No sexual desire after Hysterectomy

I too have the same problem - last of ovaries was removed in 2007 - hysterectomy was 2005. I have nothing left in this dept. Very sad. I did talk to the doc and he said levels were fine, I am on .925 HRT and he said are sure its not a stress issue? I didn't think so -
no one has a solution? Please..
at 45?
this is sad.

I too am in the same boat as the rest of you! I am two years out of surgery this month and am still having issues with sex. My poor husband has been wonderful but has had his moments of frustration as well. I see my doctor again next week and hopefully she can do something for me. I tried premarin as well and it did nothing. I only had my uterus removed due to a softball size fibroid so I am wondering if my ovaries stopped working. If there is anyone out there with any suggestions, I know myself as well as many others would welcome their thoughts.

dena

Thanks for the info. I had a hysterectomy in August 2007 and kept my ovaries. My sexual desire is in the toilet and has been bugging me not to mention my great husband who has been very understanding. I bought the KY stuff for dryness during intercourse and am headed to the DR tomorrow to see what I can do about the rest.

Well I went to see my Doc and he told me that just b/c I had my uterus removed this would not cause my ovaries to stop working. He did however do some blood work on me to see if I was entering menopause and that came back negative. So now he's advising me to see a therapist. I'm very frustrated!

Has anyone else's Doc told them the same thing? And if so, what else did you try to increase your libdo?

Thanks!

I saw my Doc this morning and got the same story but he prescribed a cream for me and was going to call my gynecologists. He said since I still had my ovaries then I should still have sexual desire unless I am starting to go through menopause (I am 42). He thought maybe part of the problem was physcological since I think it is going to hurt (which it has ). Will see how the cream works and let him know. He prescribed Estrace cream.

Well, I went to my Dr. yesterday and we have a temporary solution....one that I was shocked by but at this point i'll give anything a try. Of course, she is having me redo my bloodwork and check testosterone levels and a bunch of other things too. Because of some meds that I am on for other medical problems, she can't just put me on any hrt drug so for now we're going with a temporary fix till the results come back. She has me trying viagra....yes that's right viagra. She did extensive research and found that women can take it too. It obviously has different effects than with men but it is suppose to help. In addition to that, she suggested me getting back to working out because that raises the hormone levels naturally. When I start taking it I will report back and let you all know how it worked. Unfortunately, researchers haven't come up with a "cure-all" for women with this problem, apparently we're not suppose to have sexual issues. So in the mean time we just have to use what the guys do and hope for the best!!!

Thanks for your replys...

dena

Well, I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but Viagra helps with response by increasing blood flow to the area, it doesn't help with libido at all. It is sometimes prescribed to women who have trouble with lack of response.

Exercise sometimes does help by lowering the ratio of estrogen to testosterone, plus women can (and many of us do) supplement with compounded testosterone to help with libido. I don't think we need to settle for men's products that are designed to help with a different side of the problem if libido is what's not working.

s,
-Linda

I appreciate the advice and all but my dr. explained all of that to me as well. It's only a temporary solution until my blood work comes back and we can take a look at the whole picture and then go from there. The problem is that there are NO products on the market that are geared directly for women with this problem. My dr. has done extensive research on this area as I am not her only patient that has come to her and discussed it. So, if there is anyone out there with any answers it would be greatly appreciated. There are way too many of us in this situation and you would think that there would be something on the market specifically for women.

I'm glad that your doctor explained how Viagra does (and does not) work. As (((Linda))) mentioned, it can help women who are experiencing arousal problems but it's not going to help with sexual desire.

After my hysterectomy, which included removal of my ovaries, I started out on Estratest HS. That hormone therapy is a combination of esterified estrogen and methyltestosterone--both synthetic. While that product is effective for many women, it wasn't for me. My doctor referred me to a compounding pharmacist who worked with me (and my doctor) to find the right combination of hormones for me.

I used estrogen and progesterone for many months and felt a lot better but had absolutely no libido/sex drive on just those two hormones. After testing my free and total testosterone levels it was decided that I was a good candidate for adding testosterone to the hormones I was already using. Within a few days I could tell that it was starting to work for me and within two weeks there was no mistaking my libido had returned. I have been using 1% compounded testosterone cream for over four years with all of the benefits and no side effects. There are many Sisters on this site using that strength of testosterone cream. Many of us have been sharing our experiences for years so that others will have the knowledge about it to discuss with their doctors the possibility of getting that important hormone for their own needs.

It's true that there are currently no FDA approved testosterone products in the United States for women. Women in the UK have the option of using Intrinsa, a testosterone patch developed specifically for women by Proctor & Gamble. Hopefully someday it will get FDA approval here in the States. Right now our options are limited but they do exist. For example, some doctors will prescribe testosterone products which are FDA approved for men. Other doctors, like mine, will prescribe compounded testosterone. It can be made up in a cream base which can be applied directly to the delicate tissues of the vulva unlike the testosterone gels for men which would burn if used there.

For anyone who missed this in one of (((Linda's))) earlier replies on this thread, there's a compounding pharmacy locator feature on this site: www.iacprx.org . Calling a compounding pharmacist and asking which doctors use their services is a good way to find a doctor who is knowledgeable about prescribing hormones--not just compounded hormones. Also, it's important to note that not all doctors are good at all things. Many women find the doctor who performed their surgery isn't all that knowledgeable about prescribing hormones. Any Sister who is in that situation is free to find another doctor who can better meet her needs. This is an important area of our well being and sometimes it takes us being proactive and assertive to seek out the best doctor to help.

I wish you all well in your journey! There is hope and there is help out there.

s

I have experienced this situation over and over again! My husband wants to make love, my body is dried out and rejects him! He thinks I hate him, but I am so in love with him! I cry. I hurt. I wish I had kept my parts and kept bleeding. ANYTHING is better than feeling the way I do!