A weird side-effect of a hysterectomy

[reynardo]

is that, as I still have my ovaries, I still get the monthly hormone swings - just not as badly as I used to.

But I now have no bleeding obvious marker that tells me where I am in my cycle. So it can take me a while (and trying not to cry at videos of lost puppies) to suddenly realise "Hey, it's ok, it's just the smegging hormones screwing me over again".

I think I'll try and keep a track of the timing, too, to see if it *is* changing now. I have a sneaky suspicion that the Red Knight, despite having been evicted, is still trying to close down the rest of operations anyway...

Comments

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

Crying at videos of lost puppies isn't really a test. I do that all month round.

[fenrischained.livejournal.com]

Would it be really rude to ask why you got a hysterectomy? I didn't realise you had.

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

I reckon anyone else reading these comments better be prepared to be grossed out, so I have no problems telling you.

1) No more chance at a pregnancy - I was 46. Yes, I *could* have risked it, but between my own not-great physical state, and the getting-too-high-for-comfort age-related issues, the time had passed.

2) Literally bleeding like a stuck pig every month, and being rendered near-unconscious by pain. It's no fun having to sleep with an old cloth nappy between your legs in an attempt not to go through another set of bedclothes. Let this be a lesson to you, young 'un - the more pregnancies a woman goes through, (whether they're to term or not, for whatever reason), the more the uterus has issues with internal clotting and cramps to get rid of said clots.

This was not made any easier by a large number of fibroids.

I have a small stash of Leafy Green Substance That Is Not Tomato Leaves, which I have had for about 6 years, but the only thing I was using it for was to try and reduce the agony of the cramps for the first couple of days.

3) Hormone treatments and I do not get on. My body throws them off. Fights them. And I end up putting on even more weight. I had the Implanon implant for a while - great for the first few months, then I noticed the weight. Went to the doctor (who was a hamfisted git anyway). "Oh", he says. "Weight Gain is not a side effect."

So I look it up on the internet. Weight gain isn't the side effect. The side effect is feeling hungry all the time. Now what's that going to do?

So I saw the doctor 3 years ago, said "take the blighter out." (Different doctor to the one with the implant)

"Are you sure? What if you want to get pregnant again?"

"Listen, Doc. I'm 45. What would you say if I turned up and said I *did* want to be pregnant? It'd be hormone treatments. Operations. And getting-to-be-nasty chances of chromosomal issues. So no, just stop the bleeding."

He offered a bundle of other options such as ablation (doesn't stop the bleeding), IUD with hormones (OH GOD not another IUD - and hormones? NOOO), but I just wanted the blighter OUT.

He wouldn't do it that month (he wants the patients to think over it properly), and I coudn't get back to him for quite a while (big waits for the appointments) so almost exactly a year later I turned up again.

"So. Will you do it now?"

"You've had a year to think about it, so yes, if you still want it."

"When's your next operating date?"

"Friday in three days, but are you sure?"

"Book me in."

I've left in the ovaries, because I don't want to go through menopause until I'm ready. I probably *did* overdo things a bit afterwards, and I still get the odd twinge across the scar line, but it's SO good not bleeding to death each month.

[timestep.livejournal.com]

*points above*. Oh yes. It is the strangest thing ever. Either I'm in a bad mood, or I'm trying to figure out what I did to my back. Not monthly for me so it's not trackable.

[fluidsparkles.livejournal.com]

I'd have it ripped out too. but i first wanted that at 16 so..

points to timestep yes i hate the omg what did i do to my back pain.

[unseen1969.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

I had my hysterectomy almost two years ago (end of June 2011) and kept my ovaries. The hormones are DEFINITELY still swinging high and low.
You are not alone!