hysterectomy Surgery what to do for the best 🤷🏼‍♀️

[ColourPurple1]

Hey please can I ask if anyone has had a Hysterectomy and had their ovaries kept or if you had a total hysterectomy and had them removed. If so how has it been and impacted your Endometriosis or Adenomiosis post op.

I am currently awaiting a date for surgery. The consultant has recommended keeping my ovaries due to my age (43) as I’m apparently not peri menopausal yet and said it’s important to have my hormones still.

I have battled with Endometriosis and Adenomiosis for years. Diagnosed back in 2010!then more recently being diagnosed with large fibroids but unable to be removed during recent surgery due to being too high in the wall of the womb. Had mirena coil fitted at the time of op but still have constant bleeding although not as heavy but still very large clots 9mths post insertion. I’m worried if they leave my ovaries I will still suffer endo wise but if they take them I will suffer due to the issues that come with surgical menopause. Sorry if I’m waffling. Really torn what is best to do.

Any advice welcomed.

[stephkp]

Hi, I had a hysterectomy and bowel resection leaving my ovaries in place, at 34. Im nearly 2 years post surgery now and it’s still the best decision I ever made. I’m no longer in constant pain, I can exercise without feeling like crap for days after, and my quality of life has vastly improved. For me, I was pain free immediately (I overdid it in my recovery I felt so well and got told off by the docs) which is odd for how extensive my surgery was, and I felt for a while that I was missing/forgetting something or that something wasn’t right, but it was the fact that the pain that had been there for 20 years was gone.

I have some symptoms regarding my bowel that are creeping back in but it is nowhere near the problem it was pre surgery, and if this is all I have until the menopause, then I can cope with that. The specialist told me that out of 20 people having a hysterectomy and leaving the ovaries in, 4 out of those 20 will have some recurrence. For me those were pretty good odds and I had really run out of other options.

My logic was if I have it removed and nothing changed, then I’m just back in the same position as before, minus a uterus, the far too long and frequent periods, and the bonus of never needing to have another smear, BUT, if it worked, I’d be free and that to me was worth the risk.

Hope this is helpful x

[Hannah818]

Hi I'm same age 43 and on waiting list to have hysterectomy for extensive endo and adenomyosis . They will remove womb, ovaries, tubes and also do something to bowel as ovaries have attached to each other and attached to bowel/rectum. I'm hoping it's just minor surgery for bowel My ovaries have large endometria and also I don't plan to have any more children so that's why they're coming out during surgery. I am worried about surgical menopause but think I'm probably near perimenopause anyway and I want to reduce chance of endo spreading further and can't see how I can leave the ovaries in place with endometria there.

Hope this helps. I think everyone's circumstances are different - ask lots of questions so you can make the right decision for you

[Qanngoth]

Hi, my story is very similar to Stephkp. I'm 6 weeks post surgery. I had a full hysterectomy, Endo excision and rectal shave. I'm 42, and had been on prostab for over 2 years before my surgery. My surgeon therefore suggested both ovaries to be removed to reduce the possibility of reoccurring endometriosis. They had to leaf a small amount on my bowel.

I can honestly say it was the best decision I have ever made. I was pain free from my endometriosis and adenomyosis waking from my surgery. I've not had to take any pain relief since 2 January. I'm able to do more than I was before. However, because I feel so well, I have overdone it some days! I no longer suffer with severe exhaustion.

I am now on HRT gel and tablet, which I am tolerating and feeling good with. Also my allergies have virtually vanished.

I hope that helps and that you don't have to wait too long.

[Gozzie]

Hi, I'm 42 and waiting for a total hysterectomy. My consultant said that would be the best option for me to try and elevate the pain I suffer with my endo, although it may not be a complete cure as we've yet to find out if I have it anywhere else I'm hopeful at some point I will be able to come off my stronger medication. My consultant also believes that I am peri menopausal but as they have stopped my periods due to them being so bad she can't be 100%. I hope you get the right treatment and it gives some relief

[Bumblebee11]

Hey purple,

I am in the same position as you- im on my list (any day really!) And am having my uterus removed and 1 ovary (unless it's salvageable). My gynae has agreed with me though, if when he opens me up my insides are just infested with endo, he will remove the lot and cut out as much endo as he can too. Im 32, and have done SO much research. I even read through all of the gynaes (at my hospital) dissertations and research papers since and quoted some back to my own consultant to show him I was being serious when I said I researched!

It's a very odd thing, to be desperate to be cut open, and have organs removed, but I was diagnosed in 2008 (im 32 for reference!) and I am at my peak desperation!

Whatever decision you make will be right for you. You will have to update when you get your date through

[Petitechili]

Hello, I'm 7 months post op. I had a hysterectomy and ovaries removed. I also had bowel surgery too. I remember waking up feeling amazing. That dense pain I had felt was gone. I know I was probably heavily sedated but I felt immediate relief. I had adenomyosis too so I think that the womb being removed was my huge. I am still on pain medication because I do have days with pain but nothing like before. I have a two year old, after having IVF and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. The pain from a c section was a million times worse than the recovery from this surgery. I have so much more energy now for my little girl and it's amazing. I am on the hrt patches which my consultant recommended I take for as long as possible to reduce the regrowth of the endo. I have no menopause symptoms whatsoever, unlike before the surgery. It was so horrible having to go through those symptoms with a little baby. I am so hopeful that I will eventually come off the pain medication completely. Everyone is very different with recovery. But I'm so pleased with my surgery and have no regrets at all. If you want to ask my any questions please feel free to do so. Sending everyone the best of luck for the surgery ahead. I hope you will have the smart relief I did xxx

[GreenViolin]

I'm not sure I'm best placed to advise as I opted not to have a hysterectomy for my last surgery (this time last year) as I wasn't sure I was ready for that step (I'm 45 now). Now feeling like I really do need to have it, as the pain is just getting worse and my last scan showed my uterus has significantly enlarged with the ademonyosis and fibroids inside - the bloating is pretty horrendous. I'm now perimenopausal and on full HRT as well as having a Mirena, but my consultant has advised he would leave one ovary if possible so there is less impact on me hormonally.

The people I know that have had a hysterectomy say is was the best decision for them and and impact on their endo was insignificant compared to what they were suffering before. Personally, I would go with my consultant's recommendation re whether or not to remove ovaries as they are probably best placed to understand the impacts, but I also believe in questioning whether it feels right to you as well.

Good luck with it all. x

[Stitchrunner1]

When I had my hysterectomy it was so long ago they had just got round to anaesthetics.😉Treatment wasn't as refined so much as now. BUT, it was the best thing I have done. It stopped- full stop- the heavy bleeding. That in its self was a relief. It cut the pain completely. I heard all manner of evil things that were going to happen to me. None of did. All the threats of early menopause, turning into a man,. growing facial hair. (I know, bonkers") No night sweats. Nothing. I came around from the anaesthetic and just wanted to go home and eat my dinner. I have been a perfectly sound woman ever since. Now with more refined techniques and meds, you stand a good chance of being ok. I know there are different levels of endo and types, but they won't get better on their own. So I would recommend surgery. I won't tell you must. You are a grown up lady, who contrary to popular belief about us women folk, ladies can make decisions for ourselves. I believe you will do that too. Take care!