Surgical menopause at 39, please help!

[Annab1983]

Also posted in menopause..
Hi all am about to get a hysterectomy, everything out, next month. Surgery is scary but I have severe endometriosis and adenomyosis and have tried everything else.. am more worried about immediate menopause as I was on Zoladex and Tibolone previously and felt horrendous. Any tips or experience that might help alleviate my anxiety about all this? Thanks in advance!

I went through the same thing at 28. I ask had fibroids and an ovarian tumour, plus a burst ovary- which had bled for 124 days.
I was on monthly zoladex injections and fortnightly injection of the contraceptive injection, for 18 months prior.
The next day I felt immensely better and even better a week later.

Top tips I was given, in no particular order,
Do not lift anything heavier than a cup of tea for eight weeks.
Do not drive and check with your insurance as to when you can drive - insurance companies often refuse cover for those having abdominal surgery due to your reluctance to do emergency stops.
Use a rolled up towel between your seat belt and scar to relieve/spread the pressure, when you are a passenger.
Never cross your legs when resting. (Circulation and clot prevention)
Take gentle exercise.
Do your pelvic floor exercises - unless you like wet knickers when you are older.
Rest, rest, rest, rest.
Eat sensibly and healthy- although a little bit of what you fancy will lift your spirits. !
Listen to your body and your Dr.

Good luck and I’m sure other will have good up to date advice.

Thank you Bargebill! Very useful tips! If you don’t mind sharing again, how did you get on with hrt from such a young age? Thanks again

Hrt is something I tried and ultimately didn’t bother with. Pills gave me some bad side effects and patches were very difficult to actually get from the pharmacy due to supply problems. Patches also didn’t stick properly (husband ended up with one on him one night!) and I started to react to the adhesive.
I found the sudden menopause much much easier to deal with - just learn to love wearing layers! But not everyone is the same.
I have had dexa scans up to the age of 45 - where I was informed I had the bone density of an 18 year old. There is is a history of osteoporosis in my immediate family, but I have always had a very different lifestyle and health history so may have ‘got lucky’ aided by those factors.

I would say give hrt a chance, but listen to what your body says and discuss it with your GP. Make an informed decision based on your experience and research as everyone one of us is different and needs/reacts differently.

That’s very interesting bargebill didn’t even know that was an option,
Many thanks!

You can get hrt creams as well these days. - I didn’t try them.

I’m 39 and had a full hysterectomy at the beginning of September. I’ve been on oestrogen gel for about 6 weeks and it’s been great at getting rid of hot flushes and night sweats etc... so I would definitely give it a go if you can as I’ve found it really helped me.