Before you decide to go ahead with the surgery, take this list of questions to your doctor or surgeon and I suggest that you don't sign the consent form until you get answers to them:

• Which of my organs need to be removed, and why?  
• What type of surgery will you use, and have you considered laparoscopic?
• What side effects will I have?
• Will I need to be on hormone replacement therapy afterwards, and if so, which ones and for how long?
• What are the side effects of hormone replacement therapy?
• What will it cost to be on hormone replacement therapy? (You might have to ask your insurance provider for this info).
• What kind of discharge or bleeding is considered normal after the surgery?
• What type of incision should I expect?
• Where will the incision(s) be located?
• How long will I be in the hospital?
• How long should I take off of work?
• When can I return to my normal level of activity?
• Will I need Pap smears after surgery?
• What symptoms will the hysterectomy alleviate and will they go away completely or partially?

I wish you luck with this difficult decision. If you want to know how those who've already had a hysterectomy feel about their decision, post a question and see what they say.