Hysterectomy concerns

You are so wrong.  Go do some research on the internet.  It is just wrong to blame the patient when it has nothing to do with them personally but is a direct result of this surgery, in my opinion.

Remember-I am not a medical professional and this is all my opinion.

I already addressed the sex thing elsewhere but I want to write about your shape.  It has changed because 1) loss of hormones  2) severing of the support structure that gave you your former shape.

I hate to break bad news but only a tummy tuck will get rid of that belly shape.  (weight gain is normal after this surgery and almost impossible to lose and I bet you weren't told.  It was never mentioned to me along with a laundry list of side effects that take years to develop.

Try this: 1) lift up that belly (or "apron" as we inflicted with it call it) with your two hands right underneath it.  Then take your hands away.  Notice how it just drops like dead weight.  This is because its support has been permanently eliminated.

2) Try to suck in your belly.  I used to do that all the time before my surgery trying to give my core muscles some exercise.  If I suck in now, nothing happens nor do I feel anything except the muscles running down my sides.  Again, without support, the belly cannot move.  I feel a big hole in my middle, nothing else.  Only a tummy tuck can change the shape and get rid of that apron.  And that is considered cosmetic surgery by the male dominated establishment and if you don't have the money to have one done, then I guess we are out of luck.

Again, this is my experience and after doing tons of research.  You might want to google "cannot lose belly after hysterectomy" and look at post after post of women in the same boat as we are.  I wish I could roll back time....

Thank you for replying, phoebe.  I am 3 years out from the surgery.  My weight gain has exceeded 35 lbs. and no matter what I do it keeps going up.  Intensive research across the internet indicates this is very, very common.  Some have gained upwards to 50 lbs. despite intensive exercise and healthy eating.  The weight gain caused one of my knees to have constant pain due to the extra weight bearing.

I have a laundry list of what happened during the ensuing years: Varicose veins

Constant constipation 

UTIs

Pain throughout my torso that is elicited by just a light touch.

Extreme dryness

Extreme mood swings

Suicidal thoughts

Cognitive difficulties

Serious depression 

Unexplained weight gain unresponsive to diet/exercise

Huge growth of breasts - and I mean HUGE

Constant backache from the “jelly roll”-a drop of the abdomen from the cutting of suspensory ligaments and muscles.

Vision problems with extreme dry eyes

Panic attacks

Occasional loss of balance

Sexual difficulties 

Nerve tingling and pain

Severe pain in both lower legs from calves to ankles with no obvious source

Joint Pain

Sorry for the spaces, I copied it from a document for a lawyer.

Again through research, it is being discovered that here in the US doctors are fabricating cancer diagnosis in order to make $$$.  From your description, it sounds like there was no doubt about yours, but mine ended up first no, then yes, then no, then yes.  A tiny, tiny spot on the endometrium.  Treated could have consisted of freezing the spot or even medication.  In fact, doctors in some large medical research facilities are now giving patients the option of the above.  When I asked one doctor why they just take everything out, the answer is "It's the gold standard".  Well times have changed and so should treatments.  They don't remove an arm if a spot of melanoma is found.

It's just that so many women are never told the full consequences of what will happen.  And I think we deserve to hear it all, not one side.  Didn't do my research beforehand and many scare women with that C word.  A lot of this is due to the advent of the DaVinci Robotic system.  It is a huge, expensive machine and doctors are encouraged to use it, thus bogus diagnoses.  A vein was nicked during my surgery and it starting to bleed out, unknown, until it was so much it actually erupted through a steri-strip and went all over the nurse, the floor, etc.  

All I'm saying is that too often I see women being blamed for their weight gain etc. when it is not them at all but the major changes caused by this surgery.  The day they take the major male parts from men who have a spot of prostate cancer is when I believe that men and women are treated the same.  

No one here is giving the other side of the coin, and it angers me to learn of the BS that some health professionals are given.  One can just Google "weight gain or breast enlargement after hysterectomy" and it is amazing what turns up.

And I haven't even mentioned the greatly increased risk of heart attack after hysterectomy.  It gallops through my family and now I must live with the #1 killer of women.  Not arguing with you and appreciate your writing.  I just want to try and even the playing field, as the phrase goes.

Goodness you have really been through the mill you poor thing, I have been incredibly lucky, I had a vaginal hysterectomy not done by Leonardo (da Vinci) I am agoraphobic so had to go to a cottage hospital near here (34 rooms only), since my op I have Never had to take pain relief, that was right from coming around from anaesthetic, the only problem I have had is constipation which is a pain in the b u m quite literally 😃. I agree with you when you say that you aren't told everything beforehand but, we are not all the same and whereas you have obviously had a horrendous time of it most people I have spoken to haven't, I do hope that poor Anne Marie isn't quaking in her boots.

Well said