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Original poster

Is there a hysterectomy support thread?

983 replies

ALemonyPea · 23/02/2017 21:15

I had a laparoscopic vaginal hysterectomy, retained ovaries but everything else removed.

Day 6 for me, and I have some questions and would like some support as freacking out about the thought of vault prolapse.

I am managing pain wise now. Some slight pulling on one side, but manageable. Belly button keeps bleeding, but not enough to run out, so just cleaning it twice a day.

I feel quite heavy down there, is that normal?

I thought I had read everything there was about hysterectomies before I had the op, but the surgeon mentioned vaginal vault prolapse just before the surgery and explained it briefly. I then googled, and the first page brought up an awful image and I can't get it out my mind. I'm terrified that it'll happen to me.

Can anyone offer any help and support.

OP posts:
Fauxgina · 26/03/2017 14:37

Congrats hysteria Flowers

A good spring clean and it'll be here in no time!

User543212345 · 26/03/2017 14:47

I kept mine - though am cursing that decision the last few days as have pms boobs - as I didn't want to have to play around with synthetic hormones in order to manage instant menopause, but any hormone I've ever taken has made me super ill. If you have the opposite problem in that your own hormones make your health problems worse then I'd just get rid. You might not need HRT anyway, it is really an it depends thing. Have you tossed a coin to work out how you really feel yet?

BG2015 · 26/03/2017 15:09

Robots how old are you as i think that can make a difference. Your ovaries help with osteoporosis so the younger you are the more risks you face.

If you're close to menopause age anyway it may be best to have them removed if it will help your other symptoms

ArchNotImpudent · 26/03/2017 15:15

That's great news, hysteria. I'd have kept one ovary if I could, but they were too damaged by endometriosis so both had to go in the end. At least now everything's gone, there's nothing else that can go wrong, I suppose.

armsandtheman · 26/03/2017 16:12

That's really interesting about ovaries. Would be nice to get rid of the lot but menopause is no easy ride either. Maybe one day they'll cure hormones!

RobotsinDisguise · 26/03/2017 16:20

I'm now staring at a £2 coin on the floor wondering how I feel Grin

I'm 46, so a little way away yet. I do get boiling hot at night sometimes, but I'm not sure if that's my duvet. My gp did a blood test and said it's not menopause. I do have steroids each winter, so I've had a dexa scan and my bone density is really good.

Sorry about your pms boobs sweary. How annoying!

Arch, how was having them out for you?

I'm taking a quick break from weeding. Poor dh has been given a list of jobs we are he is to do before hand. He's sorted out the upstairs sink which was blocking and now he's attempting the kitchen sink! By the time I have my op he's going to need to go and recuperate himself!

Fauxgina · 26/03/2017 16:28

They are investigating transplanting ovaries back in after menopause for general health because ovulating is thought to be so good for female health in certain ways. It is worth strongly thinking about whether they should come out.

I didn't have the option because I kept mine, but I admit it would have felt nice to lose the monthly cycle and risk of ovarian cancer. There's lots to consider!

ArchNotImpudent · 26/03/2017 16:48

Robots I'm 42 and hadn't started menopausal symptoms before the op. Within two days of the op, I began having hot flushes; since then I've developed some joint pain and (not complaining about this last one) my underarm and leg hair has virtually disappeared.

I will start HRT at some point - the consultant said I could start it two months after the op, but I'm putting it off because I'm terrified of reigniting the endometriosis - at their worst, my menopausal symptoms are nothing compared to the pain I was in before the op. The hot flushes aren't bad enough to be debilitating. They happen mainly at night - I've had the occasional one at work, but they only last a few seconds.

I also expected losing my ovaries to have a negative effect on sex, but thankfully nothing's changed there Smile.

I would have kept them if they'd been healthy, but the consultant said by the time she'd managed to detach them from the endo, there was very little left of them Sad.

ArchNotImpudent · 26/03/2017 16:51

Faux - that's interesting about ovarian transplants.

Fauxgina · 26/03/2017 16:55

I've just had a Google and I haven't checked but I think this was the radio documentary debating it.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0643vfl

ArchNotImpudent · 26/03/2017 17:14

Thanks - just listening to it now.

User543212345 · 26/03/2017 20:31

Ah, Robots you're actually really unsure then? The coin toss always helps me when in my heart I'm leaning a certain way but don't want to admit it. I think your compromise of leaving one is the most sensible idea then Grin

Having been bleeding for so long without a break I'd forgotten about pms boobs. Fortunately they're a bit deflated and more comfortable today but bloody hell! DH was very excited that they looked so huge before I told him I'd kill him if he touched them.

I'm still super tired - especially after eating - and sore, and worried that I'm becoming afflicted with a UTI which is, i suppose, not that unusual after having a catheter but is fairly horrid. I need to see my gp about my antidepressants (I want to ask him for ones that work like the tramadol did - that stuff was ace for anxiety and insomnia, though highly addictive) so will get something to fix me at the same time.

Sorry, Hyster I didn't congratulate you on getting your date - really not long to wait now.

RobotsinDisguise · 26/03/2017 21:55

Grin can you imagine what the consultant would say? I've posted in the menopause topic to see if anyone can help. I may create a twitter poll! (j.k)

You are sounding really run down Sweary. I read it's common to feel low after. I hope your gp can help. How long has it been for you now?

User543212345 · 26/03/2017 22:18

I'm only 10 days post op but my MH has been in bits for a long time which doesn't help things much. Lots of family drama - am NC but they have taken to sending things here which is just so violating - which has knocked me for six. The couple of weeks before the surgery were awful brainwise and my gp wondered whether having the surgery was a good idea, but we have seen it as a huge act of self care and work on the premise that if you have wobbly mental health you can't really work to improve it properly whilst your physical health is bad. I'm hoping that the recovery from the op will be part of the recovery from the awful MH too. It's a struggle, but it's not one I'm prepared to lose. Onwards and hopefully upwards and all that.

Re your ovaries - I suppose you have to weigh up what the impact of your cycle is on your health issues against entering menopause immediately. I don't know how old you are but if it's a long time before you're likely to be menopausal and the impact on your health conditions are less than the perceived/expected impact of menopause then I might be tempted to keep them. Though of course we all will go through menopause at some point so you're just buying time with known symptoms versus menopause symptoms - which may be better or worse than you currently experience. They say you generally menopause around the same age as your mother so I'd take that as your expected menopause date and consider how far away that is. Have you been on hormonal contraception? Did that help your symptoms, because if it did then taking the ovaries and having HRT might make most sense.

Gosh that stream of consciousness isn't very helpful, but I think what I'm saying is in your shoes I'd consider how synthetic hormones affect me and how long I would have to menopause.

RobotsinDisguise · 26/03/2017 22:40

you poor soul, I'd be coming round to make you coffee if you were close. You've taken a brave step and while it may feel rather rough at the moment, if you can give yourself enough care, it could be a new start. You need firm boundaries with your family though.

I don't know when my mum went through menopause. We are very low contact for both our sanities sake.

I just don't know, I get pretty poorly before hand, but having the hysterectomy itself may help. The pill made me a bit heavier and low in mood. Northisterone makes my symptoms worse, but that is progesterone .

I have a new tactic. I'm going to ask the surgeon to surprise me Grin

User543212345 · 27/03/2017 09:28

Gosh I was on a bit of a pity party last night wasn't I? Had a good cry and feel a bit better. I do have firm boundaries in place with my family, it's just that they don't do boundaries and occasionally ignore them and we have to go back into re-establishing NC. My (vile) sister gets married on Saturday - obviously I'm not going - and until that's passed I'm on high alert for attacks from flying monkeys.

You can have your ovaries out and not have HRT of course. I know you're being flippant re your surgeon surprising you, which I do think is fab, but why not leave it up to her or ask her for proper advice rather than explaining all the options? She's likely to have a lot of expertise on this so probably knows best! Also maybe ask how awkward it would be to have them removed as a separate surgery if you decide at a later stage that keeping them was a bad idea - it can't be that hard can it?

RobotsinDisguise · 27/03/2017 10:06

Sometimes we all need a good wallow.

I have no idea why the surgeon left me to make the decision. They told me to go away and think about it and let them know on the day of the surgery and to talk to my gp about it.

So it may well come down to me asking them on the day what they think best. I suspect the fact they offered meant they thought it was a good idea. It's not going to be something they offer lightly. [confused ]

Original poster
ALemonyPea · 27/03/2017 11:00

Hurray for your date Hyster. Not long now.

Sweary, hope you're feeling better today. The sun is shining here, always good for lifting the mood.

RE PMT boobs, my boobs have been swollen and sore since my op, just over 5 weeks ago, and if I didn't know better, I'd swear I was going through puberty again. Spotty skin, mood swings, swollen boobs, greasy hair. Paint such a sexy photo haha

6 weeks this coming Friday since my op. DH is very much looking forward to the weekend for some reason HmmGrinBlush

OP posts:
RobotsinDisguise · 27/03/2017 11:03

I just had a chat with a different gp (went about something else, but seemed sensible to ask)

They can see where the other gp is coming from, but think that weighing everything up, having them out is an option that could be beneficial and wouldn't harm once hrt is sorted out.

RobotsinDisguise · 27/03/2017 11:05

That sounds miserable lemony. Hormones are so stupid.

Good luck to your dh Grin

Original poster
ALemonyPea · 27/03/2017 11:12

Hope you manage to come to a definite conclusion before your op robots.

I have PCOS, so my ovaries have always been fiddly, I'm surprised I kept them tbh. The consultant did say they might spring to life after the op, as they remove the Fallopian tubes and that sometimes gives the ovaries a new lease of life. Not too bad, at least I don't have the awful teen periods that come with it.

OP posts:
User543212345 · 27/03/2017 11:19

Hormones are stupid aren't they!

I wonder whether you're onto something with the puberty stuff, Lemony - not only do I have the pms boobs but I smell. Normal, proper showering and deodorant only keeps it at bay for a couple of hours. And then I stink again. I'm so glamorous. I just hope it doesn't last so long this time.

Seconding the luck to your DH Grin did he have a chart on the wall crossing the days off?

Original poster
ALemonyPea · 27/03/2017 13:09

Yes to the sweaty smell. I thought it might just be me sweating when I put too much effort into things, but it makes sense. Wish I was as thin as I was when I went through puberty though, would be so much easier diet wise.

DH has been counting the days down in his head since the op, he's a very patient man. I'm a bit scared, so will take it easy at first.

OP posts:
User543212345 · 27/03/2017 13:31

I'm trying to avoid the weight/diet issue. I feel like a hippo but know if I start restricting again my recovery is in jeopardy. I'm just wearing stretchy clothes and not looking in mirrors. Weight gain, even when it's a good thing, makes me feel such a failure.

Happyhaggard · 27/03/2017 13:33

Hello again all. I've been increasing hours at work and too exhausted for much else. But working again is feeling good! Glad to hear dates have come through for some and I hope everyone is doing as well as they can be! Smile

Just reading through the last page or so - the ovary thing has been on my mind too lately. I feel quite similar to you again Sweary in that I had prior MH concerns which were caused (or made worse) by my cycle. Treated successfully by ADs and Mirena until my uterus collapsed and coil went missing in action (later removed same time as womb).

I stoopidly didn't discuss the MH aspect with my surgeon re: keeping my ovaries, as for some reason I just assumed uterus removal and thus no longer bleeding would resolve this Blush

But now I'm really not sure what role my hormones are playing in all this. Totally Confused tbh

Does anyone know also whether having had a Mirena controlling everything, suddenly not having that anymore either is going to have it's own effect too? It took nearly 6 months (and daily bleeding!) to settle into my system, I imagine when it's removed, even in normal circumstances, it's going to take some time for system to adjust?

Kind of a bit scared of what my ovaries are going to do now they're left to their own devices!