OK … considering a hysterectomy at 42

[Perriwinkles]

Right … so … I’ve been in pain all day with day 2 of my period. All my plans for the day had to be cancelled apart from meeting a friend which I powered through.

I’ve had painful periods since my first period. I remember crying at the kitchen table when I was 12 but was told to just deal with it! I took myself to the GP at age 17 and I went on the pill from age 17 to 33 and that calmed it down. Once I came off the pill, slowly but surely it all came back: the intense period pain in my back, abdomen and thighs, severe bloating (I look 5 months pregnant right now, no exaggeration) and fatigue.

I have had normal smears and an ultrasound that only showed ‘functional cysts’ which I’m told are normal. Sex has always been painful in all but the missionary position and I told the doctor this when getting a smear but she didn’t say much. I never got any pleasure out of PiV sex.

Basically … I’ve had it!

I’m so fed up …

I never got to have children and don’t plan to now & have made my peace with that.

Have any of you done this? I’m not in menopause. I still have regular periods despite some spotting before and after my period.

I’m giving a hysterectomy serious consideration as my quality of life is just gone for half the month. I get PMS for at least a week before the period to the point that I can’t trust my own decisions in that time and had post-menstrual depression as a teenager.

Would a GP entertain this? Do you know anyone who has done this? Any info? Thank you x

Yes - I am childfree and had a hysterectomy/oophorectomy at 42. I had numerous problems, chiefly endometriosis and was spending 3 out of every 4 weeks in agony. That was 6 years ago and I've never regretted it.

I was on an NHS waiting list but fortunately was able to go private (cover through work). I saw a consultant who went through my records and booked me for the operation - 2 weeks later, it was all done.

I went into an immediate menopause with all the symptoms, but I'd have had to go through menopause at some time in my life and, this far down the line, I hardly ever have hot flushes etc. whereas other women of my age have it all still to come.

A plus of having it when you are relatively young is that your recovery is likely to be much quicker - I had a textbook recovery and was back at work within 8 weeks. 6 years on, the scar (abdominal incision along bikini line) is barely visible.

The cost of the operation was around £6000. I couldn't have afforded it without insurance, but if I had paid myself I'd still think it worth every penny. Pain free once I'd recovered, and the joy of no more periods cannot be underestimated, it really is like being given a new life.

If it's possible, do it - it will transform your life.

Not a hope In hell will they do this not without fobbing you off for years first sorry this happened to my mother and she was so bitter over it as they should of done it years before hand

Now if you go private that’s a different matter but even then they’ll want to do different treatments first

Now if you go private that’s a different matter but even then they’ll want to do different treatments first

I suppose it depends on your individual condition, but that wasn't my experience of going private. I had an hour-long appointment with the consultant (cost £200) and she booked me in for the hysterectomy two weeks later (basically in her next free slot). I wanted it all out and she agreed that would be the best thing.

I had one on the NHS at 37 and I was only on the waiting list for 4 months so it isn’t impossible. I had been back and forth with gynaecological issues for many years plus I’d had a TCRE 7 years before the hysterectomy. They left my ovaries due to my age so no instant menopause either. I was back to normal within a month as well, I would definitely recommend it. Good luck!

That sounds very much like endometriosis - have you had any investigations for that?
www.nhs.uk/conditions/endometriosis/
Definitely go back to GP and insist on a referral to gynaecology to get a proper diagnosis and discuss possible treatment options, including hysterectomy.
It’s ridiculous the amount of pain women are expected to put up with as “period problems”

I had endometriosis and surgery to remove the endometriosis. It made a tremendous difference. They did tell me that the endometriosis could come back. So far for me it hasn’t.

Look at all your options.

I am the same age as you, and I had horrendous periods after DC4 was born 6 years ago.

I was offered a hysterectomy, but I decided against it as the recovery period was just too long when I had children to take care of.

Instead, I opted for an endometrial ablation which was a day procedure and it worked for me. My periods are coming back (as my dr said they might) and so I might consider a hysterectomy in the next couple of years but I don't regret taking this smaller step first.

I also think endometriosis is the root cause of all these symptoms. Deep pain during sex is also an indication of endometriosis bring present. You absolutely need to see a gynaecologist and do not take no for an answer

Thanks for your messages. I have been on a waiting list to see a gynaecologist for well over a year.

I can see there are major drawbacks to a hysterectomy but I feel that I’ve had so many years of all this pain & have not even had children so I can’t bear the thoughts of another ten years of this. My mother didn’t have menopause until her mid to late 50s so it could be even later if I take after her!

I have had no investigations for endometriosis. I had my usual smears and an ultrasound for mid-cycle bleeding - everything was fine.

It’s ridiculous the amount of pain women are expected to put up with as “period problems” angry

Yeah! And we’re expected to keep it a secret and be ashamed of it. My weekend plans are out the window but I can’t claim to be sick.

@SquirryTheSquirrel

If it's possible, do it - it will transform your life
Thank you! How did you find going through menopause at 42? Was it particularly intense because it came on so suddenly? I’ve been having some peri menopausal symptoms for years.

I have had more internal ultrasound scans than I care to mention and NONE of those ever detected the endometriosis present within my uterine cavity. Those deposits are very small.

It’s usually diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy. You need to see a gynaecologist as a matter of priority.

I can't believe you have never had more testing than a scan for this ongoing pain!!! Sounds very much like endo. I would have thought you'd have had a laparoscopy years ago, or at the very least, a HSG or hycosy!

Without knowing exactly where it is, you do realise there is a chance you could have a hysterectomy and not even remove it! Especially if its actually on the outside of the bladder or somewhere else in the pelvic area. Hopefully you at least see a gynae soon and start from there.

I saw someone privately and they would r entertain a hysterectomy. They said it was major surgery and try needed to try other stuff first. And I was prepared to pay for it!

This was something I considered years ago but doctors had no interest in discussing it with me. We're just expected to suffer. They also refused to speak with me about sterilisation.

I was put off the idea after my ex-MIL had a full hysterectomy and a few years later began having quite horrible issues. It turned out her organs were sinking into the gap left. No idea if this is rare but she was suffering badly. They did sort it out and she's ok now as far as I know.

I was begging my GP for hysterectomy last year (42) for the same reasons. He refused. Scan showed fibroids. Even though I'm sterilised so no intention to have more kids he won't put me in for hysterectomy. Got put on the coil instead which makes me teenager spotty.

I can't believe you have never had more testing than a scan for this ongoing pain!!! Sounds very much like endo. I would have thought you'd have had a laparoscopy years ago, or at the very least, a HSG or hycosy

I know … I think I got used to not complaining about it. I’ve never enjoyed PiV sex to be honest. I went on the pill at 17 for the pain. I had been on prescription painkillers before then so even though I wasn’t sexually active at the time, the doc thought I should go on the pill for the pain. I tried to come off the pill in my 20s but the pain was too unmanageable. So I guess that was how that was dealt with and tbh I haven’t mentioned the pain to a doctor in the past 9 years since I’ve been off it.

Ive just been accepted for one at 41. I've had years of issues with awful periods and now have fiborids which are quite big. I did have to try other options first such as a failed ablation and turned down an uterine embolization as I fear I would have it done and just end up having it have it again in a few years when my smaller fibroids it wouldn't treat grew bigger or still needing an hysterectomy.
I do think you need to press for further investigation with your GP and try not to let them fob you off. I almost cried with relief the first time someone actually listened to what I was saying and took me seriously and started the ball rolling.
Good luck

Your GP can't make a decision about a hysterectomy, that would be for a gynaecologists to determine if it was an appropriate treatment, I see you've already been referred over a year ago.

Your symptoms do sound like endo which can only be diagnosed by laparoscopy as mentioned by a PP and it's incredibly frustrating that getting the diagnostic procedure done is usually a last resort.

A hysterectomy is not usually offered as treatment for endo unless you also have adenomyosis, which a proportion of women with endo do also have.

I put up with being fobbed off for 25 years, when I did eventually get a diagnosis the disease was so severe (endo and adenomyosis) that a hysterectomy was considered a high risk procedure ( uterus was very bulky from adenomyosis) and no one was prepared to do it. I ended up managing the pain with opiates. Fortunately menopause tends to happen fairly early in my family so I got my life back at 47.

If I was to offer advice to anyone else I would tell them to make a fuss, don't play nicely, it gets you nowhere. I was only diagnosed when they suspected ovarian cancer and I had to have a laparoscopy for biopsies. I'd had an elevated Ca125 result courtesy of endo before but it wasn't until adhesions prevented both ovaries being seen on ultrasound that I was eventually referred for laparoscopy.

It's an absolute fucking trial. Period pain which floors you for several days IS NOT NORMAL. Caps for anyone who is being told to just get on with it, like I said, make a fuss, it's rubbish that women have to out up with this.

Well, I don't think it sounds crazy. A friend of mine had one at 38. She was really quite determined.

My period pain was not unbearable but at 49 I started getting the heaviest periods, I couldn't believe it. It's under control now with a back to back pill, but having sat in a work related course worried that I would ''flood'', I know that it's more important to be able to just get on with your life without worrying.

@MogHog

I’m Happy for you. I can imagine your relief!

When I had the ultrasound, no fibroids were present but as @AttilaTheMeerkat said, it could be endometriosis…

A part of me doesn’t even care what is causing it. I just want to do something about it.

@PearlFriday

You said it! My periods are much heavier now too. That’s so stressful being in a work meeting and having to think about that! That’s good about the pills.

Annoyingly the period pain can be worst at night so it’s hard to get any rest.

Wow your friend had a hysterectomy at 38!

I hope this doesn’t sound too vain but I do wonder … does having a full hysterectomy and therefore menopause relatively young cause premature aging? I wonder if our hormones are keeping us in ‘the flush of youth’ (despite also wreaking havoc!).

If you want to do something about this you're going to have to be persistent in order to get answers.

You need to find a gynae who will actually listen to you because your GP certainly has not. If finances allow I would pay for an initial consult with a gynae at a Spire or Nuffield hospital.

BTW a HSG is a tubal x-ray done using special dyes but that would not have detected endometriosis either. This test is useful to see if the fallopian tubes are patent (open) as deformities inside the tubes can easily be seen via such a method.

Thanks @AttilaTheMeerkat

I think the pill seems to be viewed as the panacea for all menstrual issues. It has occurred to me over the years that I have endometriosis but when I mentioned the painful sex the GP didn’t seem to think anything of it. Smears hurt a lot too.