How soon after surgery did you experience changes?

Hi!

I had a hysterectomy (uterus & both ovaries) on 4/25. I had severe endometriosis and that was the basis for my surgery. I was wondering how soon after surgery any of you experienced hormonal changes and felt as though you were going through menopause? I know it's only been 8 days but I haven't felt anything yet. I'm home recovering from surgery and for the most part I feel fine except for the occasional pain where the uterus was removed if I sit in one position for too long. The first couple days I had horrific headaches but now, I don't have anything. I'm really forcing myself to relax and allow myself the time to recover so I don't do any internal damage but can't help but feel anxious waiting for all these changes everyone says comes with the onset of menopause. I also wonder if I'm really going to need the hormones at all. I've got a post-op appt with the dr on 5/24 to make sure everything is healing as it should be and to get the all clear to go back to work w/o restrictions. Anyways, any input or advice you fabulous ladies could offer would be fantastic. Thanks!!!

Somewhere between 1.5 - 2 weeks my body used up its stores of estrogen and I got really moody (as in crying non-stop). I was taking hrt (dr increased my dose), am 44, and average weight. Maybe you'll be luckier and sail on through.

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Originally Posted by Anle Somewhere between 1.5 - 2 weeks my body used up its stores of estrogen and I got really moody (as in crying non-stop). I was taking hrt (dr increased my dose), am 44, and average weight. Maybe you'll be luckier and sail on through.

I'm hoping to avoid the crying since it makes me uncomfortable. I can deal with moodiness but not crying. I'm 33, no children, slightly overweight. I eat low carb & plan on staying that way. I'm anxious to heal so I can start the gym again & hopefully move on with my life. I'm also hopeful the endometriosis is gone for good but am a little nervous the hormones will bring it back. Oh well, only time will tell. Same as with whether I need HRT or not.

I felt anxious waiting for the surgical menopause symptoms to hit too, especially after my gyn and other doctor gave me prescriptions for Lexapro and Effexor for when it all hit. I am just past 3 months and overall feel just as I did before, with the exception of some very bearable night sweats at time. In the beginning of my recovery I also had some insomnia, but that has mostly gone away. Everyone is different, so it's hard to predict when one will begin to experience surgical menopause, and how she will experience it.

I plan to try to eat really well, try to get enough sleep, and most importantly get back into shape to try to help stay feeling as good as possible, and off meds if possible. I forgot, I definitely developed vaginal dryness early on in my recovery for which I've been using Premarin vaginal cream which has helped tremendously.

Good luck to you

Thank you. It's rational that it will vary for everyone but it's nice to have a general idea of when to expect things.

That's wonderful for you Carolinagrl42, that you didn't experience too much and only a bit of vaginal dryness. We're so lucky that we have options for that and that we no longer have to suffer from that.

You're so right, adpitan, that we are lucky we have options! It's so easy to get bogged down in "the hormone jungle" trying to find just the right thing for our own individual situation, but we are so fortunate that we do have choices!

I was great the first 7 days after surgery, on the 8th day is when it kicked in. I was a blubbering mess! Had to wait until my 2 week post-op appt with the doc to get hormones. I was started on Evamist (2 sprays a day) & I'm still on the same HRT and dose 5 months later.

I still have the occasional hot flash or two throughout the day & occasionally flash at night while sleeping, but it's nothing that I can't handle. It's been bearable, that's for sure. I was expecting the worse & it really hasn't been that bad. Everyone is different... I'm hoping that you sail right on through.

I can't even think about starting HRT until at least 6 weeks out. I've got to try and wait for all the endometriosis to die out and hopefully never return. I'm not sure if I spoke too soon about not having any symptoms. Thursday night I could not get to sleep, finally around 4 AM Friday morning I fell asleep. I napped on and off Friday day and now I can't get back to sleep which is of course to be expected. I am also noticing that I'm starting to itch, around my incision sites and abdomen and I also have a random kinda rash on my right thigh. I've taken some some benadryl to help with the itching but other than these couple of things I don't have any other symptoms.

I've slepted ok. The hot flashes started during the day about 2-3 weeks after surgery. They are definetely barable...I'm not any any medications...just vitamins/supplements and at 5 weeks am working through what works and what doesn't. I have found that stress will make the hot flashes come on out of no where a lot faster!

For me, symptoms started about 2 months after surgery with night sweats and restless sleep. Premarin .3 mg helped after taking it for about a week. Now I feel like I'm over hormoning it and trying to lower the amount on my own with every other night. Seems fine to me.

Everyone is so different. My doctor told me to talk with him when I start to feel symptoms and treat only when necessary. That advice really helped. Stay healthy, eat healthy, exercise, sleep well... I'm going to ask the doctor tomorrow about cutting back on the Premarin.

Good luck!