Question:
okay a for women only question again

i am terrified of having ablood clot after surgery. am i more likely to have one if my monthly's are really clotty i know this awlful to ask but i clot really bad then and i dont know if that is because of what my blood does or because of how my female parts are    — blank first name B. (posted on October 15, 2001)

October 15, 2001
Clots with menstruation are from blood that "pools" before it passes out of the vagina. Those clots are normal.. it's what blood does when it's just sitting there waiting for gravity to do it's thing. I don't think there would be any correlation between those clots and the clots that move through your blood stream and could cause damage to your heart or lungs. Relax. I think it will be okay.
   — BethVBG

October 15, 2001
i also do not think there is any relation between the two. i am scheduled for surgery on 1-3-02 and was also terrified of embolisms until i heard that they are not that common. i was so nervous that i looked up information on the greenfield filter just out of nerves which is totally unnecessary unless you have a histry of that. i wouldn't worry about it. talk to your dr. if you're nervous. good luck
   — LAURA G.

October 15, 2001
mica, I am not trying to be critical, but I have to wonder why you think a question like this is so awful to ask. Its a perfectly legitimate concern, one that I've wondered about myself. Reproductive health is no more shameful than any other issue. Its a simple, natural part of our lives as women. Please don't be ashamed.
   — Donna L.

October 15, 2001
well as of today i am 5 days post op. and even though i had my period 2 weeks be for surgery , the day they sent me home i started.... again it scared my quiet a bit... called the doc and was told this happens alot and not to worry unlsess it was more than normal... but im fine ... only thing to watch for in that case is aniemia(spelling ?)..
   — annette R.

October 15, 2001
The two are completely different. You will have lots of lab work performed during your stay in the hospital and probably once before you go in for your surgery. These tests alert your physician as to your body's ability to clot properly and more such as early infection. It would be of greater risk if your had problems with your blood and pro-longed clotting of the blood. It is so normal to have fears-this is major surgery. At this stage of the game you need to think about why you chose this surgery and the lifetime of benifits you will have. Nothing in life is without risk, as we have seen recently. Have faith in your physician and your beliefs. You will look back and know you made the best deciscion for you.
   — Wanda W.

October 16, 2001
Mica, just a little info about the menstrual clots. I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids about a year ago. My periods were soooooo heavy. I would completely soak 2 pads in about an hour. I would also pass golf ball size clots. I was not able to go out of the house for fear of leaking. Last December -about 3 weeks before my WLS-I had a uterine ablation (there are several types, balloon, rollerboll, etc..). The lining of my uterus was "burned" and removed. It was an incredibly simple outpatient surgery. I had no bleeding, cramping, NOTHING!! I no longer bleed during my period. I obviously still have my ovaries and therefore still have my hormones (I'm 37). The most I have done in a year has been to have slight spotting when I wipe. That's it!! I have not worn a pad/tampon in a year. Let me qualify this by saying that you need to be finished with childbearing. (after 5 boys, I'm done!! LOL)and it is best if your husband has had a vasectomy (mine had his 2 months prior)You could still conceive and this could be potentially dangerous for you or the baby, since your uterine lining is no longer present. Anyone like Mica with this problem check it out. It has completely changed my months and I feel so free!! Combine that with the 130 pound weight loss and I am a new woman!! Hope this helps! Shelley
   — Shelley.