If your ovaries are removed at the time of your hysterectomy your oestrogen production will cease and you will enter the menopause. This sudden change, with no gradual transition, can lead to mood swings, depression, crying spells, insomnia, and irritability in some women.
You may feel a sense of loss and sadness after having a hysterectomy. These feelings are particularly common in women with advanced cancer, who have no other treatment option. Some women who have not yet experienced the menopause may feel a sense of loss because they're no longer able to have children.
Not surprisingly therefore a number of studies had reported that hysterectomy was followed by adverse sequelae including psychosis [1], depression [2, 3, 4], agitation and insomnia [5], anxiety [6], reduced psychosexual functioning [7, 8] and psychosomatic disorder [9].
PTSD, like depression, can also be linked to a hysterectomy. For example, if the hysterectomy causes symptoms of PTSD, such as intrusive thoughts, reduced interest in favorite activities, nightmares, or self-isolation, they may be eligible for disability benefits for PTSD secondary to a hysterectomy.
Most women are happy with and do very well after their hysterectomy. That said, if you are worried about your long-term recovery, have questions, or are currently experiencing undesirable side effects, please do not hesitate to reach out to your treatment team.
If your ovaries are removed at the time of your hysterectomy your oestrogen production will cease and you will enter the menopause. This sudden change, with no gradual transition, can lead to mood swings, depression, crying spells, insomnia, and irritability in some women.
Your Hysterectomy Recovery
If you had not gone through menopause before your hysterectomy, you probably will begin having symptoms of menopause -- hot flashes and mood swings. Your body is adjusting to changes in hormone levels. You may also have some changes in sexual desire and enjoyment, and vaginal dryness.
Jelovsek (2006) stated that whether done before or after menopause, a hysterectomy could lead to stress disorders and psychological consequences in women (11). Furthermore, Cabness (2010) reported, in a qualitative study, that depression in a woman may increase following a hysterectomy, especially at younger ages (19).
Residual ovarian syndrome (ROS) is a complication after hysterectomy in which one or both ovaries been preserved and cause chronic pelvic pain, an asymptomatic pelvic mass, or dyspareunia. Most patients undergo surgery within the first 5 years after hysterectomy to resolve their discomfort.
The study findings indicate that women who had a hysterectomy were found in worse conditions in terms of body image, self-esteem, and dyadic adjustment compared to healthy women.
Endometriosis and hormone therapy may add to the risk of bipolar disorder after hysterectomy. Knowledge about how surgical or natural hormonal withdrawal influences mood is fundamental and emphasizes the importance of coordinated psychiatric and gynecological care.
In fact, for those who had a hysterectomy for bleeding, pain, and prolapse, there is often an improved quality of life and related sexual activity.
Mood swings can cause lashing out at your partner. You may experience anxiety or symptoms of depression. You may have to cope with the inability to have kids (or more kids). Your partner will have to take on a lot of household responsibility and child care after the surgery.
Executive Summary. Hysterectomy on benign indication may have unwanted long-term effects on pelvic floor function and on the lower urinary tract. Hysterectomy is associated with a significantly increased risk of pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence and pelvic organ fistula disease.
There are additional risks of having the uterus removed. Hysterectomy can lead to bladder and bowel dysfunction, prolapse, and incontinence as well as a 4-fold increased risk of pelvic organ fistula surgery.
Why Do I Feel Bloated And Have Belly Button Pain After a Hysterectomy? The bloated sensation can come within the first month post-op and may be due to the insufflation of the abdomen (air placed in the abdomen to help the surgeon see) required for the surgery.
When your ovaries are removed (oophorectomy) during a hysterectomy, your estrogen levels drop. Estrogen therapy (ET) replaces some or all of the estrogen that your ovaries would be making until menopause. Without estrogen, you are at risk for weak bones later in life, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Hormone replacement therapy has been identified as the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms and is routinely recommended to help women recover hormone balance after hysterectomy. In particular, these medications are effective at relieving the following symptoms: Hot flashes and night sweats.
(Removing the uterus itself won't impact your hormone levels, because the uterus doesn't make or store hormones.) The sudden loss of estrogen following ovary removal can trigger symptoms of early menopause like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, trouble sleeping, mood changes, and painful intercourse.
Symptoms of a Hormonal Imbalance
After a hysterectomy, the sudden withdrawal of certain hormones can take a toll on a woman's physical, mental and emotional well-being. Symptoms that are most common include hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, sleeplessness, light bleeding and discharge, and vaginal dryness.
Myth 5: Hysterectomies make you age faster
“A hysterectomy does not directly affect the body's aging process,” Chang says. A hysterectomy won't affect how you physically age, but it can be emotionally challenging for some people to have their uterus, cervix or ovaries removed.
About half a million hysterectomies are performed each year in the U.S. It is the second most common surgical procedure for women, after cesarean delivery (C-section). Most hysterectomies are performed between the ages of 40 and 50.