Total hysterectomy

Savvy_Sue

I think it depends how they whip it out. I think in theory that if they can do it vaginally that recovery might be quicker than if you have an abdominal scar. And also if they can use keyhole surgery then recovery should be quicker than if they need to do a full incision. so ask how they're planning to proceed!

Horasio

aurora_borealis wrote:

Do your hormone levels get measured then?

Yes I have had blood tests which detected the imbalance

Horasio

inkie wrote:

With regard to the time off work - it depends upon what 'work' is - some a colleague of mine (a nurse) had 6 months off due to the nature of work (moving and handling etc)

Yes I didn't do that much lifting etc, so able to resume normal life fairly soon. My first op was quicker to get over than my second one.

beachbeth

I have very bad pms (I have been in tears nearly all day today!) which includes headaches, feeling sick, period pain, feeling irritated, aggressive, angry, tearful and unable to concentrate properly. I am seriously considering having a hysterectomy. A neighbour had it done because of pms too and says she's never looked back. She said as long as I have my ovaries out the pms will stop. I am a bit worried about some of the comments on here about the instant menopause and its associated symptoms though. My pms is bad enough to go ahead though. Will I be treated better if I go private? I will remortgage if need be to pay for it! I can't stand to have this monthly business any longer!

aurora_borealis_2

beachbeth wrote:

I have very bad pms (I have been in tears nearly all day today!) which includes headaches, feeling sick, period pain, feeling irritated, aggressive, angry, tearful and unable to concentrate properly. I am seriously considering having a hysterectomy. A neighbour had it done because of pms too and says she's never looked back. She said as long as I have my ovaries out the pms will stop. I am a bit worried about some of the comments on here about the instant menopause and its associated symptoms though. My pms is bad enough to go ahead though. Will I be treated better if I go private? I will remortgage if need be to pay for it! I can't stand to have this monthly business any longer!

Exactly!
That's me to a T except I get gloomy rather than irritable.

Now, today and for the next week or so I am absolutely fine - normal. I'm dreading the week after that though :eek: It is nearly unbearable

Claudie

Beachbeth I totally sympathise with the PMS - I had that as well as a host of medical problems.

With regards to those PMS symptoms you describe - I had those post hysterectomy for a long time, menopause is a shift in your hormones as is PMS. IMHO an instant menopause is like PMS times 100 but as I no longer had monthly cycles I had no pattern to the moods - it was all the time It took me almost a year to get my hormones balanced, but everyone is different. I imagine just as childbirth is different for every woman - so is a hysterectomy; but it's one of those things you don't know until it happens to you personally but for me it certainly didn't solve my PMS issues.

There is a new PMS support site

http://www.pms.org.uk/Menstrual+Diary

with some great information about charting. This is a really good tool for a conversation with your Practice Nurse or GP about what treatment may be best for you.

From a money saving pov there are some really good natural alternatives to try and there are some good tips on that as well.

I had private medical cover but it still took many months to get from the GP to the Consultant's recommendation to the op.

Whatever you decide good luck and remember you don't have to suffer alone - there are people out here/there to help!

Claudie

Oh and I meant to add I certainly don't regret my op for a minute - I had a host of other v complicated issues that were cleared up and I now feel fab. A stone heavier but fab LOL

beachbeth

Claudie wrote:

an instant menopause is like PMS times 100 but as I no longer had monthly cycles I had no pattern to the moods - it was all the time

This is what worries me. At the moment I control my pms with the pill. I can decide when I am going to suffer from it and can decide that it wont happen at Christmas/birthdays/holidays etc.

If I have a hysterectomy and still have symptoms I won't have any control.

Horasio

beachbeth wrote:

This is what worries me. At the moment I control my pms with the pill. I can decide when I am going to suffer from it and can decide that it wont happen at Christmas/birthdays/holidays etc.

If I have a hysterectomy and still have symptoms I won't have any control.

I was the opposite, I had permanent PMS etc on the pill and I don't have it at all now. Just normal moods and frustrations

Horasio

beachbeth wrote:

I have very bad pms (I have been in tears nearly all day today!) which includes headaches, feeling sick, period pain, feeling irritated, aggressive, angry, tearful and unable to concentrate properly. I am seriously considering having a hysterectomy. A neighbour had it done because of pms too and says she's never looked back. She said as long as I have my ovaries out the pms will stop. I am a bit worried about some of the comments on here about the instant menopause and its associated symptoms though. My pms is bad enough to go ahead though. Will I be treated better if I go private? I will remortgage if need be to pay for it! I can't stand to have this monthly business any longer!

You sound just like I did.

I only wish I had had my ovaries out in the first place. It was nice to be without periods and worries over contraception but still got PMS due to endometriosis and it caused me no end of trouble.

I had my ovaries out nearly two years ago and if I am in menopause, it is a breeze compared to my PMS/PMDD.