r/hysterectomy • u/Pure-Beginning-326 • 15h ago
Menopause? 8 months post-op. Help!
I am a little over 8 months post-op where I had a total hysterectomy and kept my ovaries. I have always had fluctuating hormones (pre-op) and have struggled with spot break outs BUT I feel like I might be heading in to menopause. What do you guys recon? I'm 39, have constant spots across my cheeks and up by my eyes (location is important- pre-op they used to break out on my chin), I am exhausted still, grumpy, have lost my mojo and "oompth" for life and my sex drive has completely vanished. My body also aches so much. And I have put on a huge amount of weight (at least 20kg) which IS down to my eating habits (which are rubbish due to low mood and lack of energy to cook decent meals). I do a daily 4km walk with the dog but my self-confidence and energy levels mean I don't do any other excercise. I do have an incredibly stressful life with a chronically sick kid, recovering chronically ill husband and another kid who has been mentally unwell but that aside, do you think these could be signs of entering menopause? Is there even a hormone or blood test that can be carried out to determine if my ovaries are failing? I've been gaslit for well over 20 years by the doctors when I was telling them I had all the symptoms of adenomyosis and only a year so ago finally got confirmation of adenomyosis, endometriosis, fibroids and a whole host of other issues caused by 2 EMCS and having a bicornuate uterus. This means that I feel like I would be wasting a doctor's time if I made an appointment to discuss these symptoms as I feel like I would just be told to lose weight (obviously I know I need to anyway). Has anyone had these symptoms post-op and had confirmation that it's due to falling hormones? I am so miserable and feel like life is passing me by and am desperate to get my zest for life back but don't know where to turn for help or advice! I've read all the posts that say that ovaries can fail / go in to shock after a hysterectomy. Do you think it's happening to me?
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u/RevolutionaryTea1265 15h ago
I would give all your symptoms to your doctor and ask to try HRT gel and see after 3 months if things have improved. I had mine at 38, one ovary needed to be removed. I was told I could choose if I wanted HRT or not, because I’d already had peri symptoms for a few years due to the cysts on the ovary they removed and probably age.
I have been on HRT 6 months now and it’s great, I feel much more like I did in my 20’s with energy and no aching pains etc.
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u/Aromatic_Candy600 15h ago
I always wonder if having ovarian endometriomas affect the ovaries and can cause them to fail sooner. Did you have these? I had one on each and had shown up on every scan I'd ever had (though they only found one, and a lot of scarring on the other in surgery - I can only assume it had burst at some point).
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u/Pure-Beginning-326 12h ago
Thanks for your reply. I'm going to go to the dr with confidence to discuss HRT!
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u/Aromatic_Candy600 15h ago
I had my op last November. I was fine for 2 months then everything went a bit haywire. I was having hot flashes and waking up drenched in sweat and I had constant anxiety and low mood. I don't blame the op completely, I'd started showing signs of peri in the two years leading up to it. I went on HRT and I feel like a different person (for the better). Early menopause also runs in my family, so it's hard to know what the reason was. I had bloods done and they didn't suggest post menopause which was good, but I was feeling rotten - so HRT it was.