Surgical menopause bloated tummy

Posted , 3 users are following.

Anyone help me ? surgical menopause after oophorectomy 17 months ago and hysterectomy 20 yrs ago - have just been discharged from hospital following recent follow up scans and all good inside. Am having serious spaced out feelings, severe anxiety with occasional panic attacks, also noticed around 4 months ago gradual weight gain around tummy but now its quite big and wobbly, from pelvis to chest and its awful. No HRT - feeling seriously fed up, depressed, cry alot and cant cope with anything, hard to walk in straight line sometimes and just want to stay in bed feeling sorry for myself, does anyone else feel like this - my tummy is really getting me down I feel like I look like a man with a beer belly and I hate it, dont drink or smoke, why is this happening to me its so depressing.

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7 Replies

  • Posted

    Well, I am not into full meno yet, but I have some of the same issues as you. The Naturopath told me this can be in part to of course low estrogen, but also simulataneously our adrenal glands get over taxed at this point and weight gain and panic attacks can occur as well. She determined my thyroid gland finally fizzled into hypo land. sad

    I like her, but just today went to my regular GP and requested a referral to an Integrative MD at a larger hospital system here for further assistance with all this. I want her ideas validated (which actually my GP did today) and have a MD properly address the issue. The naturopaths in my state(US) can't prescribe anything at all, not even for thyroid issues. And while I'm all for the more natural route, I know that I'll need a little more boost with the thyroid gland. Not interested in HRTs but hopefully if they can help me soothe the adrenals out same time as thyroid gland, I am hoping the other issues will fall into place as well.

    Not sure if that is an answer for everyone but it sure makes sense. We and our bodies do go into an overdrive of stress during this time, trying to maintain.

    It's just an idea, somewhat new to me. Maybe it may help you as well. Nothing worse than feeling so low and not keen about the added weight. Such a lack of control feeling-foreign to me and don't really want to ever get used to it.

    Sorry you feel so bad Lou. Big hugs to you!

    Annie xx

    • Posted

      Thanks for reply Annie, interesting that you are having similar probs but also sad for you going through all this, and its all so stressful and adding to the already exsisting debilitating brain fog that is there 24/7, for me anyway. GP is no help really, already have underactive thyroid and am on meds for that, I don,t want HRT because of risks and GP wont prescribe it, think he enjoys watching me suffer ! sometimes I think whats the point in it all if I feel like this and look so awful , I want to cut myself off from everyone I look so hideous and fat, nothing fits and my belly is a major issue getting bigger every day it seems, its all a nightmare x
    • Posted

      I know the feeling Lou, but please don't give into cutting yourself off from everyone. I have that feeling way too often lately. The ugly winter didn't help much save for being able to wear a big comfy coat to hide the added weight gain. But I did force myself out today and stopped to see some ladies I used to volunteer with and actually took time to get my much needed -haircut! I feel a sense of accomplishment. Small as it is, it helps to push ourselves a bit. 

      I've had to buy clothes at the thrift shop as this weight gain has rendered my current wardrobe useless. I pray that eventually I'll lose some of this as I realise not all will go away. I can't bring myself to pack up the stuff I know I'll never wear again......but oh shoot......can't dwell on that one. The brain fog is a bit freaky........really scares me when searching for simple words. Heck, I had to ask the young lady cutting my hair today her name 3 times. Ouch!

      Hugs,

      Annie x

    • Posted

      Hi I am glad you had the courage to go out and meet people, thats really good and I wish I could do it, feel like everyone will be thinking what a mess I look - can I ask if you had a complete hysterectomy inc ovaries, when you think about it it,s one hell of a thing to go through and has such a massive effect on a womans body, the shock to the body is horrendous, it,s like it,s screaming out for help - when my last ovary was removed my symptoms started within 3 days and thought I was actually going mad, it,s awful and I need to find a way through this mess, I really do do my best not to dwell on things but my anxiety and panic sems to overtake everything I try to do, I wish I knew the answer. x
    • Posted

      Hi Lou,

      No to complete hysterectomy-just a system that is fizzling out on it's own with some days feel like a last hoorah from the ovaries eeking out a bit of the old hormones-then boom-nada and utter hell.

      Can't tell how I'll feel one day to the next.  I really think I'm tanking more now, thanks to the new onset of hypothyroidism mixed in with Peri and not on a regime of meds that help that one yet.

      My new appt with thyroid specialist has been moved from (can't believe they thought waiting that long was acceptable) June to end of April now. Have all the blood work done but simply waiting on proper direction. No HRTS for me at the moment. I'm terrified of them but darn it, there are days I believe I'd sell my soul to feel stable and like my old self again. 

      Certainly losing the ovaries surgically is such an assult to the body. See I really believe for some HRTs are great, it's such an individual choice. Depends on quality of life as well. Hard call on that one. Really understand.

      And as eager as I was to get out and about yesterday.......today is a real push to accomplish much. I have to work this weekend long hours, so I guess in a way I'm reserving energy. Pity, used to love getting out every day. Did manage to walk dog and plan dinner.

      Thankfully, this will pass.......just not quick enough for our liking.

      Annie xx

  • Posted

    I'm the same. I had surgery some time ago but in the last few months, I've got soooo big.

    I've never had a fat tummy before, Now I can't get into clothes and it feels so bloated.

    I'm not as mobile as I'd like to be due to disability, but I'm not over eating - in the last 6 months I've been eating as healthily as I can to hopefully make me feel better (mood quite low etc) 

    I've not put weight on anywhere else

     

    • Posted

      Hi, me too - am also trying to eat very little, actually just enough to keep me alive ! no bread no potatoes as little dairy as poss, soy milk , small ammounts of fruit and little live yogurt, uuuggghhh so boring - but I find even small ammounts make me feel full and horrible - gone are the days of lovely fish and chips and half a pack of choccie biscuits. I catch sight of myself sometimes and think YUK i look horrible, luckily I work alone so I don,t have to see anyone, hubby gets annoyed with me and thinks I,m always moaning and a right misery, well I am - I am getting paranoid about my belly and am doubting my last scans ( ultrasound and transvag ) although clear they didn,t scan me higher up in my tum, is this normal to have such a bloated tum months after surgery or is it just the menopause - doing my head in x

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