My operation is this Tuesday, total hysterectomy (oophorectomy)..I will go straight into menopause as ovaries are getting evicted too, please can anyone recommend the HRT that is working well for them. I'm trying to see if any one brand or strain comes up here frequently.
Operation reason: Adenomyosis (suspected later stage) and 20 years of menstrual related issues.
My Consultant told me they are like Heinz varieties and we can try until the right one works for me, I'm just trying to get a feel for them....
Also, any tips ladies on recovery like when should I do light housework like hoovering, making beds etc.
Aswell as anyone who exercised, when should I try, I left it the proper 4.5 months post C section I didn't hurry myself, though this time there is no brand new son to dote on!
Evorel patches work best for me. I’m on evorel 75, which is oestrogen only as I’ve also had a hysterectomy. I found oral HRT made me very nauseous. There are also creams and gels that can be rubbed into the skin. The great advantage of having it through the skin is that it avoids the liver. I understand it also greatly lowers the risks associated with breast cancer.
Thanks so much thats a great reply and some very good advice re the patches.
I will be asking for patches and stating your reason!
I hope you got a better quality of life afterwards Rachel.
Can I ask you how long it is before you felt able for light chores in the house like hoovering or sweeping. I'm getting mixed information about bed bound time (where you can really do 0 for yourself) I redo eyes very well from a C section but I guess this is completely different as so many organs being removed.
You really mustn’t do very much for at least 6 weeks. No hoovering or lifting laundry baskets, but you might be able to do some sweeping and dusting after a couple of weeks. You will feel very tired due to all the healing go on inside, which takes a lot longer than the external scars. The most important thing is to do some gentle exercises like walking, pelvic tilts and pelvic floor exercises to gradually rebuild your strength. Listen to your body and rest when you need to. You will know when you can start doing more strenuous activities, but stop the second you feel any pain or discomfort.
The immediate recovery from surgery varies from person to person. I was in for 4 days, other people less than 24 hours.
The RCOG has excellent patient advice leaflets which are worth looking at before hand.
I assume you’re having a laparoscopic hysterectomy but if it’s abdominal there is a leaflet for that too.
I had physio therapy following my surgery, and she taught me pelvic tilting and knee drops, to keep everything supple and moving.
Don’t leave it too long to go on HRT - Menopause is not fun and you will be straight into it. I was already on it when I had my surgery so just changed from combined oestrogen and progesterone to oestrogen only. NICE menopause guidelines 2015 explains it all.
My quality of life improved immeasurably after surgery. The progesterone in the HRT before surgery made me very depressed but I needed the oestrogen as my perimenopause was horrendous. These days, I feel completely normal. I am back to my old self and that weird woman has departed this planet!
That's such brilliant advice thank you Rachael. I am too "that woman" and have been since 2015 when I suspected my perimenopausal phase started. I have very odd 'new' physical changes like vaginal dryness, an itch that comes on the back of my right thigh around the time of the month, a post period neck rash, pink eye and conjunctivitis monthly, more feelings of rage and heightened emotions, sweating uncontrollably in my face...sex drive has really dwindled too.
It's one thing to be losing ones feminine organs but to get a better quality of life is sooo worth any discomfort.
I will read up on both links you posted. Thank you again.
There is treatment for vagina dryness - local oestrogen in the form of pessary or cream, and vagina moisturisers, but be careful which one you use. Some doctors recommend KY but this will cause more problems than it solves. I thoroughly recommend The Yes company. Their lubricants and moisturisers are pH balanced, organic and don’t contain ingredients like parabens and glycerols which can cause thrush and other annoying conditions. YES lubricants and moisturisers are available on prescription, but their oil based is also great stuff. I use a little each morning and evening just to stop chaffing. You’ll find all the information on their website. Google YES lubricants.
I really suffered with rage and crazy mood swings. I became suicidal it was so bad. HRT really saved my life.
Itching in general is another symptom of menopause, but HRT will help with that. With me, it was my feet. The minute I got into bed, they used to go crazy itchy! Drove me nuts! Or even more nuts than I already was!
If libido doesn’t improve with oestrogen HRT, then your GP might suggest testosterone. I know a few women who have tried it and swear by it.
Rachel I read somewhere that hrt is better in higher doses for younger women, do you think the Evorel 75 is for a woman of 39 who has the responsibility of an Autistic 3 year old? I need a high energy dose, just wondering did you come down in Oestrogen dose in the years that followed or is the ^ above a good fit?
I’ve been on 75 since my surgery 2.5 years ago and not planning to come down any time soon, don’t care what my GP thinks. I’m 54 and was on 50 combined before the surgery. Only you will know what is the right dose. Usually, you start low and work up until you find the dose that works to alleviate symptoms, but maybe after the surgery you will be able to start at 50 and see how you go. The highest is 100. Is there a reason why you’ve not been allowed to go on HRT already? Sounds like you could do with it.
Thanks so much Rachael. To be honest I'm not sure I believe amongst my other ails my talk of perimenopausal symptoms just got ignored by my Dr's.....sometimes they even ask you what out of your ails is more important because they really only treat 2 at a time over here. Last night I was waking up way over heated in an extremely cold house. I'm probably anxious of tomorrow too.
I will see if my consultant will prescribe me at least 50 tomorrow then.
Thank you so much once again!!!
I'm so tuned I to myself and just know I'm gonna be one of the ones to plummet 1000ft into menopausal mayhem!
Waking up hot? Perimenopausal symptom! I had lots of symptoms and I’m pretty certain perimenopause was responsible for all of them. They’ve all gone now I’m on HRT. One treatment for about 30 symptoms! Anyway, I’ve found menopause to be so much easier than peri now that the HRT gives me just a level dose instead of ovaries going completely crazy all the time, so I’m sure you’ll feel much better soon. It’ll take about 2 - 3 weeks to notice the benefits, and you might feel a bit down, but you shouldn’t get the crazy mood swings you get when your ovaries are in charge. It’s amazing how powerful hormones are. Xx
Thanks so much! The HRT really is the thing I have not much understanding of and I would assume veing such a novice that Id need a mix, though Oestrogen only is the one you recommend. I have a tendency and have tended to need antidepressants to cope with all I've been going through these years, more so since the symptoms heightened last year seeing me quite bedridden which has been horrible for an active person like me who would do home work outs 3/4 days per week. This came around very fast for me as we decided to finance it only 2 Friday's ago, took a loan and booked it and got a cancellation for this Tuesday. I was an NHS patient who went private then found out my NHS Gynae Cons performed surgeries on set days in the 'private hospital' I priced here so I managed to get his last appointment between now and May 1st. I've really not had lots of time to research HRT though I know it's available on prescription from my Dr!
I will be getting a hold of HRT as soon as possible as I've no doubt I will be a RAGING MENOPAUSAL MANIAC my mum was a good guide, she was completely barking and like yourself she had itchy feet amongst other mad itches.
She was early menopausal like myself I'm convinced I'm Peri...we knew to avoid her at certain times.
Hi Kathryn, I had a total hysterectomy at 39 (best thing I ever had) gave my my life back! I had patches but after many years I became alergic to the adhesive, my advice would be don't stick them in the same place every time move them around. The other bit of advice I can give you. I would have been happy if I had been told. After your op you will be given excercise to do for your pelvic floor. Don't stop doing them. Continue forever. It's been over twenty years since I had my op. I now have a prolapse, I was told if I had continued my exercise I might have avoided it.
All the best.
Thank you Murfs. Before I got too bad to continue on in around May of this year I was exercising around 3/4 times a week at home as that trully fuels my life. I will start the pelvic floor exercises as soon as my body feels well enough to withstand them. I have read that some start 2/3 days post op, that's really early so Il let my body tell me!
I really hope this conquers the source of my pain but I also believe it's worth it not to have my monthlies. I'm also convinced Im perimenopausal so the HRT will help a great deal.
Thank you for your reply.
So happy to hear you got your life back. What has prolapsed, is it your pelvic floor or your bladder or something?
You need to start doing pelvic floor exercises as soon as you come round from the anaesthetic! Even if there only gentle ones, it’s better than nothing. Do some tonight, as well! Also, lie on your back, knees raised and gently lower your knees to the floor to either side to extend your hips. Do a few tonight and a few tomorrow before the op. When they are operating your legs will be in styrups so stretching and warming up will help reduce strain on those muscles and ligaments. I wish someone had told me to do that before another op when I didn’t realise he was going to put my legs in styrups. I had terrible back ache afterwards because I hadn’t stretched beforehand. Xx
Poor you and thank you Sooooooo much for telling me that. It makes sense to do the warm up exercises. I will try the keogels after my op and try to get a feel for down there. I am to check in at 1pm so my op is a little later, maybe 3pm.
Thanks so much Rachel you have been very kind to me.
My family thank you. We have a 3.5yr old boy who is special needs so he really needs his mum well and on full power for him. I have been a half mum and half wife for too long, a half friemd etc etc, always in pain and cancelling plans.
Been there, so I know how you feel. I work with special needs kids so I know how tough it is for parents. You will feel strong again soon. Anxiety made me cancel so many plans including a trip to Paris for my 50th. This year .... I’m flying all the way to Australia! Wouldn’t be doing that without HRT! X
Your time has come Rachel! Now you can truly enjoy the life you deserved to lead all these years!
Australia is beautiful, I was a backpacker in 2001/2002 And saw mainly Sydney, New South Wales and the East Coast including a trip out on the great barrier reef, it was breath taking!
I did these pre surgery they sooooooo helped me Rachel I had no leg tenderness at all and was in stirrups for 2 full hours!
Thank you!
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I have been doing my pelvic pull ups post surgery 🤗😉in at around 5-7 seconds on day 2, bladder in tact and gasses coming out from the laparoscopy. In quite horrendous pain though lol. Needing sleep, couldn't get a wink of sleep at the hospital last night, I was too sore and their painkillers were not touching my pain!
Apart from the pain, sounds like you’re doing well if you can do some PFEs. Did they not give you morphine for the pain? Are you at home now? If you’ve got codeine, make sure you drink plenty of water or you’ll get a bit bunged up and that won’t help the pain. Keep moving little and often, rest lots, feel well soon. X
Rachael it was very odd other than the immediate intravenous stuff I came around and they gave me it twice over an hour before I was put on the ward..it came in dribbles I had intravenous paracetamol, nothing was coming without me buzzing, I kept a medication diary...
20mg intravenous morphine in the theatre over 2 doses (I believe that's what the nurse said)
Anti clotting medicine into arm.
Injection in bottom (can't remember) ?
1 x Co codemol 30/500 at 9pm.
50mg tablet Maxitram 1020pm (my own)
Now on the IV paracetamol 2330pm
1 x Diclofenac 229am 🤒🤢
By 4am I was searching my handbag for my own co codemol and took 30/500
Got Codein again at about 6am
Got my Maxitram 830am
I really wasn't comfortable the whole time in hospital, over the night I was in horrible pain. The cathetar was niggling me and had a definate bearing on how I was feeling. The relief at 8amnwhen it came out...phew!
I'm rotating my Maxitram with Ibuprofen and Co codemol and have started a stool softener today to hopefully ease the transition.
If I'm late on a dose its horrible!
The peppermint tea was great for the CO2 gas which was horrendous too and the pain up in my right shoulder was like a knife.
I'm very pain aware not a good threat hold possibly Rachael.
That’s some cocktail! It will be painful for a few days, but will gradually get better and hopefully you’ll just need paracetamol by next week. Take it easy x
Oh I hope so and can't wait to leave these strong painkillers behind. Ibuprofen has been a staple in my grocery shopping for so so so long...I don't think my head is fully around the "no periods" anymore aspect of it. No pain and no bleeding..am I actually writing these words....please let it be true x
It's always the Extra Long and bumper 20' something plus sanitary towels x 2 I bought so like £4.50 my husband use to say the sanitary goods were such a drag on our spending lol. I'm still using pads though I'm not risking hem but enough coming away post op still x
That will dry up soon. When mine finally stopped I had a ceremonial clear out of all my stashes of tampons and pads! I still find a sneaky tampon every now and again, hidden away in the pocket of a handbag!
You sound so much like me I pull out a handbag and there are always sanitary towels tucked in there somewhere lol! Oh I'm maybe going daft as my "missing ovaries" gave me a nudge the other night to acknowledge them and say thank you for my son"..🤔a strange urge to commemorate them in some way and see them off 🖑🖑🖑🖑 .
I will..I might even make up a song lol! I definately thing we have to ritualise the letting go of such an all consuming part of what made us ourselves in the first place, our feminine organs...the tampons the pads the headache tablets the hot water bottles the heat patches lol!
PS..Day 8 trying to weeno off the Maxitam painkillers having a bit of a blue day..I was great yesterday..today I kind of have lots of contraction pains still whilst trying to pass stool and feel a bit knocked off my feet.
This is definately a process.
I imagine another women in my condition yesterday taking a call from her boss and agreeing to go back to work. The mood and body peaks and spikes and false feelings of wellness can surface too...I believe lots of clear days in a row are needed! X
Oh good Lord, no. Nobody should be going back to work that quickly, although I have heard of women coming under pressure to go back. I work in a school and timed it so well I actually got 11 weeks off, but I needed it. It’s good you feel you can try to come off the maxitram. That stuff puts me on another planet! It’ll take a few weeks for the HRT To have an effect, but I’m sure you’ll soon start to notice an improvement. Take care, rest lots. X
And isnt it strange that strong painkillers really have very little effect on me, even in terms of relief I was struggling. I am best off those narcotic type ones.
Yes, this will take weeks, I really feel so week even a small trip to the Drs to get my stitches out has me tired out. 11 weeks was bliss for You, you were so smart to time that nicely Rachael. None of us can rush these things.
If you’re on Facebook, I would thoroughly recommend joining the Menopause support group. It’s run by a contact of mine called Diane Danzebrink and she is very knowledgeable. If you go to her website, you can follow the link to the Facebook group.
. menopausesupport.co.uk/
I am not active but will look up as I do have a dormant profile or a sneak into my hubby's FB the odd time!
Hi. I hope all goes well for you. I also have had a hysterectomy when I was just 29 years old. Now I'm 57, my best advice to you after you have your surgery it don't be in a hurry to do everything yourself. I couldn't reach up over my head for a while. Don't do anything that would put a strain on that area. But I had it pretty easy. I had plenty of help because I was a dependent of a military soldier. So all the wives in his unit cooked, cleaned and did whatever I need done for 3 months. Also you will need to start taking hormone medication because they are removing your ovaries. I wish you the best. Hope all works out for you.
That sounds like a dream having all those "wives" taking care of You, it sounds like something our of a Women's Solidarity movement...like I'm imagining you all in a movie on a base camp together!
I'm very very sore indeed and home now and my husband is running the show very well I must admit...
I have my HRT coming its in the Doctors pipeline processing. I'm chasing it up with my own military precision! I scanned and emailed the letter to make sure no hicups on their part.
Did you stay on HRT long? Was it a good fit for you. Many women I know who used it are much younger looking. Perhaps a reward for the price we paid losing our feminine inner parts.
Hi I stay on it about a year at first. But I only use it now when I have hot flashes. I have to use the cream. I can't take the pills. I'm a high risk for heart when taking the pills.
I'm glad to hear you are coming along and have your husband to help. That's really a good thing. Because you can't strain yourself doing anything right now. So relax and take it easy. Don't rush to do to much.
Oh I needed him so much today I crossed a pain barrier it was awful around 6-9pm tonight this gas pain coming away and its shoulder pain side effect is just horrible. I have 3 heat patches on areas in addition to making sure I'm bang on schedule with my medications 🤕🤢
You are more than welcome. It's good to have some one to talk to. Some who has gone through what you are going through. You will be fine. It will take awhile to get fully back to your old self. But when you do, I know I felt like a new woman.
How is everything going? Are you coming along ok? You are taking you time and pacing yourself, aren't? Let me know how you are feeling? I'm here to talk if you need someone. Take care of yourself.
Thank you! I am coming along great after a troublesome day 5 passing stool, more so just the contractions pre the event, the contractions have been bad enough but at least I know within 30 seconds what is coming...😉
I am off the strong painkillers and just on ibuprofen now. The HRT I got had to contain progesterone because I had Endometriosis, the progesterone should as they advised kerp gland growth to a minimum. This is for year 1 and in year 2 I can go on to Oestrogen only.
I am on Evorel Conti 100 patch which is combined hrt.
My moveability around my house was much better today even than yesterday, I really feel that whole "carrying around my tender insides" feeling is deminishing. I have been doing nothing other than the odd fold of clothes or I may bend using my knees and a straight torso. I can gove my son a bottle or put out a simple meal.
The neurological problems he has means he doesn't understand so he has accidentally jumped on me once or twice but I've been ready for him. The worst was him being sick with his gasterointestinal issues yesterday and mum tried to keep him from me whilst I napped and he cried hard and was banging on my door so I let him in, Momma is the only word he uses so when he uses it I melt and I am hopelessly in love ❤ x
I glad to hear you are doing a few things and taking you time when doing something. I know you baby calling your name melts you. I remember that oh so well. Now I have grand babies calling my name. I kept 2 of the last night. They will be leaving in an hour. Keep me informed of your progress. I'm always here if you need to talk. God bless you and your family.
Thank you so much. You seem like a precious grandmother to have!
Luckily you have them grandbabies to kerp you on your toes and like my own mum she loves a second wind at parenting a little! Xx
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