There may come a time (if the moment hasn't arrived yet) that you have an embarassing moment. You sneeze and you feel a dribble down your leg. Or you laugh in the middle of a movie and you start to wonder how you might slip into your room to change your underwear.

Urinary incontinence, which is a loss of bladder control, is a common and often embarrassing problem following a hysterectomy (or following childbirth or after menopause).

The severity of urinary incontinence ranges from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to having an urge to urinate that's so sudden and strong you don't get to a toilet in time.

Some people experience occasional, minor dribbles or leaks of urine. Others wet their clothes frequently.

Stress incontinence is a common type of urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence occurs when the sphincter muscle of the bladder is weakened and results in a loss of urine when you exert pressure — stress — on your bladder by coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting something heavy.

If you have experienced incontinence and haven't discussed it with your doctor, now is the best time.

Call and make an appointment to discuss your concerns.

Helpful links from HysterSisters.com:

• Pelvic Floor
• Pelvic Floor Support Discussions
• Pelvic Floor Articles

Menopause can have some pretty uncomfortable symptoms. And, the symptoms of vaginal dryness—Itching, burning, and irritation in and around the vagina—could be the very definition of uncomfortable! Unfortunately, vaginal dryness and the discomfort that can come with it are common symptoms of menopause.

Vaginal dryness is one of the results of our bodies creating less estrogen. Along with dryness, vaginal atrophy—a narrowing and shortening of the vagina—can occur. Vaginal dryness and atrophy can get worse over time, so it’s important to talk with your doctor about a treatment. Bringing it up might seem uncomfortable but healthcare providers are no strangers to this topic.

If you need treatment for vaginal dryness and atrophy only, talk with your healthcare provider about whether you should try a different treatment or medicine without estrogen first.

Hot flashes and night sweats are definitely symptoms of menopause that can help you to assess whether you may need hormone replacement therapy. But did you know that experiencing chills and having cold hands and feet can also be symptoms to discuss with your doctor?

It could be your thyroid. Often, after a hysterectomy, the thyroid can seem to sputter around and not work properly. Being cold is a classic symptom of thyroid problems.

Sometimes a woman has this symptoms and talks to her doctor. After a blood test, the thyroid levels indicate they are "normal". While the levels may be normal based on someone's chart, it may not be normal for you.

It is, also, true that having too much estrogen can cause a woman to feel cold. When estrogen is high and the thyroid is low, sometimes lowering estrogen replacement can increase the thyroid.

Other symptoms of a thyroid that is not functioning properly: Feelings of fatigue. Weight changes. Depression and/or anxiety. Cholesterol issues.

We know of many women who take iodine therapy as a way of managing their lowered thyroid levels. Others are given a prescription for Armour or synthyroid. Even a very low dosage can be extremely beneficial to managing the symptoms of hypothyroid.

It can be a confusing balancing act understanding if your symptoms are related to menopause or your thyroid. Your best resource is your personal doctor to determine the best course of action to relieve your symptoms.

It's important to find a doctor who understands the careful balancing act of hormone therapy with thyroid therapy if you find yourself with cold hands instead of hot flashes.

Whether you are experiencing cold hands, hot flashes or leaking bladder, it is important that you take the time to write down your symptoms. Keeping a symptom diary can be a great help to document your daily challenges.

Keeping a calendar diary for tracking your symptoms, noting both the type of symptoms and the level of intensity is valuable to you and your doctor. It can also be helpful to mark other stressful activities or diet changes in your diary as stress can mask or disrupt menopausal symptoms.

Find a small calendar and keep it with you. Mark symptoms on your calendar along with an intensity score. (1 is very little and 10 is intolerable.)

When you visit your doctor, don't forget to take your calendar with you. You will then be able to provide particular details, including the number of days per month you suffer and the intensity level.

This is particularly helpful as you adjust dosages, treatments or therapy. The best way to partner with your doctor is to provide plenty of information to help with your diagnosis and treatment.

I had my hysterectomy November 16, 2009. Very seldom have I slept soundly throughout the night. My energy level and motivation is almost non-existant! My attitude is positive but honestly I prefer to putter around the house and not go to the office. I'm taking protein, vitamins and I continue to be so tired (due to lack of sleep). As I yawn while typing this message - I would like to know if this is normal?

Join the Discussion

More Discussions to join about insomnia:

Hot Flashes - Not Sleeping

Can I get some sleep please?

Post Op Meds and Insomnia anyone?

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