flattened affect--anyone else?

Hi ladies--I had my LAVH-BSO on Feb. 18. It all went well, no complications (except for that excrutiating gas), but I began noticing late last week that, emotionally, I was feeling nothing. I'm not depressed, not happy, not sad--not nuthin'. What tipped me off was that I had pre-recorded some favorite movies to watch during recuperation, and the parts that would ordinarily have had me crying, or at least tearful, had no effect at all. I had been taking Prempro before surgery and afterward was put on Premarin--at the same dosage. My doctor said I should not experience any hormone fluctuation in doing it this way. So I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this. Is it from the HRT change, a result of the surgery itself, or what? I don't like feeling like a zombie! Thanks for any help you can give. Barb

It is not uncommon for our feelings to change after a hysterectomy. Part of it is anesthsia. Part of it is trauma to the body. Part of it is our body using its energy to heal. Part of it is hormones. Even though you started HRT immediately, you still have some residual hormones in your system that could be affecting the balance right now. And your may be one who atually needs the progesterone to go along with the estrogen you are taking to help you be truly balanced.

I would give it a bit more time to see how you feel as your body heals. You might consider keeping a journal detailing how you feel so that you can see if your feelings improve or worsen.

More than likely your daily life has changed right now from what you are eating and how much you are eating, to how much you are moving around vs. how much you used to move around or exercise. All of this change in routine can also affect our moods and how we feel.

I hope with time you start to feel like your ole self again! If not, do talk to your doctor about how you are feeling and ask for suggestions! In the mean time, walk as you can, drink plenty of water, and try to eat as healthy as possible!

Sending best wishes and s your way!