Hysterectomy Support Group
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, usually done by a gynecologist. Hysterectomy may be total (removing the body and cervix of the uterus) or partial (also called supra-cervical). Although there are conservative alternatives, hysterectomy is performed for uterine fibroids, pelvic pain, pelvic relaxation, heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding, and cancer.
Here are the post-hyst experiences of quite a few women whove posted here on DS.
- Did they leave because their symptoms were discounted by some here as just being part of menopause?
- Were they tired of being attacked and accused of not being supportive and being too negative by sharing their experiences as well as facts about hysterectomy?
- Have they been too horrified by what has happened to them that they couldn't take being here?
Jojoba At age 39 after years and years of pain I had a total hysto. And now I am lost empty and totally confused! Feeling crazy, mood swings driving new husband away
Tammyschoch I recently had a full hysterectomy. Everything was going great until I became ill about 4 days post surgery. I experienced horrible pain in every muscle in my body. To the point that I couldn't move. Also had a lot of vomiting. Now I am having stabbing pains in my muscles. The sickness is gone but the pain remains. Is this normal?
Giggyd hyst for endo (left one ovary but it failed) - now needs bone test for possible osteoporosis at age 41. Not able to handle daily tasks and hot flashes and mood swings are scary and affecting husband of 4 months.
Bkbkbgok 2008 for endo I wish I better understood the consequences of removing all of my female interior as I now suffer severe regular hot flashes, painful intercourse, dryness, bloating, weight gain, heart problems (had procedure to correct electrical misfiring), moodiness, sleep disturbance and inability at times,and more. I really thought I would be better off without daily pain, I was wrong.
Greylight (in that place between light and shadow.. not fully alive but not quite the walking dead.. just in shadow) Most days I wake up and then remember I am an it. a nothing. just an asexual castrate whose husband sleeps in another room. And... endometriosis, ovarian cancer and other pain from PID is still there. Not much change in the pain levels either. I was butchered in 2003 and 7 years later there is no relief, no life and now the adhesions have run amok and I am back in surgery in a few weeks to have them removed
Suninbloom the doctor did not make it clear that several terrible conditions would occur afterwards. The list of horrible after affects that are the result of that surgery is long. All of what BKbkbgok said.. and more. The suffering this has caused me is sickeningly sad.
nuttybroad - on HRT - has hot flashes, weight gain, insomnia, hair loss, no energy, mood swings, memory loss
Calcapz11 partial hyst has had terrible sexual issues sincebefore hyst i was a vital sensual woman full of joy and life...now i am exactly where you are and no one warned me at all about this being a possibility
chronicallyinpain 18 years post-op (23 YO at time of hyst) "I have chronic low back and hip pain that has been getting worse as the years go by. I also have left shoulder pain (surgery about 6 yrs ago)
shelz0407 - had depression since teens, hyst put her over the edge
JoyO hyst/ooph for endo - more miserable than ever (cant take estrogen due to BC), sex drive in the toilet since hyst, has arthritis and degenerative disc disease that came on after cancer and hyst/ooph
honor435 endo many laps, then hyst - helped for awhile but then chronic pelvic and low back pain returned had another lap for endo and adhesions
Moodyblues123 feels like she has Alzheimers (horrible memory loss and confusion), also struggles with dizziness and feeling very sick, always tired, loss of sex drive.
ReachingOutForHope hyst/ooph for endo has pain in incision area and lower back pain - has horrible insomnia, vaginal atrophy and many other symptoms.
Lolajeana Hello, I'm 29 and just recently had a hysterectomy. Its starting to take a toll on me. Depression is the main subject at this point. I have never had to deal with depression in my life much less cry half as much as I do. Its become hopelessly feeling...
Daisy12 hyst for prolapse - no more uterine orgasmsseldom has orgasms, pain during sex
Helpvets depressed and not myself and no sex drive
Carlalynne (surgical) menopause has been hell not sure if Im crazy or this is normal
Angijean had complete hyst due to pain of fibromyalgia (huh? how could this help fibro?) - having a hard time coping with menopause
1someoneelse had hyst to avoid yearly LEEP for HPV and has had nothing but problems since
Nursemarybeth surgical meno in 2007 - has osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, spinal stenosis, bone spurs on spine plus many other health issues (as shown by her support groups)
Buckeyemom34 back pain worsened 2 years post-hyst
Hurtinaz hyst in 2009, 2011 so many medical problems nerve damage in leg affecting back and other leg
Sabb back pain worsened after hyst at 4 years post-op she has low back and hip pain that goes down her left leg and pain is alot worse now.
shazzca having emotional issues w/loss of organs and now body image. At 6 months, said she would never feel the same again.
Goomer wife had hyst posted lost in love discussion on Hyst group
wmac Complete hyst 5 years ago for fibroids. Cant take HRT (due to migraines and BC) things getting worse, not better. After hyst, started having bad anxiety and panic attacks that came out of nowhere.
lisajhE depression and mood swings 9 months post-op
menomadness surgical menopause caused severe depression
MissNYorker never had anxiety until hysterectomy
Debbiebuice in surgical menopause and have a lot of muscle, bladder, and back pain and really miserable
Gingbelle2004 I have only just recently found new to me information on the condition that caused my hysterectomy. I could have avoided the surgery all together. I would have if I could have. sex is gonna be different.
Cinaflower endometrial ablation/tubal ligation/hysterscope in Nov. 2006, started having great deal of pain so had TAH Nov. 2007 (had adenomyosis), Feb 2008 feeling bad and out of breath went in for lap and woke up without ovaries (cysts, adhesions, etc.)
Myouchie partial hyst ovaries stopped working - Dec 2007 had bladder suspension and rectocele repair
Dee1958 total hyst problem after problem ever since
GiggyG hyst in 1993 has many issues (arthritis, GERD, heart disease, ulcerative colitis, back pain)
Yogacat quit taking estrogen due to afib, now has severe meno symptoms
- Did they leave because their symptoms were discounted by some here as just being part of menopause?
- Were they tired of being attacked and accused of not being supportive and being too negative by sharing their experiences as well as facts about hysterectomy?
- Have they been too horrified by what has happened to them that they couldn't take being here?
Jojoba At age 39 after years and years of pain I had a total hysto. And now I am lost empty and totally confused! Feeling crazy, mood swings driving new husband away
Tammyschoch I recently had a full hysterectomy. Everything was going great until I became ill about 4 days post surgery. I experienced horrible pain in every muscle in my body. To the point that I couldn't move. Also had a lot of vomiting. Now I am having stabbing pains in my muscles. The sickness is gone but the pain remains. Is this normal?
Giggyd hyst for endo (left one ovary but it failed) - now needs bone test for possible osteoporosis at age 41. Not able to handle daily tasks and hot flashes and mood swings are scary and affecting husband of 4 months.
Bkbkbgok 2008 for endo I wish I better understood the consequences of removing all of my female interior as I now suffer severe regular hot flashes, painful intercourse, dryness, bloating, weight gain, heart problems (had procedure to correct electrical misfiring), moodiness, sleep disturbance and inability at times,and more. I really thought I would be better off without daily pain, I was wrong.
Greylight (in that place between light and shadow.. not fully alive but not quite the walking dead.. just in shadow) Most days I wake up and then remember I am an it. a nothing. just an asexual castrate whose husband sleeps in another room. And... endometriosis, ovarian cancer and other pain from PID is still there. Not much change in the pain levels either. I was butchered in 2003 and 7 years later there is no relief, no life and now the adhesions have run amok and I am back in surgery in a few weeks to have them removed
Suninbloom the doctor did not make it clear that several terrible conditions would occur afterwards. The list of horrible after affects that are the result of that surgery is long. All of what BKbkbgok said.. and more. The suffering this has caused me is sickeningly sad.
nuttybroad - on HRT - has hot flashes, weight gain, insomnia, hair loss, no energy, mood swings, memory loss
Calcapz11 partial hyst has had terrible sexual issues sincebefore hyst i was a vital sensual woman full of joy and life...now i am exactly where you are and no one warned me at all about this being a possibility
chronicallyinpain 18 years post-op (23 YO at time of hyst) "I have chronic low back and hip pain that has been getting worse as the years go by. I also have left shoulder pain (surgery about 6 yrs ago)
shelz0407 - had depression since teens, hyst put her over the edge
JoyO hyst/ooph for endo - more miserable than ever (cant take estrogen due to BC), sex drive in the toilet since hyst, has arthritis and degenerative disc disease that came on after cancer and hyst/ooph
honor435 endo many laps, then hyst - helped for awhile but then chronic pelvic and low back pain returned had another lap for endo and adhesions
Moodyblues123 feels like she has Alzheimers (horrible memory loss and confusion), also struggles with dizziness and feeling very sick, always tired, loss of sex drive.
ReachingOutForHope hyst/ooph for endo has pain in incision area and lower back pain - has horrible insomnia, vaginal atrophy and many other symptoms.
Lolajeana Hello, I'm 29 and just recently had a hysterectomy. Its starting to take a toll on me. Depression is the main subject at this point. I have never had to deal with depression in my life much less cry half as much as I do. Its become hopelessly feeling...
Daisy12 hyst for prolapse - no more uterine orgasmsseldom has orgasms, pain during sex
Helpvets depressed and not myself and no sex drive
Carlalynne (surgical) menopause has been hell not sure if Im crazy or this is normal
Angijean had complete hyst due to pain of fibromyalgia (huh? how could this help fibro?) - having a hard time coping with menopause
1someoneelse had hyst to avoid yearly LEEP for HPV and has had nothing but problems since
Nursemarybeth surgical meno in 2007 - has osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, spinal stenosis, bone spurs on spine plus many other health issues (as shown by her support groups)
Buckeyemom34 back pain worsened 2 years post-hyst
Hurtinaz hyst in 2009, 2011 so many medical problems nerve damage in leg affecting back and other leg
Sabb back pain worsened after hyst at 4 years post-op she has low back and hip pain that goes down her left leg and pain is alot worse now.
shazzca having emotional issues w/loss of organs and now body image. At 6 months, said she would never feel the same again.
Goomer wife had hyst posted lost in love discussion on Hyst group
wmac Complete hyst 5 years ago for fibroids. Cant take HRT (due to migraines and BC) things getting worse, not better. After hyst, started having bad anxiety and panic attacks that came out of nowhere.
lisajhE depression and mood swings 9 months post-op
menomadness surgical menopause caused severe depression
MissNYorker never had anxiety until hysterectomy
Debbiebuice in surgical menopause and have a lot of muscle, bladder, and back pain and really miserable
Gingbelle2004 I have only just recently found new to me information on the condition that caused my hysterectomy. I could have avoided the surgery all together. I would have if I could have. sex is gonna be different.
Cinaflower endometrial ablation/tubal ligation/hysterscope in Nov. 2006, started having great deal of pain so had TAH Nov. 2007 (had adenomyosis), Feb 2008 feeling bad and out of breath went in for lap and woke up without ovaries (cysts, adhesions, etc.)
Myouchie partial hyst ovaries stopped working - Dec 2007 had bladder suspension and rectocele repair
Dee1958 total hyst problem after problem ever since
GiggyG hyst in 1993 has many issues (arthritis, GERD, heart disease, ulcerative colitis, back pain)
Yogacat quit taking estrogen due to afib, now has severe meno symptoms
Again without full medical workups... we wouldn't know
I don't think most people have the kind of time we do to laze around at the computer. Maybe they have other hobbies.
You did mean to write and say nothing correct?
I have stated on multiple discussions that I had no need for any support groups prior to my hyst. All these issues started after my hyst. And if you read my profile, that should be apparent.
And as I've stated before, I miss my uterus more than my ovaries. All that should have been removed was the cyst or, worst case, the one ovary.
Have you ever thought about suicide 24x7 for over a year? It's hell, trust me. Just as I can't know the hell of lupus nor can you know the pain and suffering of my issues.
Sexual function isn't just about libido; it includes arousal and response too. You had to have experienced uterine orgasms to miss them. IMO clitoral and vaginal (if and when they happen) pale in comparison.
I can't say if "feeling empty" is worse than daily, excruciating pain...I haven't had that and hope the back and hip pain don't get that bad.
And you may not want to discount the back and hip pain. You're still very early post-op. Those anatomical and skeletal changes take years to manifest.
Hmmm - my doctor tested me for Sjogren's AFTER my hyst because my mouth was SO dry but it's "just" surgical menopause. Luckily, I don't have the extremely dry eyes that some surg meno women complain about and even get tear duct plugs to relieve.
Yep, some women are relieved to have an excuse not to have sex. My libido was actually higher than normal in the few years preceding my hyst.
Oh and I never minded my period; it was never a problem. At close to 50, was still having normal 28 day cycles. Women in my family don't have the typical peri issues. Their periods just get lighter and further apart and then stop. No troublesome meno symptoms either - mostly interrupted sleep.
She is the "PitBull" of the foundation I bet!