Post Op Hysterectomy!!!!!! Help!!!

I had my gastric bypass on 4-9-04 and done really well with it. Ive went from 240 lbs to 105 lbs, give or take a few lbs. In March I started having really bad back pains and back spams. After going through all the tests it came to find out that my uterus had fell and it was most likely pinching on a nerve or sitting on a never in my back. So I had a hysterectomy. They took my uterus and both tubes. I had sever endromotis on both tubes and even on my bladder, he had to do some laser surgery to get it all even. My hysterectomy was done open, took 22 staples. I also had to have a bladder tack and had my cervix removed and my uterus was 3 times bigger than it should have been. And with all the weight from the huge uterus he had to even do a vagina tack on me. So it was a pretty harsh surgery. He told me it would take me a good 2 months to heal due to having gastric bypass. Something about losing so much weight set off something in the blood stream that made it slower to heal. Ive healed good on the outside, but went for check up today and he could still feel the stitches inside and could feel some really ruff places from surgery. But my real problem is the hormones. Im on a hormone patch. But I really feel like Ive been half killed. I cry over nothing, I dont sleep (its 2:18 a.m. and Im here writting this lol), I have no energy, Im fatigued, I have pain in my neck, hips, knees, I feel worthless, I cant drive, I cant seem to focus, I feel guilty for feeling this way, I have days I dont want to even get out of bed, I cant seem to make decisions, and Im soooo moody, and hateful, I can cook dinner and then have to go to bed to rest. Well Ive not worked since the end of March (when the back pain started) And am sooooo scared of going back now. Dont know why, Ive had the same job for 14 years. I work as a nurse for a cardioloigst in a clinic. My ob/gyn told me to up my hormone patches to 1 1/2 per week, instead of one, which Im not sure how when you shower that the meds will stay in that 1/2 of one... and to up my Zoloft from 75mg per day to 100mg per day. He couldnt give me anymore time off of work, due to my 2 months are up. So he suggested I go see my primary doc and get them to note the meds change and maybe give me 2 weeks taking these higher doese of meds and give them the 2 weeks to get in my system and then for me to start part to work part time. Which Im going to do. But Im soooo scared of going back to work. I have no ideal why, Ive worked since I was 14 years old and Im now 39. I guess its just like a panic attack. My ob/gyn just says my body has been through alot with the gastric bypass and now the hysterectomy, that both are major surgeries and my body will just take time to adjust. But will I ever have strenght again? And feel like Im human? Right now I just dont see a light at the end of the tunnel. If any of you have been throught this... please tell me your story.... Thank you soooo much for your time... Shelia

Shelia, I can totally relate. I had an total open hysterectomy 6/02. I was also having back pain, went for an MRI and it showed a large mass in my stomach. Went to my gyn, he didn't feel that it was anything malignant but had me cancel a mission trip to have surgery asap--Go Figure--. Thanks to God everything was ok it was about the size of a grapefruit, too bad it only weighed 1-2lbs! Anyway, long story short, hormone replacement is such a long bout of trial and error. I have been on several different brands but never the patch. It takes about 2 wks for your body to adjust before you'll know if it works. I have been on prempro, premarin, and others but now I am on Estrace. Even after my gastric rny, my weight loss messed up my hormones, so I had to change again. But I can so relate to the hot flashes, terrible mood swings, no energy. I'm sorry I'm not much help, just wanted you to know that there is a light and hope at the end of the tunnel. Mine was having my daily quiet time and bible study to make sure that I had God as a priority and He took care of everything else. May God bless you and I know your hormones will level out soon!! Georgina

Hi Shelia, This sounds exactly like my story. I am on my fourth week of recuperating from a total open hysterectomy with endometriosis. You did not mention that they took your ovaries. If they didn't take them why do you have to have your hormones supplemented? Just curious. I had everything removed but my ovaries because I am not menopausal at 43 and do not need any hormone therapy. I know I am more fatigued due to anemia that goes along with bypassed patients sometimes. I am tired but it is slowly getting better. I continue to improve every day. I hope you do too. I will be thinking of you. Keep your spirits up! Just think.... no more periods!!! HUGS. Christina

At age 39, you may have been going through perimenopause, then, with the hysterectomy, even if you have your ovaries, you have been completely thrown into menopause. I'm 50, and lucky not to have needed a hysterectomy, but I am very definatley in perimenopause, and my hormones are starting to fluctuate. About a month ago , I became an out-of-control psycho b!&ch from hell. Totally, emotionally out of control: crying for no reason, anxious, not sleeping, fatigued, etc. good thing my husband was out of town or I probably would have killed him. I was on the phone to my gynecologist a few days later. Well, he did a couple of hormone levels and they came back "normal". I know I wasn't normal, that's for sure! I did start taking black cohosh and it has helped a lot, and I am not a big believer in herbal remedies. If I were you, I would seek a second opinion on the hormone issue from another gyn - and I would pick a female. I know that is biased (and I'm a nurse) but I don't care how great a male gyn is, he just cannot relate to the hormone issues the way another woman can. Somehow just tellin gyou to slap on another 1/2 a patch with all your symptoms seems pretty insignificant. If you can find it, the book, "Could It Be ....Perimenopause" is good. If nothing else, try the website www.powersurge.com Hope you feel better soon. Sue

Hi Sue, That is interesting that you have mentioned that if you have a total hysterectomy without ovary removal that you will be thrown into menopause. I have my ovaries and am not going to experience menopause for several years yet. Ovaries continue to function for their remaining viable years and there should be no need for hormones per my OB/GYN. I would think this is elemental but there are obviously different opinions about hysterectomies. Have a great day Christina

Ovarian function can decline anywhere from 5 to 10 (and even more, in some cases) years before actual menopause (defined as occuring at the end of one year with no menstrual periods, unless one has had a hysterectomy.) Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, et al., and even thyroid hormones and insulin will be affected if part of the hormonal cycle is affected. Obviously, if the uterus is removed, that could very well change the hormonal "feedback" system. "The Hormone Survival Guide for Perimenopause" by Nisha Jackson, Ph.D. is a good place to start to learn about how all this works (and sometimes stops working!). I can also tell you this from personal experience: I had half of my thyroid removed in 2000, and I could tell I was becoming hypothyroid, even though my TSH was well into the "normal" range. (Which was not "normal" for ME!) My doctor is really good, but he wanted to treat the symptoms, not the cause. (NSAIDs for the joint pain, antidepressant for the depression and fatigue, etc.) I saw a very progressive endocrinologist who started me on 3 times the amount of thyroid supplement my doctor was willing to "experiment" with! Now that I am in perimenopause, I'm finding the same thing is happening with my gyn, who advertises treatment of perimenopausal and menopausal problems on his web site. I was distrubed that he only checked my FSH, LH, and TSH when I had my first episode of severe symptoms. They came back normal, except my TSH, which was on the low side, and he felt could be the cause of my symptoms.(My thyroid has to be slightly suppressed because I have some "spots" on the remaining half that could enlarge.) I told him no one messes with my thyroid except the endocrinologist! I called his office back to ask what the next step is, and haven't heard anything back yet. Bottom line here: People need to educate themselves so they can be their own best advocate when it comes to health care. I trust my doctor, but he has also found that he can (and does) learn from me. (I was one of the first of the patients in his practice to have Roux-en-Y surgery.) I've had to educate him on the labs that need to be checked, what supplements we need, and so forth. He has told me it has helped in the management of his other patients that have had the surgery after me! Now if I can just convince the gyn to check the levels I wnat him to at the point in my cycle I want them checked, maybe I'll get somewhere! Hormonal issues are the hardest thing to get doctors to look at. So many times, women who are hypothyroid or who are having severe hormonal fluctuations and experiencing symptoms that make their lives miserable are just brushed off, or handed a prescription for another pill. It's really sad. Sue

Thanks Sue.

I know what you mean about not feeling right. I went in for a regular pap smear on my birthday Jan 2004. My doctor sent me to have a sonogram done the next week and ended up having to have a total hysterectomy Feb 4, 2004. Two weeks later.what a trip. I went thru all the hormone therapy ins and outs and come to find out that I am allergic to Premarin. He placed me on some other forms of HRT but nothing took. My surgeon was very angry with me because he never heard of anyone being allergic to HRT. My physician on the other hand advised me that she had heard of it before and that I should take something else, I attempted everything over the counter that is out there to no avail so I slowly weened myself off that last HRT that I was on and have not looked back. Yes I was hot flashing and crying but not like before. I still can't drink coffee, hot sauce or eat chocolate. I have learned what to avoid to not have them, anything with alcohol was a big one. I am having gastric bypass RNY on July 11, 2006 and never would have been to have these two surgeries at all in my life but here I am. It will get better just listen to your body, cry if hte feeling comes, sleep when you are tired and just sit and listen. Your body is the best at telling you what it needs and when it wants it. I still have trouble with it but have stood back and let it lead me. I am not so edgy. My strength has returned but still have days when I have to stop what I am doing and take a breather. We as women sometimes do not give ourselves time to listen to ourselves. This is the time. I hope this helps. Be strong and keep your chin up. Everything will work out.