Surgical menopause where the uterus (hysterectomy) and both ovaries are removed throws the body into instant and drastic premature menopause. Because the body-mind does not have time to adjust to the abrupt lack of hormones (and normally the ovaries do keep producing some hormones after natural menopause), women in surgical menopause experience menopausal symptoms more severely than women going through menopause naturally.
When only the uterus is removed and the ovaries remain, menstrual periods stop, but other menopausal symptoms often occur at the same age as they would have naturally. In this case, the actual onset of menopause has to be determined by blood tests and not by the cessation of the menstrual cycle. However, many women who have had a hysterectomy experience menopausal symptoms earlier. This may be because the ovaries and/or their blood supply are damaged during surgery or maybe the body in its natural wisdom knows that it can’t get pregnant without the uterus and reduces the production of the necessary hormones.
If you are faced with the prospect of surgical menopause, you need to find out all you can about the process, the alternatives, and what you can do to take care of yourself and support your body-mind during and after the ordeal. There are many decisions to be made that will affect your health and quality of life for the rest of your life. You can’t just rely on your doctor who is no doubt too busy and overworked to keep up with all the latest information. Become proactive — this is your body and your life.
Here are a few basic points to help you get started:
- The younger the woman going through surgical menopause, the more problems she will likely encounter.
- It is crucial that you have a complete hormonal blood work-up before the hysterectomy. Because you need a baseline to go by afterwards when you are trying to adjust your hormonal therapy. You can look back at those tests and see what your hormonal levels were before the hysterectomy and try to achieve those levels again.
- Plan on your care after the hysterectomy. It is important to find a specialist in hormonal therapy; someone who is up to date and keeps up to date with the newest medicine and side effects from surgical menopause. This doctor has to be someone you trust, who provides good information and is open minded and will see you as a partner in your healthcare.
- Research, research, and more research! The long-term affects of surgical menopause and the resulting hormone treatments at a young age has not been determined.
For additional help and support, here are some resources (I am not connected in any way with these sites):
Hystersisters, a woman-to-woman support website for hysterectomy recovery.
Alternatives to Hysterectomy helps women who are searching for alternative treatments to having a hysterectomy.
HERS Foundation (Hysterectomy Educational Resources & Services)
Alternatives in Gynecology gives information about common gynecological problems and procedures that should be considered when contemplating hysterectomy.
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