to get a hysterectomy at 35 ?

[Grindelwaldswand]

Was speaking to DP about our plans to have 1 child when we are in our late 30s and i was saying how i want a hysterectomy after because i only want one child and i hate period's and have no wish to go through menopause, he said IABU because it will cost me about £8k of my savings on top of the medical bills for having the child and it could be more painful than i think and might have a negative effect on our sex life WWYD ?
Im wanting the full hysterectomy doing but not sure how the procedure is done or whether or not i want to keep my cervix ( long history of cervical cancer in the family) confused about my options

I had a total hysterectomy and BSO, which is uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and cervix 4 weeks ago due to stage 1 cancer and I'm still not anywhere near recovered. It's a major operation and something you need to think more about. There are other ways of stopping periods.

I can't help you with options but I'm with you. At 35 I have dd1, I have lost 2 babies in the second trimester, one of which was a tfmr including an injection. I think the injection transferred uterine cells outside the womb and lead to endometriosis.

I now have heavy, painful periods, pain in my abdomen and legs most of the month. Hormonal contraceptives work but affect my moods really badly.

My uterus is bloody useless, it can't grow babies properly, it causes me no end of pain and problems. I just want the whole thing out. I said as much to the gp who smiled, said she absolutely agreed and understood but that the NHS wouldn't fund it right now (which I can understand)

Tbh if I had the money I would have it done privately. It's just not possible though.

I know it's major but its something ive thought about and want regardless of the pain, id rather do it before the cancer pop's up in my 40s which it will inevitably will. Ive lost 5 female family members in their 40-60s to cancer in the last 3, years. My main concern is it will make intercourse painful without a cervix ? Ive looked up the different types and i could have my cervix left in place but then im still at risk of it turning cancerous aren't i ? It's a confusing choice to make

You risk serious osteoporosis.
Your skin will age very fast
The Op is very traumatic for your body... DM had it about the same age as you... she was old before her time.

And don't forget, you are castrating yourself.

Im luckily enough to be able to have both birth and operation privately on my area. Im only 25 now so i think if i ask a doctor about it now they won't take me seriously i had to fight for a smear test when i was 20

If you have both ovaries removed, you will go into menopause immediately.

My mother had a hysterectomy, without ovarian removal and never regretted it. I would quite like to have one myself. But I would leave my ovaries in. I think it's a smaller and easier operation.

Id rather age fast and live than die from cancer before my time. Just had another look and a partial hysterectomy with my ovaries and tubes removed is an option bit it would leave my cervix in place. But if i do get cervical cancer then it just means the extra surge on top of the chemotherapy and a bigger medical bill

This is interesting and something I have contemplated. Ovarian cancer is prevalent in my family and I suffer awfully with periods to the point I cannot do much for the first three days of them. Watching thread for views.

Gah. I'll have to leave the ovaries and fallopian tubes in the, does that mean I'll still go into menopause but at a later stage ?

You risk serious osteoporosis.
Your skin will age very fast
The Op is very traumatic for your body... DM had it about the same age as you... she was old before her time.

er.........thats nonsense. I had a hysterectomy at age 28, I was in hospital 2 days and whilst recovery was not easy, it was far faster than it would have been if i'd been older, because I was young and strong and healthy (other than cervical cancer that is!).
My skin is just fine, thanks. I look years younger than my age, in fact.

I don't regret mine and I am happy to be period free, however thats not to say its a decision the OP should take lightly, especially without a medical reason.

I think you would still go into menopause. And early menopause is v hard on the body. So I wouldn't do it just to stop periods. But if there is a family history of ovarian or uterine cancer, that might be worth the risk. You could have testing done to see if you have the gene? My friend's DM had breast cancer in her 30's and then died of ovarian cancer in her 60's (apparently that's not uncommon, how horrifically sad and unfair), so she got tested and does have the gene. She's planning to have her ovaries taken out when they've decided if they want a second child or not.

DM had a full hysterectomy at about 36 . However that was an emergency as she was losing blood like a waterfall (endimetriosis was the cause there) not sure how its spelled, sorry .

She looks great at her age so did not age straight after (she is 74 now and looks half that but she always did love her creams) nor did she take any HRT as that was not available at that time .

Its very drastic OP but having read you have lost so many females I can understand why you would wish it I do .

grindelwald If you left the ovaries in, you could have the hysterectomy vaginally, so that means less scarring, less recovery time and gets rid of the cervix, and means you don't need HRT. I've had no issues with sex because of mine. 'They' say that if you leave the ovaries, they 'usually' fail anyway within 5 years, thats not been my experience however.

You can't avoid menopause. Obviously you don't get the irregular periods side of it but you do get the other features. With ovaries removed it would be instant full on menopause. With ovaries intact it would be at a later date but I think there is risk of an earlier menopause.

If you have an extensive history of early cancers in close female relatives you might need to get specialist advice. E.g. If a history of ovarian cancer you may need screening. Speak to your GP about it.

Honestly, no I wouldn't.

I had a hysterectomy at 32 for medical reasons and surprisingly it really knocked me for six - despite already being sterilised.

Unfortunately I had complications and now have chronic pain and nerve damage - I survive on a cocktail of drugs daily.

Because of my age they left my cervix Fallopian tubes and ovaries, because of the chronic pain I am in a medically induced menopause.

As a result of living in constant pain I am under psychiatric care, I have severe depression - resulting in an attempted suicide, anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia.

Not only has it effected my life it has impacted on my children, I was admitted to hospital 18 times (for up to a week) in 13 months, because my pain has been out of control. My children both get tearful and cling to me if I mention I have a hospital appointment because they think I won't be coming back for a long time - I now don't mention it to them.

I would not wish my life on my worst enemy, I really wouldn't.

My case is rare but it can and does happen.

I'm not trying to put anyone off, especially if there is a medical need but want to make people aware that that complications can and do happen.

I'm slightly confused by your post as you say you want to have a child in your late 30s but you want to have a hysterectomy at 35?

You don't need to make any decisions about this at the moment if you are only 25 - you have no idea how your body will be then. There are other options - for example I had an endometrial ablation which cured my heavy periods and transformed my life.

Going through menopause is a natural process, not pleasant for many, but again there are natural remedies and HRT which can help. Having an unnecessary major operation for the reasons you mention isn't necessary.

You can't avoid menopause. The menopause is when the ovaries reduce or stop the production of 'fertile' hormones. This will still happen either instantly if you have ovaries removed or in time if they remain.

I don't know much about hysterectomy. I really think you need to speak to your doctor about it, especially as you don't seem to understand the consequences fully. If you approach it from a 'in the future' point of view they are probably more likely to give you advice or refer you in the right direction.

Did your family members suffer from cancer related to the uterus/cervix etc?

If you have annual smear tests then all but the most aggressive cancers can be spotted before they become cancerous. You have to push for it to your GP.

The others are right, a hysterectomy is a major operation and even with a family history of cancer you are statistically more likely to die/have life changing complications from the surgery than cervical cancer. I'm not being unsympathetic - I have a high chance of developing it too because of various factors, but you can't live your life in fear.

It's unlikely that you'd get one on the NHS for the reasons you've said. They're a major operation and a last resort. I've had one a year ago, but I was 49 and I had a fibroid the size of a 7-month pregnancy and there was no other option.

Recovery was tough, I needed 3 months off work and still get occasional sharp pains in my stomach which I'm certain is due to the hysterectomy.

I'm confused if you want to keep your cervix if you have a family history of cervical cancer? Unless you've got cancer it which case removal is automatic, it's between you and the surgeon. Mine's removed(no more smears! yay!)

If you're pre-menopausal and don't have cancer, they tend to leave your ovaries as the oestrogen they produce prevent osteoporosis (and I think other conditions.) That means while obviously you don't have periods, the other menopausal symptoms will happen as normal. If they're removed, menopausal symptoms will happen more or less straight away as they're a reaction to not having the oestrogen.

You will not find any doctor to do a full hysterectomy with no medical reasons at all, especially in a woman in her 30's who has just had her first child.

No need for the decision making, because it is never going to happen.

Any private doctor will do it if i pay them, i don't use the NHS.

Might just get my tubes tied instead and keep doing the smear test's, my GP understands my worries and has my family medical background and he agrees i need testing and im at risk not sure what he'd think of a hysterectomy though or whether he'd take me seriously, im planning on having 1 baby when im 35-39 and having the hysterectomy a few months after so i don't get periods or any more unwanted pregnancies as im allergic to most contraption apart from latex free condoms and they feel too risky just on there own