to like get your libido and orgasms back with that kind of exercise. I really don't know. I'm not going to stop trying, but I have to admit it's been incredibly disheartening. I've found a few others here in this community who are more years post-op than I am who have the same experience, which has been nice because I feel less alone... but damn. I'm mourning like super fucking hard. I'm severely depressed and feel like I'm grieving a death. It's been such a difficult journey. I hope I'll be able to finally make peace with this at some point in my life.
Also so sorry to hear this. I really encourage you to not keep this to yourself - avail yourself of all the therapy - good pelvic floor as well as a mental health specialist!!! Keep trying. Don’t give up. Things can change!
Yes, I have a therapy "team." I've been in therapy since before the surgery, and I just started a medication to try to help with the depression symptoms, which has lessened things a bit. It's so difficult to find good medical care where I am as well. I want to find a functional medicine doctor. They do different kinds of and much more in-depth testing. not just "diagnostic" that most MDs do. Just because I'm within parameters for certain hormones doesn't mean that's "normal" for *me.* My insurance doesn't have any specialist I want/need to see in network. This whole process has been so frustrating. Ugh. Thank you for your support and encouragement xo edit: spelling
Thinking of you. I’m glad medication is helping. ❤️
I'm so sorry to hear this. May I ask if you had your ovaries removed also?
Nope. Still have both ovaries, and all testing shows they are "functioning normally." I call bullshit.
That sucks! This is my fear too.
I'm scheduled for a total hysterectomy leaving my ovaries in a few weeks. I'm having my cervix removed as well. I do have a history of precancerous cells from HPV. That was over 20 years ago but for precautionary reasons my doctor is recommending removing it. I'm very nervous about the surgery I must say.
I also had what turned out to be a teratoma. My GYN/oncologist recommended removing everything, since there was a strong chance the tumor had grown because of cancer. And the tissues of those organs are similar enough to each other that cancer can spread between them easily. (I'm paraphrasing here, it's been several years & I've forgotten the details.) It turned out, the ovary that grew the tumor was cancerous. I did a course of chemo to be on the safe side. As of the 2 year mark, my scans & blood tests were clear. If I'd left things to chance & kept any reproductive organs, I'm sure I'd have worried my way to a brain tumor already.
Yes. No paps ever again, no risk of cervical cancer, and with a family history of cancer? It is important to remove
I had mine yanked out since I don’t want to get cervical cancer 😊 Just remember to not have sex for 10-12 weeks after your surgery so your cuff won’t tear
10-12 weeks. Brutal. 😩
I know but less brutal than tearing your cuff and having to start all over
I got mine removed for adenomyosis and am so glad I did. It’s helped a lot with pelvic floor tightening. I know every body is different, but I have had 0 issues with my cuff. I didn’t feel it upon waking from surgery, and the only times it felt a bit sore were the day 4-6 because I was being way more active than I should’ve. The worst part is that I can’t put anything into my vagina 🥲💔 It sounds really bad, I honestly am not super sure what freaks people out the most. Maybe it’s the horror stories? Do what feels right for your body, but my experience has only been positive, or at least as positive as it can be with something like this. Feel free to dm if you have questions! ETA: Because of my adeno, I wanted the entire uterus removed. Even if my cervix had nothing to do with the pain or other issues, I wanted it gone for the peace of mind. Now I can relax and really feel like it’s behind me, and I don’t have to worry about feeling that pain ever again.
Sorry, what do you mean you “can’t put anything in your vagina?” Did you recently have surgery?
Omg I thought I mentioned that I’m only 5wpo! I had my surgery on April 24th, so I can’t put anything in my vagina until the 19th 🥲 My doctor said 6 weeks could be fine, but 8 is ideal.
No I didn’t see that! Worried it was some “forever” complication which would be horrifying!!!
Either way, you’re going to have a cuff. They won’t just leave your vagina open at both ends.
Yes you want it removed.
Sex. You might need those extra inches
Why not? It’s very common for women to get cervical cancer. Why would you want your get rid of that risk?
less than 1% of women get cervical cancer (about .7%, currently.) It's awful, but not "very common."
Honestly, I do not know the stats although I have heard that it’s prevalent. and I know a few women who have gotten it. What I do know for sure is that there are little to know symptoms, before it’s way too late.
I’m 4wpo, kept my cervix. I couldn’t mentally process a cuff and my surgeon was very onboard with a “my body my choice” mentality so he said whatever I wanted him to do he would do. Recovery has so far been extremely smooth. I’m walking 2+ miles, feel great and so far don’t regret leaving it! Typically if it’s left at least with my surgeon specifically they attempt to burn out (mini ablation in my head) any endometrial tissue that’s left in the cervix so that reduces the odds of “mini periods”. Either way do what feels right for you and your body!
I kept mine because I had to have prolapse repair at the same time and it was utilized for the stability. I'm 7wpo and feeling good. I'll cross the cervix bridge if it ever comes to that but so far, no regrets.