What Happens to Your Body After a Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy is a surgery to remove a woman'southward uterus (besides known as the womb). The uterus is where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. During the surgery the whole uterus is unremarkably removed. Your doctor may also remove your fallopian tubes and ovaries. Later on a hysterectomy, y'all no longer have menstrual periods and cannot go pregnant.
What happens during a hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is a surgery to remove a woman's uterus (her womb). The whole uterus is usually removed. Your doctor also may remove your fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Talk to your doctor before your surgery to discuss your options. For instance, if both ovaries are removed, you lot volition accept symptoms of menopause. Ask your doctor nearly the risks and benefits of removing your ovaries. You may also exist able to try an culling to hysterectomy, such equally medicine or another type of treatment, commencement.
Why would I need a hysterectomy?
You may demand a hysterectomy if you have one of the following:ane
- Uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths in the wall of the uterus. In some women they cause pain or heavy bleeding.
- Heavy or unusual vaginal bleeding. Changes in hormone levels, infection, cancer, or fibroids can crusade heavy, prolonged bleeding.
- Uterine prolapse. This is when the uterus slips from its usual place down into the vagina. This is more mutual in women who had several vaginal births, but it can also happen after menopause or considering of obesity. Prolapse can lead to urinary and bowel problems and pelvic pressure.
- Endometriosis. Endometriosis happens when the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus on the ovaries where it doesn't belong. This can cause severe pain and haemorrhage between periods.
- Adenomyosis. In this condition the tissue that lines the uterus grows inside the walls of the uterus where it doesn't belong. The uterine walls thicken and cause severe hurting and heavy bleeding.
- Cancer (or precancer) of the uterus, ovary, cervix, or endometrium (the lining of the uterus). Hysterectomy may exist the best option if you take cancer in ane of these areas. Other treatment options may include chemotherapy and radiations. Your dr. will talk with y'all virtually the type of cancer you have and how avant-garde information technology is. Learn more near treatment options for these cancers at the National Cancer Constitute.
Go along in listen that there may be alternative ways to care for your wellness problem without having a hysterectomy. Hysterectomy is a major surgery. Talk with your doctor about all of your treatment options.
What are some alternatives to hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is major surgery. Sometimes a hysterectomy may be medically necessary, such as with prolonged heavy bleeding or certain types of cancer. But sometimes y'all tin can endeavor other treatments first. These include:
- Watchful waiting. You and your dr. may wish to expect if you accept uterine fibroids, which tend to shrink afterward menopause.
- Exercises. For uterine prolapse, y'all can try Kegel exercises (squeezing the pelvic flooring muscles). Kegel exercises help restore tone to the muscles holding the uterus in place.
- Medicine. Your dr. may give yous medicine to assist with endometriosis. Over-the-counter pain medicines taken during your flow also may help with hurting and haemorrhage. Hormonal nascency control, such as the pill, shot, or vaginal ring, or a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) may assistance with irregular or heavy vaginal bleeding or periods that last longer than usual.
- Vaginal pessary (for uterine prolapse). A pessary is a prophylactic or plastic donut-shaped object, similar to a diaphragm used for birth control. The pessary is inserted into the vagina to hold the uterus in place. Uterine prolapse happens when the uterus drops or "falls out" considering it loses support after childbirth or pelvic surgery.
- Surgery. You lot and your doctor may cull to try a surgery that involves smaller or fewer cuts than hysterectomy. The smaller cuts may assist you heal faster with less scarring. Depending on your symptoms, these options may include:
- Surgery to treat endometriosis. Laparoscopic surgery uses a thin, lighted tube with a small camera. The doctor puts the photographic camera and surgery tools into your pelvic area through very small cuts. This surgery tin remove scar tissue or growths from endometriosis without harming the surrounding healthy organs such as ovaries. You lot may nonetheless get pregnant after this surgery.
- Surgery to help cease heavy or long-term vaginal bleeding.
- Dilation and curettage (D&C) removes the lining of the uterus that builds upward every calendar month before your catamenia. Frequently, a hysteroscopy is done at the aforementioned time. Your doctor inserts the hysteroscope (a thin telescope) into your uterus to see the inside of the uterine cavity. D&C may also remove noncancerous growths or polyps from the uterus. Subsequently the D&C, a new uterine lining will build up during your next menstrual wheel as usual. You may notwithstanding get pregnant later on this surgery.
- Endometrial ablation destroys the lining of the uterus permanently. Depending on the size and condition of your uterus, your medico may use tools that freeze, heat, or utilize microwave energy to destroy the uterine lining. This surgery should not be used if you even so want to become pregnant or if you have gone through menopause.
- Surgery to remove uterine fibroids without removing the uterus. This is called a myomectomy. Depending on the location of your fibroids, the myomectomy tin be done through the pelvic area or through the vagina and cervix. Yous may be able to get significant after this surgery. If your doc recommends this surgery, enquire your doctor if a power morecellator will exist used. The FDA has warned against the use of power morcellators for most women.
- Surgery to shrink fibroids without removing the uterus. This is called myolysis. The surgeon heats the fibroids, which causes them to shrink and die. Myolysis may be done laparoscopically (through very pocket-size cuts in the pelvic area). You lot may notwithstanding become pregnant afterwards myolysis.
- Treatments to shrink fibroids without surgery. These treatments include uterine artery embolization (UAE) and magnetic resonance (MR)-guided focused ultrasound (MR[f]US). UAE puts tiny plastic or gel particles into the vessels supplying blood to the fibroid. Once the blood supply is blocked, the coarse shrinks and dies. MR(f)US sends ultrasound waves to the fibroids that heat and shrink the fibroids. After UAE or MR(f)United states, you will not be able to get meaning.
How common are hysterectomies?
Each twelvemonth in the United states of america, most 500,000 women get hysterectomies.2 A hysterectomy is the 2d near common surgery amidst women in the United States. The virtually common surgery in women is childbirth past cesarean delivery (C-section).
What are the different types of hysterectomies?
- Atotal hysterectomy removes all of the uterus, including the cervix. The ovaries and the fallopian tubes may or may not be removed. This is the most common blazon of hysterectomy.
- Afractional, too calledsubtotal orsupracervical, hysterectomy removes simply the upper part of the uterus. The cervix is left in place. The ovaries may or may non be removed.
- Aradical hysterectomy removes all of the uterus, cervix, the tissue on both sides of the cervix, and the upper part of the vagina. A radical hysterectomy is well-nigh often used to treat certain types of cancer, such as cervical cancer. The fallopian tubes and the ovaries may or may non be removed.
Will the doc remove my ovaries during the hysterectomy?
Whether your ovaries are removed during the hysterectomy may depend on the reason for your hysterectomy.
Ovaries may exist removed during hysterectomy to lower the adventure for ovarian cancer. However, women who take not still gone through menopause also lose the protection of estrogen, which helps protect women from weather such as heart disease and osteoporosis.
Recent studies suggest that removing only the fallopian tubes only keeping the ovaries may help lower the risk for the near mutual type of ovarian cancer, which is believed to start in the fallopian tubes.3
The decision to proceed or remove your ovaries is 1 you tin can make after talking about the risks and benefits with your medico.
Volition the hysterectomy crusade me to enter menopause?
All women who accept a hysterectomy volition stop getting their period. Whether you will have other symptoms of menopause afterward a hysterectomy depends on whether your medico removes your ovaries during the surgery.
If y'all continue your ovariesduring the hysterectomy, you should not have other menopausal symptoms right away. Merely you may have symptoms a few years younger than the average age for menopause (52 years).
Considering your uterus is removed, you no longer accept periods and cannot become pregnant. But your ovaries might nevertheless make hormones, so you might not have other signs of menopause. You may accept hot flashes, a symptom of menopause, because the surgery may have blocked blood catamenia to the ovaries. This can prevent the ovaries from releasing estrogen.
If both ovaries are removed during the hysterectomy, you will no longer accept periods and y'all may have other menopausal symptoms right away. Because your hormone levels drop rapidly without ovaries, your symptoms may be stronger than with natural menopause. Enquire your md about ways to manage your symptoms.
How is a hysterectomy performed?
A hysterectomy tin be done in several different ways. It volition depend on your health history and the reason for your surgery. Talk to your doctor well-nigh the dissimilar options:
- Abdominal hysterectomy. Your doctor makes a cutting, ordinarily in your lower abdomen.
- Vaginal hysterectomy. This is done through a small cutting in the vagina.
- Laparoscopic hysterectomy. A laparoscope is an instrument with a thin, lighted tube and a small photographic camera that allows your physician to see your pelvic organs. Laparoscopic surgery is when the dr. makes very small-scale cuts to put the laparoscope and surgical tools inside of you. During a laparoscopic hysterectomy the uterus is removed through the pocket-sized cuts made in either your abdomen or your vagina.
- Robotic surgery. Your physician guides a robotic arm to practise the surgery through pocket-sized cuts in your lower belly, like a laparoscopic hysterectomy.
How long does it take to recover from a hysterectomy?
Recovering from a hysterectomy takes time. Most women stay in the hospital one to two days after surgery. Some doctors may send you home the same day of your surgery. Some women stay in the hospital longer, ofttimes when the hysterectomy is done because of cancer.
Your dr. will probable have you get up and move around as soon as possible after your hysterectomy. This includes going to the bathroom on your own. All the same, yous may have to pee through a thin tube called a catheter for one or two days after your surgery.
The time it takes for you to return to normal activities depends on the blazon of surgery:
- Abdominal surgery can accept from four to six weeks to recover.
- Vaginal, laparoscopic, or robotic surgery can take from three to 4 weeks to recover.
Yous should become plenty of balance and not lift heavy objects for iv to half-dozen weeks after surgery. At that time, you should be able to accept tub baths and resume sexual intercourse. How long information technology takes for you to recover will depend on your surgery and your health before the surgery. Talk to your md.
What changes can I expect later on a hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is a major surgery, so recovery can take a few weeks. But for well-nigh women, the biggest change is a meliorate quality of life. You should have relief from the symptoms that made the surgery necessary.
Other changes that you may experience afterward a hysterectomy include:
- Menopause. You lot will no longer have periods. If your ovaries are removed during the hysterectomy, you may accept other menopause symptoms.
- Change in sexual feelings. Some women have vaginal dryness or less interest in sex after a hysterectomy, especially if the ovaries are removed.
- Increased risk for other health issues. If both ovaries are removed, this may put yous at higher risk for certain conditions such every bit: bone loss, eye illness, and urinary incontinence (leaking of urine). Talk to your doctor almost how to preclude these issues.
- Sense of loss. Some women may feel grief or depression over the loss of fertility or the change in their bodies. Talk to your doc if you have symptoms of low, including feelings of sadness, a loss of interest in food or things you lot in one case enjoyed, or less energy, that last longer than a few weeks after your surgery.
Will my sexual practice life change after a hysterectomy?
It might. If you had a good sex life before your hysterectomy, you should be able to return to information technology without any bug after recovery. Many women report a better sex life after hysterectomy considering of relief from hurting or heavy vaginal bleeding.
If your hysterectomy causes you to have symptoms of menopause, you may experience vaginal dryness or a lack of interest in sex. Using a h2o-based lubricant can aid with dryness. Talk to your partner and try to allow more time to get angry during sex. Talk with your md and get more tips in our Menopause and sexuality section.
I've had a hysterectomy. Do I still need to have Pap tests?
Maybe. You will yet need regular Pap tests (or Pap smear) to screen for cervical cancer if you:
- Did not take your neck removed
- Had a hysterectomy because of cancer or precancer
Ask your doctor what is best for you lot and how often you should have Pap tests.
Did nosotros answer your question about hysterectomies?
Source: https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/hysterectomy
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