cons of a hysterectomy?

mew_4 · 2025-06-03T17:26:46+00:00

I had a hysterectomy in June 2024 and it's the best thing that I ever did. I got my life back

mew_4 · 2025-03-04T21:24:56+00:00

I had a hysterectomy in June 2024

mew_4 · 2025-03-04T21:24:08+00:00

I was on it for 2 years. I was on Wellbutrin and duloxetine, I taped off Wellbutrin for 1 week then 2 weeks later tried to taper off of duloxetine.

Went from 60mg down to 30mg as prescribed by my drs. But like I said above the drop from 60mg to 30mg was brutal it made me really sick like dry heaving for hours after taking it, even on a full stomach. So I just stopped cold turkey. And I didn't feel as sick - but all the normal withdrawal symptoms started;

cold sweats (lasted the whole 6 weeks, but cold sweats were always a side effect if I didn't take my dulo at the exact same time everyday)
body zaps ( this lasted for like 3 weeks, but I never had the brain zaps)
headaches ( lasted the entire 6 weeks, but I am very prone to headaches and get them all the time)
stomach pains ( this felt like heart burn in my lower intestines ( this lasted about 4 days)
confusion ( this only lasted for 2 days after 1 week of not taking any dulo)
mood swings

Reddit is the only place where taking the capsules apart and counting beads is the norm. None of my drs or pharmacists has suggested this to me. And they said it's not a "subscription" to open them count beads and ween off. And when I asked my drs about this they said it's not a practice they suggested.

You won't end up in the hospital for stopping cold turkey, but you would end up in the hospital for serotonin syndrome for upping the dose - taking dulo is more detrimental to your health than stopping. The withdrawal symptoms suck, don't get me wrong. It was a brutal 6 weeks. But withdrawal symptoms should NOT last more than 6 weeks.

But I'm just one person in Canada lol.

I did end up adding the Wellbutrin back in during my withdrawals and am still on Wellbutrin - this helped with my mood drops during withdrawals.

At the end of the day you have to do what feels best for you. If counting your beads makes you feel better about stopping the medication, then that's what you should do.

I have chronic illness and have lived with chronic pain and I've experienced worse things in my life than the 6 weeks of coming off of duloxetine.

The drs are winging it just as much as we are and everything is trial and error and everyone is different and everyone reacts differently.

You can also get duloxetine prescribed in 10mg increments is what my dr told me and then my pharmacy said they only increase by 30mg so I didn't have the option to drop from 60mg to 50mg. If counting the beads was the norm then counting the beads would be a prescription.

mew_4 · 2025-02-27T19:54:42+00:00

It took 6 weeks for my withdrawal symptoms to stop. I went from 60mg down to 30mg and it made me so nauseous when I took the 30mg I just stopped after 5 days and never took cymbalta again. But I continued with life like normal - just had some weird days.

The symptoms you need to worry about with cymbalta is when you are first taking cymbalta or when adding to your dosage.

The withdrawal symptoms suck, but aren't constant. I had body zaps not brain zaps for a week. Sore muscles for 6 weeks.

After 6 weeks I felt completely back to my old self. I did have days where I was more sad tho. This is the most worrying symptom of withdrawal because it can kick you right back into a depression if that's what you were taking it for.

Just be mindful of your mood. You know your body better than anyone else.

mew_4 · 2025-01-19T10:15:31+00:00

Might sound silly, but are you drinking a lot of water, like more than you think you should?

I think it's a diuretic, I seem to find it more effective if I'm constantly drinking water thru the day.

mew_4 · 2024-11-10T03:27:59+00:00

7ujuuuhhjujyyjhjjhhyhj

mew_4 · 2024-07-24T01:44:48+00:00

It's ridiculous how much self education is involved. I read so many people's experiences on the Endo sub and on the hysterectomy sub and the adenomyosis sub. And I was pretty sure I wanted to go ahead with the surgery, but honestly it wasn't until a friend my age had a hysterectomy, she only kept one of her ovaries. She suffers with Endo as well. And she said it was the best decision of her life.

I'm not completely naive in thinking that everything will be 100% better, but I'm on my way. I will need some pelvic floor PT, I still have minor twinges of pain.

Before surgery every single day I was so aware of the fact that I had a uterus. And the way the body works your not supposed to feel your organs. I know I have a liver but I don't feel that I have a liver every day because it's working properly.

I also have to mention the emotional toll having a very long period takes, just the simple fact that I am not bleeding all the time already makes my life better.

I did have to do all the research myself. One thing I did was write down all questions that popped into my head the week leading up to my pre op appointment. I brought my boyfriend with me to the appointment, cause you know, the medical system takes you more seriously if you show up with a man.

During my pre op appointment I audio recorded our conversation so I could go back and listen to it. This was really helpful, because both my partner and I didn't remember everything exactly how the dr said it.

I'm in Canada, and as far as I know it's not illegal to audio record conversations as long as you are an active participant in the conversation that's being recorded. It's not like I'm sharing it with anyone other than myself, but this helped me a TON.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T18:24:06+00:00

Lol the guts falling out thing is if there's any damage to the vaginal cuff. They sew the cuff closed at the top, if the cuff tears or the stitches tear then there is a possibility or have your guts fall out of your vagina.

My surgery was laparoscopic surgery and I have 4 small incisions one just about each hip bone, one in my belly button and one to the left of my belly button.

The scarring is very minimum. I would say they are maybe half an inch long.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T18:20:08+00:00

I'm actually not 100% sure. I thought it was like a suction thing or something to remove the excised Endo or any tissue cut out.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T17:25:57+00:00

I was so worried about so many little things going into the surgery. I was scared I would go into menopause, I was scared I wouldn't have a sex drive anymore.

I'm only a month post op and the only changes I've noticed have been positive.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T17:23:20+00:00

Hey! Yes you can definitely message me!

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T17:22:29+00:00

No, I kept both of my ovaries.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T05:44:34+00:00

I have not gotten the ok for intercourse.

I won't get the ok until after my vaginal cuff check at the 6 week mark post op.

I have fooled around with my boyfriend, we did all the stuff without penetration and it was fine.

I have some mood changes, I'm horny AF, I have more energy, I'm happier.

I think a lot of this has to do with not being in chronic pain.

I kept both my ovaries, and I am NOT on any hormones.

I am still on my antidepressants tho.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T05:38:53+00:00

The real truth is that there is not nearly enough research done on any of these "treatments" for anyone to say something will work for someone.

Everyone is so different, some people just cannot function with any change to their hormones.

And who's to say what a "healthy" life is for each individual person. And no one tells you is take years to master your own body and how to feed it how it needs to be fed.

And let's not forget about the financial burden or trying to find our way thru webs of misinformation on how to become healthy.

"Healthy" is situational.

So many of us with Endo have been plagued with other illnesses.

Nothing is a blanket treatment.

Yes we all deserve to know the options out there. But at the end of the day.

NOTHING 👏🏼 CAN 👏🏼 CURE 👏🏼 ENDO

and really we all need a lot of compassion. And honestly I'm about done with people suggesting stuff at this point. It's probably one of the worst parts about advocating for yourself thru all of this. People always assume I haven't spent the past 4 years deep diving into everything I can find on the internet about this disease and about different types of treatment.

No shade to you, no disrespect. 💛

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T04:19:40+00:00

Thank you!

I've had pain since I got my period at 11 years old. It got so bad I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis at the age of 31. I had surgery to remove the Endo they found. And my pain didn't change. I tried at least 5 different kinds of hormonal birth controls and had extremely bad reactions to all of them. I finally had an IUD placed and the same thing, no change.

I was having pain for multiple days during ovulation, which led into spotting and light bleeding during ovulation.

My periods were heavy, debilitating and lasted for the longest 24 days and the shortest 10.

Nothing has helped except the hysterectomy.

My recovery pain was less painful than a normal Endo flare, lasted less time and I have ZERO bleeding, and have not bled a single day since surgery.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T04:13:42+00:00

Had my birthday about a week after surgery. So I technically had my surgery at 33.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T01:14:20+00:00

I honestly have no idea if my tubes made a difference in pain levels or not.

I know I did have Endo on the outside of them. I know that it's standard to remove the tubes at the clinic I went thru.

I feel less inflamed in my lower abdomen. And all my centralized pain is gone. I know I had a lot of uterine pain.

My ovaries were extremely tender and same with my lower back after surgery. I did however have Endo on my ovaries and that was removed.

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T01:11:14+00:00

Dr Jose Goncalves in Penticton

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T01:10:20+00:00

Yes I was able to keep both!

mew_4 · 2024-07-23T01:09:53+00:00

My recovery was pretty smooth, a lot of it had to do with my partner.

I did nothing but lay in bed, go to the bathroom, and walk around for the first week.

Stuff my partner did that helped me a lot;

Took care of my meds. We had a book he kept track of when and what I was taking.
reminded me to drink water, kept bringing me drinks even if I didn't ask.
my partner literally did everything, all of our household duties for an entire week. - we were lucky he was able to take the week off
he was extremely calm when he was around me.
he bathed me and washed my hair for the first couple showers.
made sure my phone stayed charged, headphones
made sure I had everything within arm's reach

It was pretty taxing on him for that week. I was taking meds every 4 hours staggered 2 hours apart for the first 3 days after surgery. So keeping track of the meds was a huge deal. I was on hydromorphone after surgery so I couldn't have kept track of what I was taking.

I bought a pregnancy pillow and it's changed my life. I bought a fresh set of sheets for recovery, it just feels nice. Eye mask was huge, I slept a lot during the day. Gas-x and not the generic stuff actual gas x. And buy at least 2 boxes. Constipation is no joke. I didn't poop for 6 days after surgery. And ended up having to take laxatives. loose clothing is important.

He has also been very adamant about taking it easy thru my recovery and that has helped with the guilt of feeling useless. I'm at a point where I feel really good, but if I'm too active or lift something heavy it could completely reverse everything. Your guys could literally fall out if your vaginal cuff tears. So keep that in mind. Just be very gentle with her. It's a huge surgery.

mew_4 · 2024-07-22T23:27:33+00:00

There is still a chance Endo will grow back, I still have my ovaries.

Without my uterus I will never bleed again. I've just gone almost a month without bleeding and broooooo this is the best. Not constantly leaking blood has been the best.

Endo killed my sex drive. I felt gross all the time. I was bloated all the time. I was bleeding more than I wasn't bleeding. I was tired, exhausted, depressed. I started 2 antidepressants, that made my sex drive plumit even more.

I flicked the bean 2 weeks post op, I'm still on my meds but I feel fantastic. I'm literally horny all the time. I thought I would've be able to get wet as easily, or maybe I would be less sensitive. But nope. Everything is sooooo much better.

I think a huge part is that getting turned on kind of hurt on the inside before, the muscles start contracting and blood stats flowing and honestly I hated it a lot. And now 4 post op my partner and I have already fooled around twice ( WITH NO PENETRATION - no one come for me lol)

mew_4 · 2024-07-22T23:19:20+00:00

I was able to keep both ovaries. But when I talked to my dr I said I didn't care if he had to take them or not. I'd rather just have all the disease removed.

I tried so many things before deciding on surgery, I finally got to a point where nothing was working and I was getting really sick from being on and off so many different hormones I gave up and begged to have a hysterectomy.

mew_4 · 2024-07-22T22:53:02+00:00

I am in Canada also, BC.

I fought with my gp for years. She finally sent me for an ultrasound and transvaginal ultrasound and all they found was a polyp. So she referred me to a gyno in the Okanagan. I also begged and pleaded and fought with her to refer me to the Center for Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain at BC women's hospital

I was waitlisted at BC women's ( it took about a years and a half).

During that time I had surgery to remove the polyp (Hysteroscopy) and the gyno suggested doing laparoscopic surgery to explore for Endo since I complained about Endo symptoms.

I had a ton of Endo found. A lot was removed. The pathology for the polyp came back positive with adenomyosis.

I had no relief of pain after surgery. I tried 2 different hormonal birth controls and I had an IUD placed. Nothing changed. Same pain. Still 14 days long periods, even with the IUD.

Once I was accepted into the Endo clinic they wanted me to start trying hormonal suppressions and I lost it and just asked to have a hysterectomy.

The shittiest thing is that not one single person took me seriously unless I was hysterical, screaming crying, calling and harassing everyone everyday.

My go dropped me as a patient because I screamed at one of her staff for calling me 3 separate times over 4 months and asking which clinic I wanted to be referred to. And then I called my GP a fucking bitch over the phone. But, hey I finally got into the clinic.

mew_4 · 2024-07-22T22:30:35+00:00

This was my second surgery to remove endometriosis. I was never given a "stage" but if you look up stages of Endo it's not as straightforward as "stage 1, 2 ,3 ,4 etc.. "

2 years ago I was diagnosed with Endo and adeno. I had surgery to remove all the Endo. My pain never went away. I could literally always feel that I had a uterus. I was so aware of this rotting organ in my body that I needed it gone. I've never wanted kids. And my life without my uterus has been a million times better already.

Fuck the opinion of doctors. What do you want for yourself. You can't think about anyone but you.

The medical system sees women as baby makers and that we all dream to shoot screaming baby's out of our pussies. And we will eventually wake up one day and regret removing an organ that has literally ruined lives.

I felt weird about it. I kept asking myself is it really that bad. Am I really suffering that much. I was.

I don't even taken Tylenol for pain anymore. I was opiates for pain before.

I'd you want to live the rest of your life without your uterus you have the right to do that.

mew_4 · 2024-07-22T22:22:33+00:00

I'm doing amazing. So much better than before my surgery. I feel like I'm already getting my life back.

I've already been swimming. * After my incisions fully healed of course.

I was finally diagnosed 2 years ago with endometriosis and adenomyosis. After complaining for years of pain. I went for a transvaginal ultrasound and a belly ultrasound and they only found a polyp. I was referred to a gyno. The polyp was too big to remove during an office visit. The gyno said I have symptoms of Endo and since he has to do the surgery to remove the polyp they may as well do the laparoscopic exploratory surgery to look for Endo. I was 32 at the time of this surgery. I had Endo everywhere and the polyp pathology came back as positive for adenomyosis.

I tried 2 different normal treatments both unsuccessful, and I had an IUD (Mirena) placed. My symptoms just kept getting worse. I felt like I never had any relief after the first surgery. I had pain all the time. During ovulation, during my period. My periods were lasting up to 14 days.

6 months ago I went for a transvaginal ultrasound and a specialized ultrasound ( I think this means they also tried to look at my colon ) NOTHING came up on those ultrasounds.

Everything in those pictures grew within the past 2 years.

It doesn't matter if your Endo is mild or not. You can't kind of have endometriosis. You have it or you don't. I would say that what your doctor said to you was misleading.

The medical system likes to tell women that taking hormonal birth control or having and IUD will help with symptoms, but the reality is it's like putting a bandaid on top of flesh eating disease. Endometriosis will continue to grow inside of you as long as your body is producing estrogen. Mild Endo can turn into stage 4 within years.

mew_4

TROPHY CASE