If this happened to you every month, would you have a hysterectomy?

[mummytowillow]

I've always suffered with my periods for as long as I can remember

My month goes like this:

Terrible nausea/squits two days leading up to ovulation, to the point I feel dreadful.

Severe ovulation pain for two days for which pain relief does nothing.

Then the PMT kicks in, tiredness, spots, nausea etc

Then heavy painful period requiring super plus tampons and pad with flooding. Sometimes I can't go to work as its so heavy.

Period stops then starts again two days later.

I've been to gynaecologists, had mirena coil which helped but went missing. Side effects were terrible though.

Can't take pill as I'm overweight and too old (44). Been offered ablation but that doesn't cure ovulation pain.

I don't want anymore children but I'm a single mum (DD6) and wouldn't have anyone to look after me following op as parents are in 70's. I also have to drive DD to school.

I'm also terrified of GA's so can it be done with a spinal?

Appreciate any advice please. Thanks

Iv not had one but suffer in many ways u do and it is something I say when I'm in pain so have looked in to it. I believe u can't drive for at least 6 wks following a hysterectomy same as a c sec it's a bit op and iv also been told by dh nan that it took her12 wks to recover.

I'm sure someone who has actually had it done will b along to advise just wanted to say I completely understand y u want it but as ul have no support I think u should c if u can get gynae referral and maybe discuss other options if that's possible? If u ever find out how to stop the sickness & ov pain pls let me know I sympathise cos mine is vile

Xx

You can take the mini pill.
I'm on it and love it, it's completely got rid of my problems.
I was in agony every month, had awful PMT.

I know it's not for everyone, but I love it.
I've not had a period for 8 months.

It's a bit drastic - have you seen a gynaecologist to discuss other options? Is it possible you have fibroids? Have you tried anything for PMT? Eg Agnus castus - it's working wonders for me.

Majestic is right agnus castus is worth a try as is evening primrose oil I'm not taking them atm as I'm bf but iv taken in past as I have pcos to regulate my cycles and it def did something can't say it worked for the ov pain tho but I have pcos so that could b something to do with mine so might work for u apologise for typos I'm on my phone and it keeps changing wot iv typed

I had hysterectomy almost a year ago now.

You asked for honest responses - I am probably not typical but this is my story.

Now I don't know anyone else in my position - I know a lot of people who have had a great experience and it was the best thing they ever did

Recovery was way worse than section - cant drive for many weeks and the exhaustion is beyond belief. I had 3 months off work and only went back as we can't really manage with me only on sick pay. Was still in a lot of pain and really wasn't up to going back but I had too financially.
Was literally working and straight home to bed - spent most of he weekend in bed/sofa and am not a huge amount better now.

Been back in hospital twice now to have the wound infection cleaned out, hrt is a mess - on set of patches/pills no 8 and still feel crap. Migraine for a day most weeks. Hrt is causing terrible joints/leg pain and I still can't bend down.

Work getting fed up with me - some days I feel so bad I can't focus on anything. I am also a bit spaced out when I have to go to work with bad headache - migraines I am having to take as flexitime and make it up at the weekends. I could take it as sick but would be unpaid and then it would come under HR radar and sickness policy implemented.

My relationship with my kids has been affected - I am just so tired and sore I havent got a lot left for them.

11 months on I still can't stand for more than 15/20 minutes , can't carry the Hoover upstairs, get on my hands and knees and can only walk for about half an hour before I need to sit down.

Have also gained about 3 stone mainly due to biscuits

I was relatively fit and active before the op - in a lot of pain due to endo but could shop all day , do all the housework without breaking a sweat and played , bike rides etc with the kids.

Sorry - you might not have wanted to hear this but this is the reality of me at the mo.

Hope you get it sorted out - hormones are buggers !!

Try vit b6, magnesium and evening primrose oil.
Speak to your dr about transemic (sp?) acid which stops heavy bleeding.
Have you tried the pop pill or depo?

You can't drive or lift anything heavier than a full kettle for 6 weeks. Same as for a repair- which I had.
They won't remove your ovaries which would only give you more problems so you'd still have ovulation pain.
You are not too old at 44 for the Pill IF you lost weight- many drs will now prescribe it at a low dose right up to 50 / menopause.
It is also possible that your diet, lifestyle etc is contributing to the PMT and heavy bleeding.
Why not lose weight, have the ablation and try the Pill?

The reason I mentioned diet/ weight and heavy periods is that fat cells produce oestrogen-women who are overwight have higher levels of oestrogen, which post menopause increases the risk of breast cancer- so it's possible that your weight is causing high levels of this which make ovulation painful and give you heavy bleeding.

Is Agnus castus that good?
I am off to TH gynae again on Thursday :( on 3rd bleed in a month...gah.
I rally sympathise op...ime drs are very blasé about menstrual problems.

Angus castus works amazingly well for some people.

Also take a look at this, Alisa Vitti who recommends dietary changes and has achieved amazing things herself with PCOS (Google her TED talk). She has a book, called WomanCode. Dietary changes have to be worth a try before such drastic measures as a hysterectomy? It will probably help if you are overweight too.

I had a pcos diet book think was basically low gi and for me that with eve primrose and agnus castus it allowed me to lose weight and regulate my cycles after an mc it def helped with cramps etc tho not the ov pain on my right side but that ovary is worse.I'm not recommending u drastically change ur diet but another poster mentioned about the oestrogen levels and made a v good point so it is something worth discussing with ur dr

I had an emergency hysterectomy at the end of November last year following very heavy periods and a large fibroid causing horrendous pain. I was only diagnosed on the Sunday evening after a day of tests and two ct scans, and they wanted me to stay in and have the op the next day, but I felt I had to go home and make arrangements (thankfully no children to sort out) and went back for the op on the Wednesday.

Recovery is hard I was in bed for about 4 weeks, then started with very short walks and didn't drive for about 8 weeks - but I'm so glad I did it. I had such painful, heavy periods I couldn't leave the house for 3-4 days every month for years. The surgeon left one ovary so I didn't go straight into menopause (although I believe they pack up earlier in these circumstances) and with uterus, fallopian tubes and cervix gone no more smear tests!

I don't think it can be done without a general anaesthetic - I also needed a blood transfusion, and an iron transfusion as I was terribly anaemic (so bad that the surgeon said the op shouldn't really have gone ahead) but I had no infection, very neat scar and it's the best thing I've done. I know the recovery period is daunting but if you can sort that bit out, then go for it. Good luck

mine are awful too, bit different.

I thought that even thinking about a hysterectomy to stop the mysery is not something I could discuss with a GP (as I don't want to be "labelled" in any way) - so I'm glad that others have considered this.

I'm currently pg with #7 and if we decide to stop having kids (very likely) I just don't see the pount of veing in debilitating pain for about a third of every month and in moderate pain for another third.

so although I can't give you advice OP I just wanted to say thank you for making me not alone with a similar dilemma.

good luck , I hope things will improve for you soon either way

Hysterectomy is really the final solution though.

Have you discussed an endometrial ablation with your GP op? Less invasive and might be a better option with all your responsibilities.

My first Mirena expelled in a blood clot. I went under GA and had a D&C and a fibroid cut and cauterized that was imbedded in my uterus muscle but partially intruding into my womb.

They placed another Mirena while I was under. So far so good and much less pain.

If it does expel though I will have the ablation next.

I had an endometrial ablation with a spinal in August and although I still get some pain around ovulation and a feeling of discomfort and tenderness it is so much better than it was and I am so glad to not have had the carrying round of spare clothes because of flooding, the fainting and nausea and the constant dragging pain- I am now no longer living in the dread of the next cycle. I went in as a day patient and was pretty much back to normal in a couple of days.

Pearl...that's interesting. I think I may be offered an ablation if the scan results etc are ok.
I can have tests etc done through my husbands bupa scheme but it doesn't cover treatment sadly.
How,did you find having a spinal?

Try a good herbalist.
IME they can be excellent at rebalancing hormones.
A diet change will help too.

(It's not woo).

mummytowillow

All that you describe symptom wise could be due to endometriosis, it can also cause heavy as well as painful bleeding to arise.

It also sounds like you've been fobbed off over the years and no-one has seriously tried to find the CAUSE of all this properly.

Have you ever had gynae surgery?. What have the gynaes actually told you and when did you last see such a person?.

I would go back to the GP and ask for an urgent referral to a gynae in the nearest major city to you. If it is endometriosis then a hyst may not always be the answer; if it is on the intestines a hyst will not address that at all. Also your ovaries would have to be removed at the same time thus putting you into instant menopause.

Do not self medicate with AC as such pills generally won't do anything to help such problems.

Hi
I'm 42, so similar age and had total hysterectomy with both ovarys/ tubes removed 9 weeks ago.

I suffered similar problems to you due to severe endo and adenomyosis. My consultant basically said the only cure would be hysterectomy- mainly because of the adenomyosis. I went back to work at 8 weeks and although suffered 2 post op pelvic infections- don't feel too bad. I am more tired than usual and do have pain/swelling when I do too much but I still recovering and my op was complex/difficult (took 2 consultants 4 and a half hours- when normally 1 half hours).

I'm happy that I had it done, cause the pain I had due to the op was/is much much less than I suffered monthly with periods. I am on HRT and will be for the next 10 years this is working for me.

Atilla- they do not always remove ovaries along with the uterus- only if there is cancer or some other non-negotiable reason.

Yes my ovaries were diseased

If endometriosis is present the ovaries are usually removed at the same time as part of the hysterectomy, this is because the estrogen produced can "feed" the endo further otherwise.

But if that is the case someone would have a surgical menopause over night :( Usually anyone who has their ovaries removed is given HRT to compensate unless it's cancer.

I am now on HRT, my consultant said he removed all traces of endo. So I will hopefully be fine..

badvocat- found the spinal fine - just listened to some music and chatted to the nurse as they did it - took about four hours to wear off and I was home that evening.