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Michelle King Robson, Founder and Chairman of EmpowHER, and Stacey Lewis, Host of EveryWayWoman.com and Co-Host of BroadTopicsRadio.com, discuss fibroids, hysterectomies and how to advocate for your health on EmpowHER LIVE.
Michelle King Robson:
Welcome back to EmpowHER Live. I have Stacey Lewis with me and Stacey came over to the booth and we started talking about hysterectomies. So Stacey, tell me what’s going on with you?
Stacey Lewis:
I’m 44 years old; have fibroids.
Michelle King Robson:
You look amazing, by the way.
Stacey Lewis:
Thank you. Thank you girl. I have fibroids, doing a lot of just bleeding, excessive pain, and I went to the emergency, went to my physician and he saw me for about five minutes and he said, “You know what, you need a hysterectomy,” and so as I was walking by, I am interested in health for women, and your team said, “You know, you should talk to Michelle. She has an interesting story about that,” and so we began to talk and you have been amazing on information you have given me.
I’m a little, after talking to you now I’m a little undecided but you know I am scared. I don’t know what to expect. I don’t know if I am going to grow a beard. I mean, I just don’t know what’s going to happen to my husband’s a little scared too. So I am just kind of leaning on you to tell me some thoughts.
Michelle King Robson:
So I am going to tell you what I think, which is I started this company because I had a complete hysterectomy, as you know, and so I want you to do a couple of things – number one is we are going to say let’s just take a step back because we talked earlier. I know that you suffer from fibroids.
Stacey Lewis:
Right.
Michelle King Robson:
We talked about that issue a little bit, but I want you to get a second opinion and possibly a third opinion. I want you to know what your options and choices are that are available to you because there are other things besides having your uterus removed that are less invasive and it’s just you know there are so many things that factor into this and I think as we were talking about earlier is that you know, when you . . . you have body parts for a reason and we don’t want to get rid of them unless we absolutely have to, I mean, and it’s a necessity, and I am not saying that it is or it isn’t because I am not a doctor, but when I want you to do is take more time and really see what all the other choices and options are that you have.
I would also like for you to start collecting your information. So I know that you said you had had a prior procedure.
Stacey Lewis:
Yes, I had a prior procedure in 1993. I had a myomectomy in which I had the fibroids removed out of my uterus. I didn’t have my uterus removed because I wanted to have children. So yes, I did have a prior procedure.
Michelle King Robson:
And I think it’s important that we look at blood levels, for example, to check where your levels are now that you are 44 years old. I think it’s important that you look at all your hormone levels. Then there is this stigma of, “Gosh, if I go on hormone replacement therapy am I going to grow a beard or what’s going to happen to me and . . .”
Stacey Lewis:
That’s my husband’s concern. He’s like, “We only need one beard in the house.”
Michelle King Robson:
But what your husband really needs to be concerned about is what happens to you if you have your uterus removed because then that complicates things and then the cervix gets involved because a lot of times the cervix would be removed and then that’s an important part of your body that you want to keep if you can, and those are all things that you need to start advocating for yourself and I am going to make sure that, you know, we get you to a couple of other doctors so that you can actually have those options and choices available to you because there are so many other things today.
And in my case I didn’t need a hysterectomy. I just didn’t, and not only on top of the hysterectomy, I did not need to have my ovaries removed like I did as well.
Stacey Lewis:
You know, when we were talking you said something that I really wanted to hone in on is, I pride myself on being an educated woman, well-researched, have an Internet talk show, radio show and it wasn’t until I sat down and I talked to you that I really got the information that I needed from the site EmpowHER. What do you think is the problem, because I think I’m, I mean, why is that information not out there for women?
Michelle King Robson:
Well I think that women are… we are caregivers so we take care of everybody else so we put ourselves last, right?
Stacey Lewis:
That’s true.
Michelle King Robson:
So you’ve got a busy life. I know you work down at the port, right?
Stacey Lewis:
At the port, exactly.
Michelle King Robson:
And then you also have a talk show.
Stacey Lewis:
Everywaywoman.com and broadtopicsradio.com so I have a lot going on.
Michelle King Robson:
So you have a lot going on. You have a whole family; you have everything. So our job, as I would say it’s in our genes. It’s in women’s genes to take care of everybody else and not ourselves. If you don’t take care of yourself first you are not going to have to worry about taking care of your family, right, because you’ve got to be whole and healthy in order to take care of your family.
We have this misconception that it’s the other way around. You have to be first and that’s where I am going with all this with you is, you know, five minutes at a doctor’s office does not make for a hysterectomy. And you just – education is power.
Stacey Lewis:
Exactly.
Michelle King Robson:
And this is your body – you only have one and we want to make sure it’s taken care of to the best of its ability to the best of your ability and I am going to tell you go on EmpowHER, go on there tonight and look at all the different options and choices you have available to you and you are going to be amazed. You are going to go, “Oh my gosh, I had no idea,” but that’s what we do. That’s our job.
Stacey Lewis:
Well the first thing I want to tell you because I know we have to run, thank you. Thank you for really being an architect of change and your site because you have enhanced me today. A five-minute walk through the Women’s Conference may have changed one of the most important decisions that I have to make. So on behalf of all the women out there who may not have this opportunity to sit here, I want to personally tell you, thank you and keep the site going for all of us. I really appreciate it Michelle.
Michelle King Robson:
Well just spread the word and let us know, Stacey, let me know what you decide to do and if I can help you anymore; we can help you. You can ask questions on the site. We are happy to answer any question that you ask, but I am more than happy to walk you through different things and help you advocate for yourself.
Stacey Lewis:
Thank you, it was a pleasure. Thank you.
Michelle King Robson:
Thank you.
Visit Michelle King Robson's EmpowHER Profile
Add a Comment2 Comments
I had a partial hysterectomy about 13 years ago due to uterine fibroids causing heavy bleeding. I also have pernicious anemia so of course the heavy periods were causing severe anemia. After the procedure I went into menopause and developed severe osteoporosis. I fell and broke my pelvis not knowing I had the osteoporosis.
September 20, 2018 - 12:00pmI also developed breast cancer ERPR+ HER2- and had a double mastectomy. I discovered after the chemo during a laparascopy that I still had ovaries so I also had them removed due to fear of ovarian cancer.
I have learned how important the uterus is and we should not just remove it until we have tried other remedies. Fortunately I had four daughters, including twins and my last child was from a tubal reversal. I am in remission for four years now and I consider myself to be a very lucky woman.
This Comment
Thank you for writing Anon.
EmpowHER's chat on hysterectomies starts this evening at 7pm EST. Check out our Facebook page or Twitter to know more and join in - we would love to hear from you.
Best,
Susan
September 20, 2018 - 3:41pmThis Comment