Re: No More Hysterectomies...Susan's Story
From: Nicole (nnoland@duncanvilleisd.org)
Thu Aug 14 12:20:20 2003
At Wed, 21 Mar 2001, Colette wrote:
>
>At Sun, 18 Mar 2001, Helen Dynda wrote:
>> This story was so true! I had a hysterectomy on dec.1 2000. I was told since i kept my overies that i would not go into menopause, well guess what i am going into menopause at 37 yrs old. I also was'nt told of all the after evfects from the surgery. It seems to me that these doctors just want there money! What ever happen to caring for your patients? I also had adnomyosis(enlargement of the uterus) and its a form of endometrosis i was told that my bowel problems would be cured after the surgery! Ya right now at night i have to drink milk of magnasie,2 tyenol pms, and prevacid everynight before i go to bed. I do go to the potty ok now but i have to take stuff to do soo and the gi dr says i have a slow moving bowel, thanks to the hysterectomy ohh well i live with it now. But i do hope other woman will get more opions before having this surgery!
>
>>Susan's Story
>>
>>Regarding my tubal ligation, the doctor told me that the surgery was very
>>safe ( much safer then giving birth and I had just done that twice ),
>>that insurance would pay for it, that all women had one when they completed
>>their families and that I shouldn't be on the pill at my age.
>>I was given a printed brochure about the surgery and told to call when I was
>>ready.
>>
>>I was not informed of the risks. I had asked some pretty specific and
>>direct questions, such as will this surgery cause me to become menopausal.
>>The doctor defrauded me telling me the surgery was safe and that the surgery
>>would not cause menopause. If he had told me that there was a connection
>>with tubals and early menopause, or even if he had told me that tubals
>>usually cause hormonal imbalances and that in order to correct this I might
>>end up on the pill, I would have said "no way".
>>
>>I trusted him. I though he had my best interests in mind ( before and after
>>my TL ). I thought that he was telling me the truth and that it was against
>>the law for doctors to lie.
>>
>>I was not warned that the surgery is known to cause hormonal conditions or
>>early menopause. I certainly was not informed that I'd be castrated.
>>
>>I met Dr. Hufnagel February of '98 when my lawyer contacted her to do a
>>legal review for me. I had no idea who she was or what direction this all
>>was taking me.
>>
>>The more I learned from Dr. Hufnagel and Grateful Med, facts such as doctors
>>know that this ( castration ) is a common and well known risk of tubal
>>ligations well understood by the "medical community" ( and has so for a long
>>time ), but that this information is not shared with the general public or
>>with women such as I who undergo tubal ligations, the more angry I got. I
>>felt and still do feel as though I was abused and raped, mentally and
>>physically.
>>
>>I started off wanting justice and financial assistance with my doctor
>>created, negative health condition which requires that I now be on hormone
>>therapy for the rest of her life. More so I felt a very strong duty to stop
>>the doctor who did this to me from injuring other women.
>>
>>My journey for truth and justice on a personal level has taken me down many
>>paths. Becoming a 'women health rights activist' just kind of
>>happened with my getting to know Dr. Hufnagel, learning the issues first
>>hand.
>>
>>I never could have written or felt confident about building the tubal site
>>with out the help and support of Dr. Hufnagel. and the saving grace of the
>>"freedom of information act". The Coalition just kind of came out of no
>>where and blossomed into a full blown movement"
>>
>>Dr Hufnagel was instrumental in creating the first laws regarding consent to
>>hysterectomies. Call it fate or call it chance that she and I met. My goal
>>now is to see that laws are created to protect women and Dr. Hufnagel has
>>offered to help. The Coalition was formed in order to ban together women to
>>create these laws, to educate post tubal women and pre-tubal women about the
>>real risks and side effects, and to educate the world that this crime of
>>fraud ( non-consent ) and battery is on-going and real.
>>
>>No one is going to fight to create TL laws but us, we the women who have
>>been victimized, injured, lied to and who are mad and outrage we
>>were not informed. No one else cares.
>>
>>Currently the Coalition is putting together a national "post tubal ligation
>>study" which will be discussed at the post tubal site as time goes by. We
>>are also organizing and scheduling an educational program and champaign.
>>
>>This is history in the making. Someday our daughters and
granddaughters
>>will look back on this women's hormonal holocaust in horror and wonder how
>>it was able to go one for so long.
>>
>>If you are a post tubal ligation woman please stop by the site and see what
>>we are all about. We often hear comments such as, "I thought that
>>the tubal affected me for years, now I know".
>>
>>Come and learn. Be part of the movement.
My name is Nicole.
My story is the exact same. All the way down to having two prior
children. However, I didn't recieve a brochure or anything. I even
declined it right before my emergency c-section, but when I was on the
table they persuaded me. I do mean "persuaded". All I want to know is
how can I help to stop this. I want to know if I can talk to a lawyer.
No one wants to hear me.
In regards to Susan's story,
Nicole
--
Trying To Accept the Pain,
Nicole