How to know new monthly cycle? Is this it?

Prior to my hys I had been using Seasonale bc for the last few years which meant I only had my period every 3 months (although I still bled/spotted for 6 weeks at a time).

Now that I've had my TVH and left both my ovaries, and am now about 7 weeks post op, I woke up feeling especially achy today and have a whitish-pinkish discharge, and am so exhausted.

How do I know when my "normal" monthly cycle starts back up? Is this feeling today just my body still healing from surgery? I haven't had the night sweats, breast tenderness, or hot flashes for a few weeks so I'm pretty sure that my ovaries have recovered from "shock" after surgery

How have other women who still have their ovaries dealt with this? I'd like to know how long it has taken women to figure out their new cycle, etc. What side effects to expect?

Thanks so much!
Molly

I had a TAH in August, kept both ovaries. Before surgery, I could tell you to the *split second* where I was in my cycle. Every imaginable symptom, just like clockwork. Horrible PMS. Pain at ovulation. I mean, nightmarish for 3 weeks out of the month.

At almost 6 months post op, I couldn't tell you where I'm at in my cycle. Not a single telltale sign. Not one!

No breast tenderness, bloating, moodiness, teary-ness, bowel issues, migraines. None of it.

I am having some joint/muscle aches, but it doesn't seem to be cyclical at all. Still trying to figure out where that's coming from.

I am still trying to figure that out - I had one time that I know should have been my cycle based on the one prior to surgery and I had only breast tenderness.

Julie
LAVH - 12/31/07 - kept the ovaries and feeling great

I knew before surgery that my periods would come around the 20th of every month.. give or take a day or two... for the first few months I would have no symptom.. and then I remember hitting my fourth month out and around the same date I would have had it, my breast became very tender to touch.. and I had mood swings.. cried easily and pigged out on junk food.. even felt crampy and bloated and yet I had no actual period.. every month that happened to me.. this month, month 8 has started way before the 20th.. it started about four days ago for me.. so I imagine something is getting funky with my ovaries! I had endometriosis so I wonder if the cramping is from that .. huh. Well all I use to guess is the breast tenderness deal..

I was one of those "clockwork" women before my TAH. Since then I think I do indeed have a cycle, but I haven't been able to figure out if there's a pattern to it. Since the operation 10/12/07 I have had three times where I have duplicated PMS and ovulation symptoms for a few days: confusion, an inability to concentrate, more irritation than usual, sometimes even an inability to speak properly or find the word I want. None of these symptoms are nearly as bad as they were before surgery but they do affect me. Maybe I'll start tracking this new cycle so I can figure out if there's any way to predict when it's going to hit.

I'm 10 wks post op (TAH) kept ovaries. I'm a "clockwork" person too, could tell you to the day where I was in my cycle. Now, not much has changed unfortunately. Although there is no major pain, heavy bleeding or cramping, I still get the bloated sensation, constipation, muscle aches, exhaustion and irritability starting 7 days prior. And I'm happy to report (NOT) that today is that day! Those lil ovaries, they are a force to be reckoned with, aren't they?

Am I safe in saying that possibly this will go away as time goes on? I hope so. I feel I've done my duty and would gladly pass the torch on to someone else, ha.

The only clue that I have is that my breasts get tender...but other than that NOTHING!!!!! Yea me!!!

i do notice that just about time i would have had a period i get pms for about 3 days. so i have been keeping track on the calendar same as before to see if it keeps on track with that and kind of if they are working.

my worse symtom is nervousness. I get nightmares and general uneasiness. I also can tell when i work out - my strength isnt there for a few days. I read a few months back, that its a real shift in hormones that makes us weaker at that point in our cycles. glad it passes.

anyone notice the libido still drops at some point in cycle - just like prior? just wondered, so far it comes back so all is good.

As luck would have it, I got my period the day before my surgery. Within 3 weeks of my surgery, I had symptoms of my period. My face broke out, I ate anything that was sweet, salty and tangy. I was irritiable and my breast were swollen. I just did not have a flow. Go figure.