I have adenomyosis that has been getting worse over the years. My doctor told me I needed a hysterectomy. I am fine with that. I am terrified that I am going to gain a ton of weight on top of my already heavy frame. Do you gain a ton of weight with a Hysterectomy? What are some ways to avoid the weight gain? I do not want to be in pain anymore, but do not want to be as big as a house either. I have no room for more added weight.
By wacky camper from Westland, MI
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I had to get a hysterectomy after i suffered from a lot of pain because my uterus had dropped completely and was causing me to have serious problems with my bladder. I had a Vaginal hysterectomy which took 8 hours to complete due to so many non cancerous fibroid tumors needing being removed. I kept my ovaries so i did not have to be on hormone replacement medicines. For me it was a blessing because I felt so much better and had more energy afterwards so I done more and moved about more which help me loose weight instead of gain. Most everyone I have talk to having any kind of hysterectomy said the same thing they felt better and thus exercised more afterwards. Good Luck on yours, you will not regret it I think.
According to the "Oklahoma" chapter of the new book THE H WORD, the average weight gain in the first year after hysterectomy is 25 pounds. I'm not sure what theseamstress is talking about, but most of the women I've talked with said hysterectomy was a nightmare for them.
Please. I am already nervous about this whole thing. Unless you or a friend has had this surgery, please do not respond to this thread with post of things in books or newspapers. I want real life experience. Thank you.
I have many friends & family members who have had hysterectomies & none of the 7 women I know have gained any extra weight in the many years afterward (but I must say that these women had no weight problems to begin with). All of my friends & family are very happy that they got a hysterectomy! Some were in pain for years, & some had excess bleeding for years & the hysterectomy let them live a full, normal & happy life again! One thing I have heard is that some women will not have orgasms as good at before the operation & some have trouble having orgasms afterward (this is because your uterus also contracts when you have an orgasm).
About the actual operation: The safest way is usually through the tummy & not vaginally because the doctor can then see what he or she is doing. Also they can keep your cervix intact. If you don't have your ovaries taken out your hormones won't change. It's the change in hormones that usually make us gain weight. A warning, It's very rare but some women are "aggressive healers" which means they tend to make extra scar tissue & get adhesions. This happened to a friend of mine after her C-sections, she then needed a hysterectomy & 2 more surgeries (to remove the scar tissue) all the while she built up more scar tissue with each surgery. This is very rare.
A close friend of mine is now living a normal pain free life since her hysterectomy & she's happier than ever! If you don't have your ovaries removed & you're not on painkiller meds for very long or bedridden for very long, I bet you'll not gain much if any extra weight. Take Benefiber (&/or Activa yogurt) for 2 weeks before your operation & every day thereafter so you can easily go to the bathroom because constipation can also make you gain weight.
I hope I've helped, I know only one person who gained weight after her hysterectomy, but she had other problems that caused the weight gain, it wasn't the hysterectomy. If it were me & I was in pain, I'd opt for the hysterectomy because just being in pain can stop you from moving about & exercising anyway. Also, pain can make you want to eat more too. I think it's a tradeoff. Take Care, I wish you well!
I had endometriosis also and had a hysterectomy. I was able to keep my ovaries so I haven't had to take any hormones. I haven't gained any weight at all. The best advice someone gave me, was to listen to your body after the surgery. If you are tired then rest but don't just lay still to be lazy!
I too suffered from Adenomyosis for years and was told I had to have a hysterectomy. I was fortunate to have a vaginal removal - which meant no pain or discomfort - minimal down time (3 days max) - and wonderful results. My only issue was with constipation due to anesthesia. I got to keep my ovaries and have had no weight gain - in fact due to me not being anemic every month I have become more active and have lost weight.
I think personnel experiences are what the wackycamper wanted to hear about with hysterectomies not someone who never had one and drawled conclusions from a study. Everyone is different when you go through a hysterectomy due to your age and what other health issues you had prior or medicines you were on which also will alter your body in how it does. I looked at the study the other poster showed and for me none of those things applied to having the hysterectomy. Maybe from other medicines I was on or health issues I also had which had nothing to do with the hysterectomy (like underactive thyroid) and being a bit tired but that was from my thyroid.
I am overweight so I know how it done me after the surgery and as I said I felt better with no more pain and exercised more and lost 25 pounds after wards and have kept it off. As far as the vaginal hysterectomy goes My doctor suggested that way verse the bikini type for lots of reasons (each person is different and your doctor will have studied and discussed with you the best type for you) mine was because since I was over weight healing time is faster due to not incisions made. I dis agree that they can see better not doing the vaginal surgery. Test were done before my surgery for any cancers and after wards from mass and none were present and with today's technology what she could not see or reach with her hands cameras and sophisticated tools can.
I will say to the wackycamper though that my doctor said that most vaginal hysterectomies take only 2 hours as do the incision type but because I had so many fibroid tumors mine took longer which would of taken the same amount of time the other way as well. So I am glad that if I was going to be laying there for 8 hours that I was not cut during that time to have lost more blood. We can only tell you about our own personnel experience with either surgery and for me I am glad I had it done. I too heard all the stories both good & bad and really fought with the decision to even have the surgery.
Stories like mood swings needing to get on hormone pills or nerve pills and the loss of sexual desire or the results of being intimate with your husband. And for me that a big worry but those studies did not apply toward me. If anything it is better. I am 49 yrs old and had the surgery 6 years ago. And for ME it gave me the freedom of knowing I do not have to use protection unless I want to from the other wise mess and cleanup a lady has to do afterward. And everything else that goes with the desire was still just fine.
It's just a body part that if its causing you pain and will feel better after removed will help you. And your husband does not see you any different than before. I did keep my ovaries so I do not know the studies of women afterward that did not and any changes they went through in the hormone balances with medicines. I think if you have had your children and know you did not plan on having more that the decision on that stand point is an easy one to make. For studies I read prior to say that women felt barren or empty knowing they could not have kids. But for me that was not a concern already having my child.
Both my sister and my mom had the bikini cut hysterectomy and they too both kept there ovaries and both had to have the surgery due to allot of bleeding prior too so they were already low iron count and felt tired prior too but afterward and taking iron supplements to rebuild there body they also felt better and had more energy. My mom was very over weight prior too and she lost and kept off 35 pounds.
My son in laws mom(my best friend) was skinny and had the same health issue with herself that you do and she had the bikini cut hysterectomy and she had some scar tissue but they said that was expected with that and she too feels better and put on no weight. I honestly think it depends allot too on each persons life style and emotional life style prior too either surgery. If you were someone who just sit all the time or was a person who just eats all the time your either going to continue that lifestyle or not. Having a positive outlook on anything before & afterward can alter the path things take. And so in closing for me it was for the best. I talked to my doctor allot prior to about any and every concern I had and then made my decision.
She told me after the surgery in the hospital & at home to get up asap and start walking around which will help you heal faster and gets circulation into your legs and body and even though you may be sore do so because its true it really helped with healing time. As with any surgery afterward go slow with your everyday routine and watch lifting etc. I do take a daily vitamin with extra calcium for my bones which the doctor suggested but I would of done anyway because of my age and my thyroid condition. Good luck with yours what ever it maybe. :-)
Thank you.
I had the "Big H" a year and a half ago, because they found a fibroid 'about the size of a newborn's head. Well, 1) It was the best thing I ever did, no more periods, no more odors or yeast infections.
2) I lost 4 pounds in the hospital then I felt so much better, I started losing weight because I was more active, like one other member mentioned, 'listen to your body', I was in the hospital 3 days, but the day after I came home, I did dishes, straitened up some, and took a little walk around our building, when you're "up" go for it, when you're tired, rest.
Yes, I know several women who have at least doubled in size since their hysterectomies, but they also just "laid around watching soaps, and eating bon-bons"! My sister-in-law is still just as skinny, shapely and pretty as before hers.
The only thing someone can tell you is how they did during their hysterectomy. Everyone is different. Some people gain weight some don't.Some people it takes longer to get over the surgery some recover fast. I had mind about 9 years ago. I had a complete hysterectomy and I do not take hormone replacement medicines. Never felt better in my life.
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