Surgical Menapause

Does anyone know if the worst menapause symptoms are at the beginning of our hysterctomy? Does it lesson with time and age? I am 47 years old and am just wondering.
Thank you!

well, I'm 45 ...and about 3 weeks after surgery...wow..i was in full blown menapause.....and at 6 week check up doc put me on premarin..i do good with it..no hot flashes so far...but no one is the same..so, good luck to you and hugs

HI, I think it varies. I am 38 and had the hot flashes, night sweats and extreme mood swings after first two weeks of surgery. I'm not on premarin which has helped me tremendously.

Hi tessiteach - I can tell you about my experience so far. I did not have symptoms of menopause before the surgery, although I had one "cold flash" while sleeping one night and was absolutely chilled to the bone, so I don't know if that counts. Since the hyst, I have not had any symptoms and am not taking ERT. The dr gave me samples and an RX to fill if I find I need them. She told me I might not because body fat produces estrogen. I've been waiting for it to happen and so far so good. From what I've read, others have not been so lucky. Hopefully they will post so you can get a balanced picture of the possibilities.

I went two weeks after surgery before I got some menopausal symptoms. I used over the counter things for awhile. At 11 weeks 6 days I couldn't do it any more. I had insomnia every night, the hot flashes, night sweats had gotten worse, and I started feeling really depressed.

I started using a estrogen patch and within a few hours I felt like my self again.

All of us are different so I guess it is a wait and see game.

Best of luck.

Just thought I would pipe in and tell you my experience so far. I started having hot flashes about 2 days after my surgery. I also had headaches and trouble sleeping. I could fall asleep but wouldn't stay that way for long. I had a DVT last year, and although my coagulation studies were negative, and my Dr's said I could use HRT, I really didn't want to. So I had raging hot flashes for the first 2 solid months. At my 2 week check up they did blood work and my estrogen was less then 10 and my FSH was around 33, indicating permanent menopause. HE wanted me to wait 6 weeks from then and let him know how things were going. Well at the 6 week mark things were probably worse in the hot flash and sleep category, but the headaches had diminished. I ended up grinding through because I had made the decision to not use HRT unless my back was to the wall. I tried using Estroven and didn't notice any improvement. About the 2nd week of July I noticed that I hadn't had a flash that day. I was having about 20 plus a day at its worst. So far they have not returned at a miserable level, but I do get a wanna be flash from time to time. I also would get very cold. I could be teeth chattering, pile on the blankets even though it is 95 degrees out, freezing cold, and in an instant be flinging everything off and sweating profusely. I don't know if I have had a miracle awakening of my little leftie, or my body has adjusted. Frankly I don't care which it is as I am so happy to have Made it through the "storm" so to speak. I also don't know if this is temporary, or not. Oh my sleep seems to be back to normal too.
Hang in there, and know there are options out there for you. You just have to figure out what is right for you. My Dr. had told me it could take 6 months for symptoms to subside, or years, it can vary greatly and there is no way to predict how you will react.
I hope you can find some relief soon.

I am trying this drug free and managing.

Slept very well the first week, then the insomnia hit. Started getting better at week 8, but still room for improvement.

The hot flashes started at 2 1/2 weeks and they got better at week 8, as well. Still experiencing them, but not as many.

That is about all I had - no mood swings etc.

All the best to you in getting thru this part.

I had some hot flashed in the hospital, and maybe 1 a day now, usually in the morning when I first wake up. No mood swings that I've noticed. My doctor said no to hormones and taking 1,500mg of calcium/day and lifting weights, trying for 3x's per week.

Hi!

I was 33 when I was put into surgical menopause. It really hasn't been bad. I have had only a handful of hotflashes. The insomnia was bad but got better once I went back to work.

I am a little more emotional but not by much. I do lose my temper a little more than usual though but nothing major.

Hope that helps

One suggestion for the ladies that are having night sweats. The chillow works great for them. That was my god send after week two and I still use it now.