Question-------------------------
At my last post op visit, he pulled out a report and told me he'd found some surprises from the examination of my ueterus, after removal.
The first thing was my uterus was 206g's, the second thing he advised me of was the blood-filled cyst on one of my ovaries and then he tells me that the test results showed I had recently miscarried.
No pregnancy test was performed prior to the surgery-he did tell me that.
What I found peculiar is the wayu he worded his sentence when telling me I'd had a miscarriage. I don't remember the exact verbage, but I felt he was telling I had been pregnant at the time of the hysterectomy, but he'd worded it so it came across as I'd "miscarried."
If I'd had a miscarriage at any time since my last period the 1st of August, wouldn't I have bled? Even if just a small amount?
Thanks again,
Haley
Followup To
Question -
I am 35, I have 2 children and my last period was approx the first week of August.
I had a Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus only) on 9/7/05. I saw my Doctor twice a week post surgery because I had had some complications; bladder infection, impacted bowel, sever abdominal pain...
On my last visit to his office, he told me that he learned that I had had a miscarriage pre-op. He said I had to have been just a few weeks along as there was no pregnancy tissue. He said he didn't tell me before because I was having a difficult time recovering and he didn't want to upset me. Hpwever, I had not bled since my last cycle in August!? If I'd miscarried, wouldn't I have bled even a little bit? He also told me he'd found a blood-filled cyst on one of my ovaries and he clipped it, all is fine now.
My question is this...Is a pregnancy test not performed on any female of child bearing age pre Hysterectomy? When I went in for my pre-op visit, the nurse said, "Wow...you're cutting it really close (to my menstruation time)." At that time, the thought of being pregnant had never even entered my mind!
For years my Doctor wanted me to have this procedure. I had Endometriosis. It had manifested into something greater in the months leading up to the hysterectomy. I had become very ill. Abdominal pain consistently, heavier bleeding and for longer periods during my monthly cycle, diarrhea, nausea, extreme fatigue, etc. But when I learned of the Endometriosis in 12/03, I just couldn't have a hysterectomy. I wanted more children. At least one more! I had even talked my husband into! We were there...ready for another...
When I became ill in January '05, my symptoms seemed to be consistent of one with a bad gallbladder. Though it is not genetic, almost every person in my family has had a bad gb and has had it removed. Mother, sister, aunts, uncles, g'parents, etc. So, I went through many tests and visited with specialists. The final test I had revealed the symptoms I had been experiencing could in fact be due to my enlarged uterus! I couldn't believe it! All along it was my uterus/Endometriosis. I called my Gynecologist in tears and told him we would need to go ahead with the hysterectomy.
In hind sight, I guess I should have asked for a pregnancy test? But more importantly, why didn't he demand one?
I live in Oklahoma. Is it not the law? Ethically speaking, shouldn't one have been performed? I truly love my Doctor. I have been seeing him for years! I hate the thought of having to find another. I'm just extremely upset, angry and shocked that this happened when a simple pregnancy test pre-op could have prevented this horrid since of loss my husband and I have endured since learning of this just weeks ago..
Please help educate me!
Thank you,
Haley
Answer -
How did your doctor find out that you had a miscarriage without performing a pregnancy test? There is no way to diagnose a miscarriage unless you had a positive pregnancy test but no fetus in the uterus. A sonogram would not have shown anything because, since your last period started in the beginning of August, you would have been less than 4 weeks pregnant at the time of hysterectomy and a sonogram cannot see a fetus at that gestational age. Therefore, the only way to know if you were having a miscarriage would be to have a pregnancy test. If your doctor knew that you were pregnant before the surgery, he was ethically bound to notify you. There is no requriement to perform a pregnancy test on anyone, but in a woman who is late for her period, I would do a pregnancy test prior to doing any pelvic surgery. It appears that you have had a long standing endometriosis and probably did need a hysterectomy, but I do not know how the diagnosis of miscarriage was made if no tissue was found and a pregnancy test was not done.
AnswerThe uterus could have been large. YOu may have had some fibroids or just a large uterus. It is certainly common to have some blood filled cysts on your ovaries. That is not reason for surgery. However, without a pregnancy test there is no way to tell if you are pregnant or not. I don't know what tests they could have done to say that you had miscarried prior to the hysterectomy. I would assume that if you were pregnant (with a viable pregnancy) no body in their right mind would have performed a hysterectomy.
