Menopause after a hysterectomy and trying HRT ?

[BookWorm45]

Welcoming views here and especially if anyone is in the same situation...

Following some years of gynae problems, I had a ablation in early 40s followed by a hysterectomy some years later. The hysterectomy removed my uterus but kept my ovaries. Now a few years later, I'm the typical age to be going through menopause and have a few of the symptoms of menopause....

1. Has anyone tried HRT in this situation and did you find it helped?

2. Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to define whether or not I am in menopause (as the obvious way to try, checking when periods stop, doesn't apply to me since the gynae surgery and I gather hormone tests can vary a lot)

3. How is it possible to define which symptoms may be connected to menopause, and which ones would have happened anyway (e.g. anxiety, poor sleep, tiredness, all seem likely to happen with or without menopause)

Your thoughts very welcome !

1 You are no different to any other woman except you have no uterus. This is a bonus re. HRT. You need only estrogen, not progesterone as well, and it's the hormone that usually causes some side effects.

2 NICE doesn't advise blood tests for women over 45. The guidance is treat symptoms as menopause in the absence of other diseases.

3 which ones would have happened anyway (e.g. anxiety, poor sleep, tiredness, all seem likely to happen with or without menopause Not sure why you think these symptoms happen anyway. It's not normal to have any of those and many women don't.

Stats show that many women who have a hysterectomy tend to have an earlier menopause anyway- often within 2-3 years of the op.

You've nothing to lose by trying hrt. It's a case of if it works, that was what was needed!

Thanks Jingling ! I hadn't realised about only needing the one hormone, not two