can some here tell me some of there stories about hysterectomies or ..

[butterfly77]

menopause. If you have gone through menopause or hysterectomy or do you have any women in your life who have and what did they experience as far as healing and other things related to this?

[scarletwoman]

1. At two months away from turning 57, I'm pretty much post-menopausal.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, I'm just not sure from your post what kind of information you're looking for.

I never saw menopause as a "health problem", it's just a transition into a different stage of womanhood. I acutely missed my monthly cycle in the early years -- menopause for me took place over a long period -- but I"ve come to see it as a doorway into another realm of being. I've accepted crossing that threshold. I'm still as much myself as I was as a pre-pubescent girl.

sw

[butterfly77]

7. For large fibroids and heavy bleeding....

is this a I think that I may be in peri menopause and I heard that they shrink. I believe that I am having hot flashes because I am sweating when no one else is and I seem to be hot when no one else is. What were your symptoms and what did you do. How did you know for sure did periods stop automatically or gradually.

[scarletwoman]

10. How old are you? My peri-menopausal symptoms started in my late 40s.

But I've heard that lots of women start earlier -- even in their mid-30s. It seems to be highly variable.

I'm sorry, I don't know anything about fibroids, so I can't be of any help in that regard. I'm sure there must be plenty of information online, just do a google (or other search engine) search.

As to the rest; my first indication of change was that my periods became irregular. Up until my mid/late 40s, my menstrual cycle was like clockwork -- about every 26-29 days, lasting for 4-5 days (except for my pregnancies, of course). Never any problems with excessive pain or heavy bleeding -- mild cramps in the first day or two, some breast tenderness/heaviness, a little "water weight" gain, and a bit of exaggerated emotionality -- but nothing debilitating.

At some point my cycle started becoming less predictable. I experienced both longer (6 weeks to 2 months or more) and shorter (2-3 weeks) times between cycles. Shorter periods of bleeding (2-3 days) and sometimes much longer periods of bleeding (up to 2-3 weeks). The amount of bleeding started varying widely as well -- sometimes much heavier than I ever had experienced before, and sometimes just day after day of intermittent light spotting.

Eventually came a time where I didn't have a period for over a year -- then I had a few more, many months apart -- usually just a day or 2 or 3 of spotting; and then finally no more ever again.

It was around that point that I first started experiencing anything like hot flashes or night sweats (around age 50 or 51). What I assumed to be hot flashes were usually fairly mild and of short duration, and for a long time I wasn't entirely sure that I was really having any. The night sweats were much more pronounced and went on for about 2-3 years. The night sweats ended about 2 years ago, and what little I had in the way of hot flashes seems to be over now, too.

So, I feel like I've passed through the doorway of menopause with very little drama. It occured to me relatively recently that I seem to be less generally "crabby" than I was for awhile -- less snappish with my co-workers, for example -- I seem to be experiencing a much greater degree of emotional equanimity in general than I had in the recent past.

I have a sister, 2 years younger than I, who is having MUCH more extreme hot flashes -- you can actually see her face turn bright red and beads of sweat break out. Obviously, the effects of menopause vary HUGELY from woman to woman.

I think the best advice is to dig in and do some research -- either get some books from your local public library (there are LOTS of books about menopause out there!) or poke around online. There's no shortage of information, and individual anecdotes (like from me) may be of limited value since there seem to be such vast differences in experience among women when it comes to menopause.

As for what I "did" during this time of transition; being something of an amateur herbalist, I took herbal supplements: Black Cohosh, Dong Quai (or Tan Kwai -- Chinese Angelica root) and Schizandra (or Schisandra -- another Chinese herb, also known as Wu Wei Zu). Whether these contributed to the relatively easy time I had with the "change of life", I cannot say. All I know is that going through menopause was not particularily traumatic or difficult for me -- and I never once considered "hormone replacement therapy".

But every woman is different...

sw

[butterfly77]

11. You explained that very well...

now I see that I may be in for some unpredictable circumstances when I begin to have periods that I can't predict.

[demigoddess]

2. I went through easy as pie, as most (75%) of women do, but you should

keep one thing in mind. Menopause is the equivalent of puberty, hormones go up, way up for a while and that leaves you feeling and acting a lot like a teenager. Puberty is not something we medicate. Also hysterctomy has been over done by doctors who do not understand women's bodies or minds. It really is something that should only be done to save your life. Too many bad effects afterward and doctors who then say , "gee, you just don't know anything".
Male chauvinism has too much influence on menopause and hysterctomy.

[butterfly77]

8. Are you talking about menopause or hysterectomy....

I don't really want to do the hysterectomy thing, what are the bad effects afterward.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. I had a partial hysterectomy a few years ago.

but they left the ovaries, so my hormone levels didn't change.

It's the way to go if you are having surgery for cervical cancer.

[Penndems]

4. Hysterectomy here - had it in August 2001

Still have my ovaries. Wish I could say it worked out well, but it didn't.

My weight shot up fifty pounds. Went from a Size 12 to a Size 14-16, which made me very depressed. No amount of exercising or dieting brought me back to my post-hysterectomy levels.

There are times when I find myself getting irritable for no reason at all. I also developed hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure.

Didn't have these problems prior to my surgery. :(

[butterfly77]

9. I heard about the weight gain ....

what do you think causes it?

[enlightenment]

5. Post hysterectomy here -- 20 years ago.

Damage after childbirth made it a necessity (after trying alternative therapies for six years). I was 28 and suffered no ill effects. They took it vaginally, so no external incision, either, and I kept my ovaries. I guess I was more than ready for the surgery, for it never impacted me emotionally in any negative way.

I'm menopausal now; for the last 3 years or so; not uncommon in my family, so I don't consider it really early onset. It's not really problematic, except for hot flashes (a euphemism for "nuclear meltdown":evilgrin: ) and ZITS -- pimples, for pete's sake! I don't consider it a medical issue, so I don't medicate although I'm told that hormone therapy is actually safer for women who aren't lugging around a uterus, since they don't have to take the progesterone that is tied to some cancer's. Check on that, though -- I really haven't done much research in the area.

[karmaqueen]

6. I had one years ago

For me it was one of the happiest days of my life. I know that sounds strange but my periods were awful. I had severe endimetros and was sick all of the time, I would pass out from the pain and had headaches constantly. My doctor came in my room and said he was sorry that he had to take my ovaries and I told him not to worry that I will be fine and I was! It made such a difference in my life for the better. Once I was healed which did not take long I felt like a new person. My mood swings were gone as well, I have no idea how my husband put up with me, I was mean & moody before the surgery. I have accomplished so much more in my life now that I feel so healthy. I never gained weight and never lost my sex drive. The diseased parts of my female anatomy didn't make me who I am. I am so glad they are gone, for some people it can be a good thing. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

[kma3346]

12. Same here

I had problems all through my life related to my periods (endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis)--terrible pain, excessive bleeding, feeling faint and weak, etc.,etc. Finally, I had everything (uterus, ovaries, and cervix) removed about four years ago. The surgery went well. There was a period of pain and needing to take it easy afterwards. I think I was in pain for about a week and then took it easy for about six weeks. I went on the Vivelle patch and have felt great ever since. I wish I had done it 20 years ago! It's one of the best things I've ever done.

[astral]

13. Who else has had fibroids and seen them shrink

after menopause? There is very little out there about making large fibroids go away without surgery or the newfangled chemical drugs that supposedly make them just slowly dissolve away.

If the reason for considering a hysterectomy is fibroids, it is a hard decision. I opted not to do it back in 1995 but now I look pregnant they have gotten so big, and since I am not otherwise overweight it really shows. I get perfect strangers happily coming up to me and asking when my baby's due. (Well, I am glad it's **NOT** a baby!) I just tell them matter of factly I'm not pregnant I have fibroids and life goes on. But it is a pretty serious side effect of opting not to have surgery!

I'm not sorry about my decision but i never dreamed they would get this big. I have heard stories online that fasting and cleansing internally can make them shrink and am trying to get myself to give it a try after all it would be good for me even if it doesn't work.

I understand if you wait it out til menopause they will shrink away. 100% of the time? Dang, I sure hope so!