It is common for people to experience pain, bleeding, vaginal discharge, and constipation after a hysterectomy. Pain medication and using sanitary pads can help with these side effects.
The most significant side effects after a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) include not being able to become pregnant and the end of menstrual periods. Other side effects can include vaginal dryness, reduced interest in sex, menopausal symptoms, depression, and increased risk of other health problems.
Recovering from hysterectomy surgery
After having a hysterectomy, you'll be in hospital for 3 to 5 days. You may have light vaginal bleeding for up to 2 weeks after surgery. Pain should settle down within a week after a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy.
You Won't Necessarily Go Into Menopause
The myth about hysterectomy Streicher hears most often in her medical practice is that a woman will go into menopause afterward. You won't have periods, and can't get pregnant after your uterus is removed. But that doesn't necessarily mean menopause.
Hysterectomy can lead to bladder and bowel dysfunction, prolapse, and incontinence as well as a 4-fold increased risk of pelvic organ fistula surgery.
Research does suggest a link between hysterectomy and an increased risk of weight gain, but it affects some women more than others. Several factors can affect how much weight you gain after a hysterectomy, including what you do during and after the initial recovery period.
You will no longer have periods. If your ovaries are removed during the hysterectomy, you may have 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.
For any woman undergoing a hysterectomy, these are all common, understandable questions. The intrusiveness of the procedure, along with changes in your hormones, does mean that some women will experience changes in their weight and physical fitness. Many of these changes need not be permanent.
A hysterectomy is a major operation. You can be in hospital for up to 5 days after surgery, and it can take about 6 to 8 weeks to fully recover. Recovery times can also vary depending on the type of hysterectomy.
In a study of 4,188 women, those who had a hysterectomy without ovarian removal were more likely to have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and heart disease and to become obese later in life than those who had their reproductive organs.
After a hysterectomy, the sudden withdrawal of certain hormones can take a toll on a woman's physical, mental and emotional well-being. Symptoms that are most common include hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, sleeplessness, light bleeding and discharge, and vaginal dryness.
Abdominal hysterectomy and abdominal incisions can cause the deep abdominal muscles to stop working. When these muscles stop working, this can make your belly look floppy and larger in size.
Slower metabolism.
These three symptoms can make weight loss challenging, and many women first begin to notice some extra pounds around the waistline or belly fat after a hysterectomy.
3-6 Months After Surgery
Research has shown that fatigue is the most common, debilitating, and longest-lasting symptom that women have after a hysterectomy. On average, women experience fatigue for three months after surgery, but some women have reported feeling tired for up to six months after the operation.
Vaginal Cuff
After a woman has a total hysterectomy done, her cervix that once was the "closing" at the top of the vagina is no longer there. As a means for the vagina to remain closed, it is sewn together at the top which is then referred to as the vaginal cuff.
About half a million hysterectomies are performed each year in the U.S. It is the second most common surgical procedure for women, after cesarean delivery (C-section). Most hysterectomies are performed between the ages of 40 and 50.
After your hysterectomy
The average recovery time for a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy is 3 to 4 weeks. For an abdominal hysterectomy, recovery may take 5 to 6 weeks. It's important to look after yourself after your hysterectomy: Rest as much as possible for at least 2 weeks.
Leaving the cervix in place reduces the amount of time the patient is in surgery. While it used to be thought that a supracervical hysterectomy could reduce the likelihood of sexual dysfunction, recent studies have shown that there is no difference in this between total and supracervical hysterectomies.
However, there are many ways you can avoid packing on extra pounds, such as engaging in light exercise (if possible), eating nutrient-dense foods, and getting enough rest. Remember, the side effects of hysterectomy are temporary, and you will likely lose weight once you have recovered.