How long after total hysterectomy (incl. Ovaries) did menopause symptoms begin?

[dirtyfabulous]

Almost 48 hours after surgery. Apart from a headache from lack of sleep on a noisy ward, Im not doing too badly.
Just hoping to hear others experiences please..
I'm mid 30s.. when did the flushes/ night sweats etc begin?

[Sweet74]

Personally I had mine done in December. I would say within the two weeks. Started getting just hot. But on Patches straight after and back to normal. Just think need internal Estrogen too. Which often isn't spoken about... I haven't started yet

[dirtyfabulous]

Thanks sweet back to see my consultant within 2 weeks so hopefully I'll get hrt sorted before anything becomes too severe.
Internal oestrogen is also something I've read about the importance of.
Will be having a dexa scan within 12 months, daily calcium tablets..
I hope you are doing well

[Sweet74]

I'm 45 and I had a rectocele repair with my hysterectomy. Make sure you drink plenty of water and stool softeners every day. So you don't get hard stools.

[spykid]

Within hours of surgery - the drenching sweats were the first sign.
Started HRT 4 days post op, thankfully. Worst symptoms, serious Adrenalin rushes were day 5 post op. Started to see an improvement with HRT after that. I'm mid 40's btw

[Hellbentwellwent]

3 days post op for me, started on hrt on day 5. I’m only 8 weeks post op at the minute so not too far ahead of you I’m and in my 30s too.
By internal estrogen do you mean vaginal?

[Sweet74]

Yes vaginal suppositories. Supposed to help pelvic floor and bladder etc. I haven't started as yet. I have bought them but I want to see if my surgeon is happy for me to use them. GP was happy. Just want their opinion. Stops it getting dry etc. I had my operation half way through December. Things are getting better everyday. I think having just a hysterectomy recovery would be quicker. My rectocele repair is the thing that takes more time to heal. But my patches are great once a week

[Sweet74]

A rough few weeks.... coming out the other side. NO lifting. Seriously. I have been so careful and still resting. Scared of doing anything that

[dirtyfabulous]

sweet 74 yes I'm drinking lots of water so no constipation so far🤞yes I had meant vaginal oestrogen. Hoping to get all of that sorted next week once I go back to see consultant. I'm not having any symptoms of menopause yet almost 1 week on but I'm nervously waiting... although I am feeling warmer than usual sometimes but nothing very obvious.
Spykid It's great that HRT is helping the symptoms for you. The only way is up! Are you taking supplements? I started taking calcium & menopause vitimans.
Hellbentwellwent glad to hear you could start on HRT if you are having symptoms. How are you getting on with it?
Re dosages do you start on smallest dose? Also are you on patches/pills/gel? Hope you don't mind the questions! Sweet I see you are on patches how do you find them?

[Hellbentwellwent]

Hi dirtyfabulous ask away, i don’t mind at all. My surgeon wanted to put me on kilofem (sp?) but I’ve always reacted badly to hormone fluctuations and had really bad pmdd so was really worried about being on a specific dose that I couldn’t adjust easily so asked for estrogel and utrogestan. I have always had endo and have had many excision surgeries in the past so need to take progesterone to oppose the oestrogen to try and keep it at bay, I’m just saying that so you don’t immediately think you might need it too or something has been missed if you’re not prescribed the progesterone as well. Gel - I started on the standard dose of two pumps but was still flushing and feeling very down so upped it gradually to 4 pumps per day which is what I’m on now and I feel fine. Had to tweak the progesterone as well as it made me feel horrific taken orally so now taking it as a suppository to bypass the oral side effects.
Hope you’re healing well and taking plenty of rest, it really took me till 6 weeks to feel normal again and I’m still finding I get tired more easily at 8 weeks so do take it easy.

[ravensoaponarope]

I went on HRT day or two after the surgery, hormonal weepiness kicked in that quickly.
Yes, vaginal oestrogen also very important,

[dirtyfabulous]

hellbentwellwent I have heard about pmdd &it sounds extremely difficult. I hope things improve greatly for you now you've had this surgery. I'm hoping to get oestrogen gel also.I understand in the case of endometriosis progesterone is needed even without the uterus. It's great you've found what works for you. That's half the battle! 8 weeks is still so early on in recovery for such a big op. I'm really taking it very easy and will do so for the next few weeks. Might attempt a walk with dh tomorrow.
ravensoaponarope thanks for your reply. Hope HRT is helping with weepiness. It's a very emotional time,add in exhaustion from surgery etc hopefully we will all see little improvements gradually.

[Sweet74]

I was really just hot. No sweats just constantly hot. My patches are great. They aren't noticeable. On my stomach where you don't crease or on your bottom. I am happy with them. I have to see GP today. In Australia so I haven't been advised to take anything else as yet. Just Estrogen patches and vaginal suppositories. I will talk to my GP probably need blood tests to see if everything is going ok normally and hormone levels etc.

[Sweet74]

I had both my ovaries taken out too. Some surgeons leave them in. I wanted them out. I know too many women with ovarian cancer. Patches are supposed to be better transdermal than taking pills. I have heard. Still having issues with my rectocele repair fingers crossed it will get better in the next few weeks.

[Sweet74]

I had fibroid tumours in the uterus and cysts on the ovaries. No endometriosis.

[dirtyfabulous]

sweet it's great that you're getting on well with patches! My consultant had just mentioned me starting on a calcium tab in a few weeks time, so I bought some. Will also have a dexa scan within the next few months as well. I just looked up what a rectocele was. That sounds very uncomfortable on top of everything else too. Hope that time proves to be a healer with that and your medical team can sort it out.
Good luck with GP today!

[spykid]

Supplements I've found are helping: magnesium, zinc and calcium but d3 ( combined).
Omega 3 and multivitamin
Biotin
Feral globin gentle iron- iron stores still slowly rebuilding
I also use a magnesium sleep oil spray which REALLY helps.

[Iggity]

I started oral oestrogen a few days post surgery and then switched to oestrogen patches. The only noticeable symptom I had was dry eyes. It happened immediately and got very bad. It then got better and hasn’t recurred. No other symptoms. Never had a hot flush etc and been on patches 11 yrs. Good luck.

[Sweet74]

Went to the GP today. So going to get a blood test before starting the Estrogen internally. Pelvic floor muscles need exercise seeing it's been fixed. But my poor behind needs wet wipes for a few more weeks until it gets stronger. (This is a normal affect from the rectocele repair). But still on one movical a day and I don't need pain medication. But I will say that Voltaren suppositories when I came home from hospital for 3 days were wonderful. It's just something my surgeon prescribed. It stopped my hip pain. That is where everything is attached to. Just have to keep up the pelvic floor exercise now. Four natural births two over eight pounds. So happy I got this done

[Sweet74]

What is a dexa scan?

[Sweet74]

I remember I went for a walk just around the shops. Don't push the trolley or put things into it. It was only for a few minutes. I had to rest for a few days after. Keeping surgical stockings for two weeks. I kept them on for more just to be safe. Breathing in and out deeply. All recommended from the physio before leaving hospital. I had a good surgeon. No bleeding. Just one stitch did that was from the rectocele repair. After my six week check up they took that annoying stitch out. If I knew what I do now I would have got a pillow with hole in the middle. Would have made things more comfortable.

[dirtyfabulous]

spykid is magnesium sleep spray helping you get to sleep/ get better quality sleep? I'm not sleeping well really the last couple of nights so waking up exhausted. What is biotin? A gentle Iron supplement is a good idea also!
Iggity it's so great to read about a positive experience thanks for sharing, it gives me hope.
Sweet A dexa scan is a scan of your bones to check bone density. One of the risks of oophorectomy is damage to bones due to loss of oestrogen. Even though I'll be taking HRT my consultant has advised a scan soon to see how things are now to get a baseline and a daily calcium tab.have had vaginal births so know the importance of pelvic floor exercises but I need to commit to being better at doing them! Deep breathing definitely helps especially at night when I'm getting annoyed that I can't sleep. Maybe my walk today will help with that & I also had the excitement of the local supermarket yesterday after I went to the GP as I'd developed a rash under my dressings- sensitive skin reaction
It sounds like you really went through an ordeal with the rectocele repair. I think us women are amazing for all that we go through and bounce back from. Doesn't stop me thinking frequently that I'm coming back as a man in my next life though

[Sweet74]

Oh wow you had an abdominal hysterectomy. Mine was laparoscopically done. You will definitely be taking time recovering.

[Sweet74]

I was like a newborn baby sleeping the first few weeks. Panadol every six hours. But those Voltaren suppositories made everything so much more easier.

[dirtyfabulous]

I had a vaginally assisted keyhole hysterectomy. 5 small incisions on abdomen. Had difene suppositories for the first few nights. Luckily I'm not having much pain at all 🤞apart from a severely inflamed throat as a result of intubation from GA. So painful to swallow which is keeping me away from the chocolates I suppose

[spykid]

Dirtyfabulous - the sleep oil spray helps me stay asleep so I few more rested. Without it I sleep fretfully and wake more than I sleep! My hubby uses it too now
Magnesium salts for the bath help too- they recommend it for me at my menopause clinic.
I've found sleep disturbance the hardest thing to overcome I think- previously I slept so well!