Sandra Lee's Hysterectomy
- Chef and television personality Sandra Lee, 55, is continuing to candidly share her post-op experience after undergoing an "aggressive" hysterectomy last week.
- Over the weekend, Lee posted an update to Instagram, sharing that her third day of recovery was rough: "I was so sick, I threw up and cried, threw up and cried. Awful." She later went to the hospital, where it was discovered she had an infection and decreased kidney function.
- Surgery complications aren’t unfamiliar territory to Lee. In August 2015, after having a double mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis, she was rushed to the hospital for an “extremely painful fluid buildup in the area where she underwent the surgery” a few months prior.
Over the weekend, Lee posted another Instagram update, this time sharing that her third day after the hysterectomy (a surgical procedure to remove the womb, also known as the uterus) was rough: "I was so sick, I threw up and cried, threw up and cried. Awful."
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Lee ended up back in the hospital due to her declining condition. There, she found out she had an infection and her kidneys were only working at about 30%. (According to the National Women's Health Network, patients have a 30% chance of complication typically infection or fever while in the hospital and a significantly lower risk of more serious complications depending on the person's condition and the surgical approach taken.)
Surgery Complications
Patients have a 30% chance of complication typically infection or fever while in the hospital.
National Women's Health Network
Chance of complication
Lee added that her infection is most likely from being overly dehydrated, but it remains unclear; she's waiting on cultures and blood work, as of her last post.
"Once they got the IV in, wonderful anti-nausea meds I felt much better," she wrote. "Ben stayed with me as long as he could, he was so patient."
"Surgeries are so brutal but I'm still glad I did it," Lee added.
Surgery complications, unfortunately, aren’t unfamiliar territory to Lee. In August 2015, after having a double mastectomy following her early-stage breast cancer diagnosis, she was rushed to the hospital for an “extremely painful fluid buildup in the area where she underwent the surgery” a few months prior, a close friend told Page Six.
"She's going to be in for a couple of days," the friend said at the time. "She started having pain. She knew something was wrong. It's some sort of fluid buildup and pain. She was just feeling general fatigue and run down."
A few days later, she had another surgery for the post-op infection. She wasn’t able to fully finish her breast reconstruction until 2020 because of the complications she suffered.
Sandra Lee's Hysterectomy
Last week, Sandra Lee shared with fans (also on Instagram) that she was having a hysterectomy procedure. She said she was supposed to have the "intense surgery" after her mastectomy a few years ago, "but I had repeatedly put it off and then Covid hit."
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Lee had a hysterectomy because, during a routine appointment with her gynecologist, the doctor noticed "a change in some of my cells." Lee said she went for a second and third opinion; those doctors all confirmed the same.
It isn't exactly clear what Lee meant by "a change in some cells"; it could be that she had precancerous cells (also known as dysplasia) in her reproductive system, such as the cervix. Pre-cancer is when cells in the transformation zone don't suddenly change into cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Instead, the normal cells of the cervix first gradually develop abnormal changes that are called pre-cancerous.
It should be noted that Lee tested negative for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. These genes help cells repair their DNA damage. Having a change, or mutation, in one of these genes increases a woman's risk of developing breast and gynecological cancers.
These gene mutations are commonly passed down in families; if a parent carries a BRCA gene mutation, there is a 50-50 chance you could be carrying it as well. So, SurvivorNet experts recommend genetic testing immediately upon finding out if someone in your family has one of these gene mutations.
After being tested for genetic mutations, and if the results come back positive, the next steps should be discussed with your doctor. However, there are specific guidelines in place that women are generally advised to follow. Those guidelines include a preventative procedure to remove a woman's reproductive organs, but there are various routes a woman can take depending on her life stage, including a hysterectomy, or just removing the fallopian tubes and ovaries while keeping the uterus in tact.
It remains unclear if Lee underwent a partial (leaving cervix in tact) or complete hysterectomy, but as perviously stated, since she had breast cancer, having surgery to prevent gynecological cancers as well isn’t uncommon.
Surgery Side Effects
Most women with breast cancer, like Sandra Lee, will have surgery at some point in their treatment. Depending on how far your cancer has spread and your personal preferences, you and your doctor may decide to:
- Remove just the cancer and an area of healthy tissue around it (lumpectomy)
- Remove one breast (mastectomy)
- Remove both breasts (double mastectomy)
Removing your breasts can have a dramatic effect on your self-esteem, which is why some women who opt for a mastectomy then choose breast reconstruction surgery, like Lee. This is a highly personal choice, and there’s no "right" answer as to whether or not to reconstruct.
When Should You Consider a Mastectomy?
According to the American Cancer Society, bleeding and infection at the surgery site are possible with all operations. However, the side effects of a mastectomy can depend on the type: either a single (removing one breast) or double (removing both breasts). Those side effects can include:
- Pain or tenderness at the surgery site
- Swelling at the surgery site
- Buildup of blood in the wound (hematoma)
- Buildup of clear fluid in the wound (seroma) (This is a side effect Lee experienced)
- Limited arm or shoulder movement
- Numbness in the chest or upper arm
- Neuropathic (nerve) pain (sometimes described as burning or shooting pain) in the chest wall, armpit and/or arm that doesn't go away over time. It is also called post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS.
- If axillary lymph nodes are also removed, other side effects such as lymphedema may occur.
Understanding and Treating Lymphedema
Contributing: SurvivorNet staff reports
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