Surgical menopause

[BeBraveAndBeKind]

I had a total hysterectomy last week due to fibroids and large dermoid cysts. The plan was to leave the healthy ovary intact but when the surgery began, both ovaries were found to be affected and so all was removed. Prior to the surgery, I had no menopause symptoms.

I'm having nausea and feelings of being very hot which are coming and going, racing heart rate.

Obviously there's still a lot of pain and I have a urinary tract infection too which isn't helping. I'm trying to establish which of these symptoms will start to improve as I recover and which are more long term until I begin HRT in four weeks.

How soon will menopause symptoms begin?

I had my first hot flush the same evening that I had my op. Other than pain and exhaustion I didn’t have any other symptoms than hot flushes tbh so maybe the nausea is due to the UTI or antibiotics-assuming you are on antibiotics for your uti.

Wishing you a speedy recovery from your op

Thanks @Pinkshrimp.

Yes, on antibiotics. The nausea has gone off. I think it's a combination of the antibiotics and the painkillers so I'm making sure to take them with food (even though I'm not hungry).

The hot flushes are mad though, not helped by the compression stockings. Roll on the start of HRT!

@BeBraveAndBeKind have you asked why you need to wait 4 weeks for HRT?

I know of women who start it on the same day.

If this is because of the risk of blood clots post op, transdermal estrogen (which is all you will need- not progesterone as well) has no added risk of clots.

Is it worth asking your surgeon for an explanation?

They're waiting for results from Histology and bloods apparently.

Just coming back to this in case it might be useful for someone searching in the future.

It turns out that the nausea, racing heart and feeling of being very hot were not a UTI or hot flushes. It was a collection of fluid from surgery that had gathered in my pelvis and become septic.

I was readmitted via on 9th October with a very high temperature and a resting heart rate of 160bmp. I went back to surgery on 13th to have it drained and have spent four days in hospital on IV antibiotics.

I feel very fortunate that it wasn't worse as the doctor said if I'd delayed getting treatment until the next day, I'd have been in intensive care.

Oh no you poor thing! I had a full hysterectomy on 2/9/20 due to a large cancerous ovarian cyst. Almost a week after surgery I started experiencing the symptoms you described. Mine was also an infection but as I was still in hospital they didn’t get so bad and they treated me with IV antibiotics and got it under control quickly. I hope you’re now recovering well and are able to start HRT soon. I am only really getting hot flushes and night sweats at the moment but my oncologist confirmed on Friday that I can start HRT, I can’t wait.

Thanks @Ballsto2020. It's hard to know what's normal and what's not when you don't really know what to expect. I was very lucky in that my friend is a nurse and told me "nope, that's not right. You need to call 111 or go to A&E" when I sent her a text with my symptoms.

I've had a couple of night sweats but that's all so far now the antibiotics have the infection under control. I'm still absolutely exhausted even though I'm not doing anything but feel so much better than I did last week!

I hope you make a swift recovery and the HRT helps.

It’s so lucky you asked your friend. It’s not surprising you’re exhausted, your body has been through so much, I still get exhausted almost 7 weeks on, but I really turned a corner at 6 weeks and can do lots more now. My scar is very big so I still have a bit of pain but I don’t need pain killers now so I’m getting there.

The main reason I want HRT is to protect agains osteoporosis etc.. in the future, I’m 39 so it’s quite early to go through menopause.

I wish you a speedy recovery, rest and listen to your body and you’ll get stronger every day.