Women's Health Community

What was the cause of the bleeding?

Did your doctor provide any treatment alternatives? There are other treatments for your condition that are much less invasive and less damaging than hysterectomy. However, if your gyn doesn't do those alternative treatments, he/she may not have mentioned them so as not to lose your business. Some treatments for heavy bleeding are done by interventional radiologists not gynecologists.

Dr. Oz did a show "Hysterectomy: the #1 Surgery you don't need" and stated that 80% are unnecessary. A published report by Obstetrics and Gynecology stated that 9 out of 12 hysterectomies did not meet the guidelines set out by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Others estimate that well over 90% are unnecessary.

It's one thing to have a surgery that's unnecessary but even worse when it's permanently damaging. The ligaments, nerves and blood vessels that are severed to remove the uterus cause lifelong damage affecting physical, mental, emotional and sexual health. Here's a link to the female anatomy that makes this more apparent - http://hersfoundation.com/anatomy/index.html.

Listed below are the well-documented lifelong consequences that can occur post-hysterectomy. There's no way of knowing beforehand which of these you will experience or to what degree.
- increased heart disease risk (3x with no uterus, 7x with no ovaries)
- increased risk of osteoporosis
- bone, joint, muscle pain (e.g. fibromyalgia)
- bladder and bowel prolapse oftentimes causing incontinence
- depression (53% have suicidal thoughts post-hysterectomy)
- anxiety
- insomnia
- fatigue
- in 73% of cases, healthy ovaries are removed (castration) at the same time
- in 35-40% of cases, the ovaries fail post-hysterectomy ("de facto" castration)
- if you experience uterine orgasms, you will no longer experience them
- loss of libido (affects 75% of women post-hysterectomy)
- loss of sexual function due to loss of sensation in the pelvic area, genitalia, vagina, breasts and possibly throughout the body (also if you had uterine orgasms, you'll no longer have them). Estimates are 54% lose sexual sensation.
- Physique changes - spine compression / abdominal distension resulting from severed ligaments (this is apparent in many hysterectomized women - shortened upper torso, big belly, no curve in lower back). This can cause back, hip, leg pain
- 57% lose their ability to work at the level they did prior to surgery; 43% lose ability to work at all

Ovaries in an intact woman produce hormones her entire life. Based on my activity on various hyst support forums, many hysterectomized women whose ovaries still seem to be functioning complain of loss of libido and sexual response and even loss of overall joy and vibrancy.

Read the posts in this discussion to see what other hysterectomized women are saying about sex post-hysterectomy - http://forums.webmd.com/3/sex-and-relationships-exchange/forum/5494/15#15 . Peruse hysterectomy forums on the web to get a feel for post-hysterectomy life. There are many out there which alone speaks volumes.

Sorry for the long post but wanted to pass this information on as I highly doubt your gyn provided you with this information.

And has previously been posted many times before, many women who have undergone a hysterectomy have experienced NONE of these symptoms.

Gail

Amen!!

I found this sight looking for info on what kind of exercises I can do. I had my hysterectomy 10/6. I don't feel back to normal yet. After reading your post I literally wanted to get sick. My co-worker said I looked white as a ghost. I know I did. None of this came up before the surgery and now I'm wondering if I did the right thing. I would like to go back to running again as it was my primary exercise. Does anyone know where there is info on exercising after a hysterectomy??? Thanks. Lisa

As previous posters have indicated, they have gone many years post hysterectomy and have not experienced any of the symptoms someonewhocares3 has listed. Most women, my mother included (we actually discussed it the other day), were happy to have the cause of so many of their problems removed.

It's barely been six weeks since your hysterectomy. After my abdominal myomectomy, my doctor said it would take at least 6-8 weeks before I felt normal. Remember, a hysterectomy is major surgery and your body is healing. As everyone heals at different paces, it may take you a bit longer to feel normal again.

After my 2nd C-section, it took at least two months before I started felling even semi-normal.

Just take it easy and you will feel better. Do not let anyone
scare you. You might have done to much. A good diet is a must.

It will be a good six weeks before your doctor will let you do a much.

Take it easy, no need to be in a rush.

I had a hysterectomy at 35, I am 68 now and I remember how tired I was. It just takes time. And I have NEVER had any problems.
Yes, I think you did the right thing having the surgery.

I agree 100% tlkittycat1968. I was 35 when I had my surgery and now I am 68, and I have never had any problems listed by hersfoundation. Only medications I am on is Lipitor and thyroid and I walk a mile or more everyday on my treadmill.

My daughter, cousins, and friends have NEVER had any problems from their hysyterectomies.

Thank you for your post. I am possibly looking at hysterectomy and the post by someonewhocares3 absolutely terrifies me. I'm 43, don't want my life to end over this.

Do not let somewhocares scare you. She had a bad experience with her hysterectomy and now believes that there is a conspiracy among doctors to do hysterectomies strictly for profit. I think that she would rather have women suffer than have surgery that can help them. Hysterectomies are a big deal, it's serious surgery and you should weigh all your options and get opinions from other doctors before proceeding. However, for many of us it is a lifesaver and has allowed us to go on with our lives rather than live in agony. I had mine almost six years ago and have had none of the bad things that she mentions happen to me. I couldn't be happier with the result and would do it again in a heartbeat.

KJP12,
Have you perused any of the many online hysterectomy support forums to get a more complete view of women's experiences?

Here's a blog of women's stories of what they were and weren't told by their doctors and how hysterectomy has affected them - http://hysterectomyinformation.blogspot.com/2009/01/name-that-doctor-and-hospital_07.html .

The HERS Foundation - www.hersfoundation.com - is available for phone consultations. They will review your medical records if you want and they may be able to refer you to a doctor who will treat you while preserving your organs.

Minimally, be sure to view the Female Anatomy DVD on the HERS website or on Youtube so you understand the anatomical sequelae.

If you want to know what issues I've had since my hyst I'll be happy to post those.

Your life will not end over this and do not let anyone or anything scare you. Have you had your surgery? Keep us posted.

Scroll down to the eight post and read. I think it will be a lot of comfort to you.

Title is hysterectomy

I'm surprised that so many are quick to dismiss someonewhocares3. The research she cites is all from medical journals - you can google it and find it online yourself.

While many women do not experience problems after hysterectomy, many more do, especially long term impacts such as heart disease, parkinson's disease, kidney cancer, osteoperosis, vaginal prolapse, and more. Not all hysterectomized women experience these problems, but there is an increased risk. Often times women -- and their doctors - do not link these problems back to the hysterectomy, but does that does not mean that there is not a link. 35% of women who have a hysterectomy have another related surgery within 2 years.

I recently had a successful uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) so I could avoid undergoing a hysterectomy. My doctors all encouraged the hysterectomy, but I knew it wasn't right. Once I did the research, I was sure it wasn't right!!

I do not understand why doctors are still promoting hysterectomy, why they refuse to discuss alternatives or the short and long term side effects. I do not understand why they ignore the preponderance of medical evidence that suggests that the surgical removal of the uterus is a really, really bad idea in most cases.

I've never believed in conspiracies before; I did not believe that they would be possible with large institutions in a democracy. I always wanted to believe that the medical system, while flawed, had the best interest of patients at heart. After my experience, I am questioning everything.

If you are terrified of a hysterectomy, listen to yourself. Do the research - both the medical research and look at women's experiences. If you have a uterine fibroid, be sure to ask to see an interventional radiologist to see if UFE is right for you, and check out the EMBO yahoo group.