To insist on a hysterectomy in my late 20's?

[Bumarse]

I have birthed three children and I'm %100 certain that I don't want any more. I almost lost my life during childbirth last time.

After each pregnancy my hormones have become more out of whack. I feel like crap during ovulation and then have awful PMS in the run up to my period so badly that I'm fairly sure it's actually PMDD im dealing with. It is debilitating and affecting my productivity and ability to function well as a parent.

I have hormonal adult acne that isn't responding to treatment which is minor in the grand scheme of things but just adds to matters.

I also have a bladder prolapse and noted uterine descent that is only going to get worse.

Synthetic hormones don't agree with me so I can't go back on the pill, injection or implant as they turn me loopy. I can't try the coil because of my prolapse.

I'm so sick of hormones controlling my life I would welcome the menopause with open arms.

WIBU to plead my case to my GP and insist I want a hysterectomy or will they laugh me out of the surgery due to my age?

Topical vaginal estrogen can strengthen the area and reduce prolapse symptoms. Further physio can help the issue too. They'll want you to try everything before a hysterectomy

I had my uterus and ovaries removed due to PMDD. I had exhausted all other options.

I’m now in surgical menopause and have oestrogen HRT, but no progesterone as this was at the root of my problems. The surgery left me with fatigue which took about a year to get better. Surgical menopause is not easy either. However, my PMDD was so extreme that I don’t regret the surgery.

I think if you go down the surgery route it should be because your symptoms are extreme and you have exhausted all other possibilities. It is worth paying privately to get the opinion of an expert in this area.

I think you need investigations into your symptoms, the chance to talk to a specialist about your options. A hysterectomy is a huge procedure and can have long lasting associated health issues such as scar tissue, increased risk of osteoporosis (I think). They only do it if it is implicated and you meet a criteria which will probably be in the NICE guidelines. I think your first port of call is to speak to your GP and get the ball rolling with some tests. There may be a much less invasive treatment which works well for you. Good luck

Also they may insert a pessary for the prolapse to manage it

Also I have hormonal acne and the only treatment that worked for me was antibiotics (the one for malaria can't recall the name)!or a product from the states called exposed skin care which worked a charm. I unfortunately found the antibiotics have me stomach cramps and messed up my gut flora but they do work on skin.

A doctor won't do a hysterectomy unless there is a real medical need. What they can do, and what has worked wonders for me, is a tubal ligation and ablation of the womb. The sterilisation prevents egg release the ablation removes the lining of the womb so you won't get periods any more. You will need to ask your GP for a gynaecologist referral as I don't think it's something they can authorise and obviously at the moment referalls are hard. Good luck though OP, I hope you can get the help soon.

I had my ovaries out a few months ago for preventative reasons. I have major joint and muscle issues atm as a result, as well as seizing up when I relax after exercise, headaches, waves of mild nausea, no hot flushes but a weird inability to control my body temperature, I often wake up ridiculously early in the morning and can’t get back to sleep, crashing waves of sudden despair, and I’m pretty much asexual as I have no libido anymore.

An SSRI medication can improve severe PMS and PMDD. It doesn't need to be a high dose.

Sorry to hear you've had such a traumatic time You definitely wouldn't be unreasonable to ask your GP. They'll either say yes or no but hopefully they'd give you more options too that are available.

All the best

You're more likely to be granted a hysterectomy because you've had children. Many women are denied if they are childless as of course everyone wants kids!

They may trial you with some form of HRT before saying yes to a hysterectomy, I'm not an expert but I imagine they would. Unfortunately you might have to go along with this and show that it's not giving the result you need before they'll consider you for a hyst/medical procedure.

The only way you'll find out is speaking to them, be firm about your decision but be open to compromising to find a solution. Your end goal is to not have such horrific symptoms, there may be a way to achieve that without a hysterectomy.

I am sorry you're going through this, OP. I can't imagine how difficult it is for you, especially with 3 DC to look after! It will get better, you'll be okay.

I have pmdd and am almost at the point of requesting a hysterectomy and removal of my ovaries. The hysterectomy alone will not solve your symptoms and there is a long road to go down before the consultant would consider you for the op including chemical menopause.

Search ukpmdd on Facebook and join. There are loads of us on there helping each other and you can maybe find new things to try to help because it's not a hormonal imbalance as suggested by a pp but something completely different.

Sertraline and dianette worked wonders for me

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions, I was clearly quite naive in thinking a hysterectomy would solve all of my problems.

I'm intrigued to hear that sterilisation w/out hysterectomy can help with hormone issues, that is something to look into as I'm absolutely certain I want no more children.

I've bought some evening primrose oil as I've seen that suggested on the group you mentioned, cookie. (waves!) So sorry to hear that you can relate on a personal level.

I get some minor relief during PMD week by taking antihistamines (another thing I saw suggested on the group) but it by no means eliminates the problem.

I'm going to have to see a different GP as my current one is just going round in circles, I don't doubt her as a medical practitioner but I think I would be better placed with somebody who has a special interest/extensive knowledge in hormones.

On the 18th of every month on the dot I start feeling very unwell and put it down to my DC bringing bugs back from school, until I made the link to my cycle you wouldn't have been able to convince me that I'm not getting ill every month with repeated viruses.

As if that wasn't bad enough, it's now starting to happen during ovulation too - hence my post today.

I was back and forth to the GP pre-covid having blood tests to investigate why I was constantly unwell. Everything came back normal but they weren't checking my hormones, just genetic blood tests.

Just wanted to say that if you have a total hysterectomy which includes removing your ovaries, you will be thrown into a premature menopause. This can lead to all sorts of unwanted side effects including osteoporosis. It is definitely worth considering keeping your ovaries although as some have said, your ovaries might not produce the hormones you need to keep your body from going into menopause.

On my part, I had a somewhat premature menopause, and synthetic hormones did not work for me, so instead, I saw someone privately and was given bio-identical ones made from yams. They have been an absolute life saver.

OP, if you can afford to go privately, find a gynaecologist who can talk you through what options are best for you as I think you'll have far better luck than hoping your GP will refer you.

GENERIC blood tests that should say.

@Vermeil

I had my ovaries out a few months ago for preventative reasons. I have major joint and muscle issues atm as a result, as well as seizing up when I relax after exercise, headaches, waves of mild nausea, no hot flushes but a weird inability to control my body temperature, I often wake up ridiculously early in the morning and can’t get back to sleep, crashing waves of sudden despair, and I’m pretty much asexual as I have no libido anymore.

These are all classic menopause issues related to your body no longer producing oestrogen. You need HRT, and pronto!

Genuinely surprised your medical team did not tell you this would happen/you would need HRT.

I don't doubt her as a medical practitioner but I think I would be better placed with somebody who has a special interest/extensive knowledge in hormones.

100% this is something you need a specialist for. You might be lucky and get a GP with an interest in this area, but the average GP (understandably) doesn't have the in depth knowledge needed.

If you go down the private route, you can look for a consultant with a particular interest in hormonal issues. I went privately (via insurance) and it was worthwhile taking the time to research the available consultants in my area, as the one I found was really good.

I think you need to do far more research before being hell bent on hysterectomy.

Do that and then ask gp for referral to gynae to discuss further options.

Have you ruled out PCOS and endometriosis?

I had a lot of your symptoms with endometriosis. A laparoscopy luckily worked for me, followed by a medically induced menopause which was hell. It really sounds like you need to privately see a consultant specialising in hormonal fluctuations and find out more about why this is happening for you. GPs can be useless and the time line for presenting with some of these symptoms to getting treatment can be almost a decade as women are fobbed off with different contraceptives instead of proper investigations.

I'd forget the hysterectomy and look at getting a diagnosis.

Have you ruled out PCOS and endometriosis?

I haven't been able to rule out either no.

I did wonder about PCOS but was under the impression that the condition causes issues with fertility and/or irregular periods, neither of which are an issue for me (I have two DC 15 months apart)

With regards to endometriosis, my periods aren't particularly painful or overly heavy. Would endo be a possibility in the absence of those things?

Are you sure it’s something you can get on demand?

The NHS is overrun with Covid; I don’t think I’d be asking for something that wasn’t a medical emergency right now.

Also, they may just tell you “no” anyway if it’s not actually medically necessary. It’s a major operation.

Are you sure it’s something you can get on demand?

Unless the operation is for life-saving reasons, there's a very long waiting list - probably even longer at the moment. It was about a year when I needed mine - that's why I went private - luckily it was covered by my medical insurance.

I'm not sure the op was suggesting she could rock up at a hospital and order a hysterectomy like it was a McDonald's drive thru.

Your GP can refer you for a scan to have a look at your ovaries and do bloods but really you need the input of a specialist gynae. Do some research into a gynae with an interest in PMS and hormonal imbalance. Go along with a list of your concerns and ask for full investigation and discussion as to the best way forward.

Be aware that whilst going to see someone privately will cost around £250 for the initial consultation the investigations are very expensive. Almost all private consultants do work in the nhs so again do your research and you can request to see anyone. Obviously at the moment things are likely to be very delayed.

I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned the use of antidepressants but they can be extremely effective in treating PMS, if your GP suggests these please don’t refuse out of hand.

Also it might be worth looking at some of the charities and organisations that support women with these issues. You will get a lot of up to date advice and support.

I had a subtotal hysterectomy almost a year ago, it's the best thing I ever did, I was 32, and had be battling mennorhagia for almost 3 years. I couldnt have hormones either, but had the copper coil for a few years.

It completely controlled my life, some mornings I couldn't even get out of bed. I would talk to a different GP, I had to speak to a few before I got a lovely female GP to refer me to gynaecology. She had to apply for funding for my operation, luckily it was approved.