emotional basketcase

Hi Ladies
I had a TAV 12/1 but kept my ovaries. For the past couple of weeks I have been very emotional. I cry at the littlest things and often over nothing at all. When DH asks what's wrong all I can say is "nothing" because I honestly don't know why I'm crying and nothing really is wrong. This upsets him because he thinks I holding back something from him. This past week things are even worse! I'm loosing my temper as easily as I cry. I snap at DH and DD if they look at me wrong. Christmas Eve we were at a family gathering and all of a sudden I wanted to go home. I was tired and sore from being out and upright most of the day. DH took a little to long in saying his goodbyes and I started crying and yelled at him that I wanted to go home "NOW". When we got home he put me to bed like a little child telling me I was just tired and needed rest. I must of been tired because I fell asleep right away. But I felt terrible in the AM about the way I treated DH the night before. I thought by keeping my ovaries I wouldn't go through all the hormonal changes. Any help here will be greatly appreciated by DH & DD. And really, they have been great throughout my surgery and recovery.
thanks,

I have heard that even if you keep your ovaries it may take up to a month or two for them start working again. They go into some sort of shock after the uterus is removed. If they dont get better and start working soon I would call my doctor and tell them what is going on and how you are feeling. You are also going through the recovery process which is very tiring and hard. YOu have done way too much and may be doing too much all the time. Please dont keep doing this much. YOu need to rest. I heard someone say, be horizontal more than vertical.

The irritated side, and snapping too easy...I am doing the exact same thing. I am no longer having hot flashes, and the crying spells are better, but now I am mean all the time. I am not sure if it is because I am really mad, and my husband is irritating like all get out, or if my hormones are messed up.

Take it easy hon, and let us know how you are doing.

Hi Terri,

I agree with Ami...your holiday activities were too much for your stage in recovery. You will be overly-emotional anyway just from the shock of major surgery to your body (very normal), let alone the hormonal rollercoaster that comes with it. My ovary didn't "wake up' for several weeks after my surgery...you can't expect the ovaries to start functioning again so soon.

Then add overdoing it to the equation, and you're surely going to be a basket case. Being out and upright most of the day is like running a marathon at your stage of recovery, and can do you in. Now that Christmas is over, I hope you can "back track" and adopt the horizontal state befitting a Princess!

Remember that once you've started to do "normal" things too soon, it's hard to go back and convince those around you that you're not "well" enough to keep it up!

My very best to you...

Linda

Thank you so much. I didn't know that even though I have my ovaries, they may not be awake yet. The doctor never mentioned anything about this. I hope they wake up before I go back to work. I work in our local, understaffed, Town Hall with the tax collector, assessor, building inspector - all those people you love to see. With angry people coming in almost daily the last thing I need to be is this emotional. Do you think they would understand if I said "I'm sorry I yelled (or started crying) but my ovaries are sleeping"? Oh well, at least I now have an answer for DH when he asks me what's wrong.
I didn't find this site until about 1 week post-op. I really wish I found it a lot sooner. It's given me some great information and a lot of questions to go back to my doctor with.

Thank you,
Happy New Year

Terri, why don't you call your doctor and explain the symptoms you are having? I had a TAH 2 days before you did, and the same thing happened to me, even though I kept my ovaries also. Even though my doc said it happens less to younger (I am 28) healthy women, it still happened to me. I was am emotional mess, having hot flashes at night, night sweats, the works. I told my doc my symptoms 1 week post op and all I needed was a small ( 1mg ) dose of estrogen, and I felt so much better.
It CAN happen, the ovaries shutting down for a while, and it is the docs place to 'fix' it and make sure our recovery is as smmoth as possible.
Call your doc, they can help!!

Good luck and much love,
Ami

Terri I am going through just about the same thing. I am about 2 1/2 weeks post-op and kept my ovaries. I cry at so many things on TV and try my hardest to avoid sad movies! I have just recently started becoming really short with my family too. I don't know if it's the ovaries not working or if I am just getting sooo frustrated from not being able to do anything. I've had to force myself to do nothing because I apparently was doing to much and a portion of my incision is now open. I think that may be part of the reason I have become like you said "an emotional basketcase"! I never really thought of myself as an overly active person. I'm a stay at home Mom, but now that I'm not allowed to do anything I realized how active my life was. I do intend to ask my dr. at next appointment about the ovaries. I think she said there is a blood test they can do to see if they are working or not. I'm so thankful for this site. I've learned so much information that I never got from the dr.