Hormone Replacement Therapy
4 Things Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy can be a “complete” hysterectomy involving removal of the cervix and uterus or a “partial” hysterectomy where doctors remove the uterus only. Removing the uterus, ovaries and/or fallopian tubes means a woman can no longer get pregnant and have children.1
The second most common gynecological procedure performed in the U.S. (preceded by cesarean sections), hysterectomies are often needed for women diagnosed with endometriosis, uterine fibroids, irregular bleeding, prolapsed uterus or cancer. Only when these and other conditions fail to respond to standard treatment methods should a hysterectomy be performed.
4 Things Doctors Forget to Tell Women About Hysterectomies
- Ovaries Do Not Always Need to be Removed
Unless a woman has cervical or uterine cancer the ovaries do not need to be removed unless they are functioning abnormally. Surgery to remove the ovaries only is an oophorectomy and not a hysterectomy. Gynecologists recommend leaving the ovaries in women who are under 60 years old or haven’t yet reached menopause.2
- Hysterectomies Do not Cause Menopause
Unless a woman has her ovaries removed, a hysterectomy will not force her into menopause. The ovaries release estrogen and other hormones implicated in menopause. As long as your ovaries remain after a hysterectomy, hormones will continue being released and symptoms of menopause will not affect you. However, if your ovaries are removed during a hysterectomy, that means estrogen and progesterone levels will drop dramatically and suddenly. Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, food cravings and insomnia could start affecting you within several weeks of ovary removal.3
- Annual Pap Tests May Still Be Necessary
If you had a partial hysterectomy and the cervix is still intact, you need to continue having regular pap tests. Early detection of pre-cervical cancer through pap smears is the best preventative for avoiding metastasized cervical cancer. Women between 35 and 45 years of age are more commonly diagnosed with cervical cancer than any other age.4
- Uterine Fibroids and Perimenopause
Most women with small uterine fibroids do not experience symptoms. Enlarging fibroids may cause heavy periods, pain or can press against the bladder or rectum and produce abdominal distention. However, fibroid growth is not predictable. They can shrink, stay the same or multiply. Research suggests that menopause may cause fibroids to shrink dramatically or disappear altogether. If your fibroids aren’t problematic and you are approaching menopause, talk to your doctor about waiting to have a hysterectomy.5
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Following a Hysterectomy
If you are having your ovaries removed during a hysterectomy, consider BHRT to replace hormones vital to your overall health and well-being. Estrogen helps keep your bones, heart and blood vessels healthy and offers strong protection against cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. In fact, a study published in the European Heart Journal found that the risk of heart disease increased substantially among women who had a complete hysterectomy before age 50. Other studies have discovered that women having hysterectomies involving removal of the ovaries experienced a higher risk of skeletal fractures and osteoporosis.6
Urinary incontinence often affects women several years after a hysterectomy. This is partly due to estrogen loss and partly due to the surgery itself. A longitudinal study found that women having hysterectomies are three times more likely to suffer urinary stress incontinence than women of the same ages who never had a hysterectomy.7 Estrogen helps keep vaginal tissues flexible and maintains healthy functioning of the urethral tube responsible for emptying urine from the bladder. Without estrogen, vaginal tissues become more inflexible and the urethral tube thins considerably, eventually losing its ability to prevent urine from leaking from the bladder.
Call Renew Health and Wellness to learn more about the benefits of BHRT after having a complete hysterectomy.
References
- https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/hysterectomy#1
- https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/tb1884
- https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/surgical-menopause-estrogen-after-hysterectomy#1
- https://www.webmd.com/women/news/19991109/most-women-dont-need-pap-smears-after-hysterectomy#1
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319576.php
- https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/32/6/745/497425
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3060564/
A hysterectomy can be a “complete” hysterectomy involving removal of the cervix and uterus or a “partial” hysterectomy where doctors remove the uterus only. Removing the uterus, ovaries and/or fallopian tubes means a woman can no longer get pregnant and have children.1
The second most common gynecological procedure performed in the U.S. (preceded by cesarean sections), hysterectomies are often needed for women diagnosed with endometriosis, uterine fibroids, irregular bleeding, prolapsed uterus or cancer. Only when these and other conditions fail to respond to standard treatment methods should a hysterectomy be performed.
4 Things Doctors Forget to Tell Women About Hysterectomies
- Ovaries Do Not Always Need Removed
Unless a woman has cervical or uterine cancer the ovaries do not need removed unless they are functioning abnormally. Surgery to remove the ovaries only is an oophorectomy and not a hysterectomy. Gynecologists recommend leaving the ovaries in women who are under 60 years old or haven’t yet reached menopause.2
- Hysterectomies Do not Cause Menopause
Unless a woman has her ovaries removed, a hysterectomy will not force her into menopause. The ovaries release estrogen and other hormones implicated in menopause. As long as your ovaries remain after a hysterectomy, hormones will continue being released and symptoms of menopause will not affect you. However, if your ovaries are removed during a hysterectomy, that means estrogen and progesterone levels will drop dramatically and suddenly. Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, food cravings and insomnia could start affecting you within several weeks of ovary removal.3
- Annual Pap Tests May Still Be Necessary
If you had a partial hysterectomy and the cervix is still intact, you need to continue having regular pap tests. Early detection of pre-cervical cancer through pap smears is the best preventative for avoiding metastasized cervical cancer. Women between 35 and 45 years of age are more commonly diagnosed with cervical cancer than any other age.4
- Uterine Fibroids and Perimenopause
Most women with small uterine fibroids do not experience symptoms. Enlarging fibroids may cause heavy periods, pain or can press against the bladder or rectum and produce abdominal distention. However, fibroid growth is not predictable. They can shrink, stay the same or multiply. Research suggests that menopause may cause fibroids to shrink dramatically or disappear altogether. If your fibroids aren’t problematic and you are approaching menopause, talk to your doctor about waiting to have a hysterectomy.5
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Following a Hysterectomy
If you are having your ovaries removed during a hysterectomy, consider BHRT to replace hormones vital to your overall health and well-being. Estrogen helps keep your bones, heart and blood vessels healthy and offers strong protection against cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. In fact, a study published in the European Heart Journal found that the risk of heart disease increased substantially among women who had a complete hysterectomy before age 50. Other studies have discovered that women having hysterectomies involving removal of the ovaries experienced a higher risk of skeletal fractures and osteoporosis.6
Urinary incontinence often affects women several years after a hysterectomy. This is partly due to estrogen loss and partly due to the surgery itself. A longitudinal study found that women having hysterectomies are three times more likely to suffer urinary stress incontinence than women of the same ages who never had a hysterectomy.7 Estrogen helps keep vaginal tissues flexible and maintains healthy functioning of the urethral tube responsible for emptying urine from the bladder. Without estrogen, vaginal tissues become more inflexible and the urethral tube thins considerably, eventually losing its ability to prevent urine from leaking from the bladder.
Call Renew Health and Wellness to learn more about the benefits of BHRT after having a complete hysterectomy.
References
- https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/hysterectomy#1
- https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/tb1884
- https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/surgical-menopause-estrogen-after-hysterectomy#1
- https://www.webmd.com/women/news/19991109/most-women-dont-need-pap-smears-after-hysterectomy#1
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319576.php
- https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/32/6/745/497425
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3060564/
