hysterectomy because of menopause issues

It seems like most of the posts I have read deal with fibroids, cancer or some other type of reason for having a hysterectomy. I was wondering if anyone here had one because of issues I have been dealing with.
I am 49, no children.
Having hot flashes for about a year now.
Migraines instead of periods for several months. Never had a migraine before.
No periods or migraines some months.
Now having both periods and migraines - sometimes for a period of 10 days.
Not sleeping well, just don't feel good, drained, cranky, no energy.
Dr suggested hysterectomy. I'm leaning towards having overies removed
Ideas, suggestions, advice

Have you looked into HRT? I think I'd go there before I'd go to hysterectomy but I'm not experiencing what you are experiencing so can't relate.

I concur. I would also tend to try hrt before surgery. It may be quite possible to find relief from your headaches and long periods without surgery. A hysterectomy is not always a cure for migraines, and if you have your ovaries removed, your situation may well worsen.

I would do ANYTHING to go back in time and keep both my ovaries or at least one of them! Ask your Dr what options you have and choose the hysterectomy as a last resort. This is only my opinion of course but I am afraid the symptoms of menopause without any ovaries at all might be worse for you. Surgical menopause tends to be more harsh than natural menopause.

If I could go back in time and live with stage IV endo again instead of all the mental and emotional turmoil that lack of hormones has brought upon me (not to mention the physical symptoms)....I would do it and I am even already on HRT which has been tweaked and adjusted and still doesn't feel quite right. It can be tricky to get the right dose.

Here's a little of what I have been experiencing since losing my ovaries and of course EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. You may not struggle in this way at all but as for me....

hairloss, bladder weakness (so frustrating), depression (never had it ever in my life until after this surgery), dizziness/unbalanced feeling and lower leg pain/cramps, etc.

I would suggest to try all other options first and save hysterectomy as a last resort. Hope you find something that works for you soon no matter what it is!

Hysterectomy for menopause symptoms sounds drastic to me. Surgical menopause can be very harsh compared to natural menopause and it doesn't seem right to do it to cure natural symptoms. I've read about women on this site that didn't have migraines until after a hyster. You need to have a long talk with your doc and maybe another doc for a second opinion.

I agree, HRT would be a much more logical option over hysterectomy. Don't let all the inaccurate media hype scare you too much. If your doc won't give you other options--get a second opinion. If the HRT doesn't work, you can try something else. If the hyster doesn't work, then what?

Hope you find the answers you need.

Hello! I'm new here, too. Obviously, you are the only one who can decide which choice is right for you, but I'd like to add my 2 cents.

I had a uterus-only hysterectomy two years ago due to severe dysmenorrhea and night sweats, after multiple transvaginal ultrasounds and blood tests to figure out what was causing the cramping and hemmoraging I was experiencing. Doc never tested my ovarian function and neither my ob-gyn nor my gp attributed my symptoms to perimenopause/menopause due to my age at that time (38). Didn't start HRT after this surgery since everyone assumed my ovaries were fully functioning. Continued to struggle with night sweats, which lead to sweating after showers, and exacerbated depression/anxiety, etc.

Fast forward two years, after a year of trying to find a suitable estrogen dose and increasing flashes/sweats and other fabulous symptoms, finally convinced my (new) doc to remove my ovaries. My thought process is it's a lot easier to figure out how much estrogen I need if my ovaries are eliminated, since they weren't producing consistent/sufficient amounts, anyway.

I am extremely thankful that I am finally reproductive-organ free (sorry!) and hot flash/night-sweat free. Just need to tweak what I'm taking a little more to address other symptoms that I've had for the past few years, not due to the hysterectomies.

Please keep us posted. The main problem I had with HRT prior to my ovary removal was knowing how much to take each day, which varied day-to-day since my ovaries weren't consistent. Hang in there!