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

Thank you so much for the messages and tips. Provera could be an option. I can’t go on like this. I think it’s worse this month than last month. I’m going to see my GP as soon as I can.

@Karmalady

I had a full hysterectomy at age 30, for health reasons. I went private for convenience of dates, and it was the best days work I ever did.

I’d already got 2 kids, wanted no more, so I had no traumas whatsoever, and was so much better physically.

Me too. Mainly issues with fibroids and very heavy periods. Was willing to pay but the amazing consultant I saw said he would do it on the nhs. Was hard going straight into menopause but so worth it. I had definitely finished my family, had 2 children. After the op I saw consultant for check up and he said he was really happy to have done it. He didn't understand why the previous female dr I saw wasn't understanding the pain I had. Good luck.

Thanks for all these messages. It validates it all. It’s a scary proposition in ways and I imagine I’d have some feelings of sadness at never having ‘used’ my reproductive system for what it was meant for after all these years of pain but I get almost giddy at the life-altering image of NO PERIODS.

It sounds like you’ve all had different experiences: some docs who took you seriously & some who didn’t,

I told a lovely GP my periods were painful and I had some mid-cycle bleeding. She went on a rant about how it’s not fair that women have period pain etc but she spoke as though my pain was normal.

@Cravey
It sounds like you really did have an ‘amazing’ consultant. It’s reassuring to know there are people like him out there taking women’s health seriously.

Periwinkles, it would be worth seeing an endo consultant privately if you can. The painful sex (if it’s endo) is likely due to endo on your uterosacral ligaments which is a common place for it. I was diagnosed off the back of a consultant doing a simple physical exam & feeling nodules on these ligaments. This was serious enough to warrant a laparoscopy.

Unfortunately like much of women’s health it’s all about finding the right professional. Even within gynae consultants, their ability to correctly see & diagnose endo is generally very poor.

I was repeatedly encouraged to have a hysterectomy in my 40's. Heavy periods, bicornuate uterus, ehlers danlos syndrome, polycystic ovaries, fibroids, polyps...blood loss was horrific, anaemic a few times. Sat on nappies from uncontrollable blood loss. I was reluctant to have a hysterectomy, so saw a gynaecologist who recommended a endometrial resection. This will remove the lining of your womb by laser. It is amazing, and stops all periods for many women or they are light for others. It retains your ovaries and the uterine cavity so not such a major operation for women, and does not trigger menopause. I would not choose menopause suddenly at 42 until other options exhausted.

OP it is a bit weird sometimes realising that I absolutely cannot bear children now - even though realistically I waited until I knew I definitely wouldn’t. But it’s more in a ‘huh, it’s kind of weird I’m missing an organ’ kind of way and where my cervix was is sewn up. It helped seeing pictures from my insides as it’s hard not to envision this empty void with my ovaries bouncing around like olives.

No longer being constantly anemic is fab too. The female reproductive system can cause an awful lot of unspoken havoc and suffering. And I don’t even have kids to show for it!

@scoobydoo1971 hysterectomy doesn’t automatically mean losing your ovaries. They generally leave them unless there’s a concern about cancer, to avoid going into menopause which at 42 I agree isn’t ideal (I was 43 and kept mine for that reason)

I know they don't remove ovaries, but there are other good reasons for considering other options before a hysterectomy. Like you mention, a hysterectomy at 42 is quite a big decision, and I think other options should be explored as well.

@scoobydoo1971

I know they don't remove ovaries, but there are other good reasons for considering other options before a hysterectomy. Like you mention, a hysterectomy at 42 is quite a big decision, and I think other options should be explored as well.

If the OP is liable to need a hysterectomy at some time she is better to have it sooner rather than later as the younger you are usually the quicker the recovery is.

I was 36 when I had mine and my recovery was much much quicker than women I know who had theirs in their 40's or 50's

@lynsey91

I do think about that. I wish I knew how soon menopause was so I could decide if it’s worth going through with. The past few days have floored me completely. I’m going to get iron supplements.

@scoobydoo1971

Thanks. Hopefully my GP and gynaecologist (when I eventually meet them) will provide some good advice and options.

Yes I had mine last year at 40. My quality of life is much better now

I would take a full list of symptoms to GP (it’s easy to forget to mention stuff that you’ve got used to, like pain during sex). Be clear that it’s really affecting your life and be specific about how (unable to go out, struggling at work, affecting relationships).
Mention endometriosis specifically and point out how closely your symptoms match the list on nhs website. They should be able to suggest hormonal options to stop periods/control symptoms until you can see gynaecologist but based on your past experience with your GP , perhaps you should do your own research beforehand and have a preferred option in mind?

Agree with PP, definitely do lots of read each first of the options. Different doctors will have different preferences, you need to have a good idea where you fall on the various pros and cons.

There’s a huge difference recovery wise between the open style (very large incision) and the laproscopic surgery. I think that’s what gives the reputation of it being major surgery as the former is a lot to recover from.

I did discuss ablation with my surgeon but wasn’t interested as there’s a risk of it not lasting. For others, it’s a good option. For me with fibroids there are other options I considered and dismissed for various reasons.

While menopause is worth avoiding so young (and easily done if they keep your ovaries) I do disagree that you need to explore more options first. By this age you’ve probably had nearly 30 years of periods, I’m sure you’re well placed to know what’s extreme or not. I figured early 40’s is the best balance between young enough for a good recovery and old enough that you can accept not having kids. If your appendix was buggered you’d lose that without a thought. My ovaries are valuable for their hormonal role but my uterus did nothing but cause me pain and the complications of excessive bleeding and urinary issues. It’s because it’s a reproductive organ that people get so funny about it being such a huge deal. Laparoscopic surgery is a huge improvement on the surgeries our mothers or grandmothers might’ve had. And I have chronic health conditions, including an autoimmune disease and I live alone with no friends or family within hours so I had to take the effect it might have seriously.

Not pushing for hysterectomy at all, everyone needs to do their own research and come to their own decision but from my experience there’s so much more angst around it than with other surgeries (and I’ve had two other totally unrelated ones) and I feel like it comes back to women’s reproductive abilities being prioritised above their actual health. I know after 30 years of hideous periods I certainly wasn’t rushing into it. I’d repeat the hysterectomy surgery and recovery every month over having another hideously painful and heavy period ever again (and I did all the hormonal options first)

Oops, sorry for the essay.

Recently had private gynae surgery (not hysterectomy) as I have intensely heavy and painful periods.

When I was going through the process of weighing up my options, I said I may be interested in a hysterectomy and he said if that's what I wanted, he'd do it.
I'm 30 years old and have read that younger women who have hysterectomies are more likely to suffer with psychosis so I went with a different treatment but I plan to have a hysterectomy in the future.
I think if you go private, you have more of a say in what happens.

I also think you may have endometriosis so I'd start by having that investigated.

Houseof
Psychosis. Really. Never heard of that before. I think unless you have an underlining pre dispossession to psychosis then it wouldn't be something I would worry about personally.
I'm 5 weeks post hysterectomy and everyone I know told me apparent scary stories. Most of these people hadn't actually had the procedure themselves! Myself I have had no side effects at all. The procedure was not painful just uncomfortable. I am now taking HRT due to having my ovaries and tubes removed. Again I have had no side effects or issues. I felt my consultant gave me good honest advise.

Psychosis? I feel that’s more scaremongering, to discourage a woman of childbearing age. I have bipolar disorder, so am much more predisposed to psychosis than the average person. I was taking my medication while in hospital so everyone in contact with me knew about it and no one was concerned about psychosis (ironically me having a baby would’ve be riskier for my bipolar disorder and would’ve required closer psychiatric care).

Sorry not saying you were scaremongering @Houseofvelour When it comes to female reproductive organs there’s some dubious information presented as fact. I’d just question the source of that claim and it’s validity.

I’ve never forgotten a memoir I read where a young woman got pregnant, saw a doctor (she was travelling in the US) and was told it was too early for a termination, she had to wait for a certain number of weeks. When she got to that time the next doctor was horrified and furious she’d left it so late and it was a much more traumatic procedure. She’d been isolated from people who could give real advice and this was pre-internet and instead of the first doctor being honest and saying he would not terminate a pregnancy and to seek help elsewhere he lied to try and manipulate her to carry to term.

So info saying that hysterectomy could lead to psychosis in younger women makes me suspicious. I reckon if things are so bad you seek one at that age the woman is probably content with the decision (though tragic if it was in the course of a traumatic delivery or accident or attack, I imagine having your future changed irrevocably like that could lead to severe mental health effects).

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions. I have a different GP now and I think she’ll take me seriously. I’m annoyed I didn’t take it more seriously myself before now.

Having said that, this thread has made me realise it could be worse especially those who bled non-stop or on most days!

The persistent pelvic and back pain is just so draining and pain relief really doesn’t cut it. That said I get two relatively normal weeks per month albeit with some intermittent pelvic pain and bleeding…

I’d be terrified of the hysterectomy creating more MH issues as I’ve worked hard to get on top of those … Thanks for sharing re bipolar etc. That puts my mind at ease.

I have struggled with mental health issues and am on medication and have regular counselling. You would think if this was the case someone along the line may have discussed this as a risk. I don't believe it for a second. Quite the opposite in fact as my constant periods made me even more depressed and its a huge relief to not have them any more.

Thanks @Crazysheep I can well imagine the relief. I think I’d be living a different life if I could eradicate all the pain, fatigue and gastro-intestinal issues. I had to lie down after taking a shower this morning as it exhausted me & my belly felt so sore. I’ve definitely reached an ‘enough is enough’ point. My first step will probably be a hormonal pill that stops periods. I just hope it doesn’t worsen PMS.

@tcjotm

Psychosis? I feel that’s more scaremongering, to discourage a woman of childbearing age. I have bipolar disorder, so am much more predisposed to psychosis than the average person. I was taking my medication while in hospital so everyone in contact with me knew about it and no one was concerned about psychosis (ironically me having a baby would’ve be riskier for my bipolar disorder and would’ve required closer psychiatric care).

I have BPD amongst many other things so reading about psychosis really worried me and I decided that the risk wasn't worth it. Maybe the risk is absolutely minimal.

In your place I would have a hysterectomy but keep my ovaries. People say it makes a new woman of them!

What a burden will be lifted from you if you have it. Will you be able to on the NHS, will there be a long waiting list? Find out now or, if you have health insurance, get your GP to refer you to a good gynaecologist privately.

Good luck.

Thanks @Maggiesfarm since I don’t know what is causing the pain, I’d wonder if it should all just come out! I’m happy to be considering it now though and the biggest relief of all is finally accepting I won’t birth Children. It gives me options.