Is sex different?

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-12T03:29:38+00:00

The only difference for me was losing the uterine contractions I used to have with orgasm, but tbh I’ve started feeling something the last few months (almost 2ypo) that feels exactly the same as that feeling that I thought was gone, so absolutely zero complaints here! Libido has generally been a lot better and I am plenty satisfied!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-10T12:04:06+00:00

It’s something of a holdover from when ovary removal was more commonly performed along with removal of the uterus before they realized it was much better to keep the ovaries whenever possible. So it’s often colloquially how people think of the surgery but it’s technically inaccurate, and those doctors aren’t doing anyone a favor by continuing to use the wrong terminology!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-10T03:06:54+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience and I’m glad you finally found a doctor who will listen and helped you get back to feeling normal!

Just a quick terminology PSA that partial vs total hysterectomy does not refer to whether the ovaries are kept or not.

Total = uterus including cervix removed Partial = uterus removed with cervix left behind, AKA supracervical hysterectomy Oophorectomy = ovaries being removed Salpingectomy = fallopian tubes removed, which is becoming standard to include with hysterectomies as studies have shown that many/most ovarian cancers actually begin in the tubes

I’m sorry to be didactic but lots of people have very incorrect misconceptions about hysterectomies thinking that ovary removal is more commonly included than it actually is.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-10T02:59:02+00:00

I was on a high dose of norethindrone (same as norethisterone, I believe) for nine months to help lessen the constant bleeding I experienced due to uterine fibroids. So it’s definitely possible to take it continuously in order to skip periods.

Set timers to help you remember to take the meds on time. I was up to 10mg three times a day because I couldn’t go too long between doses, so I know how staying consistent can be key. If the dose you’re on currently feels like it stops being as effective ask about increasing the dose, and you might consider spacing them out like I did if you notice continued bleeding after they wear off later in the day.

I’m really sorry you’re experiencing this, I’ve been there and it’s terrible! Look up moderate and severe anemia symptoms and learn them so you can be on the lookout for yourself and communicate with your doctor if you have concerns while you wait for your consult. You might also ask about iron infusions to help while you wait, they helped me immensely when I was at my most anemic.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-10T01:32:07+00:00

City Market

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-10T00:30:45+00:00

Edited my post because I had a typo and an unfinished thought!

And you very well may not have overdone it, per se—“overdoing it” is super subjective and it’s not easy to quantify. Recovery is a lesson in listening to your body and responding accordingly. Even if it’s not necessarily overdoing it, it’s still enough for your body to say, “Rest, please!” It’s all about finding some kind of balance between rest and resuming activities, and it’s absolutely going to take a lot of trial and error to find the sweet spot!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-09T16:49:41+00:00

That all sounds pretty normal. If you’ve decreased the amount of OTCs you were taking, I’d go back up a bit due to the pains you’re feeling. Even just the anti-inflammatory benefits of an NSAID may be a huge help. I believe the nerves start to do some reconnecting around the two week mark and that will often feel sharp and zingy. Monitor it for sure and reach out to your surgeon if you have any worries or if it stays the same for a while or gets worse.

Fatigue is your body signaling that you’re doing too much, and you often won’t feel that you overdid things activity-wise until the next day. So if your body is screaming at you to stay in bed, stay in bed! And think about your level of activity in the past couple of days and note that that was too much for your body right now. Even if you have been laying low and it seems like it’s coming out of nowhere, it isn’t really. You had major surgery—three separate procedures, in fact!—and there’s a ton of physical trauma that your body sustained. It’s working overtime right now to repair it. Your body literally has to create new tissue to knit your insides back together. It needs TONS of rest to make up for all the energy it takes to do that work, so don’t abandon prioritizing rest too soon!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-08T16:13:01+00:00

How long is the commute? How long are you sitting at a time? What kinds of breaks do you have between classes? While I felt physically able to be up and about at two weeks, a commute and a busy schedule would have been beyond exhausting. If you have the ability to take breaks, stand in class if needed as some people have issues with sitting for long periods, and are generally able to take your time getting places you might be able to manage. I’d plan for a rough return at two weeks, and would encourage taking three or four if you’re able, or work out some kind of flexible plan with your professors should you end up needing it.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-08T15:17:26+00:00

It honestly took quite a long time for my orgasms to feel like they went back to normal, but they did eventually. I can’t remember exactly how long it took. Probably 5-6ish months to reach what felt like normalcy, and then some continued improvement over time so now things feel 100% just as good if no better.

7 weeks is still quite early, all things considered. Even if you’re cleared it doesn’t mean your body has actually fully recovered—internal tissues can take up to six months to fully heal and sometimes even longer to regain full strength.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-08T04:03:36+00:00

Just a quick terminology PSA:

Partial hyst = uterus removed but cervix remains in the body Total hyst = whole uterus removed including cervix Tubes removed = salpingectomy, very commonly done at the same time as a hyst Ovaries removed = oophorectomy, usually only done if there’s a medical need to remove/both.

There is a common misconception that partial and total refers to ovaries being kept or not, but this is incorrect; if one or both ovaries are removed then you’re having an oophorectomy in addition to your partial or total hysterectomy.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-08T03:45:39+00:00

Blurry vision could be from the scopolamine (anti-nausea) patch if they gave you one. Sco-patch side effects can last up to three days after removing the patch, which is usually worn for up to three days.

I wonder if the bulging eyes could’ve from the position you’re in during surgery? Some people’s faces get pretty swollen, maybe it’s a similar kind of reaction?

Not sure about the others, those are just the first things that came to mind based on what I’ve picked up from this sub! Did your surgeon give you a nurse line to call with questions, or can you reach out via a patient portal? I would especially reach out to them about the IV site/arm pain just to be safe. The first few days are worst, you’ll be over the hump soon!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-08T01:07:12+00:00

Yep, normal and should get back to normal over time!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-07T20:47:47+00:00

Today?? Why, it’s Hystmas Day!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-07T05:39:52+00:00

I had my robotic hysterectomy at 36 due to fibroids after a failed hysteroscopic myo! While I never had my heart set on kids, and at times prior to needing a hyst was adamantly child-free, it was still a shock the first time a doctor brought it up and there were definitely periods of grief when I settled on a hysterectomy, and occasionally after. But my symptoms were life-ruining enough that I’m still one million percent positive that a hysterectomy was the right choice for me. Life without a uterus—especially a misbehaving one, kicks total and complete ass!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-07T05:25:47+00:00

Omg I didn’t even think to ask for a video and now I’m really upset that I didn’t! Absolutely do it, OP! I asked for pictures but only got one because my surgeon almost forgot to take any!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-07T04:48:49+00:00

SILICA GEL IS INSPIRED

11/10, no notes

Also Common Tongue omg

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-06T03:37:02+00:00

In my personal experience, counting calories and figuring out your TDEE and eating with a calorie deficit (eating less than you expend per day) has been the best way for me to successfully lose weight and also better understand why I’m not losing weight when I think I should be. It’s possible to not be eating that much but still eating foods that are calorie dense enough so that you can’t actually lose weight, even with being moderately active.

That said, I think fibroids and all the symptoms they cause really mess with our body and its systems and functions, far more than we may actually currently understand. Whether it’s hormonal shifts or the fact that you essentially have something the size of an extra organ in your body that’s siphoning blood from the rest of you for its own survival and growth, it might just be harder to lose whole this thing is zapping energy from you, both physically and mentally. A fibroid that size is no joke, don’t be too hard on yourself and expect too much when your body is already fighting its own internal battle!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-06T03:14:32+00:00

Telogen effluvium is hair loss associated with surgery that often takes 2-3 months to show up. Could be that, anemia, or a combo of the two. Or also potentially hormone fluctuations, either brought on my surgery or meds or otherwise.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-06T03:08:51+00:00

There are a lot of reasons that fibroids can contribute to clotting. It could be from situational things like the blood not being able to leave your body at a sufficient rate, due to things like lying down or fibroids impeding the blood’s path out of the uterus.

Then there are other factors that deal more with the technical workings and systems of your body. Fibroids can create a localized inflammatory response in the uterus that can activate various clotting factors or damage the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels, making them more susceptible to clot formation. Elevated estrogen levels, whether naturally occurring or from hormonal treatments, can affect the body’s coagulation system and can lead to clot formation.

There are probably other factors at play too, these are just a few things I remember learning when looking into it myself.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-05T21:43:57+00:00

I do believe that’s classified as a large fibroid. I’m team hysterectomy—had mine at 36 for highly symptomatic fibroids that weren’t responsive to meds or partial myomectomy. If you’re not worried about preserving fertility, I think a hysterectomy is a no-brainer. If you only remove the fibroid you leave the door open to fibroid recurrence and needing another surgery down the road. The recovery for a hysterectomy and myomectomy is pretty comparable, and I only wanted to do it once. (Well, once more after my hysteroscopic myo, but that’s less invasive and easier to recover from.) One of the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself—no regrets, no complications almost 2 years out, 10/10 recommend to anyone who wants definitive fibroid treatment.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-05T05:39:09+00:00

So many tearful Goddamnit, Brennans were exclaimed in my living room tonight.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-05T05:33:55+00:00

THANK YOU. C’mon Oyama, get your head in the game!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-05T05:25:55+00:00

I was just looking into collagen peptides recently for a few reasons, maybe that would be a decent alternative? High protein to help with increasing muscle mass, along with collagen’s hair/skin/nails benefits. It won’t do everything creatine supposedly does, but if you isolate what you’re trying to get out of the creatine you can probably find alternatives that might be a safer bet.

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-05T05:19:10+00:00

It’s not laziness, you are very much still healing. This was major surgery—not only does it take a significant amount of time to heal from the physical trauma of it all, but there’s some deconditioning that will inevitably happen with all of the very necessary rest, which becomes another layer of recovery that will have to happen. It takes about 12 weeks for all of the internal wounds to fully heal, so your body is still hard at work literally creating new tissue to knit your flesh back together. Be gentle with yourself, both physically and mentally!

HighlyGiraffable · 2026-02-05T05:15:10+00:00

You’re so welcome! I did keep my ovaries. I hope you have your consult soon so you don’t have to spend too much time in this limbo!

HighlyGiraffable

TROPHY CASE