Amber’s Decision to Have a Hysterectomy at a Young Age

Amber with her husband

“Doing what is best for your health is key to not only being the best mom, but being the best human,” said Amber H..

When Amber H. went in for her first appointment with Dr. Coronado, she was unaware of the journey she was beginning. Her OBGYN in Irving had recently retired and she was in search of a new OBGYN. “I needed a refill on my birth control, so I called Women’s Specialists of Plano,” said Amber. “Dr. Coronado was in my insurance network and had availability.” During her appointment, Amber had a routine pap smear.

A few days after her appointment, Amber received a phone call from the Women’s Specialists of Plano staff. “My results from the pap smear came back abnormal, and Dr. Coronado wanted to run more tests to get a better diagnosis,” said Amber. “I was not very concerned when I heard that my results were abnormal. A lot of women are diagnosed with HPV, and all of the women I spoke to said it is common for these issues to go away on their own.”

After more biopsies, the results confirmed that Amber had high-grade squamous dysplasia/carcinoma. Carcinoma is a cancer arising in the epithelial tissue lining of the internal organs. “Dr. Coronado’s team contacted me as soon as possible to have me come in to discuss next steps. “I was in complete shock. I thought my story be like all of the other stories I heard. I thought it would go away on its own.”

“Dr. Coronado was very good at explaining exactly what my biopsy meant. She suggested the loop electrosurgical excursion procedure (LEEP). I trusted Dr. Coronado completely, and without hesitation, I decided to move forward with the LEEP.”

The LEEP is used to remove abnormal cells from the cervix. Performed as an out-patient procedure, local anesthesia is used in and around the cervix to prevent pain. During the procedure, a thin wire loop that passes a mild electric current is used to cut away a thin layer of the cervix. “The recovery after LEEP was somewhat painful. I had soreness and bleeding for close to two weeks, but Dr. Coronado had warned me about these symptoms,” said Amber.

After LEEP, the specimen that was removed was sent to pathology to ensure that all of the cancerous cells were removed from the cervix. “That was the hardest part of this journey, waiting to hear my results after LEEP. I was anxious to know if the procedure was successful,” said Amber. When she went back for her follow up visit, Dr. Coronado advised her the pathology results had positive margins; implying not all of the cancerous cells were gone.

Due to Amber’s young age, and the fact that she did not have children, Dr. Coronado gave Amber two treatment options. “Dr. Coronado told me I could have a hysterectomy, or come in for quarterly pap smears to monitor the growth of the cancerous cells,” said Amber. “Long before I began this journey, my husband and I had already decided that we did not want children, so for me, I knew a hysterectomy was the right choice.”

Amber’s hysterectomy was performed by Dr. Coronado on July 18, 2018. “The procedure went very smoothly. I stayed in the hospital for one night, which I was very happy I did. The nurses really prepared me for my recovery at home. For me, I was able to manage my pain better than after the LEEP. I am now three week’s post-op and I feel 95% recovered. I still need to remind myself to take it easy and not lift heavy things to ensure a full recovery.”

“I appreciated so many aspects of Dr. Coronado’s style of care,” said Amber. “Her fun-loving, compassionate personality made me feel so at ease through the whole journey. She took the time to explain everything to me in a way I could really understand. I knew making the decision to have a hysterectomy at my age, and without children was big, but Dr. Coronado let me make my own decision, and supported and empowered me through it.”

While clinical studies support the effectiveness of these procedures, individual results may vary. There are no guarantees of outcome. All surgeries involve the risk of major complications. Before you decide on surgery, discuss treatment options with your doctor. Understanding the risks of each treatment can help you make the best decision for your individual situation.  Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits. Only your doctor can determine the appropriate treatment for your situation. The clinical information and opinions, including any inaccuracies expressed in this material by patients or doctor are not necessarily those of the Women’s Specialists of Plano and should not be considered as substitute for medical advice provided by your doctor.