Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MIS71MUM]

Hello
Just a random question to those peri ladies that seem to have good days and bad days but there's no pattern.

Considering the peri could last 10 years if you are unlucky, if you had a chance of a hysterectomy, would you go for it?

[Dorothy]

No, not unless there were absolutely no other options and I would either die or have a non-existent quality of life without it.  It's not a guaranteed cure-all.  Also, I'm a gardener, and I had a friend, also a gardener, who had a hysterectomy several years ago - it went wrong and she has never been able to work again. 

[Annie0710]

I had a hysterectomy when I was 32 and I haven't had an easy menopause

The only difference is I've not had periods so don't take progesterone

Think carefully and weigh up the pros/cons

It doesn't guarantee an easier menopause x

[Otes73]

I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago at age 39. I wish I hadn't!! I had severe complications and had to have life saving surgery 9 weeks later.

Some women sail through it and some don't! It's a huge operation and not to be taken lightly!

X

[Tempest]

If you mean hysterectomy with oopherectomy - then absolutely NO!!! It's not straight forward balancing hormone replacement after TAH/BSO, as I have found. And there are no guarantees after just hysterectomy that the ovaries won't fail completely. I know some ladies have considered this as an option when struggling with the progesterone element of HRT.

[MIS71MUM]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

It's quite possible that I will be offered Hysterectomy next year because of Adenomyosis and Anaemia. In addition I have had severe mood issues over last 18 months with needing crisis teams, psychiatric departments, anti depressants and diazepam, etc. The worst of it being I really didn't know what was wrong with me. Googled brain tumour, senile dementia and OCD, etc.
I'm 45 - and have had POF since 2010 so not sure how long it could be till I reach the menopause. I want to make the decision about a possibile operation with my eyes wide open, and of course, I don't want to get any worse!

[Annie0710]

If you'd asked me even 12 years after my hysterectomy I would've told you yes go for it even though my ovaries were damaged and hardly working the hrt I was given worked perfectly.  But it seems because they were damaged they then dissolved and aren't detectable now which I think is what has caused me the problems

I can't regret my hysterectomy as such as I couldn't have carried on with the prolapse but knowing what I know now I may have opted for the repair

Thing is. There's always ifs and maybes on the outcome, it depends how troublesome having a uterus is to you x

[MIS71MUM]

Annie0710 - what was your main reason for hysterectomy? Was it a prolapse? And what HRT did you go on after?
My gyny man has said that my uterus is very diseased so am thinking it may be best for go for hysterectomy sooner rather than later. Because of the adenomyosis, it's difficult to tell whether the irritability, depression or anxiety is from that or peri. Or both.

[Elizabethrose]

Hi Mis71Mum

I was advised and pressurised to have a hysterectomy with oopherectomy about 11 years ago by a neurologist attempting to treat pure menstrual migraine. I did tons of research, saw other docs with different specialisms, and realised that there was actually very little evidence that the procedure would improve my condition. In fact the few studies carried out suggested that it could be seriously detrimental to me. Far fewer women were helped than those who had to be hospitalised with constant migraine as a result of the procedure. Two leading migraine specialists insisted that the best way forward for me was to experience a natural menopause and that I should only opt for the procedure if a condition unrelated to migraine necessitated it. I also resisted medical menopause which had also been suggested, due to discoveries in my research. I've had what seems like the longest peri known to man but whilst I still struggle with the migraine they are a whole lot more manageable than they once were.

My advice to you would be to do lots of research. Search the results of using the procedure to treat your condition, analyse the results, see a few specialists even if you have to pay for it. Take with you any info, results, studies you've found to discuss at your meetings. Obviously once this procedure is carried out, there is no reversal and it is you who will have to manage the consequences good or bad. As other members have mentioned here, it is not always easy to find the right cocktail of add back hormones you may need after the procedure.

This procedure can be a life saver to many, and many women have excellent results but it is sometimes recommended in situations where it won't be of proven benefit. Many women need a combination of HRT and ADs to manage before and after hysterectomy.

I wish you well Mis71Mum, this can be a difficult time for women, especially when you are forced to chase solutions to these health issues. x

[Annie0710]

Annie0710 - what was your main reason for hysterectomy? Was it a prolapse? And what HRT did you go on after?
My gyny man has said that my uterus is very diseased so am thinking it may be best for go for hysterectomy sooner rather than later. Because of the adenomyosis, it's difficult to tell whether the irritability, depression or anxiety is from that or peri. Or both.

Back in 1990 I was told my baby had multiple abnormalities incompatible with life. I was halfway through the pregnancy so had to deliver naturally.  Placenta wouldn't come away and I'm convinced this is where my problem started. A few staff inc an obstetrician were at different times pulling the cord and it snapped leaving some roots on the end but still no placenta.  I then started haemorrhaging and was rushed to theatre.  I was never the same again, I can't remember when but has to have been reasonably soon after they told me I had a complete prolapse.  I was 23 years old . I was told either extensive repair or hysterectomy was my options.  I'd only had one child and knew I wanted more so had 2 more children after with the prolapse.  Last baby born when I was 28 and they had to manually push cervix back after the delivery.  I carried on until I was 32.  By then I'd been sterilised and on the pill to control the heavy bleeding and clots (tmi but they wouldn't pass through shower plug and I'd have to pull them from me)

Recovered from hysterectomy and within 6 months I was sweating terribly during each night waking me in a pool of water over my chest and head was soaked.  Also felt like ants crawling all over me, vaginal dryness, fatigue etc etc No hot flushes. Bloods showed very low oestrogen so doc put me on elleste solo 1mg, it 100% cured me within days (I used to call it my miracle pill) within a couple of weeks symptoms returned so she increased to 2mg.  Between then and age 45 I never thought about hormones whilst taking this tablet until 2012 and I was bombarded with hoardes of symptoms (none of the previous ones and still no flushes) and so far no one has been able to sort the symptoms out.  They've come And gone and come back sometimes and now after a scan there's no ovaries.  They said blood supply was severed and now they've dissolved and gone so in a way I'm like a surgical menopause which if I compare my natural(ish) one at 32 where ovaries were helping a tad to now with no ovaries there's honestly no comparison.  I believe it puts huge stress on the adrenals where you then have a separate issue alongside the meno issue

Sorry, I rambled
But back in 1999 I had no internet I only had the professionals advice

X

[Elizabethrose]

Oh Annie, I couldn't walk by after reading your post. What a truly horrible experience you've had. What we women have to go through! When I look at my kids I think it was all worth it but boy our bodies are paying now.

I really really wish you well and hope you're able to 'sort' your issues soon xx

[Annie0710]

Other Women go through far worse than me, but thank you but don't forget that these things happened over time, you're reading it altogether and I had excellent coping skills pre meno (don't get me wrong, my little Sam is always in my thoughts and heart)

I have 3 lovely adult children now and 3 gorgeous grandchildren

X

[kiltgirl]

Hi there,

it's a scary decision to make...I'm scheduled to have one in a couple of months, still waiting for an exact date.

Mine is for crazily heavy periods and pain that refuses to be helped by any painkiller I've tried. The mirena didn't suit me so that was my next option.

I had started talking myself out of the op, thinking I was overreacting...until I got my period which was so heavy and painful I couldn't go to work...the pain was awful, even felt like something was gripping my inner thighs. I realised it's easy to forget how bad pain is when you don't have it. And the black mood that comes with it...

I'm really so scared of having the op but I'm damned if I'm going through the next however many years like this, maybe it's out of the frying pan and into the fire and a gamble but I'm going to do it.

 Such a huge decision, I hope it works out OK for you x

[Annie0710]

I completely understand

I'd have to leave work to go home and change because if I as much as crouched it'd splurt down my thighs.  And you talking of thigh pain just brought back a memory I'd forgotten !

I was tried with a vaginal ring to help the prolapse but once any exertion or crouching and the damn thing flipped out !

Sometimes hysterectomy is the only option but I went into it naively that it'd solve ALL my problems and that new ones wouldn't arise

X

[Niamh]

This is a really interesting thread. I too have made the difficult decision to have one. I'm severely progesterone intolerant and have tried all options to manage this but failed. I face either years and years of severe Pmt and feeling poisoned by progesterone or cheat and don't take enough and risk womb thickening and all the potential issues that come with that. I'm 42 and I feel I have no choice and I have several friends who have had hysters and it's been life changing in a very positive way and they do well on ostrogen only. Personally for me and my family it's the right decision. I see Studd and this is recommendation now and I have to trust his view X