MY RELATIONSHIP TO DA VINCI SURGERY: Patient

MY CONDITION: Uterine Fibroids

TYPE OF PROCEDURE I HAD: da Vinci Hysterectomy

MY SURGEON: Dr. Vivian von Gruenigen

HOSPITAL WHERE MY PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED: University Hospitals

OTHER TREATMENTS I CONSIDERED BEFORE DA VINCI SURGERY:
ablation, traditional (open) hysterectomy

THE BIGGEST CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT TREATMENT:
length of recovery time

WHY I CHOSE DA VINCI SURGERY:
shorter recovery time

HOW LONG I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL:
2 days

MY PAIN AND/OR DISCOMFORT LEVEL:
I did have pain medication, which I used sporadically, because I didn't have a lot of pain at all.

ABOUT MY RECOVERY TIME:
My recovery time was much shorter than I'd anticipated. I kept waiting to feel bad, and it just never really happened.

WHEN I RETURNED TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES:
I was chomping at the bit to exercise and play tennis. At 4 weeks, I felt I could have gone back and done what'd I'd done before.

HOW DA VINCI SURGERY COMPARED TO MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES OR PRECONCEPTIONS OF SURGERY:
I wish now in retrospect that I had done this 3 years ago versus waiting.

I WOULD RECOMMEND DA VINCI SURGERY TO MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS!

I had some problems with my monthly cycle, bleeding 22 days out of 30, spotting. It was really affecting my quality of life. I was having to stay at home for days at a time.

Initially, I was told, "Welcome to being 40 and over," and then I realized, "I don't think this is right." Once they did shoot the saline in and did the ultrasound, they saw that I had fibroid tumours embedded in my uterine wall, which was causing the heavy bleeding.

Initially, she (OBGYN) asked, "Do you need your uterus any more," which I didn't---I was done having children. She said that was one option. The other option was ablation, but the success rate on that she couldn't guarantee. If I did that, I may have to go back and have another surgery or hysterectomy. At that point, I had pretty much decided I was going with the hysterectomy.

I wanted a second opinion, just to see, and I had a friend who had a hysterectomy with Dr. von Gruenigen She pretty much confirmed the diagnosis and gave me the two options my OBGYN had given me, and suggested the robotic surgery. She said I was a good candidate for it and the recovery time was better, and once I heard that, I was all for it.

When I woke up in the recovery room, initially I felt a little bit groggy. I did have pain medication, which I used sporadically, because I didn't have a lot of pain at all. By the 2nd day, I was able to get up and felt very good. As far as my scars went, there are 3 small incisions like the tip of a pencil eraser. As far as that, versus being cut, it was a really good option.

Once I got home, I felt really good. I felt more tired than normal, but my mom had told me, "You're not going to be able to go up steps or drive." I could do all that, I felt very good. My mom had one (hysterectomy) a number of years ago. She told me it would probably be 6 months before I felt like myself again. I never had any of that. My mom was amazed. There was no comparison at all.

I had a number of friends who had hysterectomies, but I was holding out because I didn't want the lengthy recovery period, I didn't want to be laid up. I didn't see how I was going to be able to fit it into my schedule. Once I had it, it was amazing.
If I was to make a recommendation to someone, I would say: find out if this is an option in your area, if you're a candidate for it, and go for it. I endorse it 100%.